Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Scoop, toss. Scoop, toss. Time to show this muck who's boss! Scoop, toss. Scoop, toss…"

Dorte flicked his tail, not caring about the singing squire who was currently cleaning his stall. He was the only one privy to this scene, and not by accident. Horses did not judge, nor could they spill secrets, and so Dorte was the only soul that the squire could be himself around.

Or rather, herself.

Annette Fantine Dominic had never envisioned a future where she'd be mucking stables, and yet here she was. It was hard, dirty, and smelly work, and it was just one of her many unsavory duties, but given the alternative, she'd choose this life again in a heartbeat. No pile of horse dung could be worse than being married to the coldest and most terrifying man Faerghus had ever produced.

"Victor! Are you in there?"

Annette released a distinctly unmanly yelp before remembering to lower her voice. "Coming!"

Even after all this time, being called by her alias felt strange. After her hasty flight from home, she had encouraged herself by remembering the tales of heroic knights that she read as a child. Of course, she wouldn't dare take the names of legends such as Loog and Kyphon, so instead she chose a far lesser known name: the cantankerous yet compassionate Sir Victor.

Annette put away her pitchfork and hurried outside, where Alois, the knight she served, waited. A concerned frown crossed his normally sunny face, and Annette's heart froze. Had she been found out?

"Is something wrong, Alois?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"There's a commotion over by the town gates," he responded. "We're not sure what's happened, but a crowd has formed. We need to calm everyone down before things get out of control."

Relief swept over her and she resisted the urge to sigh. Moments like these were frighteningly common. It was a miracle she hadn't been discovered yet, but she'd take every stroke of luck she could get. Every moment she stayed hidden was another moment she stayed alive.

She often longed for the days before her life had spiraled into fear and misery. As a child, she had lived happily with her mother and father in a small house in Fhirdiad, and the only things she had to worry about were what dress she was going to wear or what song to sing next. Then, when she was around twelve years old, King Lambert and Queen Patricia were assassinated, and shortly afterward, her father left without a word. Annette and her mother were soon taken in by her uncle. Things were well for a time, but then Annette's mother suddenly fell ill and passed away, leaving Annette at the mercy of her uncle and his wife, Cornelia.

While Annette's uncle was the head of the Dominic estate, Cornelia held all the real power, and she made sure to rub it in Annette's face at every opportunity. She frequently mocked and ridiculed her, and Annette's uncle always pretended he saw and heard nothing. Annette quietly endured the verbal abuse, as she had nowhere else to go, and Cornelia could not inflict any real harm on her without damning herself—Annette bore a Crest, and that alone made her useful to House Dominic. That all changed one fateful day when Cornelia announced that Annette would soon be wed. Her husband-to-be? None other than the Wolf of Fraldarius.

Annette's memory of the evening following that announcement was fuzzy at best. She wasn't sure if she fainted, burst into tears, fell violently ill, or all of the above. What she remembered with perfect clarity were the terrifying days that followed. Cornelia wasted no opportunity to remind Annette of every tale and rumor involving the infamous Felix Hugo Fraldarius.

He was said to have eyes like a beast and a heart made of ice. Few who crossed swords with him lived to tell the tale, and he was said to leave piles of corpses and a sea of blood in his wake. He spoke little, but every word was as bracing and harsh as a winter gale. His glare alone caused his enemies to throw down their weapons and beg for mercy. He even famously declared he was more comfortable holding a sword than a woman's hand. Blood, blades, and battle were all he knew.

Annette had heard all of this before, and she had no reason to doubt any of it. Once the Wolf had her in his jaws, she was doomed to a life of misery, an early grave, or a life of misery followed by an early grave. And so she gathered up every scrap of her courage and took the only path left to her.

She fled.

She'd done it late at night, while the majority of the household was asleep. The first order of business was to make sure no one would recognize her, so she stole a servant's clothes, cut her hair with a pilfered kitchen knife, and bound her chest as tightly as she could. She had a stroke of luck finding the stablehand passed out from drink, so she helped herself to one of the horses. After that, she'd made the painful decision to buy the night guards' silence with her mother's necklace—the only thing of value she possessed.

The rest of her flight was an experience she preferred to not recall. In hindsight, fleeing in the middle of the night without a single gold to her name and only a kitchen knife and some rudimentary magical knowledge as a means of self-defense was not the best idea, but she'd been desperate. So desperate, in fact, that she'd released her horse after a couple of days out of fear that someone would recognize it. Luckily, the Knights of Seiros had found her wandering lost and half-starved in Rowe territory before a group of bandits did.

Her ragged clothes and the dirt coating every inch of her body worked to her advantage. Not a single one of the knights recognized her. In fact, they mistook her for a young village boy, which was exactly what she had hoped for. After spinning a tale about how her village was destroyed and she was left orphaned—which wasn't that far from the truth, actually—the leader of the knights, Alois, took pity on her and offered to take her to Garreg Mach Monastery.

Annette supposed she could have lived a quiet life in the monastery with the other orphans, but she still didn't feel safe. She couldn't pretend to be a boy forever, and Garreg Mach's central location in Fódlan meant a lot of visitors from Faerghus passed through. If even one person saw through her disguise, she was finished. Her only option was to leave the monastery. That left her with a few options, most notably fleeing to Enbarr in the Adrestian Empire or Derdriu in the Leicester Alliance, or perhaps even leaving Fódlan altogether. To accomplish any of those things, though, she needed funds.

She'd practically begged Alois for a job, explaining that she wanted to repay her debt to him. Alois responded by making her his squire. While she was taken aback at first, Annette gladly accepted her new duty. The work was hard and often complicated by her tendency to trip over stray barrels and other objects that somehow wound up in her path, but she attacked each task with gusto. She polished armor, mucked the stables, and carried around weapons and shields. She even learned how to swing an axe around when Alois was able to spare some time to train her. Unfortunately, although she received compensation from the Church, she was paid like the fourteen-year-old boy she was pretending to be. Needless to say, her plans to leave Garreg Mach had to be put on hold.

Two years had passed since then. Two long years of saving up every coin she could while desperately trying to hide her identity. The fact that she hadn't yet been discovered was nothing less than a miracle, especially since she had come across a face she thought she'd never see again just a few days into her new life.

Namely, her long lost father.

The first time Annette laid eyes on him, she felt time stop around her. At first, she thought she was seeing things, but though time had taken its toll on him, his features still matched her childhood memories. How ironic that she had spent so many years hoping to see him again, only to reunite with him under the worst possible circumstances. The goddess had a truly twisted sense of humor.

Eventually, Alois shook her back to her senses, and she realized too late that she had made the ultimate folly: drawing attention to herself. Despite that, her father barely gave her a passing glance. Annette was not foolish enough to believe that he did not recognize her, so why did he ignore her?

Only upon questioning Alois and the other Knights of Seiros did she learn the truth. In a bizarre twist of fate, her father had taken the same path as her: he had discarded his old identity and adopted a new one. He now called himself Gilbert Pronislav and had been serving as a Knight of Seiros for the past eight years. Unlike Gustav Dominic, Gilbert Pronislav had no family and no connections to House Dominic.

The news was simultaneously relieving and heartbreaking. Her father could not reveal her without exposing his own identity, but at the same time she could never convince him to return home, nor could she ask him to abandon his duties and flee with her. Although it pained her, she had traveled too far down this path to turn back now. She had no choice but to continue as if their encounter never happened.

She bitterly wondered if her father was having similar thoughts. Foolish and rash decisions ran in the Dominic bloodline, it seemed.

Still, she didn't regret her choice, and her two years of hard work were finally coming to a head. Her savings had finally grown large enough to buy her a new life, and not a moment too soon. People were starting to get suspicious because she hadn't grown a centimeter since arriving at Garreg Mach. Victor the squire would have to disappear very soon.

In fact, she had been planning on doing just that within the week. However, if someone needed the Knights of Seiros, which was often, she had no choice but to delay. Her absence would be too conspicuous.

She padded after Alois through the monastery and the town surrounding it. Sure enough, a small crowd had gathered near the town entrance. In the center of the crowd was a carriage that Annette recognized as the type the nobility typically rode in. A small group of what appeared to be soldiers surrounded the carriage, but Annette could not tell who they were affiliated with.

More of the Knights of Seiros joined them to help disperse the crowd, and once there was some space, one of the unknown soldiers ran up to Alois. "Oh, thank goodness you're here!"

"What seems to be the problem?" asked Alois.

"We're the personal guard for Lady Marianne of House Edmund," the soldier explained. "She is newly betrothed, and we were to escort her to meet her fiancé. However, we were assailed by a demonic beast while en route, and while we succeeded in dispatching it, many of our comrades perished in the battle. We were able to make it here, but if we are attacked again, we do not have the numbers to ensure our lady's safety."

"That is quite a problem," Alois said. "May we speak with your lady? We would be more than happy to assist her, but we would like to meet her in person."

"Of course, sir! Right this way!"

The soldier led Alois, Annette, and the other knights closer to the carriage and the rest of the Edmund guard. Once they were a few steps away, the soldier announced, "Lady Marianne, the Knights of Seiros have agreed to help escort you! They wish to speak with you now."

The Edmund guard stood aside, revealing a pale young woman wearing a blue dress and a navy cloak. She held her head low, and her brown eyes looked strangely sad and tired. Her pale blue hair was pinned behind her head, but her bangs fell into her face, and she looked like she was making every effort to hide behind them. Annette regarded her curiously. She'd never seen a noble act so shy and skittish before.

"Um, hello," the woman murmured. Her voice was so soft that Annette had to strain her ears to hear her.

"Ah, you must be Lady Marianne von Edmund!" exclaimed Alois. "It's a pleasure to meet you! From what your men have told us, it sounds as though you've had quite a difficult journey. Please, I insist you come with us so you can rest and recover."

"You don't have to do that," said Marianne. "I'd rather not be a bother."

"A bother? Nonsense!" Alois declared. "It is the duty and honor of the Knights of Seiros to assist those in need! We can house you and all of your men and still have room for countless others!"

Somehow, Marianne managed to look even meeker. "Well… Okay. If you say so."

Alois, Annette, and the other Knights of Seiros escorted Marianne and her guardsmen inside the monastery, where they were all given fresh supplies. Then their group headed for the dining hall for a hot meal. Just one of the long tables had more than enough chairs for the Edmund soldiers and their charge, so Alois, Annette, and their group of knights joined them. As they ate, Alois asked Marianne where she was headed. In response, she lowered her head until her bangs hid her eyes and wordlessly picked at her food.

"Is something wrong?" Alois asked. "If we're going to escort you, we need to know your destination."

"I'm sorry," Marianne whimpered. "I don't like to think about it."

Alois gave her a curious look. "Why is that?"

"It's my fiancé. He's…"

"Say no more," Alois interrupted. "It's only natural for you to be nervous about marrying someone you've never met. You don't have to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable."

"You're very kind, Sir Alois," Marianne said, smiling wanly. "But you're right. It is important that you know where we're going, and it's not like it's a secret. Our destination is… Castle Fraldarius."

A loud clang rang out, and several curious heads whirled towards Annette. She turned bright red and squeaked out an apology as she snatched her dropped fork. She quickly stabbed her fish and shoved a chunk of it into her mouth, praying that her shock wasn't too obvious. Fraldarius? If Marianne's fiancé was there, that meant she could only be marrying one person: Felix Hugo Fraldarius, the dreaded Wolf himself.

As the news sunk in, relief swept over her so strongly that she almost laughed. If Felix was betrothed to another, that meant she was finally free. That relief was followed almost immediately by a surge of guilt. No one, especially someone as delicate-looking as Marianne, deserved a fate as horrible as being married to the Wolf. The guilt soon gave away to a cold terror that gripped Annette with such ferocity that her meal turned to ash in her stomach. What if she was discovered before the marriage took place? If Felix knew she was alive, would her betrothal to him still stand? If her leather armor was stripped away and her true identity was exposed, would that make her the pitiable woman standing next to him at the altar instead of Marianne?

Actually, that was the kindest fate that awaited her. Based on very reliable rumors, the Wolf had made it perfectly clear what he would do if he found her. And she had no doubt that he'd mount her head on a pike in front of his castle afterwards.

Annette swallowed her fish as if it were a lump of poison. She couldn't go to Fraldarius. Yet how could she possibly flee when Alois would surely be watching her every move? Why did this have to happen now, when she was so close to escaping for good?

She forced herself to stay calm. No one in Fraldarius knew what she looked like thanks to her flight two years ago. As long as she stayed close to Alois and didn't draw attention to herself, she would be safe. They could drop Marianne off, wish her the best of luck, and be back in Garreg Mach before anyone suspected a thing. It was selfish and cowardly, but when the alternative was a swift and certain death, what choice did she have?

Still, she couldn't help but feel awful that poor Marianne had been saddled with the same fate she once faced. It was no wonder Marianne looked so somber. And unlike Annette, she hadn't been able to run away. Annette supposed the least she could do in return was pray to the goddess to protect Marianne and hope that the Wolf wouldn't tear her apart.

"Victor!"

Annette jumped and yelped at the sound of Alois's voice. "Y-yes, sir?"

"I want you to ride with Lady Marianne on this mission."

"Huh? Wh-why me?" Annette asked. "I'm only a squire. I'm hardly qualified to protect her."

"You misunderstand," said Alois. "Lady Marianne has plenty of men to guard her. What I want you to do is keep her company."

"Keep her company? Why?"

"Lady Marianne is understandably anxious about her upcoming nuptials. While we cannot relieve her of her burden, we can at least try to ease her worries. I think Lady Marianne would feel more comfortable having someone closer to her in age to speak with. And you are far easier on the eyes than any of the other squires."

Annette tried not to wince at that. Despite her armor, her shorn hair, and her permanently smudged face, her fairer features still shone through. Her cheeks were too soft, her nose was too delicate, and she remained small and skinny while her peers grew in both height and bulk. For this reason, Alois generally kept her away from the training grounds. She made far too easy of a target for the less scrupulous types.

She could see Alois's point in this case, though. Someone like Marianne would be easily intimidated by most of the Knights of Seiros and their squires, but not Annette. For once, her lack of any true manliness or ruggedness was proving useful.

"All right, I understand," she said.

"That's my boy," Alois declared, giving Annette a hearty clap on the back. The gesture nearly sent her flying face-first into her meal. After she recovered, she finished eating and joined with Alois to begin preparing for the trip to Fraldarius. They wouldn't be leaving until the next morning, but there was still plenty to do.

Annette made sure her little pouch of saved coins was safely hidden in her room. After they'd safely escorted Marianne to Fraldarius and returned to Garreg Mach, Annette intended to make her escape. She couldn't risk staying here any longer, especially now that the Knights of Seiros were forcing her to return to the kingdom she'd fled from.

She'd already decided the best way to slip away. Merchants from the Leicester Alliance frequently stopped in Garreg Mach to sell their wares. Annette planned to stow away in one of their carts and ride with them until they reached another town. Then, she would blend into the crowd and use her funds to procure safe travel to Derdriu. Surely no one would go looking for a missing Faerghus noblewoman or a tiny squire of Seiros in the Alliance's capital city.

Despite her nervousness about her upcoming journey, hope filled her heart. She was so close to finally being free. Once she made it to Derdriu, she would make a new life for herself. A new life where she could move freely, act freely, and not have to constantly fear being discovered and killed. A peaceful life far away from Cornelia's cruelty.

It would be a far better life than the one she would have had as the bride of the most feared man in Faerghus.

Chapter Text

Felix Hugo Fraldarius, the widely feared and infamous Wolf of Fraldarius, was currently engaged in his usual habit of avoiding people. He knew who searched for his company, and he was currently in no mood to confront his philandering best friend, never mind that said friend lived here. While Felix currently found House Gautier far more tolerable than his own house at the moment, that didn't mean he was any more willing to be dragged into some scheme that would get them both into trouble.

He wouldn't be here in the first place if it weren't for his father, Lord Rodrigue Achille Fraldarius. The two of them had had a strained relationship for years, and while they usually maintained a quiet distance, every so often the old man would confront Felix about his future―a future that Felix did not look forward to.

Felix was heir to House Fraldarius, which meant that he was expected to take a wife at some point, but he steadfastly refused to think about that. He was a warrior through and through―he didn't need or want a wife tying him down. This was a matter he and his father clashed on frequently, and every time, Felix would storm out and vent his frustration in Castle Fraldarius's training grounds. If he was feeling especially livid, such as right now, he would leave Fraldarius and stay with one of his friends for a few days.

Marriage. The very word made him want to gag.

At least he didn't have to worry about settling down anytime soon. One of the advantages that came with being the Wolf of Fraldarius was that most people were too terrified to even approach him. It was so bad, in fact, that he shouldn't have been surprised when his father attempted to arrange a marriage for him behind his back. Two years ago, the current baron and lady of House Dominic contacted Rodrigue and offered up their niece as a marriage prospect, and his father―damn him―happily went along with it.

Obviously the niece did not agree with this arrangement, because shortly afterward she fled and vanished without a trace. Felix found himself surprisingly conflicted about the matter. On one hand, he was free of a marriage he wanted no part of, and he was glad his wayward betrothed felt the same way. On the other hand, the fact that this girl disliked him so much that she chose to flee and face certain death before she even formally met him… Well, it stung more than he cared to admit. He was familiar with women avoiding him like the plague, but even he hadn't expected such a brutal and humiliating rejection.

He supposed it didn't matter now. The Dominic girl had to be rotting in a shallow grave, and if she was somehow still alive, he'd slay her on sight―or so he told anyone who asked. In all honesty, he did not think he had it in him to kill a defenseless woman, even if she was a coward. It was simply far easier to lie to get people to stop pestering him about her. The last thing he wanted was more reminders of how that girl's foolish actions had bruised his heart.

Yes, he, Felix Hugo Fraldarius, one so ruthless and fearsome in battle that he'd earned the title of Wolf, had a heart. And he'd sooner die than show that weakness to the world.

A familiar hand clapped onto his back as an equally familiar voice called, "Hey, Felix!"

It took all of Felix's willpower to not groan. His attempt at slipping into the training grounds unseen had been foiled. "What do you want, Sylvain?"

Sylvain Jose Gautier was one of Felix's childhood friends and one of the very few people who remained close to him despite his reputation. Unfortunately, Sylvain was also a gigantic pain in the ass. He flirted with just about anything that moved and broke hearts on an almost daily basis. If that weren't enough, he never took his training seriously. He was skilled with a lance, for sure, but Felix wished he would spend a little more time honing that skill instead of bedding women.

"What, I can't say hello to my best friend?" Sylvain asked.

"You always have some ulterior motive," Felix grumbled. "And on that note: no, I am not going with you to pick up girls."

"Oh, come on, Felix!" Sylvain whined. "You're such a stick in the mud! You know there's more to life than fighting and training, right?"

Felix snorted. "At least I'm not an insatiable fool."

"Stubborn as ever, I see. You know, you could have girls practically throwing themselves at you if you really tried. There are plenty of ladies out there who adore the strong, silent type."

"Will you shut up already?!" Felix snapped. "I don't want or need women throwing themselves at me!"

"Sheesh, Felix, I was just joking!" Sylvain cried, holding his hands up defensively. "I didn't realize it was that sore of a subject for you. You're not still upset about being dumped, are you?"

"I was not dumped," Felix growled.

Sylvain grinned. “You didn’t deny that you were upset, though.”

“Shut up!” Felix snapped.

"But really, that girl from House Dominic had some nerve," Sylvain mused. "She just ran off without even giving you a chance. Talk about cold."

Felix sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We've been over this, Sylvain. Women don't want a husband whose hands are permanently stained with blood."

"And whose fault is it that people only know you for those bloodstained hands?"

Felix huffed, unwilling to acknowledge that Sylvain was right. He never bothered trying to change his infamous reputation because he was terrible at diplomacy. He vastly preferred actions over words, which is why he spent so much of his time either in the training grounds or on the road tracking bandits. He would gladly pay the price of being widely feared if it meant he could be himself.

"Anyway, it's been two years since that girl vanished, right?" Sylvain asked. "Makes you wonder just what happened to her."

"It doesn't matter. She didn't want me, and I didn't want her. Besides, she's most likely dead, so it's best that we all forget about her. I barely even remember her name anymore."

That wasn't exactly true. He'd found the name Annette to be surprisingly pleasant, all things considered. He wasn't about to admit that to anyone, though, least of all Sylvain.

"Really? I think Annette is a lovely name," Sylvain remarked. "And though I've never seen her, I'm certain she has a face to match."

"You're insatiable," Felix scoffed.

"Nah, I'm just optimistic," Sylvain corrected. "But really, Fe, I'm just trying to look out for you. You know Lord Rodrigue is gonna try to set you up again if you don't find someone to marry soon."

Felix grunted, knowing Sylvain was right again. Though he loathed to think about it, he was doomed to an unwanted and loveless marriage for the sake of politics. Sylvain was in the same position, which was the main reason why he went around breaking hearts. It didn't excuse his behavior, but Felix understood the desire to rebel against the system that shackled them simply because of their birth.

"Tell you what: how about we spar?" Sylvain offered. "You look like you really need to blow off some steam."

A small smirk crept onto Felix's face. Sylvain was impeccable at reading his moods. If Sylvain was willing to spar for his sake, then he'd happily take the offer.

Once in the training grounds, Felix and Sylvain took their preferred practice weapons and the sounds of wood and metal colliding filled the air as they traded blows. Sylvain made a good sparring partner when he put in the effort. Lances had an inherent advantage against swords thanks to their longer reach, and Felix always appreciated a challenge. If Sylvain bothered to take his training seriously, he could be renowned for his skill instead of the number of women he'd taken to bed.

"So," Sylvain began as their weapons clashed yet again. "How long are you planning to hide from Lord Rodrigue this time?"

"Does it matter?" Felix responded.

Sylvain grunted as he parried Felix's next blow. "Well, we do have to feed and house you, after all."

"As if that's ever been a problem for you," Felix scoffed.

"I'm just saying. You know you can't run forever."

Felix responded with another strike. Sylvain seemed strangely determined to get under his skin today. At least Ingrid wasn't here―the last thing Felix wanted was another of his childhood friends nagging him over his life decisions.

Eventually, Felix gained the upper hand and knocked Sylvain to the ground. He pointed his training sword at Sylvain's throat, and Sylvain was forced to yield. Felix scoffed and lowered his sword. Another day, another win.

"Ouch," Sylvain grunted as he sat up. "You never let up, do you?"

"Unlike you, I take my training seriously," Felix responded.

"And you wonder why everyone's terrified of you," Sylvain remarked. He stood up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. "Seriously, learn to take it easy once in a while. I promise no one will think less of you for it."

Felix snorted in response. He and Sylvain had had this conversation many times, and neither was willing to budge on the matter. He turned away and made a beeline for the nearest training dummy.

"Lord Felix!"

Felix couldn't hold back a snarl. Would no one leave him alone today? He turned to glare at the intruder, who he quickly recognized as a messenger from Fraldarius. Unfortunately, that meant that the messenger wasn't the least bit intimidated by him. Instead, he merely bowed deeply.

"Lord Felix, I bring a missive of the utmost priority from Lord Rodrigue."

"You can tell my old man to stuff it," Felix growled. "I'll return home when I'm ready."

"But Lord Rodrigue―"

"I said I'll return home when I'm ready. Now get out of my sight."

"C'mon, Fe, at least take his missive," Sylvain interjected. "If Lord Rodrigue sent a messenger, it must be pretty important."

Felix shot Sylvain a glare, but Sylvain merely stared back expectantly. With a sigh, Felix relented. "Fine. Hand it over."

The messenger quickly gave Felix the missive and bowed deeply again before leaving the training grounds. Felix gave the envelope in his hand a look that would have sent all but the most hardened of warriors scurrying for the hills. Just what did his old man want with him?

"You gonna open that or keep staring at it in hopes that it will burst into flames?"

"Shut up, Sylvain," Felix growled. He handed his training sword over to Sylvain hold onto before returning his attention to the letter. He flipped the envelope over, broke the wax seal emblazoned with the Crest of Fraldarius, and unfolded the letter stored inside.

My dear son Felix,

Felix snorted. "My dear son"? It looked like a shallow attempt to cushion whatever blow that would soon follow. His frown deepened as he read on.

I am pleased to announce that after many years of struggle, I have at last procured a bride for you. The current margrave of House Edmund recently approached me and offered his adopted daughter's hand in marriage. Given our previous difficulties in finding you a willing bride, I was not in a position to refuse. By the time this letter reaches you, she should be well on her way to Fraldarius. I expect her to arrive within a fortnight, and I expect you to be back in time to meet her. Please do not humiliate her by acting rashly. I am sorry that it has come to this, but you have left me with little choice. I only hope that in time you will come to understand how important it is for you to continue the Fraldarius line.

Sincerely,

Your father, Rodrigue

Felix gripped the letter so tightly that his fingers threatened to punch holes through it. His whole body trembled with rage, and a low growl escaped his throat. So this was why his old man had been so driven in their last fight. He'd already had this planned out!

"Fe? Are you alright?" asked Sylvain.

"No!" Felix roared as he crumpled the letter. "My old man set up another arranged marriage behind my back and didn't even have the spine to tell me in person!"

Sylvain winced, but to his credit, he didn't offer any words of sympathy. "That's some crazy timing. I knew this was gonna happen sooner or later, but sheesh, we were just talking about it a few minutes ago. Then again, I'm willing to bet that Lord Rodrigue wanted to tell you sooner, but you stormed out before he could."

Felix snarled and extended his hand towards Sylvain. "Give me my sword."

Sylvain wordlessly complied, and Felix immediately started slashing at the nearest training dummy as if it were his mortal enemy. He didn't care that Sylvain was watching. He just needed to channel his frustration, and swordplay was the most effective means of doing so. However, it would never solve the real problem: being engaged to some woman who doubtlessly was dreading her nuptials as much as he was.

He felt a twinge of empathy for Annette Dominic, for he was mildly tempted to flee as she had. Unlike her, though, he was no coward. And given that his bride was apparently already on her way, it was unlikely that the events of two years prior would repeat themselves.

He wondered just what sort of person the young Lady Edmund was. He doubted that she was pleased with this arrangement, so she likely was in a position where she had no choice but to accept her fate. He could understand that―after all, he was in the exact same position. Perhaps once this whole ordeal was over with, they could simply avoid each other except for when the business of… producing heirs came around.

Saints. Just the thought made him feel ill.

Not for the first time, he wondered how his brother Glenn had felt upon learning that he would have to marry Ingrid. It wasn't the same situation since their betrothal had been set up almost immediately after Ingrid was born, but the thought haunted Felix from time to time, much like Glenn himself. Even now, Felix could practically hear his brother's ghost whispering in his ear.

When Glenn died, Felix swore to distance himself from chivalry and any knightly ideals, and the Wolf of Fraldarius was born. Yet for all his effort, here he was in almost exactly the same situation as his brother. If the goddess truly existed, her idea of humor was disgusting.

"Hey, Fe?"

The sound of Sylvain's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "What?"

It came out harsher than he intended, and he felt a twinge of guilt. For once, Sylvain had done nothing to deserve Felix's ire. Luckily, Sylvain didn't so much as flinch. One good thing that came with being friends since childhood was that Sylvain knew when Felix was seriously angry with him or just lashing out.

"I won't let you go through this alone," Sylvain assured. "We'll go to Fraldarius together. Besides, you're gonna need someone who knows how to deal with girls."

Felix huffed and rolled his eyes, but he recognized that Sylvain genuinely wanted to help. For all of his faults, Sylvain always had Felix's back when it really mattered. He felt a lot better about facing his father and his fiancée with Sylvain at his side. He just hoped he could get this whole mess over with quickly so he could return to some semblance of normal life.

He was the Wolf of Fraldarius, and not even marriage could change that.

Chapter Text

The journey to Fraldarius was long and quiet. Part of this was due to the fact that Annette was traveling in a carriage with Marianne, who was so meek and reserved that it was hard to pull more than a few words out of her. Annette tried multiple times to make small talk with her, only for Marianne to give a one- or two-word response and clam up again.

Annette could understand her behavior, having been in the exact same position. Who wouldn't be terrified at the prospect of marrying the Wolf of Fraldarius? It left Annette feeling torn. Marianne could very well be freed from her obligation if Annette revealed herself, but how could she possibly do so when Felix had vowed to slay her on sight? There was no easy solution, and thus Annette found herself unable to do anything but stand by and watch as Marianne rode to her doom.

As the days passed, the coil of guilt in Annette's gut tightened, and she felt even more compelled to reach out to Marianne. She tried a different tactic this time: instead of asking Marianne questions, she talked about herself. She spoke about her duties as a squire, about Alois, and about Garreg Mach. She was halfway through a story about how Alois made an entire army groan with one of his bad jokes when Marianne finally spoke up.

"Why do you keep trying to talk to me?"

Annette was so surprised at the question that she couldn't say anything other than a startled "Huh?"

"Please forget about me. I don't want to cause you any trouble," Marianne continued.

"Trouble?" Annette repeated, tilting her head in confusion. "Why in the world do you think you'd cause me trouble?"

"Because that's what always happens to everyone around me. All my life, I've only brought misfortune to others. My parents are dead, and now over half of my guardsmen have perished because of me."

"It was a demonic beast attack!" Annette protested. "You're not to blame for that!"

Marianne lowered her head until her bangs hid her eyes. "They'd still be alive if they weren't protecting me. It would have been better if I'd died instead."

Annette could only stare at her in disbelief. What in the world had made Marianne see herself in such a terrible light? Annette wanted to ask for more details, but the last thing she wanted was to make Marianne feel even worse.

"Do you think the Wolf would grant me a swift end if I asked for it?" Marianne continued.

Annette opened and closed her mouth several times as she struggled to come up with an answer. She wanted to say yes because she was positive the Wolf would be more than happy to spill more blood, but she didn't want to give Marianne a reason to spiral even further.

"I'm not sure," she said at last. "I've never actually met the Wolf, so your guess is as good as mine. That said, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be so quick to kill the girl he's supposed to marry." Unless that girl were to run away, of course, but Annette thought it best to keep that detail to herself.

Marianne didn't look cheered by the news, but she didn't look any gloomier, either. "I see," she muttered.

"And even if you bring people misfortune as you claim, the Wolf is more than strong enough to fight it off!" Annette exclaimed. "In fact, I bet he could drive any trouble away with just a glare! I mean, he already does that to anyone who challenges him."

Too late, Annette realized how ridiculous she sounded. Did she seriously just defend Felix? She blurted an apology for being too forward, but Marianne shook her head.

"It's okay. I know you were just trying to cheer me up," she said. "But please don't concern yourself over me. Nothing you say or do can change my fate."

Annette felt another stab of guilt hearing that. If only Marianne knew how wrong she was. Not for the first time, Annette wondered if running away had been the right choice. After all, the only reason Marianne was here was because of her. Yet if she tried to save Marianne now, her head would be swiftly separated from her shoulders, and Marianne would still be forced to marry Felix.

Annette murmured another apology before turning and looking out the carriage window. The skies were gray and a light drizzle was falling, as if the goddess decided to mimic the mood inside the carriage. Even the grassy hills and numerous pine trees seemed less vibrant.

She'd heard from the other knights that if they kept their current pace, they would reach Castle Fraldarius by sundown. Whether she liked it or not, time was running out for her and for Marianne. She had no choice but to deal with the consequences of her decision two years ago.

All too soon, she heard the announcement that their destination was in sight. Annette could not see the castle looming closer with every hoofbeat, but her heart nonetheless began to frantically attempt to escape her chest. She prayed that her terror wasn't too obvious—the last thing she wanted was to upset Marianne even more.

She watched a great gray stone wall pass by the carriage window and knew that they had gone through the portcullis. Moments later, the carriage and the rest of their little band came to a halt. The carriage door opened, and one of Marianne's guardsmen ushered both her and Annette outside.

As their hosts had not yet appeared, Annette allowed herself a look around the courtyard. By all appearances, it seemed to be a normal castle courtyard. The great iron doors in front of them looked innocuous enough. She spotted a lovely little garden nestled in one corner, filled with bright herbs and colorful flowers. A faint whinny informed her that the stables weren't too far away. It wasn't too different from what she'd see at Garreg Mach or even Dominic, which surprised her. She never expected the place that the Wolf of Fraldarius called home to be so… ordinary.

The great doors opened at last, and Annette snapped back to attention as her heart resumed its terrified fluttering. Several people emerged from inside the castle, and she quickly identified one of them as being none other than the lord of the castle, Rodrigue Achille Fraldarius.

Lord Rodrigue was just as well known throughout Fódlan as Felix, but for entirely different reasons. People called him the Shield of Faerghus because he devoted his life to protecting the kingdom and especially its royal family. After King Lambert and Queen Patricia died, Lord Rodrigue practically raised the young Prince Dimitri as his own. Annette could not understand how such a kind and noble man bore a son as cold and terrifying as Felix.

As Alois marched to the front of the group to speak with Lord Rodrigue, Annette did her best to appear small and insignificant. She stared at the ground and fiddled with her fingers. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Marianne doing the same. Then she heard a collective gasp from the knights and squires around her, and she knew the Wolf had made his appearance.

Annette tried her best to keep her breathing under control as the Wolf's footsteps came closer and closer. The footsteps abruptly stopped, and Sothis herself shivered as Felix's voice boomed around them.

"And who are you?" he demanded.

Annette allowed herself a quick glance to check that he wasn't speaking to her before returning her gaze to the ground, praying that she could fade into the background. Poor Marianne, however, could not be granted that luxury. She trembled so much that even Annette could feel it, and nervous stammers emerged from her lips instead of words.

Felix sighed, clearly exasperated. "Can no one tell me this woman's name?"

"Felix!" Lord Rodrigue scolded. Evidently, he had no fear of his son. Annette strongly suspected that he was one of very few people to openly cross the Wolf and live to tell the tale.

"Please calm yourself, Lord Felix," Alois interjected. "This is Lady Marianne von Edmund, your fiancée."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Marianne," said Lord Rodrigue. "Please, hurry and come inside and out of this dreadful weather. You must have had a terribly long journey."

Felix snorted, and Annette was exceedingly grateful that she was not the target of his ire. She glanced over at Marianne, who was white as a sheet and still shivering as if it were the dead of winter. At Alois's and Lord Rodrigue's urging, she let out a heart-wrenching whimper and began to follow them, looking as if she were heading to the gallows instead of a castle.

With a heavy heart, Annette turned away from her. As a squire, she needed to tend to the horses before she could join the higher-ranking knights. She felt terrible about leaving Marianne alone, but there was nothing more she could do unless she received new orders.

As she made her way back toward the knights' horses, her toe suddenly caught on something and she pitched forward. She yelped in shock and wildly flailed her arms, but both failed to stop her from planting her face into the stone walkway. She lay there a moment, feeling slightly dazed and mortally embarrassed as laughter echoed around her. For Seiros's sake, why did she have to trip on a crack now?

"Victor! Are you all right?!" Alois cried as he ran to her side.

"I'm fine," Annette responded, already pushing herself back up.

"Hey," a gruff voice said from nearby. Annette turned towards it and squeaked as she realized that the Wolf of Fraldarius was now standing over her. His gaze bore into her, assessing and calculating, and she found herself unable to look away.

A part of her was surprised that she was facing a man and not some horrible demon. After all she'd heard about him, she'd expected him to look as terrifying as his namesake. The man that stood before her now was indeed fierce, but he wasn't unpleasant to look at. His eyes were a warm copper color that reminded her of some of Cornelia's expensive gemstones. His face had a pleasing enough shape, with a sharp jawline and defined cheekbones. His inky hair was tied up in a ponytail, but a few stubborn strands of it still fell over his face. His pale skin sported several small scars, most notably one over his right cheek. His mouth was currently set in a scowl, but Annette wondered how he would look if those lips ever turned upward.

Probably only when he cuts down his foes, she thought, returning to herself with a start. By the goddess, what in the world was she thinking? Felix's glare hardened even more as she staggered to her feet and bowed to him. "P-please excuse me, my lord!"

"You're a squire, correct?" he asked. "Pay more attention to where you're walking, or else you'll end up dead."

"Y-yes, my lord!" she squeaked.

"Damned idiot knights," Felix growled as he turned and stormed away. Annette allowed herself a sigh of relief. Somehow, she'd come face to face with the Wolf and still breathed. If she could survive the rest of the night in the same fashion, she would be home free. After once again reassuring Alois that she was fine and insisting that he look after Marianne instead of her, she began helping the other squires lead the horses to the stables.

The work wasn't particularly enjoyable, but it helped soothe Annette's nerves. Felix was every bit as terrifying as the rumors said. It didn't matter that his eyes were a pleasant color; the man was merciless. She imagined he only smiled when he ran one of his enemies through. She tried not to feel too relieved that she wasn't the one who had to marry him, because the thought of poor Marianne being bound to him in her place turned her stomach. She prayed that the goddess and Lord Rodrigue would show Marianne some kindness, because Felix certainly wouldn't.

As Annette tended to and stabled the final horse, she felt a heavy hand clasp her shoulder. "Hey, Victor."

Annette froze. She didn't think the other squires would try anything while in someone else's territory, but she now saw she was sorely mistaken. Before she could even think about fleeing, she found herself being hoisted up and dragged around as if she were a rag doll. The burly squire carrying her sneered and said that he was excited to see how her training was going, and several others chimed in their agreement.

They reached the training grounds in no time, and the squire unceremoniously shoved Annette to the ground before tossing a training axe at her. Although she knew how to use a weapon, her meager experience meant this could end in only one way. There was no hope of escape when the other squires had her surrounded, so all she could do was hold her axe as bravely as she could and pray the ordeal would be over quickly.

Sure enough, her opponent disarmed her almost immediately and knocked her to the ground, and a chorus of laughter rang around her.

"How'd someone like you ever get to be a squire?" one asked. "Old Alois is way too soft."

"You're a disgrace to the Knights of Seiros!" another taunted.

The humiliation didn't stop there. Each squire took his turn knocking Annette off her feet and mocking her afterward. Several even kicked her and spat at her while she was down. Worse yet, a small crowd started to gather and watch. Annette could only hope Felix wouldn't join them. She'd already earned his ire once today, and she doubted he would let her off so easily again.

The beating seemed to go on for hours. Annette was positive she had bruises in places she didn't think were possible to bruise, and yet none of the knights had come to her rescue yet. She knew Alois had to be with Marianne, but where in the world were the rest of them? Or perhaps they also thought she was unworthy to be a squire. As yet another boot rammed into her side, she heartily wished Alois had allowed her more time in the training grounds. As she was, she could only pray that unconsciousness would soon mute the pain.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

Everyone immediately went silent. Annette would have flinched and trembled in terror if she were able to move. Saints, the Wolf sounded furious. She desperately wanted to get up, but couldn't lift so much as a finger without her body crying out in agony. She closed her eyes and whimpered. This was it. The Wolf would see her for what she really was, and her life would be forfeit. As the sound of footsteps neared her, Annette braced herself for the end.

Hands far gentler than she expected slid under her arms and lifted her off the ground until she was back on her feet. Those hands shifted down to her sides once she was steady, but they did not let go.

"Can you stand?" Felix's voice asked from behind her.

Annette blearily opened her eyes. Her body was still throbbing and she was pretty sure the hands that were still holding onto her were all that kept her upright. Nonetheless, she couldn't bear to keep looking so pathetic in front of the Wolf.

"I think so," she mumbled.

The snort she got in response told her that Felix didn't believe her for one second. "Sylvain, take this one out of here."

Annette froze. Sylvain? As in Sylvain Gautier, the infamous heartbreaker of Faerghus? He was here, too?

"Aw, are you growing a soft spot, Fe?" a new voice cut in.

"Shut up!" Felix snapped. "Just take him!"

Annette wanted to protest, but Felix handed her over to a tall redhead she vaguely recognized as one of the people who had accompanied Lord Rodrigue before she could utter a word. Sylvain quickly threw an arm around her shoulders to keep her from collapsing, and then he led her out of the training grounds. All the while, she could hear Felix unleashing his fury on the other squires.

"And you! Yes, all of you! You disgust me. Ganging up on a weak and defenseless opponent like that… Just what the hell are those knights teaching you?!"

"Yikes. I don't envy those boys," Sylvain remarked. "Pick up the pace, will you? It sounds like it's gonna get messy in there."

Annette happily complied. Despite still feeling like she'd been trampled by a horse, she had no desire to see Felix tear her fellow squires to pieces. She had no doubt they would soon be in a far worse state than she was.

"Speaking of messy, you sure took a beating back there," Sylvain continued. "We'd better get you to a healer quickly."

A healer? While she reluctantly admitted she could really use the healing, seeing a healer meant that she would have to remove her clothes. She could not risk that happening. "I'll be fine," she said firmly.

"I don't think so," Sylvain responded. "You can barely walk. If I leave you like this, Felix will have my head."

Annette attempted to shove him away, but she might as well have been pushing against a stone wall. Sylvain responded by pulling her closer.

"Geez, you sure are feisty for someone so small," he remarked. "I think I'm starting to understand how you got into trouble in the first place."

You don't know the half of it, Annette thought. And he never would if she had anything to say about it. Unfortunately, she remained powerless as he led her through the numerous hallways. Eventually, he stopped at one wooden door and gave it a hearty knock.

"Oh, Lena! I have a patient for you!" he called.

The door opened, and a gentle-looking woman with fiery hair peeked out. She wore the white robes typical of bishops, so she was clearly skilled. She took one look at Annette and covered her mouth to suppress a gasp. "Oh, dear, you look terrible! Please come in, quickly!"

Sylvain ushered Annette inside, and Lena led her to a bed to sit on. To Annette's dismay, Sylvain did not leave even as Lena went to work removing Annette's armor. She tried to protest, but Lena was having none of it. She rolled up Annette's sleeve and frowned at the fresh bruises.

"What in the world happened to you?" she asked as her hands glowed with white magic.

"It looked like 'runt of the litter' syndrome to me," said Sylvain. "The poor thing was getting bullied by his peers. Come to think of it, I never got your name, little guy."

"It's Victor," Annette answered. "I serve Sir Alois Rangeld of the Knights of Seiros."

"And I'm Sylvain Gautier," Sylvain said with a wink. "I used to serve a knight as well, but that was many years ago. So, how'd someone as scrawny as you get into the Knights of Seiros?"

"Lord Sylvain!" Lena scolded.

"It's a long story. I'd rather not talk about it," Annette said curtly. "Oh, Lena, please don't lift my shirt."

"Whyever not?" she asked. "I can't heal your wounds properly if I can't see them."

Annette desperately searched for a possible excuse. "I have… scars. Really awful scars."

"Scars, huh?" Sylvain asked. Annette did not like the look he was giving her, as if she were some puzzle that he was seconds away from solving. "Something tells me that isn't what you're hiding at all."

"Away with you!" Annette said as sternly as she could. "You've done what Lord Felix asked, didn't you? Now get out!"

"There's that feistiness again," Sylvain noted, looking supremely satisfied. "Well, I suppose we all have things to hide."

"Lord Sylvain, please," Lena said sharply.

"All right, all right. I can tell when I'm not wanted," Sylvain relented, raising his arms placatingly. "I'll leave Victor in your capable hands, Lena. And after you're done, maybe we can have dinner together."

"Lord Sylvain."

"Okay, okay, I'm going! Sheesh!"

Once he was safely out the door, Annette sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. I thought he'd never leave."

"He certainly is persistent," Lena agreed. "That's just the way he is with women, though."

Annette's heart stopped. "Women? I'm no—"

Lena pressed a finger to Annette's lips. "You can relax. I will tell no one."

"How—"

"It was quite obvious from how defensive you got about your 'scars'. I'm certain Lord Sylvain has figured it out as well. Now, with that settled, will you allow me to finish healing you?"

Annette slumped over, buried her face in her hands, and groaned. "After all the work I did… All of it was for nothing…"

"Please, calm down," Lena soothed. "I don't know what you've been through, but I promise you are in no danger. As I said, I will not tell anyone, and I am certain Lord Sylvain will stay silent as well. Heartbreaker he may be, but he is not a cruel person."

Annette sighed again and submitted to Lena's healing. She braced herself for the inevitable questioning, but Lena remained silent through the whole process. Once every bump and bruise had been tended to, Lena smiled.

"There we go. Do you feel better now?" she asked.

"Yes. Thank you," Annette responded. "Aren't you going to—"

"I will not pry," Lena interrupted. "I'm sure you have your reasons for hiding yourself. But please do take care. I'd rather not have to see you in this infirmary again."

"Of course. Thank you again, Lena."

After helping Annette put her armor on again, Lena bid her farewell. She made it out the door and about five steps into the hallway before she realized she had no idea where she was going. She hadn’t been paying attention when Sylvain had led her here, although in her defense, that had been the last thing on her mind at the time. She spun back around and her face flushed as she realized she would need Lena’s help again.

"Are you lost or something?"

Annette jumped and whirled around again, only to come face to face with a triumphant-looking Sylvain. She gritted her teeth and gave him the fiercest glare she could muster.

"I am fine," she grated. "And what are you doing back here anyway? Lena and I both told you to get lost!"

Sylvain casually placed his hands behind his head. "I just figured you'd need some help getting around. Since you're new to the castle and all."

"I do not need your aid, nor do I want it," Annette said stubbornly. "Now get out of my sight!"

Sylvain did nothing of the sort. Instead, he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms smugly. "If I were you, I wouldn't be so quick to refuse aid. You look like you could use a lot of it."

"I need no help," she insisted, and to prove her point, she made a show of marching past him.

"You know," Sylvain began slyly. "If you don't tell me the truth, I will figure it out myself."

Annette stopped to glare at him. "I have nothing to tell you."

"Have it your way," he said with a shrug. "But since I know what you are now, the mystery of who you are shouldn't be much harder to solve, right?"

"I already told you who I am," she growled. "There is nothing more for you to know."

Sylvain grinned. "Play dumb all you want. Sooner or later, I'll find you out."

The four saints help her, he was dead serious. And she'd thought the last two years had been dangerous. At this rate, she suspected she would be lucky to survive the next hour.

Chapter Text

Felix was in an incredibly foul mood.

He'd expected this day to go poorly, but somehow it managed to be even worse than he'd anticipated. First, he had not expected the Knights of Seiros to be escorting his fiancée. Apparently, they'd stepped in because most of the Edmund guard had been wiped out in a freak demonic beast attack. While their reasoning made sense, this meant that Castle Fraldarius was now crawling with knights. Worse yet, the leader of this merry band, who called himself Alois, wouldn't stop making terrible, unfunny jokes. It was enough to make Felix want to lock himself in his room or the training grounds for the rest of the night.

Second was the matter of his bride. He wasn't foolish enough to believe that Marianne von Edmund had entered this engagement willingly, and one glance at her proved his suspicions correct. The girl was pale as a ghost, and she couldn't look him in the eye or even form a coherent sentence around him. He wondered how in the world he was supposed to marry her when she looked like she would pass into a dead faint at any moment. He was actually surprised that hadn't happened already.

It didn't take long for Felix to become fed up with all the nonsense, and he left Marianne in his old man's capable hands while he stormed off to the training grounds, Sylvain trailing close behind him. Yet he couldn't even be allowed the one thing that granted him solace, for he had found the training grounds to be occupied by a group of Seiros squires who were cheering and hollering as they beat one of their own into the ground. Felix quickly identified the victim as the clumsy one who tripped over a crack while attempting to retrieve the knights' horses.

Well, the boy may have been feeble and pathetic, but that didn't warrant such a cruel beating. He broke up the fight, handed the injured child over to Sylvain, and gave the remaining squires such a severe scolding that they all fled in terror after he finished. It served them right, too. He saw no point in tormenting a foe that couldn't defend themselves. The thrill of combat came from fighting someone who could match you blow for blow. Obviously, the knights had done a poor job of teaching those brats.

Speaking of which, the clumsy squire Felix rescued must have served the most clueless knight in the world. Felix couldn't understand how anyone would make that child a squire. He looked barely older than fourteen, and even then he was so small and skinny that a stiff breeze would probably knock him over. It was no wonder he got beaten so badly.

Given that, Felix felt completely justified in delaying seeing his bride again to make sure the boy was doing alright. While he was confident Sylvain had the sense to bring the squire to Lena, Sylvain was just as likely to drag him into some scheme to win over some unlucky woman. Knowing Sylvain, it was very likely that the unlucky woman would be Lena herself. He hurried through the hallways towards the infirmary, hoping he wouldn't be too late.

"There is nothing more for you to know."

"Play dumb all you want. Sooner or later, I'll find you out."

Felix scowled. That squeaky voice could be no one other than the feeble squire he had rescued, and the smug one replying to him was definitely Sylvain. What was Sylvain trying to weasel out of the boy? Felix knew that Sylvain was far sharper than he let on, but what could Victor possibly be hiding that would pique Sylvain's interest?

Felix peered around the corner and saw the two offending parties engaged in a staring contest. Sylvain was leaning against the wall with arms crossed, but his relaxed posture belied the mischievous glint in his eyes. The young squire glared fiercely at him, but the combination of his shorn hair, small stature, and big blue eyes made him look more like an angry kitten than anything intimidating.

Felix sighed. Whatever the issue was, he wanted nothing to do with it. That said, he had a feeling these two would be here all day if left to their own devices. He reluctantly approached them and growled, "Sylvain, leave him alone."

The two jumped at the sudden interruption and whirled toward him. The squire turned white as a sheet and started shaking so badly that it was a wonder that he remained upright. He'd been similarly terrified the last time Felix had confronted him. It was almost as if he feared Felix would behead him if he made the slightest misstep. If that were the case, he'd have been dead long ago.

"Hey," Felix began, as he still didn't know the squire's name. He vaguely remembered some knight shouting at the boy when the latter tripped, but Felix hadn't paid him any attention. "You feeling any better?"

The child only continued to quiver in fear.

"I'm not going to punish you," Felix said with a sigh. "But I do wonder how in the world you got to be a squire. I've never seen such a pathetic performance in my life."

"Hey, lay off him, Fe," Sylvain interrupted. "He's had a bad enough day without you breathing down his neck."

Felix shot him a glare. "You're one to talk."

Sylvain merely grinned at him in response. Felix rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the squire. "You, um…"

"His name's Victor," Sylvain supplied helpfully.

"Victor," Felix repeated. "Who trained you?"

Victor fidgeted as his eyes darted around, looking anywhere except at Felix.  "Um, err…"

"That's answer enough." Felix pinched the bridge of his nose. This was worse than he thought. "That explains why you got thrashed so badly."

"Y-yes, my lord. Sorry, my lord."

"In the state you are in now, you're going to get yourself killed on a real battlefield," Felix said frankly, and Victor flinched in response. Felix found himself pitying the boy. He couldn’t fault Victor when his problem resulted from having a poor teacher and even worse training partners, and neither of those things would change when he headed back to Garreg Mach with the Knights of Seiros.

Felix wasn't about to let this child walk into certain death if he could help it. He crossed his arms as he considered what to do. Obviously he'd have to have a talk with Victor's master, but who would teach Victor in his stead? Felix took another look at the terrified child in front of him and made up his mind. This one needed nothing less than a master of peerless skill, someone powerful enough to make anyone think twice about challenging him. That left Felix only one option.

"I suppose I'll just have to train you myself."

Sylvain burst out laughing, and Felix turned to glare at him again. "What's so funny, Sylvain?"

Sylvain was so overcome with mirth that he couldn't form a word, much less a sentence. Felix sighed and shook his head before returning his gaze to Victor. The boy had somehow turned several shades paler than he had been before. Felix wasn't sure why his declaration had left Victor even more terrified. He couldn't possibly disappoint Felix any more than he already had.

Sylvain, on the other hand, could still disappoint him plenty. The idiot was still doubled over with laughter and his chest heaved as he gasped for breath.

"Will you shut up already?!" Felix snapped. To his credit, Sylvain managed to convert his guffaws into snickers that he hid behind his hand, but Felix made a mental note to punish him the next time they sparred. He turned back to Victor, determined to find out just how deeply his lack of skill ran.

"Have you spent any time in the training grounds at all?" he asked.

"A-A little bit," Victor squeaked.

"Then what have you been doing?"

"Ah, um—"

Felix shook his head. "Never mind. I think I get the picture."

An untrained squire, a stuttering mess of a bride, and a foolish father who had allowed both of these people to stumble into Felix's life. This was going to be the most difficult battle he had faced yet. Luckily, he was never one to back down from a challenge.

"Come with me," he ordered Victor. "We'll find your master and persuade him to let me borrow you for a few moons. A few years would be better, but I doubt he'd let me have you that long."

"Um," Victor interrupted, sounding faint. "You really don't have to—"

Felix gave him a severe look. "Yes, I do. Unless you learn to defend yourself properly, you are going to die. Period."

"Ah," Victor squeaked, looking like he would pass out any second.

"Clearly, the kid's overcome with gratitude," Sylvain said dryly.

"Shut up, Sylvain," Felix growled. "If you've got time to stand around and joke, then you can go find Marianne. You should have better luck getting her to talk than me."

"She's your fiancée, not mine," Sylvain remarked. "But far be it from me to pass up a chat with a lovely lady. Try not to break poor Victor while I'm gone."

Felix rolled his eyes before taking Victor by the arm and tugging him along. With Sylvain occupied, the real business of the day could begin. It was almost time for dinner, so all the Knights of Seiros would be gathering in the great hall. Sure enough, when they arrived in the great hall Felix spotted the knights seated at the tables along with the castle's servants and soldiers.

"So, where's your master at?" he asked.

Victor looked over the mass of knights and then timidly pointed at the head table. Felix felt a surge of irritation. Victor's master was that terrible jokester, Alois? Thinking back, Felix realized Alois had been the first to rush to Victor's side after he tripped. Felix could see Alois being too soft to train a squire properly. How that man kept the rest of his knights in line was a mystery.

"Come on," Felix growled, tugging Victor along. Everyone stopped to look at them as they passed by, but Felix ignored them. Thankfully, his old man and Marianne had not yet arrived in the great hall, so he didn't have to worry about them interrupting. He marched up to Alois and cleared his throat. "Sir Alois."

"Lord Felix!" Alois exclaimed. "And Victor?! What are the two of you doing together?"

"I had to rescue your squire from being beaten half to death by his peers," Felix explained.

"What?!" Alois cried. "Oh, Victor, I'm so sorry! I didn't think anyone would—"

"Save it," Felix snapped. "What you should really be sorry about is not giving your squire the proper training. I'm certain he was targeted not just because of his stature, but also because he is utterly incapable of defending himself."

Alois sighed sadly. "It's true. I haven't allowed him in the training grounds much. He's too easy of a target for the bigger and stronger squires. I'm sorry, Victor. I never should have let you out of my sight. You've already suffered too much."

"What are you talking about?" asked Felix.

"Victor's village was decimated by bandits, and he was the only survivor. I found him wandering half-starved in the wilderness two years ago, and I took him in as my squire because he wanted to repay me for saving his life. Truth be told, he's more like a son to me than a squire. I'd rather not see him on the battlefield at all."

Felix narrowed his eyes. "You can't shelter him forever. If you continue leading Victor down this path, he will inevitably have to fight."

Victor shuddered. The beating he'd endured was clearly still fresh in his mind. Alois gave him a pitying look and sighed again.

"You're right, of course. Forgive me, Lord Felix."

"What's done is done," Felix said, shaking his head. "That is why, if you will allow it, I wish to train Victor in your stead."

"What?!" Alois jumped up from his seat. "You, the Wolf of Fraldarius, want to train Victor personally?!"

His shock was understandable. Felix was infamously a loner and had refused countless requests for training, and yet here he was offering to train a complete amateur. Even Felix was surprised by how compelled he felt to aid Victor. It would have been easy to let the boy go on his way, but the thought of letting another child die well before his time due to the foolishness of knights turned his stomach.

No, he wouldn’t let Victor be another Glenn.

"He is sorely in need of it," Felix argued. "And it is the fastest way for him to learn."

"I suppose," Alois conceded. "Victor, what do you think?"

Victor looked as though his fondest wish was to be anywhere but here. "I am unworthy," he croaked.

"This isn't about worth. It's about survival," Felix stated. "Do you really want to risk being beaten again, or worse?"

"N-No…"

"Then it's settled." Felix nodded firmly and turned back to Alois. "How long are you willing to go without him?"

Alois hummed thoughtfully. "Well, ideally I'd like him back in Garreg Mach before winter hits. It's far more difficult to travel in Faerghus when snow is covering the roads."

"So the Wyvern Moon, then," Felix concluded. That gave him just under half a year to whip Victor into shape. It was nowhere near enough time to ensure Victor would be proficient, but it would have to do. "Sounds perfect."

"What's going on here?"

Felix somehow managed to hold back a growl. Leave it to his old man to spoil his good mood.

"Ah, Lord Rodrigue! Lord Sylvain! And Lady Marianne, too!" Alois exclaimed.

Marianne looked as pale and miserable as ever. She mumbled something unintelligible as she stared at the ground. Sylvain stood to her left side, looking somewhat sheepish, while Rodrigue stood to her right and gave Felix a steely look.

"So, this is what you've been up to. You find this squire more important than your own fiancée?"

Victor paled and hid behind Alois, and Felix huffed in frustration. Obviously, his first priority would be teaching the boy to not cower in fear at every little thing.

"I saved him from a nasty beating. Do you begrudge that?" he asked tersely.

Rodrigue sighed. "No, I don't. But you must realize you cannot abandon your duties whenever it suits you."

"Of course I know that, old man," Felix growled. "I promise I won't let the boy's training get in the way of the marriage."

"Training?" Rodrigue repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Lord Felix has offered to train young Victor here personally," Alois explained.

"Since when did you take pupils?" Rodrigue asked.

"Does it matter?" Felix grated. "I've made up my mind, and nothing you do can change it."

"I suppose not," Rodrigue conceded. "But don't even think about using him as an excuse to avoid Marianne again."

Felix snorted and turned away. "Fine."

With that matter settled, everyone took their seats at the table. Felix, Rodrigue, and Marianne sat on one side, while Sylvain, Victor, and Alois sat on the other. That left Felix stuck with his old man to his right and Marianne to his left, while Alois sat between Victor and Sylvain. Felix did not enjoy the arrangement, and Marianne looked like she thoroughly agreed. She pointedly stared at her plate and refused to lift her head even as the servants piled roast pheasant and steamed vegetables in front of her.

Felix ignored her and began cutting into his pheasant. Maybe Marianne didn't care about keeping her strength up, but he did. His old man gave him a disapproving look, but he ignored him, too. Instead, he glanced across the table at Victor, who was timidly tucking into his own meal, and nearly choked. Perhaps it was the viewing angle he had, or the lighting from the great hall's sconces, or perhaps it was from being forced to sit between his father and his fiancée, or perhaps the day's stress had driven him to the point where he'd completely lost his mind. Whatever the case, he had a hard time believing he wasn't looking at a girl. And quite a lovely one, at that.

Felix violently shook his head and ignored the stares he garnered. What in the world was wrong with him? Were his upcoming nuptials bothering him to the point where he was seeing things? He stole another glance at Victor and nodded firmly to himself.

Small, young, and scrawny, but definitely a boy, he thought. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. If he was going crazy after just one day of dealing with the chaos his engagement had brought, then how was he going to survive a lifetime of it?

Somehow, the meal ended without further incident, and the great hall emptied as its occupants prepared to turn in for the night. Rodrigue left Felix with the unenviable task of escorting Marianne to her new living quarters. At least they would be sleeping in separate rooms until they were married.

Neither Marianne nor Felix said a word as they traversed the castle hallways. Marianne's terror rendered her mute, and Felix saw no point in giving her false comfort. When they finally reached her room, Felix opened the door for her and bid her good night. Marianne made a pitiful noise before slipping inside and shutting the door behind her. Felix sighed gustily. If he couldn't get Marianne to talk to him, then their marriage was doomed before it started.

Perhaps he could leave her in Sylvain’s care again for a while. If anyone could get a woman as reticent as Marianne to open up, it would be Sylvain. And while Sylvain was busy doing what he did best, Felix could focus on other things—most notably Victor’s training. Turning that scrawny kid into a capable fighter would take all his skill and patience, but it was a far more pleasant task than the alternative.

Training was at least something he was good at, and at this point, he’d take any opportunity to distract himself from his miserable future.

Chapter Text

Annette envied Alois's ability to go from wide awake to snoring within seconds. She'd been tossing and turning on her cot for hours, but sleep continued to elude her. Was a few hours of blissful unconsciousness before she faced her end in the morning too much to ask?

She buried her face into her pillow and groaned. Even her worst nightmares couldn't have conjured up the disaster she now found herself in. Felix Fraldarius found her so incompetent that he had decided to take it upon himself to train her. Personally.

The whole situation was so absurd that Annette wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. It didn't matter either way, though. If Sylvain had figured out that she was a girl in only a few minutes, she doubted it would take Felix longer than a single training session to do the same, and after that, it wouldn't be long before he figured out who she was. And then he would make good on his vow and swiftly remove her head from her shoulders.

All these thoughts swirled in her head and made her too anxious to sleep. At last, she sat up with a huff. If she was going to die, she might as well make use of her last few hours of life. She slid off her cot and put her armor and boots on as quietly as she could, pausing every few seconds to check that Alois was still asleep. Then she took a deep breath, focused on the store of magic inside her, and conjured a tiny flame from her fingertip. It was a simple spell; one she had learned long before Cornelia entered her life and banned her from studying magic. She only dared use it when she was certain no one was around or awake to see. Any magic use would immediately give away that she wasn't what she claimed to be.

She quickly found a candle and ensured her magic flame only lasted long enough to light it. She wrote Alois a brief note so he wouldn't be alarmed by her absence before taking the candle and slipping out of their shared room.

At this hour, the castle hallways were as dark, cold, and empty as a tomb—fitting, since this place would soon become her grave. With her candle lighting her way, she tiptoed through the corridors. She didn't have a particular destination in mind; she just needed to work off all her nervous energy.

Eventually, Annette found herself stopping in front of a small window. From it, she could see that the drizzle had finally cleared up, and the moon's pale light illuminated the green hills and pine forests below. Combined with the thousands of stars decorating the sky, the view was breathtaking. If this was to be one of the last things she saw before she died, then she was grateful the goddess had granted her something so beautiful.

She watched as the horizon grew slowly lighter with the approaching dawn. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been able to appreciate a sunrise. And considering that this would be the last one she ever saw, she was determined to bask in it.

"You're up early."

Annette shrieked and nearly threw her candle in shock. She spun around and felt her heart stop when she saw who had snuck up on her. "L-Lord Felix! What are you doing up at this hour?!"

"I could ask you the same thing," he countered. "I always get up before dawn to train, but I imagine that's not the case for you."

Annette could only stutter fearfully in response. Why did the Wolf have to find her now? Her instincts screamed at her to flee, but where could she possibly escape to?

Felix sighed deeply. "Well, since you're up, we might as well get started."

"Huh?" Annette squeaked.

"Your training," he clarified with a frown. "You haven't forgotten, have you?"

How could she possibly forget when she'd been dreading it all night? She squeaked again and shook her head.

"Then let's go already."

Seeing no way out, Annette wilted and followed his lead. Her heart raced like a galloping horse, knowing that each step she took brought her closer to the end of her life. She would have slowed her pace, but she had no doubt Felix would drag her along again if she delayed.

Several hallways and two staircases later, Annette found herself in the training grounds once again. By now, dawn was breaking, and so Felix blew out their candles and set them aside. Then he made his way over to the weapon rack and grabbed a pair of training swords.

"Here," he said, presenting one to Annette.

She mutely accepted it, surprised that he had chosen wood over steel. She had expected the Wolf to be as brutal in training as he was in a real battle. Perhaps she would keep her head a bit longer than she thought.

"I don't know what that fool of a knight has been teaching you, so I'm going to train you as if you were starting from scratch," Felix stated. "We'll begin with your stance and your grip."

Annette made a startled noise when he suddenly closed the distance between them and moved behind her. The next thing she knew, he'd taken a hold of her hands. She flinched in terror, but the pain she expected never came. Instead, he gently guided her hands across her sword's hilt.

"There. Now you'll be less likely to drop it."

Annette was so surprised by the sight of his hand on top of hers that she could do nothing but gape. Before she could fully process what just happened, he moved his hand away and started barking orders at her.

"Spread your legs further apart. Relax your arms a little; you're too stiff. Now bend your knees slightly."

She obeyed each instruction as best as she could and tried not to tremble as he circled her and inspected her form. At last, he nodded at her and drew his own blade forth.

"Watch closely and do as I do."

The next two hours passed with Annette trying to mimic Felix's movements as best as she could. Felix proved to be a surprisingly patient instructor, but he was ruthlessly critical of her technique. He had her perform the same stroke over and over until he was satisfied, and the process would repeat with the next stroke. When he decided it was time for them to take a break for breakfast, her arms were aching from the exertion. How in the world was she going to survive a day of this, let alone five moons?

Breakfast was served in the great hall, and the Knights of Seiros had gathered there again for one last meal before they departed. That meant Annette once again sat at the head table next to Alois, but this time Felix sat on her other side. Alois had been surprised to learn that she’d been training since daybreak and asked her how she was doing.

“He has a lot to learn,” Felix answered for her.

Annette shrank a little in her seat and nodded. It was true, after all.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll get it in no time,” Alois assured. “You’ve always been quick on the uptake.”

“I suppose,” she mumbled, lowering her head.

Before Alois could inquire any more, Marianne, Sylvain, and Lord Rodrigue appeared. Felix’s expression darkened and his posture went rigid, and Annette could practically feel the hall's temperature drop several degrees. She shuddered and tried to keep her panic under control. Once again, she was reminded of what she faced if Felix realized who she was.

"Good morning, Felix," Lord Rodrigue greeted.

Felix responded with a grunt, but Lord Rodrigue didn't look fazed. Annette wished she had that kind of fortitude. Then again, Lord Rodrigue was probably used to it.

Marianne, on the other hand, looked like she bore the weight of the world on her shoulders. She kept her head low and pointedly avoided looking at Felix. Annette heartily pitied her. Based on how Felix refused to look at her as well, he clearly did not care for her at all.

Everyone sat down and the servants soon brought forth trays of eggs, bacon, sausage, and various breads and pastries. Annette piled her plate with muffins and scones. Although the ice Felix radiated had spoiled her appetite somewhat, she was starving after the morning's training.

In contrast to her, Felix chose almost exclusively meat and eggs. She noticed him eyeing her plate with something akin to revulsion. "Is something wrong, my lord?" she asked.

"It's nothing," he replied, turning his attention back to his own food.

Sylvain laughed heartily. "Oh, you didn't know? Felix can't stand anything sweet."

Annette's jaw fell open. Felix didn't like sweets? By the saints, he was even worse than she imagined! She gazed up at the ceiling and gave a heartfelt thanks to the goddess that she no longer had to marry this man.

Breakfast continued uneventfully, but the tension between Felix and Lord Rodrigue was palpable. Annette wanted nothing more than to take her plate and eat somewhere far away from them, but doing so would be incredibly rude. At last, Lord Rodrigue broke the silence.

"How was your night, Marianne? Are you getting used to the castle?"

"Um…" Marianne kept her eyes on her plate as she shoved her food around with her fork. "My room is nice."

"That's good to hear," said Lord Rodrigue. "But there is a lot more to the castle than your room and the great hall. Since you're going to be living here from now on, it would be good for you to become familiar with it. Felix, would you mind showing her around?"

Felix snarled and stabbed his sausage with a frightening amount of force. Annette squeaked and tried to put a little more distance between her and him.

"Felix. You promised," Lord Rodrigue said sternly.

"All right, fine," Felix grated. He turned to look at Annette, and she shrank away from him in terror. "Try not to get in trouble while I'm gone."

"Relax, Fe," Sylvain interjected. "I'll take good care of him for you."

Based on the fierce scowl Felix made, he didn't believe Sylvain for one second. For once, Annette found herself agreeing with him. If she was left alone with Sylvain, she'd soon have no more secrets.

Once everyone finished eating, Alois gave Annette a big hug and wished her luck in her training. Annette hugged him back and squeezed her eyes shut, feeling a pang in her heart at the knowledge that this would be the last time he would see her alive. She'd known she would have to part from him eventually in order to fulfill her plan, but knowing that she would soon meet her end made it all the more poignant. All too soon, the hug was over, and Annette sadly watched Alois leave with the rest of the knights.

Afterwards, Felix reluctantly left the great hall with Marianne in tow, and Rodrigue departed to take care of whatever business he had as duke. That left Annette alone with Sylvain, and she stiffened as he slung an arm around her shoulders.

"So," he began. "It's just you and me today, huh?"

"Let go of me," Annette hissed as she tried to squirm away.

"Nuh-uh. You're not getting away this time," Sylvain said, smiling as he pulled her closer. "I have a lot of questions regarding you."

"I have nothing to tell you," she growled. "Now leave me alone."

Sylvain chuckled. "You sure are a stubborn one. Reminds me of someone else I know."

Annette only huffed, unwilling to acknowledge him with an answer.

"Why don't we take this somewhere more private?" he suggested. "There are too many prying eyes in this hall."

She grudgingly acquiesced, but only because she saw no way to escape. First Felix, and now Sylvain. Would she ever know a moment of peace again?

Sylvain once again led her through the maze of corridors until she was thoroughly lost. Eventually, they reached a tall wooden double door, and inside was a surprisingly large library. Between the soft red carpet, the large curtained windows letting in plenty of sunlight, and the numerous wooden shelves stacked with more books than Annette had seen in her life, it was by far the coziest and most pleasant place in the whole castle. She would have appreciated it more if it weren't for her nosy companion.

"So, the word is you were up training with Felix at dawn," Sylvain commented.

"And what of it?" Annette challenged.

"Someone sure is an eager beaver," he replied.

"I had no choice! He found me at the crack of dawn and practically dragged me out to the training grounds!"

Sylvain laughed. "That sounds like Felix, all right. So how'd the training go?"

"The less said about that, the better," Annette growled.

That only made Sylvain laugh more, and Annette shoved him angrily. "I don't see what's so funny about this."

"I just can't believe how blind Felix is. Only he would be so focused on swordplay that he can't see what's right in front of his face."

Annette's heart froze. "Am I that obvious?"

"That armor can't hide how pretty you are," Sylvain said with a wink.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Annette countered, puffing her cheeks out.

Sylvain shrugged. "Couldn't hurt to try."

"I'm not a fool, Lord Sylvain. I refuse to be another of your conquests."

"Conquests?" He looked genuinely puzzled. "You really think that's what this is about?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You've humiliated and stomped on the hearts of hundreds of women. Why would I be any different?"

"I'm just curious as to why a beautiful girl would choose the life of a squire to hide herself. Especially if she couldn't defend herself if her life depended on it."

"It's none of your business," Annette snapped. "Now leave me alone."

Sylvain grinned at her. "Well, if you won't tell me, maybe I can guess the reason. Since you seem pretty comfortable in that getup, I'm going to guess that you've been hiding for a pretty long time."

Annette crossed her arms and huffed before turning away from him.

"And if you went through the trouble of pretending to be a boy, you must have been trying to escape something terrible."

She couldn't stop herself from flinching. How did he figure it out so quickly?

"So now the question is: what could be so terrible that a girl would go to such drastic lengths to avoid it? My best guess would be that she was in a life-or-death situation. Or maybe… if the girl in question was a noblewoman, she might have seen it as the only way out of the miserable future her parents built for her."

Annette slumped over in defeat. "Try both."

"Both? Yikes, I don't blame you for running, then," Sylvain remarked, wincing sympathetically. "But wait, a noblewoman disappearing from her home would be really big news. The only time that's happened in recent memory is…"

Annette grimly waited for him to put in the last piece of the puzzle.

"No way." Sylvain began to laugh wheezily. "You're Annette Dominic."

She gave him a nasty look. "I'm glad you find my misfortune amusing."

"I can't believe this," he managed to say between chortles. "You went through all this trouble to avoid marrying Felix, only to wind up in the very place you tried to escape. And now Felix, having no idea who you really are, has taken you in as his pupil. It's so ironic, I can't stop laughing."

"I'd laugh too if I wasn't constantly one mistake away from losing my head," Annette grumbled.

Sylvain stopped laughing and gave her a serious look. "You really think Felix is going to kill you?"

"He vowed he would if he ever found me."

"You don't know Felix like I do," he said with a shake of his head. "He just said that to get people to stop bothering him. He hates being reminded that he was dumped."

Annette snorted. "I'm sure he'd kill me anyway just to keep his word."

Sylvain hummed thoughtfully as he looked her over. After a moment, he let out a gusty sigh. "Well, if you're that convinced, then I won't tell him."

"R-Really?" she asked, looking up at him in surprise.

"Of course. If you feel more comfortable hiding your identity, I'll keep my trap shut. Besides, it will be more fun to watch Felix continue to be oblivious. Seriously, as long as you were sparring with him, you could stand in front of him naked and he wouldn't notice or care."

"Somehow, that doesn't reassure me," Annette said dryly.

"Hey, you made it this far, right? It's pretty impressive that you've managed to hide for two years," Sylvain remarked. "How exactly did you wind up working for the Knights of Seiros, anyway?"

"Much like yesterday, I had to be rescued from my own ineptness," Annette admitted. "I probably would have met a terrible end at the hands of bandits or some wild beast if it wasn't for Sir Alois. He took me in as his squire after I begged him for a job—I needed money to fund the rest of my escape." She sighed. "Too bad it was all for nothing. All my gold is in my room at Garreg Mach, and I'm stuck here."

"Ouch. Talk about bad luck."

"I have no idea what I'm going to do now. I have no means to escape anymore, and my disguise grows flimsier every day. People are already wondering why I can't grow facial hair and why my voice hasn't broken yet."

Sylvain smiled slyly at her. "You know, if Felix knew what you accomplished, he'd marry you in a heartbeat."

She smacked his arm. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm serious. I can't think of anyone brave and clever enough to have hidden for as long as you have. Felix sure as hell wouldn't last a day in a dress. And he'd admire that you decided to take your fate into your own hands."

"Did you forget the part where he vowed to kill me?" Annette asked sardonically. "Besides, he's marrying Marianne now."

"That is true," Sylvain hummed. "But he sure as hell isn't happy about it. I honestly feel bad for both of them. Neither of them want anything to do with each other, so they're just going to wind up miserable."

"You say that as if anyone wouldn't be miserable married to him."

"Is that what you think?"

Annette wasn't sure she liked the twinkle in his eye. "He said he was more comfortable holding a sword than a woman's hand."

"Maybe the right woman could convince him to change his mind."

"I seriously doubt that."

Sylvain chuckled. "Well, since you'll be working with him for the foreseeable future, maybe you'll see that, much like you, there's more to him than what he lets on."

Annette responded with a disbelieving snort. As far as she had seen, Felix was every bit the ferocious wolf he was named after. He may have shown her some small mercy yesterday, but she had no doubt that if she ever revealed herself, he'd rip her to shreds.

Now that she was his unwitting student, she would have to be all the more careful. Somehow she'd made it through the morning with only sore arms to show for it, but she knew better than to let her guard down. She'd soon be crossing blades with the most feared man in Faerghus, and only a fool would take that task lightly.

She took a deep breath and whispered a prayer to the goddess. Surviving the next five moons would take nothing short of a miracle.

Chapter Text

For approximately the hundredth time that day, Felix wondered how in the world he was going to convince Marianne von Edmund to walk to the altar with him. The whole time he showed her around Castle Fraldarius, she refused to make eye contact with him and only responded with soft hums and occasional one-word answers. At least it was an improvement over her unintelligible stammering.

His old man had told him and Marianne that he would give them a moon to become comfortable with each other before the wedding took place. It was a foolish endeavor. Felix suspected that Marianne wouldn't be comfortable with him even after years of living together.

The only time Marianne showed any sign of emotion other than terror and despair was when he showed her the stables. She perked up at the sight of the horses in their stalls and moved closer to get a better look at them. The horses took an immediate liking to her, and each one allowed her to look them over and pet their heads. Even the most foul-tempered steeds welcomed her, much to Felix's shock. How did she win their approval so easily?

Well, at least now he had a place he could leave her without worry. It was clear to him that she was completely in her element here. He tried not to feel slighted by the fact that she found horses preferable to him. It was far from the worst rejection he'd experienced, after all.

The tour was basically over at this point, and Felix felt bad about tearing Marianne away from the stables when this was the most relaxed he had ever seen her, so he decided to leave her be. They'd soon be shackled to each other for life, so he might as well let her enjoy herself as much as she could before that happened.

With Marianne taken care of, he was free to return to a far more palatable task: molding Victor into a capable warrior. Though Victor was still feeble and plainly terrified of him, he showed signs of being quick on the uptake during that morning's training. If he kept up that pace, he had a good chance of being somewhat competent at combat by the Wyvern Moon.

Before that could happen, though, Felix had to find Victor and make sure Sylvain wasn't giving him any stupid ideas. The last time Felix had seen them was when he had shown Marianne the library. Sylvain had given the two of them a hearty greeting while Victor buried his nose in a book. Felix hadn't taken Victor as the studious type, but then again, Victor's situation was highly unusual. Perhaps he had taken up reading since Alois had kept him from the training grounds.

Whatever the case, Felix hoped that Sylvain hadn't dragged Victor into one of his schemes, or worse, given him flirting "advice". The last thing he wanted was to have to bail them both out of trouble. Luckily, he found them both in the great hall just in time for lunch. Perfect. He could resume training Victor after they ate.

Unfortunately, before he could do anything his old man gave him another scolding for leaving Marianne behind. Felix tried to argue that it wasn't a crime to leave her in a place she loved, but to no avail. Rodrigue forced him to retrieve her from the stables, and only then was he able to eat. The whole experience soured his mood, and it must have shown in his posture from how Victor and Marianne gave him a wide berth.

As Alois was no longer present, Rodrigue had Victor sit at one of the lower tables with the castle's servants and guards. While Felix knew it was because Victor was of much lower station than him, it still felt like Rodrigue was spiting him for prioritizing Victor over Marianne. His mood darkened further, and he refused to speak a word for the entire meal.

After everyone finished eating, Marianne promptly fled to the stables. Rodrigue thankfully didn't force Felix to chase her. As foolish as the old man was, he at least had the sense to not push Felix past the breaking point. That left Felix with the unenviable task of coaxing a terrified Victor to join him in the training grounds. He suspected Victor only agreed out of fear of displeasing him further. If that weren't enough, Sylvain decided to tag along and watch them.

“Someone’s gonna have to peel the kid off the ground once you’re done with him,” he explained.

Victor paled considerably at that statement, and Felix frowned. He didn’t believe for one second that Sylvain was telling the whole truth. Still, as long as he didn’t interfere with the training, there was no danger in letting him watch. At least this way he wouldn’t be off flirting with the maids or getting into trouble by wooing some noble’s daughter.

Felix ignored Sylvain’s amused expression as he helped Victor into the proper position and stance, and he was once again taken aback by just how tiny the boy was. The top of Victor's head barely reached Felix's nose, and that was when Victor stood up straight. When Felix adjusted Victor's grip, his hands completely engulfed Victor's. It made Felix wonder just how old Victor was. Alois said that Victor had been his squire for two years, but Felix found it odd that the boy was still this small.

All the more reason to train him, Felix thought. People would be quick to underestimate Victor because of his size, and Victor could use that to his advantage once he learned to fight properly.

After Felix ensured Victor's stance was correct, they resumed where they left off that morning. Like before, Victor’s strokes started off stiff, but the more he practiced, the more relaxed he became. Evidently, he was so focused on perfecting his strokes that he forgot about his fear, which was a good thing. A swordsman couldn't afford to be paralyzed by fear, as even the slightest hesitation could cost him his life. The sooner Victor learned that, the better.

Despite Victor's timid and feeble nature, he was making good progress. He got the hang of the first few basic strokes faster than Felix thought he would. He also never complained, even when sweat dropped down his face and his arms shook from exertion. Felix felt a surge of pride. Finally, he had someone who understood the value of hard work and dedication.

The setting sun and Victor's growing exhaustion eventually forced them to stop for the day. Though Victor put up a brave front, Felix could tell the boy was well past his limit. His face was flushed and dripping with sweat, and his body trembled with every movement. There was no sense in causing Victor undue injury, so Felix knew he would have to keep their sessions on the shorter side until Victor built up his stamina.

"Geez, Fe, you really don't hold back," Sylvain commented as Felix put the training swords away. "I'm wiped out just from watching you guys."

"At least someone here takes their training seriously," Felix retorted.

"I'll say. Poor Victor looks like he's gonna keel over any second. I'd have quit long ago if I were him."

Victor still had the energy to shoot Sylvain a nasty glare, and Felix felt the corners of his mouth quirk the tiniest bit upward. The sight of Victor trying to intimidate someone so much taller than him was somehow endearing.

“We’ll eat and then rest for the night,” said Felix. “Victor needs to build up his strength, after all. Given enough time, today’s labors will be nothing but a warm-up to him.”

Victor paled again at that. “You have too much faith in me, my lord.”

“I’m not expecting you to improve overnight,” Felix stated. “You’re still young and inexperienced. We’ll take your training one step at a time and only move on when I’m sure you’re ready.”

Victor gaped at him for several seconds before lowering his head. “I am unworthy, my lord.”

“I already told you this has nothing to do with worth,” Felix said. “If you’re going to be a knight, you should at least know how to swing a weapon around.”

"Of course, my lord. I just… fear disappointing you."

Felix snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. I've already seen you at your lowest. There's nowhere for you to go but up."

Victor looked as stunned as if Felix had just saved him from execution. It gave Felix pause. Though he was well aware of his foul reputation, the people who thought him to be ruthless were usually in a position to be targets of that ruthlessness. Victor, however, seemed to have expected the worst from Felix, and now that it hadn’t come to pass, he hardly knew what to think.

Felix frowned thoughtfully. He wondered if Victor had been bullied even more cruelly than either he or Alois had let on. Felix could easily see it happening after the beating he’d witnessed yesterday. Victor’s small stature and unusually soft features were easy targets for adolescent boys, and without any real way to defend himself, he would have had to endure their cruelty silently.

Felix nodded to himself, feeling even more resolved. Those brats would be eating their words once he finished training Victor.

A snicker from Sylvain snapped him out of his thoughts. "What are you laughing at?"

"You've taken quite a shine to young Victor, haven't you?"

"That's not what this is about," Felix growled.

Sylvain raised an eyebrow. "Really? This is the longest I've seen you interact with someone without complaining, getting irritated, or insulting them."

"He's not annoying, unlike you," Felix countered. Even as he said it, though, he found himself wondering why he found Victor so inoffensive. A pathetically weak squire who constantly squeaked in terror and tripped over cracks should have been someone he avoided like the plague. Perhaps it was because he saw a bit of himself in the boy. Long ago, he'd been as weak and timid as Victor was now. It took him many years of hard work and training to become the warrior he was today. Felix doubted Victor would ever reach his level, but he was confident that he could mold Victor into a competent fighter.

"Is that so?" Sylvain smiled, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "You hear that, Victor? That's unabashed praise, coming from Felix."

"Shut up!" Felix snapped.

Sylvain only grinned at him. Victor, meanwhile, looked like he couldn't believe his ears. Felix scowled at both of them. "If you're done making fun of me, let's go eat."

Victor squeaked again and nodded jerkily. Sylvain, of course, remained completely unperturbed and shrugged before agreeing to the demand. After retrieving Marianne, they all returned to the great hall.

At dinner, Felix couldn't help but occasionally glance at the lower table where Victor sat. The boy seemed to be doing fine despite his clear exhaustion. He ate heartily, and the servants around him didn't pay him any mind. Even so, Felix found himself reluctant to leave him unsupervised. Victor was tiny, weak, and most importantly, a low-ranking stranger in the castle. He was an easy target for anyone who had unsavory ideas in mind.

Suddenly, Felix understood why Alois had sheltered Victor so much.

As he refocused on his meal, he noticed Sylvain giving him a smug look out of the corner of his eye. Felix shot him a challenging glare, but it only seemed to amuse him more. Felix growled and resumed eating—he did not want to give Sylvain any more excuses to tease him.

After dinner, Rodrigue once again had Felix escort Marianne to her bedchamber. Like the night before, Marianne said nothing and held her head low the entire time she was with Felix. The most he got out of her was a slight nod when he bid her good night. He was rapidly getting used to her taciturn nature, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

He learned from a servant that Victor had turned in for the night as well. Felix couldn't blame him for doing so after how hard he'd worked today. Trusting that Victor would be safe, Felix returned to the training grounds since he still had plenty of energy to burn. Training Victor was important, but Felix couldn't neglect his own training. Like the sword he wielded, his body was a weapon that needed to be kept sharp. The sun had set a while ago, but it didn't hinder him at all. He fell into the familiar motions of swordplay with ease, and focusing on perfecting his form kept his mind free of unwanted thoughts. For the first time that day, he felt completely at ease.

"I thought I'd find you back here."

And just like that, the peace was broken. Without missing a beat, Felix growled, "What do you want now, Sylvain?"

"Nothing in particular," Sylvain answered. "I'm just a bit surprised you didn't escort Victor to his chambers after you couldn't keep your eyes off him the whole time he was eating."

Ah, so that was what this was about. Felix's scowl deepened as he continued to hack away at his training dummy. "I was busy with Marianne, you idiot. And by the time I got back, he had already gone to bed."

"You don't even like Marianne, though," Sylvain pointed out. "Why are you bending over backwards to please Lord Rodrigue all of a sudden?"

"What choice do I have?" Felix grated.

"Well, doesn't your betrothal to Annette Dominic still stand?"

Felix spun towards Sylvain with a speed and fury that should have sent the fool running for his life. "Why the hell are you bringing her up?"

Sylvain remained irritatingly calm. "If your betrothal to Annette still stands, then you don't have to marry Marianne."

"Keep your foolish ideas to yourself," Felix snarled. "Annette Dominic is dead."

"I have the strangest feeling she isn't," Sylvain responded. "C'mon, it couldn't hurt to look for her."

The fact that Sylvain had the gall to suggest something so asinine infuriated Felix. "I am not running all over Fódlan in search of a foolish girl who was too cowardly to face me."

"And Marianne is better?"

“At least she’s here,” Felix growled, but even as he said it, he knew it was a flimsy argument. She was here, sure, but not by choice, and she hadn’t looked him in the eye a single time since she’d arrived. Felix strongly suspected that she would have fled as well if she’d had the chance.

Sylvain shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’m just saying she’s not your only option. And who knows, Annette just might be worth the effort.”

“I am not marrying a corpse!” Felix roared, but Sylvain was already leaving. With no one else to unleash his frustration on, Felix turned back to his training dummy and resumed hacking away at it. This time, he ignored grace and technique and instead poured as much power as possible into each strike.

What the hell was Sylvain thinking? He knew Annette Dominic was a taboo topic. Just the mention of her name caused unpleasant and unwelcome feelings to bubble inside Felix. Stupid woman. Like hell he would seek her out after she'd callously tossed him aside. Besides, she was almost certainly dead, as he had asserted many times before. There was no sense in digging up a rotting corpse.

At last, he ceased his assault. He fought to catch his breath as sweat dripped down his face and a pleasant ache filled his limbs. He allowed himself to recover for several moments before standing up straight again. He could have kept going, but the hour had grown late. If he wanted to rise early enough to ensure that he could train Victor before Rodrigue inevitably forced him to accompany Marianne again, he'd have to sleep soon.

Only the moon lit Felix's way as he put his training sword back on the weapon rack. He turned to leave, but a soft sound interrupted him. He turned towards it, only to meet two green eyes shining in the dark.

Felix quickly looked around to make sure no one else was present before allowing himself a small smile. The green eyes crept closer to him, and he knelt down as their owner's form stepped into the moonlight. The black cat regarded him with a piercing gaze and mewed softly.

Like any other noble house, Castle Fraldarius kept several cats around in order to deter rodents. In exchange for their assistance, the cats were given free reign of the castle. They typically lounged around and napped during the day, but they prowled the grounds every night.

"Sorry, no treats today," Felix stated. The cat only continued staring at him expectantly. "If I overfeed you, you won't do your job."

The cat padded closer to him and meowed again. With a fond smile, Felix reached out and scratched its ears, earning a satisfied purr in response.

"You are spoiled rotten," he scolded, but his tone held no bite. How could he be mad when this was one of the few creatures that were drawn to him? He wasn't entirely sure why that was the case, but he wasn't going to complain, especially since cats were among the few animals he liked. They were intelligent and independent, and they weren't blindly loyal like dogs and horses.

Faerghus could learn a lot from them, he mused.

With a sigh, he stood up and made to leave. The cat mewed pitifully at him, and he snorted in amusement. It was so different from how Marianne behaved around him. Obviously, a cat wouldn't be intimidated by his reputation, but he couldn't help being who he was. He would never change his nature, no matter how much his bride feared him.

Of course, he wouldn’t even have a bride if he had a choice. Or, if he had to have one, he’d want one who could stand up for herself rather than quiver in fear; one who was smart, independent, and unafraid to get her hands dirty. The only woman he knew who fit those criteria was Ingrid, but he’d refused her long ago—he didn’t relish the idea of marrying someone who was practically a sister to him, and he also didn’t want to be a replacement for Glenn.

He pushed away that thought before memories and feelings he’d locked away could burst forth. Fearful as she was, at least Marianne didn’t bring up his past or look at him and see his brother. He would never love her or even like her, but he could tolerate her, and he would never have to worry about her unearthing painful memories. With how his life was going, that would have to be enough.

He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on such unpleasant things. For the time being, he would continue to focus on training Victor. Maybe Felix’s future was doomed, but Victor’s didn’t have to be. Plus, it gave Felix something to look forward to each day, so he would enjoy it as long as he could.

He headed back into the castle to turn in for the night, already excited for tomorrow’s training.

Chapter Text

Annette stood in the training grounds as sweat poured down her face and thought back fondly to the time when she thought being the Wolf of Fraldarius's bride would be what killed her. Now she knew that having him instruct her in the fine art of swordplay would be what drove her to an early grave.

"Again."

Annette wanted nothing more than to drop her sword, collapse on a bed, and sleep for the next moon. Unfortunately, that was not possible at the moment, not while Felix Fraldarius currently stood a meter away with his critical eye and wickedly sharp tongue. It had only been a week since he'd taken her under his wing, but it was already obvious that he intended to grind her into dust and make her anew.

She supposed that was at least slightly better than him killing her outright, but at this rate she was going to drop dead from exhaustion. Despite that, she didn't dare protest or complain. Felix was as terrifying as ever, and every moment she spent with him reminded her of everything she had to lose if he figured out who she was.

"Victor, how many times have I told you to stop daydreaming?"

She snapped back to attention and looked up at him with a start. "Forgive me, my lord."

"You can never lose focus on a real battlefield. Even an instant of distraction can cost you your life. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord."

Annette could not get over how ridiculous the situation was. She, a noblewoman in disguise, was training with the most feared man in the kingdom—the man she was originally supposed to marry. She would have laughed, but that would just earn her another scolding, so she instead did her best to ignore the aches that plagued her body and once again attempted to mimic the way Felix moved his sword. Felix, of course, suffered no such pains. This training was probably no more than light exercise for him. Not for the first time, Annette found herself cursing his seemingly endless stamina.

The two of them had fallen into a routine. Each morning, Felix would rouse her before dawn and train her until breakfast. He spent the remainder of the morning doing whatever Lord Rodrigue requested of him, which usually involved him spending time with Marianne. In the meantime, Annette usually found herself being escorted around the castle by Sylvain, but her personal favorite place to kill time was the library. When afternoon came around, Felix would find Annette and resume training her, and he would continue as long as her stamina allowed. Though he pushed her hard, he somehow always knew when she was at her limit.

Sylvain often stopped by to watch them. He kept his word and told no one about Annette's true identity, but that didn't stop him from teasing her and Felix relentlessly. Felix was having none of it and threatened Sylvain with a spar if he didn't shut up. The only thing that surprised Annette was Felix didn't threaten to kill him instead. According to Sylvain, the two of them had been friends since childhood, so Felix was used to his behavior.

Annette was shocked to learn that Felix could be friends with anyone, let alone someone like Sylvain. When she asked Sylvain how in the world that was possible, he explained, “Well, Felix wasn’t always the man you see today.”

She stared at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“That’s not a story for me to tell,” he responded. For once, his tone was dead serious, so Annette knew better than to question him further. It made her wonder just what had happened. And that made her realize that she actually knew very little about her former fiancé aside from what the rumors said.

She was learning quickly, though. The rumors had not informed her of his disdain for sweets, or that he was a ridiculously early riser, or that he was surprisingly handsome—

“VICTOR!”

Annette shrieked, and all her girlish thoughts fled as she instinctively backed away from the very real and very angry Felix in front of her. She was so startled that she lost her balance and tumbled to the ground. She grimaced from the pain, but froze when she looked up again and saw Felix standing over her. Her eyes widened and she trembled, paralyzed by fear.

Felix sighed, shook his head, and extended his hand to her. Annette stared at it, surprised that it wasn’t the one holding his sword.

“Are you going to lay there all day?” he growled.

She squeaked and shook her head before taking his proffered hand. Once she was back on her feet, he released her, crossed his arms, and gave her a severe look. She lowered her head shamefully and fiddled with her fingers.

"Do you need a break?"

That was not what she expected him to say. She looked up at him in surprise and squeaked out a "Huh?"

"You're having a hard time focusing," he explained. "I can't teach you if your head's not in it."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm just…"

"You're still afraid of me."

Annette flinched, ashamed that he guessed the truth so easily. "I'm sorry," she said again.

"It's nothing to apologize for," Felix said. "But you need to remember that I am your master now, and I have no reason to hurt you."

She smiled weakly at him. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

"Good. Now, are you ready to continue, or do you want to call it a day here?"

As tempting as it was to give up for the day, Annette knew she would have to power through her fear sooner or later if she was going to keep working with him. She steeled herself and frowned determinedly. "I want to keep going. I'll do my best to focus this time."

Felix nodded, and for an instant, Annette thought she saw the ghost of a smile on his face. "Well said."

Annette blinked in surprise but quickly shook it off, certain she was imagining things. For the rest of the afternoon, she tried not to think about Felix, her exhaustion, or anything except the sword in her hands. All her concentration went into perfecting each slice and parry. And for the first time, she found herself understanding why Felix devoted himself to his craft. Her sword was no longer an object; instead, it was like an extension of her body. With her mind clear of anything except the way her blade moved, she felt more at peace than she had in years.

Only after Felix told her that it was time to stop did everything rush back to her. The fatigue she'd been ignoring hit her all at once and she nearly collapsed where she stood. Felix had to help her put her sword away, and he kept a close watch on her as she staggered to the great hall for dinner.

This wasn't the first time he'd looked after her, either. In fact, he seemed to make it a point to ensure she didn't keel over after they finished training for the day. Even after they sat down for dinner, she caught him occasionally glancing at her from his spot at the high table. Annette didn't know what to think of it. It was completely at odds with the merciless, icy-hearted wolf she had expected.

She considered everything she'd witnessed over the past week as she tucked into her meal of steak and roasted potatoes. Felix had been incredibly intimidating and made no effort to hide his displeasure, but she hadn't seen him kill or even raise his hand against anyone―although he often gave Sylvain glares that should have felled the latter where he stood. When training Annette, Felix was always strict, but he was also incredibly patient, and he never had been cruel to her. Even Marianne remained unsullied both physically and verbally despite Felix's clear disdain about their upcoming marriage.

Annette began to wonder if all those rumors and tales she'd accepted at face value were more embellishment than fact, and if so, what did that mean for her? Had she made a mistake?

No, she had come too far to turn back now, and she was not willing to bet her life over what was truth and what was fiction when it came to the Wolf of Fraldarius. She still had no reason not to believe he wouldn't keep his vow to slay her if he ever found her, and she was not foolish enough to bring her real name up in front of him. It would be just her luck that doing so would be what pushed him over the edge.

She finished her meal and mustered up the energy to walk to her bedchamber. Thankfully, she'd been allowed to keep the room she had shared with Alois, as sleeping in the servants' shared quarters would have made keeping her secret far more difficult. The journey was peaceful, mostly due to the fact that Felix always escorted Marianne to bed. Once there, she pulled off her sweaty, stinky armor and made a beeline for the bathroom.

As always, someone had already drawn hot water for her and left out soap and some towels for her to use. Felix must have told the servants to do so, which was oddly generous of him. Then again, he probably understood more than anyone how roasting in armor while training day in and day out made a body reek like nothing else.

Annette removed the rest of her clothes, including the cloth she used to bind her chest, and slid into the tub. The warm water was heavenly on her sore muscles, but as much as she longed to soak and ease her weariness, she went straight to work scrubbing the sweat and grime off her body. Bathing was risky business, and she went out of her way to avoid it as much as possible. If she couldn't avoid it, such as right now, she would wash, rinse, and dry herself as quickly as she could.

"Time to clean and scrub away all the sweat I earned today."

Now that she was finally alone, she felt safe enough to risk singing a brief verse, but she still kept her voice as soft as possible. The walls had ears, and all it would take was one person listening in for her secret to be blown. As soon as she was reasonably clean, she briefly dunked her head under the water to rinse away the soap. Then she climbed out of the tub, grabbed a towel, and vigorously wiped away the water dripping from her hair and body. Thankfully, her shorn hair made the process far faster than it would have been otherwise.

The servants also left her a clean set of clothes. Annette had no idea how they managed to find clothing that fit her small frame so quickly, but she wasn't about to complain. Unfortunately, she had to use the same filthy cloth to bind her breasts, but she had no choice. She couldn't take the risk of anyone seeing it and questioning why she needed it.

Her business finished, she trudged back into her bedroom, and collapsed on her bed with a groan. Though the sun had not completely set, she had no energy to stay up any longer. Somehow, she managed to crawl under the covers before exhaustion pulled her deep into the realm of unconsciousness.

The next thing she knew, a loud banging abruptly yanked her back into the waking world. Her heart stuttered and she nearly fell out of bed in her panic, but after a moment she realized it had to be Felix coming to fetch her. She still had not gotten used to these rude awakenings, and she couldn't help but wish Felix would be a little more subtle. Then again, asking the Wolf of Fraldarius to be subtle would be like asking the sun to stop shining.

She dressed quickly, knowing that Felix didn't like to be kept waiting. When she opened the door, she squeaked and took an involuntary step back. She could instantly tell Felix was in a foul mood. His irritation radiated off his body so intensely that it was almost tangible.

Her terror must have been plain on her face, because he quickly softened his expression. "Sorry. I've got a lot on my mind right now."

Annette gaped at him. Did she hear that right? Did the Wolf actually apologize to her?

"You can stop staring. It has nothing to do with you."

Surprise gave way to curiosity. "Did something happen?"

She regretted the words almost as soon as they left her mouth. Saints, she might as well have poked a sleeping dragon! She braced herself and waited for him to bite her head off for being nosy, but it never came. Instead, he sighed tiredly.

"I'll tell you on the way to the training grounds. Come on. We're already running behind."

He had already turned around and started walking away by the time Annette registered what he said. She yelped and quickly bounded after him. Once she caught up, he glanced at her briefly before speaking again.

"A missive arrived last night after you went to bed."

"A missive?"

"To be specific, it was a summons. From the capital." Felix was silent for a moment, and Annette quietly waited for him to continue. "The boar— I mean, King Dimitri wants to see me and Marianne."

"The king?!" Annette cried. "Wait, why did you call the king a boar?!"

She immediately clapped her hand over her mouth. Why did she keep blurting things that were better left unsaid?

"It’s a long story,” Felix said dismissively. “We've known each other since we were kids. Anyway, he must have heard I was getting married but couldn't get away from his duties long enough to visit."

Annette pursed her lips. She supposed that made sense, considering how close House Blaiddyd and House Fraldarius were. Dimitri was also a new monarch, having ascended to the throne just a few moons prior. He probably was still getting used to all his new responsibilities. What she couldn't understand was why Felix seemed so upset about it. When she asked him, his scowl deepened.

"It's because he's gonna make a big spectacle out of it," he growled. "He's summoned my old man, Sylvain, and Ingrid, too."

"Who's Ingrid?"

"Heiress to House Galatea. And another person I've known since childhood."

"So, it'll be like a family reunion! Or, a friends' reunion, I guess."

Felix snorted. "They're all just gonna spout the same unwanted 'advice' I've been hearing for years. Only this time they'll be dragging Marianne into it as well. It's all a waste of time."

Poor Marianne, Annette thought. She had not had the opportunity to speak with Marianne since arriving at Fraldarius thanks to spending her days training, eating, and sleeping, but she strongly suspected Marianne had not grown any more social in that time. She hummed softly and offered a quick prayer for Marianne's sake before returning her attention to Felix. "So, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I can't exactly refuse the boar’s orders," Felix grumbled. "Even if I could, I'd never hear the end of it from Ingrid if I didn't show up. So, like it or not, I'm gonna have to go. That means you're coming, too."

Annette nearly tripped in shock. "Me?!"

He gave her a pointed look. "I can't train you if I leave you behind. And I don't trust anyone else to do it for me."

Annette's head was spinning. Felix was bringing her with him to see Dimitri? The king? Saints, what was she going to do? She was not at all prepared to speak to a king! She didn't even have a nice change of clothes!

And what if someone in Fhirdiad recognized her? She hadn't been there since she was a child, but surely some of the people she knew back then were still living in the city. All it would take was one old acquaintance seeing through her disguise, and then—

"Victor. Breathe."

Annette blinked and emerged from her roiling thoughts, only to find that amber had flooded her vision. She blinked again and realized that the amber was Felix's eyes. She returned to herself with a start, and she would have stumbled and fallen if Felix hadn't placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Annette wondered if she actually had fallen and hit her head, because Felix looked concerned. She nodded dumbly, too dazed to form any words.

"I get that this is probably overwhelming for you since you're a commoner, but don't let it get to you," Felix stated. "If anyone questions your appearance or why you're there, I'll deal with them."

"I… Thank you, my lord," she whispered.

He nodded approvingly and released her. "Now, let's go," he said, continuing on his way as if he didn't just make several earth-shattering declarations.

Somehow, Annette pulled herself together enough to follow after him. She pinched her arm, and the sharp pain told her she wasn't dreaming. That meant Felix really had said all that to her. That he was going to bring her in front of the king and his friends, and that he was going to protect her from them.

It was too much. She wanted to bury her face in her hands and laugh herself silly at the sheer irony of it all. If there was anyone she needed protection from, it was him!

"Pick up the pace, Victor. We haven't got all day!" Felix barked.

She gulped, squeaked out an apology, and jogged to catch up with him, but her thoughts continued to plague her. A trip to Fhirdiad while under the Wolf of Fraldarius's watchful eye. Could her life possibly get any more dangerous?

Chapter Text

Felix had not been looking forward to piling into a carriage with several of his least favorite people, and now that he was here, he was even less pleased. He was currently seated next to Marianne while his old man and Sylvain sat opposite to him. Victor, as a commoner, was forced to ride on his own horse, and Felix greatly envied him.

Thankfully, Sylvain kept his mouth in check for once, but that just meant the trip was dull and awful rather than annoying and awful. A heavy and uncomfortable silence draped over the whole carriage, only interrupted by occasional comments from Rodrigue or Sylvain and noncommittal hums from Felix and Marianne. Felix knew this was one of his old man's schemes to get him and Marianne to open up to each other, but unsurprisingly, it was failing miserably.

His one consolation was that Rodrigue did not object to Victor accompanying them to Fhirdiad, probably because he knew Felix wasn't going to budge on the matter. Felix even had time to prepare Victor for the trip. He let the kid borrow his dagger and spent part of their training time in the days before their departure teaching him how to use it. There was no telling what sort of shady characters would appear while they were traveling, and Victor's swordplay was still nowhere near enough to defend him against even the least competent of foes, so he needed an easier alternative. Even a minor dagger wound could distract an enemy just long enough for someone stronger—like Felix—to swoop in and finish the job.

He'd also found one of his old cloaks and gave it to Victor to keep out the spring rains and to conceal the boy's face. Victor looked far too much like a girl for Felix's comfort, and while the cloak would not hide his stature, it would hopefully make him less easy of a target. Even then, Felix privately vowed to not let Victor out of sight, at least when he could help it. That made his current position all the more frustrating. Though Fraldarius soldiers surrounded their group, there was always the chance of some random bandit or demonic beast attack, and Victor was completely exposed.

It typically took a day and a half to travel from Fraldarius to Fhirdiad, but it felt like an eternity. When they finally reached the gates to the city, Felix had never been more grateful for an uneventful trip in his life. His relief must have been clear to see, because Sylvain gave him a knowing look. Felix responded with a glare before looking out the window again.

The streets of Fhirdiad were bustling, as usual. Even the gray skies that threatened an afternoon rainstorm couldn't diminish the market's energy. The voices of merchants hawking their wares rang through the air, accompanied by the constant chatter of the townsfolk. Occasionally, one could hear children laughing as they played, the bark of a stray dog, or the loud clanging of a blacksmith at work.

Felix actually intended to see a blacksmith later, his old man and the boar be damned. Victor was going to need a proper sword. Training swords were fine for practice, but in a real fight, Victor would need to be familiar with the heft and balance of a metal blade. Of course, Felix would have to bring Victor with him to ensure the smith could craft a sword suitable for him. A sword was of no use if it was too heavy for its master to lift, after all.

Their group finally made it into the heart of the city where Castle Fhirdiad loomed. Their carriage rolled through the portcullis and slowly came to a stop. Felix climbed out of the carriage almost as soon as the door was opened. Then, he grudgingly offered his hand to help Marianne do the same, knowing he'd suffer yet another lecture from his old man if he didn't do so.

Marianne looked like she would rather be holding a snake. Nonetheless, she eventually took his hand and joined him outside. He tried not to be annoyed by how she snatched her hand away and put some space between the moment she had the chance. As Sylvain and Rodrigue climbed out of the carriage, Felix quickly located Victor. He had already gotten off of his horse and was looking around nervously.

The castle doors opened, and a host of servants rushed to greet them and stable their horses. Victor made a move as if to join them, but Felix halted him by putting his hand on his shoulder.

“Stop. You’re a guest, remember?”

“S-sorry,” Victor squeaked.

“And stay close to me. I don’t want a repeat of what happened in Fraldarius.”

Victor jerkily nodded. Despite his hood, Felix could see that his blue eyes were wide with terror. Felix couldn’t blame him. He doubted the memory of that beating would fade anytime soon.

Well, no one was going to use Victor for ill again if Felix had anything to say about it. He’d simply have to protect the boy until he gained the skill to protect himself. Now if only they could get this stupid meeting over with so Felix could continue training Victor.

At last, Dedue emerged from the castle and nodded to them. Felix had to resist the urge to snort. He’d never been fond of the Duscur man. Dedue was Dimitri’s personal retainer and was loyal to him without fault because Dimitri had saved his life many years ago. Felix despised such blind loyalty, but he still held a grudging respect for Dedue's strength. If only he didn't follow the boar's every command without question, he would have been far more tolerable.

"Good afternoon, Dedue," Rodrigue greeted.

"To you as well," Dedue replied. "Come. His Majesty is expecting you all."

Another thing Felix grudgingly respected about Dedue was that he never said more than he needed to. It saved them all a lot of time. Their group followed Dedue into the castle, where they were greeted by the sight of stone walls decorated with silver and blue tapestries and plush blue carpeting beneath their feet. Castle guardsmen stood on both sides of the hallway and steadfastly watched as they proceeded through. Felix stole a glance at Victor and saw that the boy was looking at everything with an awed expression. Well, it wasn't every day that a commoner stepped foot inside Castle Fhirdiad.

In contrast, Marianne kept her head and her eyes low. Her constant gloominess was starting to get annoying. Any hope Felix had of a tolerable life with her was rapidly fading. If she was going to act like this every day, he was going to lose his mind. Before he could dwell on that thought, they arrived at the tall, ornate wooden doors that led to the audience chamber. A pair of servants pulled the doors open, and Dedue led them inside.

Like everything else in the castle, the audience hall was large and grand. The floor was covered in white tile except for the wide strip of deep blue carpet that stretched from the door to the throne. A huge blue and silver tapestry bearing the Crest of Blaiddyd and King Loog atop his griffon hung on the wall above the throne, while other, smaller banners with the Crest of Blaiddyd decorated the remaining walls.

Sitting atop the ornate navy and silver throne was the boar king himself. His good eye widened at his guests' approach and he stood up to greet them. "Rodrigue! Felix! Sylvain! You made it!"

“Your Majesty,” Rodrigue said with a bow. Felix snorted, and Rodrigue gave him a disapproving look, but as always, Dimitri was completely unfazed.

“Hey there, Your Majesty,” greeted Sylvain. “Where’s Ingrid?”

“She should arrive tomorrow afternoon,” said Dimitri. “I received a missive from her yesterday stating that she had to delay her trip due to a suitor.”

“Oh.” Sylvain tensed noticeably for a moment, but shrugged it off just as quickly. “Well, I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to tell us how awful he was when she gets here.”

Felix fought not to roll his eyes. It was always the same story with Ingrid. Ever since Glenn died, House Galatea had been in a frenzy trying to find a suitable match for her. House Galatea had been struggling financially for years, and Ingrid, as their only Crested heir, was a prime marriageable candidate for any wealthy nobleman. Unfortunately for them, Ingrid was notorious for either rejecting or unintentionally humiliating all the men who attempted to court her. House Galatea had thus far not attempted to arrange another marriage for her, but Felix suspected it would only be a matter of time before she was put into the same position as him and Marianne.

Speaking of Marianne, she was doing her best to appear small and insignificant. Unfortunately for her, it had the opposite effect on Dimitri. "Oh, you must be Felix's new fiancée. May I ask your name, my lady?"

"M-Marianne von Edmund," Marianne squeaked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

Dimitri smiled warmly at her. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Marianne. And who is your other companion?"

Victor squeaked and ducked his head, and Felix scowled at Dimitri. “He’s my student.”

“Your student?” Dimitri repeated, his lone blue eye wide with surprise. "That's… quite unlike you, Felix. He must have really caught your eye."

"You could say that," Felix said dismissively.

"P-please excuse my rudeness, Your Majesty," Victor croaked as he bowed deeply. "M-my name is Victor. It is an honor to meet you."

"You don't have to grovel so much," Felix stated. "Anyway, boar, if you're done talking, I'm out of here."

"Felix!" Rodrigue snapped.

Felix ignored him. "There's no point in waiting around when Ingrid's not gonna be here until tomorrow."

"Straight and to the point as always," Dimitri said, smiling faintly. "I shall have the servants escort you to your chambers. However, I did not expect an extra guest. I’m afraid we do not have a room prepared for young Victor. Perhaps we could let him stay in Ingrid's room for the time being.”

"Don't worry about it," Felix interjected. "He can stay with me."

Victor gave Felix a look of unabashed shock. Dimitri also looked surprised, though he was less obvious about it.

“Well,” Dimitri began. “I suppose that works. Any objections, Victor?"

“L-Lord Felix,” Victor squeaked. “You really don’t have to—”

"You don't know this castle like I do," Felix interrupted. "The last thing I need is for you to wander around and end up lost."

Victor opened and closed his mouth several times, but words continued to fail him. Felix rolled his eyes and turned back to Dimitri.

“Just roll a cot up to my room,” he said. “I need to take Victor into town anyway, so you’ve got time for it.”

That earned him another admonishment from his old man, but Dimitri just shook his head. "It's all right, Rodrigue," he said. "I know Felix would much rather do something productive than sit around and wait. I assume your errand has to do with the boy's training."

Felix grunted and nodded. For once, the fact that Dimitri knew him well was coming in handy. "If that's all, then I'm out of here. Victor, come."

Victor squeaked and nodded jerkily before following after him. He fought the urge to snort. He was going to have to knock that habit out of the boy at some point—the sooner, the better. Well, there was no time like the present. Once they were well out of earshot and away from Rodrigue and Dimitri's watchful eyes, he addressed Victor again.

"You really need to stop squeaking so much. You're a squire, not a scullery maid."

"S-sorry, my lord," Victor replied.

"Don't stutter, either," Felix said sternly. "Even if you're afraid, you must never show it. Your foes will prey on any weakness you display."

Victor swallowed, but stood up a little straighter. "Yes, my lord."

"Better," Felix said with a nod. "Now, let's go."

"Lord Felix, if I may be so bold, what are we going into town for?" Victor asked.

"We're going to see a blacksmith. If you want to be a knight, you're going to need a proper sword."

Victor's blue eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "A sword? For me? Lord Felix, I couldn't possibly afford—"

"I will see to the expense," Felix interrupted. "And don't worry about repaying me. All I ask is that you make good use of it."

Victor nodded slowly, seemingly too stunned to speak. Thankfully, his legs still worked, and he stayed close to Felix as they left Castle Fhirdiad and entered the busy town market. Felix weaved his way through the crowds of people, keeping a close eye on Victor to ensure they didn't get separated. After about fifteen minutes of controlled chaos, their destination came into view.

The Iron Hammer was a tiny smithy tucked in an alley, far away from the hustle and bustle of the main streets. The only things distinguishing it from this otherwise unremarkable corner of town were a small metal sign above its door and the smoke from the forge pouring out of the chimney.

Felix pushed the door open and gestured for Victor to follow him inside. Only now did the building's purpose become obvious. Numerous blades decorated the otherwise plain wooden walls, and the repeated clanging of a hammer colliding with red-hot steel filled the air.

"Echidna," Felix called out.

The clanging abruptly stopped, and a moment later, a silver-haired woman emerged from the back of the smithy. A sheen of sweat coated her face and arms, but she otherwise looked as fresh as if she'd just awoken from a long slumber. Her green eyes lit up when they landed on Felix.

"Well, if it isn't the young Lord Fraldarius!" she exclaimed. “It's been, what, two moons since you last dropped by? In need of another blade already?"

"Yes, but not for me." He gently but firmly pushed Victor into Echidna's line of sight. "How quickly can you fashion a sword for this one?"

Victor shrank back as Echidna stepped closer and gave him an assessing look. "Scrawny little thing, aren't you?" the smith remarked. "You taking in strays now, Lord Fraldarius?"

"He's not a stray. He's my student," Felix replied.

"Your student?" Echidna's puzzled expression slowly morphed into a smug smirk. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"Shut up," Felix hissed. "Just tell me how much time you'll need to make the blade."

"It shouldn't take more than two or three days," Echidna replied. "I couldn't possibly disappoint one of my best customers."

"I'll hold you to it," Felix said with a nod. He paid Echidna for her services and left the smithy with Victor in tow.

After another lengthy period of weaving through the market, the two of them returned to the castle. There was still plenty of daylight left, so Felix made a beeline for the training grounds. Victor was making steady progress, but he still had a long way to go. Felix kept him hard at work even when the skies finally opened and drenched them with a downpour. After all, a warrior had to be able to fight no matter what the weather was like.

To his credit, Victor continued to follow Felix’s instructions without a word of complaint. All was going well until Victor slipped in the mud while trying to correct his stance, causing him to tumble to the ground. He tried to get back to his feet, but he winced and slid to the ground again.

Felix frowned and crouched next to him. Victor tried to scramble away, but he hissed in pain when he moved his foot.

"Stop," Felix said. "You're only going to make your injury worse."

Victor hung his head, clearly ashamed. “Forgive me, my lord.”

“There’s no need to apologize. Your only folly is inexperience. This is why you’re in training.”

“But my lord—”

“Enough. I’m well aware of your clumsiness. Given enough time and practice, I’m sure you can overcome it.”

Victor gave Felix that look of complete wonder and bewilderment again. Evidently, Victor still expected to be punished for his mistakes. Felix hoped he could knock that mindset out of the boy soon. Being cursed with a girlish face and stature was punishment enough.

"Come on. Let's get you to a healer," Felix said. He carefully helped Victor up, making sure the boy didn't put too much weight on his injured ankle. Victor leaned against Felix's side, and Felix supported him with his arm as he hobbled back into the castle. Once inside, several servants eyed the mess their muddy and drenched bodies were leaving with distaste, but otherwise, they were undisturbed. This normally would have been a good thing, but the quiet enabled Felix’s mind to run wild, and from it, a different problem emerged.

This was the first time he’d been this close to his student. They’d touched many times before, of course, but this felt… different, somehow. He was only holding Victor close out of necessity, and yet for some reason he found himself liking it. Was he growing ill, or was the dread of tomorrow's looming gathering getting to him? Before he could think about it too much, they reached the infirmary.

A healer whisked Victor to a spare cot and quickly determined what Felix suspected: Victor had twisted his ankle. Though white magic quickly mended the wound, the healer advised Victor to not put too much strain on his ankle for the rest of the day. Naturally, this meant that his training would have to be cut short. Though the setback was frustrating, the last thing Felix wanted was for Victor to injure himself worse, since that would leave him out of commission even longer. Not only that, Felix could see how badly Victor was shivering now that they were out of the rain. It was clear the boy desperately needed a hot bath and a hot meal, so as soon as the healer released Victor, Felix brought him to their shared room.

As promised, a cot had been brought up for Victor to sleep on. It looked starkly out of place next to the room's plush four poster bed, but it would serve its function fine. Felix removed Victor's soaked cloak before shoving him into the bathroom.

"What about you, Lord Felix?" Victor asked.

"I can wait my turn," Felix replied.

Victor looked immensely relieved to hear that. Felix did not blame him. The boy was clearly ashamed of his appearance, and there was no sense in making him feel even more self-conscious.

Victor was remarkably quick about bathing. No more than half an hour passed before he poked his significantly drier head out of the bathroom. His bright orange hair was still a little damp and mussed from toweling, and combined with his rounded face and big blue eyes, he looked almost cute.

Wait, cute?

Felix quickly shook his head, earning a confused stare from Victor.

"My lord?" the boy called.

"It's nothing," Felix said quickly. Making an effort to not stare any more than he had already, he shoved past Victor and shut himself inside the bathroom. He leaned against the door and slowly slid his hand down his face. By the saints, what was wrong with him? He shouldn't be harboring such thoughts about his apprentice!

He took a deep breath and forced himself to think calmly. He was tired and in a foul mood, which would naturally affect his mental state. He'd just had a moment of weakness, nothing more. He'd have to be more careful from now on, though. The last thing Victor needed was his own instructor to be gawking at him.

With that settled, Felix began preparing for his own bath. Like Victor, he kept his business brief. He preferred to not spend any more time on bathing than he needed to. He couldn't understand why some people would spend ages soaking and was thoroughly grateful that Victor was not one of those people.

Once Felix was clean and dry, he redressed into clean clothes and left the bathroom. He found Victor quietly sitting on the bed waiting for him. Thankfully, his mind did not provide any more unwarranted and unwanted thoughts.

"Let's go," he said. "Dinner should be ready now."

Victor nodded, slid off the bed, and followed him without a word. By the time they reached the great hall, everyone else was already seated.

"Ah, Felix, you're just in time!" Dimitri exclaimed. "Did the training go well?"

"Victor twisted his ankle," Felix answered. "The healer insisted that he should rest for the rest of the night."

"I see," Dimitri said. "Well, I certainly hope you feel better soon, Victor."

Victor gaped at Dimitri for several seconds before he shut his mouth with a snap. "I… thank you, Your Majesty."

"You are very welcome," Dimitri said with a smile. "Now then, please have a seat, you two. Dinner will be served shortly."

Felix and Victor did as instructed. Felix could practically feel the disapproval radiating off Rodrigue, but as always, he was unperturbed. He glanced over at Marianne, who, as the guest of honor, was seated next to Dimitri. She looked as gloomy and miserable as ever. Learning that even Dimitri couldn't put Marianne in a good mood was somehow reassuring.

That didn’t stop Dimitri from trying, though. Even after dinner arrived, he kept trying to talk to her, only to earn Marianne’s usual one-word responses. It was just like the boar to be so disgustingly earnest. Felix was ready to tell him to give up and leave Marianne alone when Dimitri just happened to mention the stables.

"You have stables?" Marianne piped up.

"Of course," Dimitri replied. "Would you like to see them?"

"Oh, no, I… I wouldn't want to impose."

"You're not imposing. You're our honored guest, after all. I'd be more than happy to show you tomorrow. We’ll have time before Ingrid arrives."

"Well… All right. As long as it's not too much trouble for you."

Dimitri shook his head. "It's no trouble at all."

Felix fought the urge to snort. Of course that would get Marianne to open up. At least she would get a moment of peace during this otherwise miserable trip. Felix wasn't so lucky. He was already dreading Ingrid's inevitable lecture when she arrived tomorrow.

At least Victor would be ready for training again in the morning. Felix would just have to make the most of the time they had until Ingrid showed up. After that, he’d just have to survive a couple more days, and then they’d all be back on their way home. Just a couple days of madness, and then it would all be over.

He refused to think about how this was just a warm-up for his wedding day.

Chapter Text

If someone told Annette two years ago that she would be sleeping in the same room as the Wolf of Fraldarius and would not be completely overcome by terror, she would have thought that person insane. On the flip side, the fact that she could go to bed in the same room as the Wolf and have any sort of confidence that he would not slit her throat as she slumbered was even more terrifying.

She hadn't lost all her sense, though. Felix was still by far the most intimidating man she had ever met, and she'd be a fool to not respect that. At the same time, she could not deny that he was not as horrible as she always imagined. There were times where he displayed what could be called kindness if one squinted hard enough, and that was more than what she could say for a lot of people. If she were still living in Dominic, Cornelia would have mocked her over her twisted ankle, but Felix helped her to a healer without a word of complaint. If that weren’t enough, he even commissioned a sword for her.

Annette still couldn’t believe that he did that. In the back of her head, she’d known that Felix was very wealthy simply by virtue of being heir to Fraldarius, but she still couldn’t get over the amount of gold he’d casually dropped into that blacksmith’s hand. It was easily three times as much as what she had hidden in her room back at the monastery, and yet he didn’t bat an eye at parting with it. She felt like she had to repay him somehow, especially since she had done nothing to deserve such an expensive gift, but he insisted that all he wanted was for her to make good use of the sword.

And she intended to do just that, never mind that she was still a bumbling page at best when it came to swordplay. Not only did she want to repay her debt to Felix—odd as that thought was—but she also knew her life might depend on her skill. So far, Felix hadn’t looked at her twice, and she needed to do everything in her power to keep it that way. If Sylvain’s claims about Felix were accurate, then it was safest for her to have a sword in her hand as often as possible.

At the moment, though, she didn't need to worry about that. Felix was out like a light. She wished she could do the same, but as usual, her anxious mind was running too wild for her to settle down. How in the world was she going to make it through tomorrow? What if she made a fool of herself in front of the king? And what was she going to do if she couldn't get the image of Felix with his hair down out of her head?

She had not anticipated running into a brand-new problem, but with how her life was currently going, she shouldn't have been surprised. When Felix undid his ponytail before heading to bed, she'd been left dumbstruck at the sight of his inky hair spilling over his shoulders like a waterfall. Felix had noticed her staring and she'd had to turn away and pray that her face wasn't as red as it felt.

It wasn't fair. Why did the person who had vowed to kill her have to be so ridiculously handsome? He also made her feel a renewed pang of loss for her own hair. When she was younger, she'd tied it up in all kinds of braids and pigtails, but now it was a shorn mess that she could never hope to style. And if Felix had his way with her, she couldn't even think about regrowing it for another half a year.

She huffed and rolled onto her side. She wondered if the goddess was doing this on purpose to mock her. Well, Annette Fantine Dominic was not about to sit by and let a deity make fun of her. She closed her eyes stubbornly and forced herself to think about Felix, Sylvain, or any of her current troubles. The task was easier said than done, however, and she spent ages tossing and turning. It felt like she had barely drifted off when she felt a hand shake her shoulder.

"Victor. Get up."

Of course. Right on schedule, Felix had come to wake her for training. And, as always, he was way more awake than any normal person should be before sunrise. Annette was all for getting an early start, but in this respect, she was convinced Felix was inhuman. Somehow, she managed to drag herself out of bed, pull her boots on, throw on her still damp cloak, and trudge to the training grounds, and all while her head was lost in the fog of drowsiness.

Despite that, she fell into the now familiar motions of her sword easily. Evidently, she had done these swings so many times that now she could do them without thinking. And when her mind finally regained awareness, she saw Felix giving her almost imperceptible nods of approval following each of her strokes. Despite everything, she was improving thanks to his tutelage, and that both excited and terrified her.

Felix had also recently begun showing her how to use a dagger, a skill that, should she survive the next four and a half moons, would admittedly come in handy. She didn’t fancy killing anyone, but if worse came to worse, she would need some way to defend herself from all manner of unsavory types, and she knew her paltry sword skills wouldn’t save her from any serious threat. Felix clearly believed the same.

“There will be times when a dagger or knife is all that stands between you and death,” he said. “The knights will teach you all about ‘chivalric’ combat, but reality is nowhere near as nice as they like to pretend. Sometimes, your best option is to slip a knife between your enemy’s ribs before they know what hit them.”

Annette nodded slowly. What Felix was saying made perfect sense, although the fact that he had apparently been in such a situation before alarmed her. Who could be so formidable that the Wolf of Fraldarius was forced to resort to assassination to take them down? The mere thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Like with her sword training, Felix had her perform the same maneuvers over and over until he was satisfied. The difference was that the dagger in her hands was very real and very sharp. If she was not careful, she could easily hurt herself. It hadn't bothered her before, but after her humiliating slip-up last night, she feared her clumsiness would lead her to another accident. Felix, of course, picked up on her hesitance immediately.

"Stop that," he said. "You can't possibly defend yourself if you're afraid of your own weapon."

"S-sorry," she stuttered, only to wince when she remembered that stuttering was another thing Felix disapproved of. "It's just that… Well, my injury last night delayed my training once already, and—"

"Don't worry about it," Felix interrupted. "I would be more surprised if you didn't get hurt a few times while training. Mistakes are only natural, and it's better that you make them in an environment where your life isn't on the line."

Once again, Annette found herself completely speechless. She wasn't sure if she would ever get used to Felix encouraging her. It was completely at odds with the image of him that she had built up in her mind—an image that, admittedly, was slowly changing as she spent more and more time with him.

A small part of her began to think that, had she not fled her betrothal to him, she would not have found him completely intolerable.

She immediately shook her head at how ridiculous she sounded. The only reason Felix tolerated her was because she was his student. He would have done anything to avoid Annette the fiancée. After all, he'd been avoiding poor Marianne since their engagement began. From what Annette had seen, though, Marianne didn't seem to mind. In fact, the girl seemed to dislike company in general. Even Sylvain and King Dimitri had a hard time getting her to talk.

Speaking of which, King Dimitri was supposed to be showing Marianne the stables this morning. Annette had been surprised when Marianne perked up the moment the king brought the stables up. Evidently, Marianne liked horses, or at least horseback riding.

Annette was also surprised that the king had decided to show Marianne around himself. He surely had to be busy, but he seemed determined to help Marianne feel more at ease. Felix should have been the one to do that, but of course, he was more concerned with training Annette.

"Victor, pay attention!"

Annette snapped out of her thoughts and apologized for spacing out in the midst of training again before refocusing on mimicking Felix's moves. It was still too easy for her to get caught up in the storm of her own thoughts, especially with everything that had happened recently. She took a deep breath and made a conscious effort to empty her mind. She could worry about Marianne once she was no longer in danger of being snapped at for getting distracted.

The rest of the morning's training passed in a blur, and soon it was time for breakfast. As their small group gathered in the great hall, the tension between Felix and Lord Rodrigue once again became palpable. Annette was starting to get used to their constant feuding, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. It made her spare a thought for her own father. Even after all these years, she hadn't forgotten how he'd hurt her and her mother when he left. She had long ago vowed to bring him home, but then her mother died, and then Cornelia made her a prisoner in her own home. Part of the reason she was sitting here now was due to her father's actions. Yet she couldn't bring herself to resent him. He was still her family, and if her life didn't depend on her identity remaining a secret, she would have done everything in her power to persuade him to come home. Once again, the irony of how she had chosen a very similar path to her father and in the process destroyed any possibility of reuniting with him sat bitterly on her tongue.

When the food arrived, Annette nibbled on a blueberry muffin and did her best to ignore the smug look Sylvain was giving her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Felix giving him a deadly glare, but it did not deter him.

"So, Victor, how'd rooming with Felix go?" he asked.

"Well enough," Annette answered.

"Why do you care?" Felix growled.

"Just want to make sure the little guy's doing okay," Sylvain replied. "No offense, Fe, but I wouldn't put it past you to train him in the bedroom."

Annette choked on her muffin while everyone else except Marianne yelled at Sylvain. Tears pricked from Annette's eyes as she coughed out the crumbs that caught in her throat. Someone shoved a glass of water into her view, and she gratefully took it. She took a big gulp of water and sighed in relief.

"Better?" Felix's voice asked from beside her.

"Yes, thank you," she answered. She then shot Sylvain the most threatening glare she could muster, but all she earned for her effort was a smirk. The jerk was teasing her again, and clearly relishing every moment of it. And how dare he say something like that in front of the king and Lord Rodrigue! Did he have any shame at all?

"You needn't concern yourself with the matter anymore, Sylvain," said King Dimitri. "Victor will have his own room tonight."

Annette looked at him in surprise. "I will?"

"Yes," he responded. "The servants are preparing you a room right now. It will be ready later this afternoon."

"Oh," she said softly. "Thank you."

Felix snorted. He looked like he wanted to protest, but Annette suspected that he knew it would draw another crude comment out of Sylvain. She wondered why he seemed opposed to her having her own room. Did he have that little confidence in her? A sudden surge of indignation erupted within her and she bit into her muffin again to hide her scowl. She was not that helpless!

In contrast to the rest of them, Marianne was in a better mood than usual. She still looked gloomy and didn't speak much, but for once she wasn't holding her head low. She must have been looking forward to seeing the stables. King Dimitri noticed her improved demeanor as well and asked her if she slept well.

“Oh, um… Yes, actually,” she responded.

“I’m glad to hear it,” said the king. “I know this can’t be easy for you.”

“It’s all right,” said Marianne. “I’m used to it.”

“Used to it?” King Dimitri repeated.

"I…" Marianne trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind. It's nothing you need to worry about."

“Are you sure? Surely, there must be—”

"Boar. Stop pestering her," Felix interrupted.

“Felix!” Rodrigue exclaimed.

“No, Felix has a point,” King Dimitri said. “My apologies, Lady Marianne. I did not wish to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“You're very kind, Your Majesty,” Marianne said softly. "I should be the one apologizing. I haven't been the best guest."

"Nonsense," Dimitri stated. "You've been doing wonderfully."

"Oh, no, I really haven't—"

"Will you both shut up?" Felix grated. "Why don't you go tour the stables like you said you would instead of engaging in this pointless prattle?"

Marianne and King Dimitri both flinched and glanced at each other nervously. After a moment, the king spoke up. "That's not a bad idea. Are you finished eating, Lady Marianne?"

"Um, yes," Marianne replied.

"Then let's be off," King Dimitri said as he got to his feet.

"Victor, why don't you join them?" Lord Rodrigue suddenly spoke up.

"Huh?!" Annette squeaked.

“No,” Felix said immediately. “He stays with me.”

Annette swore she caught a look of triumph in Lord Rodrigue’s eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came. “Felix,” he began sternly. “You promised not to let Victor’s training interfere with your engagement.”

“This has nothing to do with the engagement,” Felix growled.

"And yet every time you get the chance, you run off with Victor," said Lord Rodrigue. "Your wedding is in just over half a moon. This has to stop."

"You think I don't know that?!" Felix snapped.

"Then you should know that you have more important things to do today than babysit a child," Lord Rodrigue stated.

Felix gnashed his teeth and scowled so fiercely that Annette couldn't help but shrink back. She hadn't seen Felix this angry since the day he'd rescued her from the other squires. For a moment, she felt strangely flattered that she could draw such a strong reaction out of him, but it was quickly replaced with cold terror when she remembered that he could and would unleash that fury on her if he managed to unmask her. Feeling a powerful urge to flee, she slid out of her chair and squeaked, “I’ll go with them!”

Felix made a strangled noise of confusion, but by the time he stood up Annette had already skittered to King Dimitri's side.

“Well,” the king said. “I can’t say I expected this, but you’re more than welcome to join us, Victor.”

“Thank you,” Annette said breathlessly. She didn’t dare to look back at Felix even as King Dimitri bid him, Lord Rodrigue, and Sylvain farewell. Her heart hammered in her chest and she prayed her terror wasn't evident on her face. What a fool she was to think that she was in any way safe around the Wolf of Fraldarius. She silently thanked the goddess and the king for ensuring she'd have her own room tonight.

King Dimitri led the way, and Annette quickly became very glad to have him as a guide. Castle Fhirdiad was even bigger than Castle Fraldarius, and she was certain she would have gotten lost if she had to navigate this place by herself. She wished she had more time to admire the giant, beautiful paintings and tapestries decorating every hallway, but she couldn't afford to fall behind. The last thing she wanted was to give Felix even more reason to watch her every move.

Eventually, the three of them exited the maze of corridors and made their way outside. The bright morning sun and clear blue sky made last night's storm seem like a distant memory. King Dimitri told Annette and Marianne that they didn't have much further to go, and sure enough, they'd barely turned the corner of the exterior castle wall when the stables came into view. Marianne perked up noticeably at the sight, and King Dimitri gave her a warm smile in response. Annette suddenly felt like she was intruding somehow, and she trailed a little further behind Marianne and the king as they approached the stables.

Once inside the stables, Marianne immediately drew close to one of the horses. It whinnied softly and allowed her to pat its head. Annette watched in amazement. From her experience at the Garreg Mach stables, she knew that few horses were willing to trust strangers so quickly. Marianne, however, connected instantly with the horses, almost as if she could understand what they were thinking.

"Remarkable," King Dimitri said. "Have you worked with horses before, Lady Marianne?"

"I visited the stables back at House Edmund a lot," Marianne replied. "Horses are such kind creatures. I've always liked being around them."

"I see," said the king. "Has Felix shown you Fraldarius's stables?"

"Um… Yes, actually. The horses there were very happy."

"I'm glad to hear that. Felix has never been fond of horses, so he usually doesn't visit the stables."

"I thought so," said Marianne. "Lord Felix left me at the stables the moment he was able."

“That sounds like him,” King Dimitri said tiredly. “Felix can be… difficult, sometimes.”

“Difficult is… one way to put it,” Marianne muttered.

“I assume you’ve heard the rumors, then,” said King Dimitri.

Who hasn’t? Annette thought. Marianne did not respond, but the way her face fell said more than words ever could.

"I promise you he is not at all like what people say," the king continued. "It's true that he enjoys fighting and training more than most, and he can be a little… direct in both speech and mannerisms, but he's not cruel. I would trust him with my life."

Annette thought it prudent to not comment that he wasn’t the one who was soon to be married to Felix. Marianne wisely thought the same.

“Say, Victor,” King Dimitri continued.

Annette jumped, not expecting to be addressed. “Y-yes, Your Majesty?”

“What do you think of Felix?”

“Um, er... " She swallowed hard, feeling her panic rising at being put on the spot. “Well, he is definitely fierce, and he is a very strict instructor. But… he’s never hurt me, either with words or weapons.”

At least not yet, she added silently, suppressing a shudder as she recalled his earlier fury.

The king nodded approvingly before turning back to Marianne. "You see?"

Marianne didn't look convinced. "I guess," she mumbled.

"Trust me. If Victor is still unharmed after almost two weeks of training, then you will be just fine," said King Dimitri. "Come to think of it, how did you end up as Felix's student, Victor? Pardon my rudeness, but in all the years I've known him, Felix has never shown any interest in taking on pupils."

"Well," Annette began unsurely. “He… he said I was so terrible at combat that I was going to die if I was ever on a real battlefield. And he told me that he doesn’t trust anyone else to train me, which is how I wound up on this trip.”

To her surprise, King Dimitri laughed. “Forgive me,” he said when he noticed her befuddled expression. “It’s just… It’s so like Felix to be so blunt. If that's how he feels, then must have taken quite a shine to you.”

"I don't know about that," Annette said, but even as the words left her mouth, she could see some logic in what the king was saying. She'd never seen Felix show small almost-kindnesses to anyone else, and it also explained his strange protectiveness of her. At the same time, though, the idea sounded outlandish. How could someone like Felix possibly like anyone, let alone her?

No, even that much wasn't true. Victor was the one who Felix tolerated and decided to look after. He loathed Annette.

"You'll see soon enough," King Dimitri promised. "It may not seem like it, but Felix has a softer side. He'll deny it until his last breath, though."

A few weeks ago, Annette would have laughed at that statement. The Wolf of Fraldarius, soft? The very idea was ludicrous! For the longest time, she didn't think he was capable of being gentle, but then he saved her from being beaten half to death when he had no obligation to do so. Now he'd even gone so far as personally escorting and supporting her to a healer after she injured herself. As crazy as it sounded, King Dimitri seemed to be right.

That didn't make Felix any less dangerous, though. That morning had proven that she was still right to fear him. She had no doubt that he wouldn't hesitate to slay her if he saw through her disguise. In fact, he'd probably be even more furious at her for deceiving him. She sighed softly, wondering once again how she was going to get out of this mess. At this rate, she was going to die of fright if Felix didn't kill her first.

King Dimitri soon returned his attention to Marianne, and Annette once again felt like she was intruding. She couldn't understand why, since the king could have refused her if he didn't want her around. She pondered about where that strange feeling was coming from as she watched King Dimitri continue to reassure Marianne about her imminent marriage to Felix. Despite his single eye, his expression was earnest and almost tender.

Realization hit Annette like a runaway carriage. King Dimitri liked Marianne. It was too soon to say if it was simple fondness or true infatuation, but either way, it did not bode well when Marianne was engaged to Felix. The fact that Felix did not care for Marianne at all made it even more heartbreaking.

Annette turned away, unable to watch any longer. This was her fault. She’d never imagined that her flight two years ago would doom the happiness of at least two other people. Sadly, she had already passed the point of no return. All she could do now is watch helplessly as the ramifications of her choice unfolded in front of her.

Feeling overwhelmed, she crept outside and snuck around to the rear of the stables where no one else was around. Only then did she allow herself to weep for all she’d sacrificed in the name of survival.

Chapter Text

“Fe? Are you alright?”

Felix was most definitely not alright. He’d been denied the one thing he had to look forward to in the whole duration of this trip. On top of that, his old man had dragged him off and lectured him about his upcoming wedding for the whole morning. He’d been doing his best to not think about the fact that he was getting married, but of course, his old man was having none of it.

The worst part was that this all happened because his student had rejected him in favor of the boar. He could hardly blame Marianne for fleeing to Dimitri the moment she could, but Victor, too? He’d thought Victor was finally growing more comfortable with him, especially after they’d spent the night together, but that obviously wasn’t the case.

Admittedly, he had lost his temper that morning, and he’d have to have been blind to not see that that was the reason for Victor’s sudden flight. Even so, he’d told Victor many times that he had no reason to hurt him, and he’d never done anything to threaten the boy in any way. To be fair, Victor had definitely made progress, since he no longer trembled at the start of their morning training, but all his terror came flying back when Felix had snapped at his old man. But that was just it―Victor wasn’t the target of Felix’s anger, so why would it send him scampering all of sudden?

He puzzled over this as he fidgeted impatiently in the great hall. What in the world was keeping the boar? It was practically lunchtime, which meant Ingrid would be arriving soon. Though her letter stated she was due to arrive in the early afternoon, there was no way Ingrid would miss a big meal if she could help it. Even Rodrigue had gotten concerned with how long Dimitri was taking and had left to look for him a little while ago.

“Fe?” Sylvain prodded again.

“Shut up,” Felix hissed. “I’m trying to think.”

“That’s new,” Sylvain stated. That earned him a punch to the shoulder, and he raised his hands placatingly in response. “Kidding, kidding!”

Felix snorted and turned away from him, refocusing on figuring out what Victor's problem was. Felix was fully aware of how intimidating he came across to other people, particularly people who didn't know him well, but Victor's behavior was a bit extreme. Surely he understood by now that Felix intended him no harm.

Unless…

He suddenly recalled Sylvain confronting Victor about something in front of Lena's infirmary the day Victor and Marianne had arrived in Fraldarius. From what Felix managed to glean, Sylvain had clued in on something Victor was hiding. But just what could Victor be hiding that would make him so fearful of Felix?

He resisted the urge to glance over at Sylvain. Obviously, he knew Victor's secret, but Felix was not about to ask him about it―Sylvain most likely wouldn’t give him a straight answer anyway. That left him with only one option: finding the truth himself.

He crossed his arms and made up his mind. He'd get to the bottom of this mystery eventually. He still had another four and a half moons with Victor; plenty of time to dig up his past. Come to think of it, he knew almost nothing about his student other than what Alois had told him. He didn't even know Victor's age!

Well, at least that was something easily remedied. He’d just have to ask Victor about his past later. Even the simplest questions could provide clues to whatever Victor was hiding. Felix doubted it was anything bad, but he couldn’t help but be curious anyway. More importantly, he didn’t want Victor to fear him. He’d never admit it aloud, but he’d grown rather attached to the boy, and watching Victor scamper over to Dimitri that morning had stung. Was he really that awful to be around?

Inadvertently, he recalled how Annette Dominic had found death preferable to marrying him. He shoved the memory away as fast as he could, but to no avail: the wound in his heart ached anew. It was infuriating how a woman he’d never met had managed to injure him more than any foe he’d ever faced. Worse yet, there was nothing he could do about it since she was already dead.

He envied her, in a way. At least she was at peace.

The great hall’s doors finally opened, and Felix snapped to attention as Dimitri entered, closely followed by Rodrigue, Marianne and Victor. Felix felt himself relax a little upon seeing Victor. While he'd known Dimitri would look after Victor, it was still reassuring to confirm that the boy was safe with his own eyes.

"Welcome back," Sylvain greeted. "So, how'd your little tour go?"

"It was nice," Marianne said softly.

"Lady Marianne is a remarkable woman," said Dimitri. "I’ve never seen anyone able to communicate with animals on such a deep level. House Fraldarius’s horses will be in good hands with her.”

Felix fought the urge to snort. While he’d seen Marianne’s talent for himself, it would've been more useful if she was going to become the stablemaster and not the future duchess. She needed to be able to communicate with people, not animals, and everything he'd seen of her showed that she was not suited to that task.

Admittedly, the same was true of him.

“What’d you think, Victor?” Sylvain asked.

“Um…” Victor lowered his head and fiddled with his fingers. “It was… informative.”

“Ah, right, you work with horses as part of your duties, don’t you?” said Sylvain. “Squires always get stuck with the dirtiest tasks. It almost makes one want to consider a different line of work. What do you think, Victor?”

Even with his face partially hidden by his hood, Victor was clearly furious. His stance stiffened, he balled his fists, and his lips curled into a snarl. Sylvain’s smug grin showed that he was relishing in every second of it.

“Leave him alone, Sylvain,” Felix sighed. “He made his choice already. He’s clearly fine with it.”

“Clearly,” Sylvain said dryly.

Felix couldn't stop himself from frowning. Sylvain definitely knew something. Before Felix could inquire about Victor, though, the great hall's doors opened again, revealing Dedue.

"Your Majesty," he began, bowing deeply.

"What is it, Dedue?" asked Dimitri.

"Lady Ingrid has just arrived," Dedue responded. He stood aside, revealing that Ingrid was right behind him. Dressed in armor much like the knights she idolized, she strode into the room with purpose and confidence, and she quickly spotted Felix, Dimitri, and the rest of their group.

"Ah, you're all here!" she exclaimed. "Looks like I'm just in time."

"Hey, Ingy!" Sylvain called as he waved at her. "Long time, no see!"

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" said Ingrid. "I'm surprised that you haven't made any messes for me to bail you out of lately."

"Hey, I promised I'd be better!" Sylvain protested.

"Can you blame me for being skeptical?" Ingrid asked, crossing her arms.

Sylvain opened and shut his mouth a few times before wilting in defeat. "No, not really…"

"That's what I thought."

"Good to see you haven't changed, Ingrid," Dimitri said with a chuckle.

"It's good to see you too, Your Majesty," Ingrid replied. "And Felix! You look as grouchy as ever."

"And you obviously couldn't wait to eat," Felix retorted.

"Hey!"

"Settle down, you two," Dimitri interjected. "Why don't we all have a seat? It is nearly time for lunch, after all."

Ingrid's eyes lit up, and Felix couldn't suppress an amused snort. His mirth earned him a glare, but as always, it didn't faze him. All of them followed Dimitri's instructions and sat at the high table, and as they waited for the food to be served, Ingrid's gaze fell upon Marianne and Victor.

"So, you must be Felix's fiancée," she said to Marianne. "But who's the kid?"

"He's with me," Felix stated.

"You?" Ingrid raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Since when did you take children in from off the streets?"

“I didn’t take him from off the streets,” Felix said, rolling his eyes. “He’s actually a squire for the Knights of Seiros, but his training was nonexistent, so his master agreed to let me borrow him for a few moons.”

“Excuse me?” Ingrid stared at him as if he’d grown a second head. “You actually agreed to train someone?”

Felix sighed irritably. “Yes. Is there a problem with that?”

“Well, no, but―”

“Then shut your mouth.”

Ingrid scowled at him. “Well, excuse me for wanting to know why Mr. ‘Students Are A Waste of My Time’ suddenly had a change of heart.”

As always, her imitation of him was laughably and purposefully bad. He snorted again and replied, "I just felt like it, okay?"

Ingrid gave him the same exasperated expression that she wore whenever she had to bail Sylvain out of the consequences of his skirt chasing. She opened her mouth to retort, but the sudden arrival of servants carrying platters full of food drew her attention. Felix felt a surge of relief. While he knew Ingrid wouldn’t let him off the hook, at least her mouth would be occupied for a little while.

Various roasted meats and vegetables were soon set on the table, and Ingrid wasted no time in helping herself to a bit of everything. Marianne and Victor looked mildly horrified, but after a moment, they began to timidly fill their own plates. Once everyone had food in front of them and Ingrid was happily munching away, Sylvain spoke up.

“So, Ingy,” he began. “Word is you got another suitor calling.”

“Don’t remind me,” she groaned. “It’s always the same old story. They come running upon hearing I have a Crest, and run away just as quickly because I don’t fit their idea of a ‘proper lady’. Lots of noblemen don't care to have a wife that can ride circles around them.”

Sylvain's expression darkened. "It's always the Crests, isn't it?"

“Unfortunately,” Ingrid replied.

“My apologies,” Dimitri interjected. “When I ascended the throne, I vowed to change this kingdom so a person’s value would not be judged solely on whether or not they possess a Crest.  But… it’s proven to be far more difficult than I anticipated.”

“It’s not your fault, Your Majesty,” Ingrid said, shaking her head. “I know you’re doing the best you can.”

“Stupid boar,” Felix growled. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s the fools who refuse to listen to reason.”

“Felix, how many times have I told you to be more tactful?” Rodrigue asked, sighing heavily. “That said, I agree completely. You’ve done an admirable job, Your Majesty. Given enough time, I am sure you will become a king the people will speak fondly of for generations to come.”

Dimitri blushed at the praise. “I fear I still have a long way to go before anyone speaks fondly of me.”

Felix scowled and clenched his fists. It was just like his old man to scold him and commend Dimitri. Though he'd accepted long ago that he would never measure up in his father's eyes, it was still frustrating to watch it happen over and over. Even before everything went to hell, he'd always walked in Glenn's shadow.

"We're not here to talk about you, though, Your Majesty," Ingrid pointed out. "As a matter of fact, our guest of honor has been strangely quiet."

"Oh!" Marianne exclaimed softly. "I… I'm sorry. My name is Marianne von Edmund."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Marianne," said Ingrid. "I would ask if Felix hasn't been terribly rude to you, but I have a feeling I already know the answer to that question."

Felix glared at her, but like Sylvain, Ingrid was too used to his abrasiveness to be affected by it. Marianne, meanwhile, looked down at her hands as she fiddled with her fingers.

“Um… I…"

"He pays more attention to his student than to her," Rodrigue interrupted. Felix's scowl deepened, and both Victor and Marianne shrank back fearfully.

"Why am I not surprised?" Ingrid asked. "Felix, you really need to change your attitude."

"I don't need you lecturing me about what I need to do," Felix retorted.

"You're impossible," Ingrid growled. "Can't you at least try to be nicer to your future wife?"

"I have been trying," Felix grated.

"Obviously, you haven't been trying hard enough."

Felix slammed his fist on the table, causing everyone to either jump or stare in surprise. "Are you blind?! She hasn't spoken more than two sentences to you! What chance do I have?!"

Ingrid calmly crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. "Like I said, you need to change your attitude. You made this bed yourself, so now you're going to have to show her that you're not just the Wolf of Fraldarius. And that means not abandoning her to spend every waking hour in the training grounds."

Felix gritted his teeth and balled his fists so tightly that his palms would have bled if he wasn't wearing gloves. He was furious, not only because he loathed when Ingrid lectured him, but also because, deep down, he knew she was right. He had done little to try to change Marianne's view of him, although in his defense, the task was nigh impossible. He'd had a hard enough time trying to convince Victor to not fear him.

The thought of Victor splashed cold water over his incensed mind. He'd been so focused on Ingrid that he'd forgotten Victor was there. And Victor had seen everything that had just happened.

Felix mentally cursed. He was supposed to help relieve Victor's fear, but here he was doing the exact opposite. He took a deep breath and used every ounce of his willpower to calm himself down. As much as he wanted to explode at Ingrid, it would only worsen the situation. It took several agonizing seconds, but he managed to get a hold of his temper.

“Fine,” he conceded at last, even though it pained him. “I’ll try to be better. But believe me when I tell you it will take a miracle to get that woman to say more than two words to me.”

“Felix,” Rodrigue said sternly.

Felix growled. It seemed like everyone was testing the limits of his patience today. “Fine. It will take a miracle to get Marianne to say more than two words to me. Even Sylvain and the boar had trouble getting her to talk.”

Unsurprisingly, Ingrid immediately turned on Sylvain. “What did you say to her, Sylvain?”

“Nothing bad! I swear!” Sylvain cried.

"Oh, really?" Ingrid asked, glaring at him skeptically.

"I'm not lying!"

Dimitri cleared his throat before the standoff could worsen. "While I can't speak for Sylvain, it is true that Lady Marianne is rather shy. I would ask you all to please be gentle and patient with her."

Marianne lowered her head, and Felix swore her cheeks turned faintly pink. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Dimitri replied. “It would be remiss of me to not ensure that an honored guest was as comfortable as possible.”

"At least someone here knows how to be respectful," Ingrid stated. "Lady Marianne, please let me apologize for these thoughtless idiots. I'm all too aware of how much of a pain they can be."

"You wound me, Ingy," Sylvain moaned as he placed his hand over his heart, prompting Felix to roll his eyes.

"It's all right," Marianne said. “Actually… It’s better that people don’t become close to me.”

Everyone stared at Marianne in shock. Even Felix couldn’t believe his ears. He’d thought her constant gloominess was solely because of their upcoming marriage, but her problems clearly ran far deeper than that.

“What are you saying, Lady Marianne?” Rodrigue demanded.

"Did something happen?" Ingrid asked. "If someone slighted you, I'd be more than happy to put them in their place."

"No, it's nothing like that," said Marianne. “It’s just… Well, if I’m going to be part of House Fraldarius, there’s something important that you should all know.”

“What is it?” asked Dimitri.

“My adoptive father, Margrave Edmund, ordered me to not say anything until the marriage was official, but… I don’t want to keep this a secret anymore. You’ve all been too kind. You deserve to know.”

“Well, spit it out already,” Felix said, prompting both Ingrid and Rodrigue to yell at him.

Marianne flinched, but remarkably, she managed to pull herself together again quickly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. “It’s my Crest. It curses me to bring misfortune to everyone around me.”

“A Crest that brings misfortune to others?” Dimitri repeated. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“It’s true, though,” Marianne protested. “I lost my real mother and father when I was a child. All of my handmaidens suffered terrible accidents that left them unable to work or caused them to quit out of fear. And most recently, over half of the Edmund guardsmen who were supposed to escort me to Fraldarius perished. No matter where I go or what I do, I wind up bringing disaster to everyone around me. So please, I beg you to reconsider this arrangement. It’s only a matter of time before I doom House Fraldarius and the other noble houses.”

“Now, wait just a moment,” said Rodrigue. “You have my condolences for enduring so much loss at such a young age, but there’s no possible way that it could have resulted from you. No Crest has that power.”

“My Crest is special,” said Marianne. “It’s so feared that long ago, people tried to wipe it from existence―and it’s widely believed that they succeeded. But a few people with that bloodline survived, and their descendants live to this day in secret. I am one of them. Of course, my adoptive father found out about my Crest, and he did everything in his power to keep it secret, but he couldn’t stop trouble from following me wherever I went. It left me virtually unmarriageable in Leicester. That’s why he searched for a husband for me in Faerghus instead. My curse is not as well-known here.”

Felix took all this information in slowly. It sounded completely ridiculous, but Marianne must have believed in it strongly―she’d said more in the past five minutes than she had in a week at Castle Fraldarius. On the other hand, it was entirely possible that the whole thing was a fabrication and that she was merely trying to get someone here to pity her enough to call off the engagement. Then again, if Marianne wanted to lie, she could have chosen a far more believable story.

In addition, Margrave Edmund must have been desperate if he was willing to give Marianne away to someone as infamous as Felix. Rodrigue, who had been just as desperate in finding a wife for Felix, must have agreed to the offer without a second thought. The most ineligible noble bachelor and bachelorette in all of Fódlan, matched together hastily because it was convenient. It made Felix’s blood boil.

"Even if what you claim is true, the benefits outweigh the potential risks," Rodrigue argued.

"You're just saying that because you can't afford to let her go," Felix growled.

"And who do you think is to blame for that?!" Rodrigue snapped.

"I've told you before, old man: I don't want or need a wife," Felix stated. "You're the one who chose to go on this fruitless crusade."

Rodrigue's expression darkened, but before he could retort, Ingrid cut in.

"Felix, that's enough!" she cried. "If you're going to fight, do it somewhere else!"

"You know what? You're absolutely right," Felix said, getting up from his seat.

"Where do you think you're going?" Rodrigue demanded.

"Away from here," Felix answered. "This whole meeting has been nothing but a waste of time."

A chorus of protests rang out from the table, but Felix was already well on his way out. He shoved the door leading out of the great hall open and slammed it behind him. His old man and Ingrid would give him hell later, but he was too incensed to care. To think that the only reason he was in this stupid engagement was because Marianne was just as undesirable as he was!

As he seethed, he made a beeline for the training grounds. His old man, the boar, Marianne, Ingrid… All of them could go to hell. Right now, he really needed to hit something. The moment he reached his destination, he wasted no time grabbing a training sword and unleashing his fury on the nearest training dummy. It held up remarkably well against his assault, although that was mostly because the boar’s unnatural strength necessitated sturdier dummies. Even so, it eventually fell apart. Unsatisfied, Felix quickly approached a second dummy and resumed his attack. Though his muscles began to burn and sweat poured down his face, the fire of rage within him refused to quell. Damn his old man, and damn Margrave Edmund. They had to have known that Felix and Marianne were as compatible as oil and water, but they went through with the engagement anyway simply because they had found the first willing candidate. Deep down, Felix knew this situation was hardly unique, but it didn't make him feel any better.

Felix kept going until every dummy had been reduced to scrap and stuffing. He gasped for breath as he looked over his handiwork. His body still craved more, but there was nothing left to beat on. There weren’t even any guards or knights around to spar with, and he wasn’t about to head back to the great hall to fetch Sylvain.

“Lord Felix?” a soft voice called.

“What?!” Felix snapped as he spun towards the intruder. Too late, he realized who it was, and he felt a stab of shame as Victor squeaked and hid behind a pillar. He cursed himself for letting his temper get the better of him again. As he racked his brain over how to apologize, Victor timidly peeked out from behind the pillar.

“Are you... “ Victor trailed off, gulped, and tried again. “Are you… all right, my lord?”

Felix was surprised that Victor didn’t flee in terror again. Then he realized someone must have put Victor up to this―most likely Sylvain. Sylvain knew that out of everyone present, Victor was the only one who wouldn’t piss Felix off even more. Moreover, Sylvain knew Victor’s secret, and possibly even used it to push him into this. Felix hated that Sylvain would use Victor like that, and he really hated that it was working. Still, Victor didn’t deserve to have his head bitten off―none of this was his fault, after all.

“I’ve been better,” Felix said at last. “And… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

Victor’s eyes widened in shock. “You… You’re sorry?”

“I’m not heartless, you know,” Felix grumbled.

"But… But why?" Victor asked.

"What do you mean, 'why'?" Felix countered, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"I mean… Why me?" Victor lowered his head and began to fiddle with his fingers. “I’m not so foolish as to believe you would have done that for anyone, my lord. What makes me different?”

“You…” Felix trailed off, unsure how to answer. How was he supposed to explain his sentiments when they stemmed from a part of him that he had taken great lengths to hide? And even if he revealed the truth, would Victor believe him?

"My lord?"

Felix closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed. If he wanted Victor to trust him, then he was going to have to be open and honest. He hated showing any form of weakness, but if it meant easing Victor's fears…

"You… remind me of myself when I was around your age," he said at last.

Predictably, Victor gaped at him. "Huh?!"

"I wasn't born with my skill," Felix explained. "Would you believe… that I used to lose every time I sparred?"

"You lost?" Victor exclaimed. "But that's… How can that be?! The Wolf of Fraldarius doesn't lose!"

A tiny smile tugged at Felix's lips. Victor's belief in his abilities flattered him, even if it was born solely from his reputation. “This was a long time ago, of course. I was barely more than a child, and my opponent was both older and far more skilled.”

“Who was your opponent?” Victor asked.

Felix had expected the question, but he still had to force himself to keep his voice even. “My older brother.”

Victor's expression turned curious. “You have a brother?”

“Had,” Felix corrected. “He’s… no longer with us.”

“Oh,” Victor said softly. “I’m sorry. I… I didn't mean to―"

"Don't apologize," Felix interrupted. "It's only natural that you'd want to know."

"But still…"

"Forget about it. I didn't bring him up to talk about his death. My point is that when I look at you, I see the me who always lost because he wasn't strong enough. So I find you less… annoying than other people."

Victor gaped at him, and Felix hoped he hadn't said the wrong thing. He'd never been good with words, and the last thing he wanted was to scare Victor off again because he had put his foot in his mouth. Thankfully, Victor did not flee. Instead, he lowered his head shyly and blushed as he mumbled his gratitude. It was hard to see his face under his dark hood, but even so, it was adorable.

Felix froze.

No.

No, no, no. Not again.

“My lord?”

The saints help him; even the kid’s voice was pleasant!

“Lord Felix? Are you unwell?”

Felix slowly approached Victor, scrutinizing him more than he ever had before. To Victor’s credit, he held his ground, although he looked increasingly concerned with every passing second. Blue eyes that any woman would have envied grew wide, and delicate pink lips parted in shock. If he cleaned up his face a bit, ditched that ratty armor, and grew out his hair, he could easily pass for a beautiful girl.

The poor kid. It was no wonder the other squires had treated him so cruelly.

“Do you have any sisters?” Felix blurted.

“Excuse me?” Victor squeaked.

“Sisters,” Felix repeated. “And are they blessed with the same features as you, or did you get all the looks in the family?”

Victor turned very white and stumbled backwards, and Felix instantly knew he had screwed up. He reached out and grabbed Victor's shoulders before he could fall over.

“Sorry. Forget I said anything,” Felix said quickly.

“It's… It's fine," Victor croaked. He still looked unsteady, but his color had improved, so that was one crisis averted. "I'm actually an only child."

"I see," said Felix. "Must have been rough growing up, then. Especially considering your… weakness."

"Yeah, kind of," Victor admitted.

"You're a tough kid," Felix said, hoping to save the boy's pride.

"You think so?" Victor asked, eyes wide with surprise and wonder. Saints, he looked so cute. This was bad.

Felix nodded, hoping his distress wasn't visible. "You've gone through a lot despite being so young. And… I know you're scared of me, so it couldn't have been easy to confront me like this."

"Lord Sylvain was worried about you, so―"

"I knew it," Felix growled. "What's that idiot holding over you?"

"N-nothing!" Victor squeaked.

He was clearly lying, but pressing him for answers would only frighten him more, so Felix sighed and reluctantly backed off. "If you say so. Still, if Sylvain was that worried, he should have come to see me himself. He's a coward for sending you in his place."

Victor smiled weakly. "He said you would have beaten him into the ground before he got two words in."

"He's not wrong," Felix said with a snort. "Well, he'll be paying for this little stunt later. He's a fool if he thinks he can get away with using you like that."

"Oh dear," Victor said, laughing nervously. "Well, at least you're feeling better, now."

Felix gave a small start as he realized Victor was right. The all-consuming rage that had enveloped him just minutes earlier had retreated. It wasn't completely gone, but it wasn't fueling his every move anymore.

"I guess so," he admitted. "Thank you, Victor."

"I-it was nothing!” Victor stammered, looking strangely flustered. “Anyone else would have done the same!”

“Not just anyone,” Felix said, shaking his head. “Most people won’t go anywhere near me when I’m in that state.”

“O-oh,” Victor said. “Right, of course…”

“Forget about it,” said Felix.

“Well, if you say so…” Victor said unsurely. “Anyways, um, are you ready to head back, now?”

Felix doubted he would ever be ready to face his old man and Marianne again, but there was no point in saying so. He briefly considered returning, but then he took another look at Victor and had a sudden idea. “Actually, since you’re here, why don’t we get some training in?”

“Huh? Right now?!” Victor exclaimed. “But what about the others?”

“They can wait. It’s their fault I came here anyway. Besides, no one will bother us if they still think I’m stewing.”

“Well… All right, then.”

Felix’s heart swelled with pride. What a brave kid. A part of him had expected Victor to refuse, but here he was, agreeing to train with the person who had scared him half to death multiple times. It showed Victor was serious about improving his swordplay, and Felix couldn’t help but admire that determination. And when Victor got into his stance and began practicing his strokes, Felix found himself admiring a few more things about him. He had to force himself to not stare at Victor’s lovely blue eyes, delicately curled eyelashes, and the cute way he furrowed his brow and pressed his lips together when he was deep in concentration.

There was no sense in denying it anymore: Victor was beautiful, and Felix was in deep, deep trouble.

Chapter Text

Annette allowed herself a deep sigh of relief as she trudged towards her new sleeping quarters. Today had gone not at all how she’d imagined, and she was amazed she got out of it unscathed. Sylvain had a lot of nerve sending her to check on Felix knowing full well that the Wolf was fuming. Yet, what choice did she have? Sylvain had proclaimed in front of everyone that she had the best chance of calming Felix down. Ingrid, Lord Rodrigue, and King Dimitri reacted with varying levels of skepticism. Ingrid asked why Sylvain didn’t go himself, to which Sylvain replied that Felix would beat him into the ground before he got two words in. As they continued their discussion, Ingrid began to scrutinize Annette, and Annette couldn’t help but feel like Ingrid could see right through her. Fearing a full interrogation, Annette blurted that she would do as Sylvain asked and scurried out of the great hall as fast as she could.

Then came the problem of confronting Felix. In her haste to get away, she neglected to remember that she would be coming face-to-face with the Wolf in one of his worst moods. It was too late to go back on her word, though. Not only that, she didn’t trust Sylvain to not use her identity as leverage over her. Letting him down could easily be the end of her, so despite her terror, she made her way to the training grounds. Sure enough, Felix was there—and based on the state of the training dummies, he was angry enough to kill someone.

Did she risk dying now, or did she put her fate in Sylvain's hands and risk dying later? In the end, she decided that if she was going to die, it was going to be on her terms. She took a deep breath, summoned every ounce of her courage, and called Felix's name.

As expected, the Wolf bared his fangs at her. Annette braced herself for him to snap her neck, but the blow never came. Instead, Felix apologized for yelling at her and even opened up a bit about his past. If he was telling her such personal things, then he must have trusted her more than she realized. Unfortunately, it just made her feel guilty. He trusted her when she'd been lying to him from the start, and she had no choice but to continue lying if she wanted to live.

Even then, she was quickly reminded how she was never truly safe. Felix suddenly decided to examine her face more closely. Luckily, he didn't find anything amiss, and he quickly dropped the subject after she nearly fainted. Still, that had been too close. She would have to be even more careful from now on—a second misstep could easily be fatal.

Afterwards, she agreed to train with him because she knew that would improve his mood more than anything. He didn’t seem eager to return to the others, and frankly, she wasn’t in a hurry to go back, either. It also helped that she was starting to genuinely enjoy the training, and focusing on her swordplay took her mind off of her current predicament, at least temporarily. How ironic that the source of all her problems was quickly becoming her sanctuary.

The downside of that training was that she was now incredibly sore and fatigued, and she’d worked up such an appetite that she stuffed herself at dinner. All she wanted to do now was sleep. She was so tired, in fact, that she didn’t notice that she was being followed until a firm hand rested on her shoulder and prevented her from going any further.

In hindsight, she should have expected someone to take advantage of her weakened state.

“L-Lady Ingrid!” she squeaked. “What are you doing here?”

“Victor, was it?” Ingrid asked. “I’ve been meaning to ask you a few questions.”

Annette gulped. This was exactly what she’d been trying to avoid. “I’m sorry, but I’m very tired right now, so—”

“This won’t take long,” Ingrid interrupted. “I’ll even take you to your room. We’ll have more privacy there, after all.”

Annette winced, knowing that she was trapped. Fleeing would only make Ingrid more suspicious, so she had no choice but to comply. Ingrid accompanied her the rest of the way to her new sleeping quarters and joined her inside. This room was just as plush and lavishly decorated as the one she had shared with Felix, but she couldn’t bring herself to appreciate it when she could feel the noose tightening around her neck as Ingrid shut the door.

“Let’s get straight to the point,” Ingrid began. “What are you trying to accomplish?”

Annette blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

“Don’t play dumb,” Ingrid said sternly. “Why would you bother disguising yourself if you had nothing to gain from it?”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Annette protested.

Ingrid narrowed her eyes. “Do you really think a woman in armor wouldn’t be able to spot another?”

The noose tightened further, and yet Annette couldn’t help but sputter, “I… I’m no woman…”

“Lying isn’t very becoming of an aspiring knight,” Ingrid said icily. “But you aren’t planning on becoming a knight at all, are you?”

Annette tried to speak, but all that came out was a pitiful whimper. She took a step back, but there was nowhere to run or hide. She was nothing more than a mouse cowering in fear at the cat that cornered it.

“You should know fully well that women aren’t forbidden from becoming knights, so why pretend to be a boy? Is it for money? Fame? Or is it something more unsavory?” Ingrid’s expression darkened further. “With a face like yours, I imagine you could fool plenty of men into a false sense of security.”

“You’ve got it all wrong!” Annette cried. “I didn’t want any of this!”

“Then what is your aim?” Ingrid demanded. “Spill it!”

Annette chewed her lip as her mind raced to figure out a way to answer that wouldn’t doom her. Ingrid was smart, but she didn’t seem as sharp as Sylvain. Annette wondered if she could satisfy her with half-truths. It was worth a try—if it didn’t work, she’d be no worse off than she was now.

“I did it to escape,” she said at last.

“Escape?” Ingrid repeated. “Escape from where?”

“The lady of the house I lived in was cruel to me,” Annette stated. “I wanted to build a better life for myself, so I ran. I didn’t mean for things to come this far.”

Ingrid scrutinized her for what felt like hours. At last, she backed off with a huff. “Well, you don’t seem to be lying, at least, but I can’t say I approve of such cowardly and ignoble tactics."

"To be honest, I can't say I made the best choice," Annette admitted. "I'm not a very good squire. That's how I ended up under Lord Felix's tutelage."

"Felix wouldn't have agreed to train you just for that," Ingrid stated. "He's never had a student before. I don't know what he sees in you, but he must have deemed it very important if he agreed to train you personally. He doesn't bother with anything he doesn't consider worth his time."

"I noticed," Annette said, laughing nervously.

"Don't get cocky," Ingrid warned. "I've deemed you to be no threat for now, but that doesn't mean I trust you. Mark my words: if you give me the slightest reason to believe that you're taking advantage of Felix or betraying his trust, I swear I will end you myself."

Annette gulped. "Understood, my lady."

"I'm glad we're on the same page," said Ingrid. "Well, since my business is finished here… Oh wait, I nearly forgot. Felix still has no idea you're really a girl, does he?"

"N-no," Annette replied. "Are you going to tell him?"

"At this point, the only way he’d believe me is if I undressed you in front of him,” Ingrid said with a sigh. “Felix is horribly stubborn. Once he sets his mind on something, there’s no changing it.”

Annette felt all the blood drain from her face. “Y-You’re not really going to—”

“Of course not,” Ingrid huffed. “Humiliating others is hardly chivalric. Didn’t the Knights of Seiros teach you that?”

“Well…”

“Oh, no. This is even worse than I thought,” Ingrid mumbled. “This doesn’t bode well for the future of the Knights…”

Annette huffed a humorless laugh. If only Ingrid could have seen how the other squires behaved.

“What are you laughing at?” Ingrid asked.

“Nothing!” Annette said quickly.

Ingrid eyed her suspiciously for a moment, but evidently decided that she wasn’t worth questioning further. “Well, in any case, I’ll be keeping a close watch on you from now on. Not that Felix can’t take care of himself, but I feel better if I can see you’re not trying anything funny with my own eyes.”

“Do you intend to follow us back to Fraldarius?” Annette asked.

“Not immediately. I have my own duties to attend to, of course,” said Ingrid. “But Sylvain and I visit Felix in Fraldarius sometimes to check on him. Not only that, Felix has a wedding coming up, and he’s definitely going to need help with that. So don’t think you’re off the hook just because I’m not around, because I will find out if you’ve tried anything.”

Annette wanted to laugh. Ingrid seriously thought that she was a threat to Felix? Would the goddess ever stop mocking her? “Understood, my lady.”

“Good. In that case, I bid you good-night.” And with that, Ingrid nodded at her, left the room, and shut the door behind her.

Finally alone, Annette fell to her knees and moaned. Why were all of Felix’s friends so crazy? Still, she’d somehow eluded death’s scythe once again. She wasn’t sure if she could endure any more of these close calls. After her heartbeat slowed to a more manageable level, she pushed herself back up, locked the door, and began to undress. Though wallowing in her misery was tempting, she needed to get to sleep soon if she didn’t want to spend another morning of training with her head in a fog.

After a quick bath, Annette changed into clean clothes and collapsed on the plush purple four poster bed. All her nervous energy had burned up, and she could no longer stave off her exhaustion. Today had been the most stressful and terrifying day of her life, and considering all she’d been through, that was an accomplishment. And to think it had been only two weeks since she arrived in Fraldarius! How in the world was she going to survive another four and a half moons of this horror?

A part of her was beginning to seriously consider revealing herself to Felix and having him end her right then and there, but a larger, louder part of her refused. Annette Fantine Dominic was not a quitter. No matter how exhausted and frightened she was, she was determined to fight to the bitter end. If that meant enduring Sylvain’s teasing, Ingrid’s watchful gaze, and Felix’s continued training, then so be it. She turned off the room's lamp, crawled under the covers, and slipped into a blissfully dreamless slumber.

When morning came, Felix roused her with a sudden and rude knock, as always. At least this time she was prepared for it and she wasn’t plagued by insomnia. She dressed as quickly as she could and met him outside. The morning’s training went about as well as usual, but then came the matter of breakfast. Last night’s dinner had been a mess of Ingrid and Lord Rodrigue taking turns scolding Felix for his poor behavior, and based on Felix’s expression as he and Annette headed to the great hall, he must have been anticipating more of the same.

He wasn't that far off. While no further scolding happened, both Ingrid and Lord Rodrigue gave Felix stern warnings to not repeat what happened yesterday. King Dimitri had planned a private party celebrating Felix and Marianne's engagement, and it would be in bad taste if one of the guests of honor stormed out. Felix looked thoroughly annoyed, but to his credit, he didn't lash out. He seemed to be making a genuine effort to control his temper—something Annette had noticed him doing yesterday as well. There were several times where he had looked ready to explode, and yet each time he'd managed to hold back. She wondered what could have caused him to change his mind—he'd had no qualms about yelling before.

Tensions rose further when Lord Rodrigue announced that Annette would not be allowed to attend the party. Felix demanded why this was the case, and Annette was shocked at how angry he was on her behalf. A sheepish King Dimitri explained that he hadn't expected Felix to bring another guest with him, and a stranger at that. Some of the things they would be discussing were not meant to be heard by outsiders. Marianne was an exception because she was marrying into House Fraldarius, and she would need to know these things as the future duchess. The king profusely apologized to Annette and Felix, and while Felix still looked furious, he grudgingly relented. In contrast to him, Annette simply nodded in understanding. It made sense that the king and Lord Rodrigue wouldn't want to risk someone leaking any sensitive information.

The rest of breakfast was uneventful, and King Dimitri shooed everyone out so that the servants could make the final preparations for the party. Lord Rodrigue had Felix take Marianne into town and forbade Annette from going with them. Then Sylvain somehow convinced Ingrid to join him on a trip into town as well. With Lord Rodrigue helping King Dimitri with preparations and what sounded like several other important matters, Annette was left to fend for herself.

She wasn't completely alone, to be fair. The king asked his retainer, Dedue, to watch over her and guide her around the castle. Dedue was an enormous man, and his face was a little scary, but he didn't ask her any questions other than where she wanted to go, and he never commented on her appearance or the fact that she was Felix's student.

It was refreshing for someone to not scrutinize or question her, and she made sure to give Dedue the most grateful smile she could muster. To repay his kindness, she asked him if he had a favorite place in the castle. Dedue was silent for a moment, seemingly surprised by the question.

"I favor the gardens and greenhouse," he answered at last.

"Can you take me there?" Annette asked. Dedue nodded at her and promptly escorted her outside. Before long, a garden much larger and lusher than the one in Fraldarius came into view. Although long Faerghus winters made growing plants difficult, the flowers and shrubs here were thriving. Blooms in every color of the rainbow decorated the landscape, and their sweet scent filled the air and uplifted Annette's mood.

"It's beautiful," she said, pressing her hands over her heart.

Dedue nodded and hummed in agreement.

"The gardeners must have put a lot of love and care into these plants," Annette continued as she approached a vivid red blossom.

"They do," Dedue responded. "I assist them often."

"You like gardening, Dedue?" Annette asked.

He nodded and hummed affirmatively. "His Majesty has granted me free reign over these gardens. Protecting His Majesty from all possible threats is a matter of utmost importance, but he encourages me to pursue my own interests as well."

"That’s so kind of him,” Annette remarked. “His Majesty even treated me, a commoner, with kindness and respect. He may have just ascended to the throne, but I’m sure the Kingdom will thrive under his rule.”

Dedue hummed his agreement. “He still faces many obstacles, however.”

“I heard as much yesterday,” said Annette. “It sounds like many people don’t agree with his views.”

“Not just that,” said Dedue. “His Majesty is under great pressure to choose a queen soon.”

“Really?!” Annette exclaimed. “He never mentioned anything like that!”

“It is a matter His Majesty prefers to not talk about,” Dedue explained. “But he is the last known survivor of House Blaiddyd. Were he to suddenly perish, the entire Kingdom would be thrown into disarray.”

Annette nodded slowly. She hadn’t thought about it, but now that Dedue said it aloud, it made sense that King Dimitri’s advisors would want him to produce an heir as soon as possible. It was very likely that King Dimitri would be saddled with someone that he would never love, much like Felix, and it made the king’s affection for Marianne all the more tragic.

It was a story that repeated over and over in Faerghus society: marriages arranged exclusively out of convenience or for political power, with the couple involved having little to no say in the matter. It was the reason why Annette found herself in her current predicament. Though the costs of her choice still weighed heavily on her heart, she clung to one faint glimmer of hope: should she survive her ordeal and carry out her plan, she would be able to live her life on her terms, including being able to choose who she wanted to spend her life with. The king, Felix, and Marianne would never get that luxury, and neither would Ingrid or Sylvain, from the sound of things.

Annette wished that there was something she could do for them, but she was powerless. All she could do was save her own skin. Even so, she couldn’t help but feel like she was being selfish somehow. She’d made a mess when she’d fled from home, and now she was running away again while everyone else picked up the pieces.

“How much time does his Majesty have to choose a queen?” she asked.

“I do not know,” Dedue admitted. “But I imagine he cannot delay much longer. Many people are already becoming anxious because His Majesty has no heir and no wife to produce one with. The longer he waits, the worse the people’s fears will become.”

"I see," said Annette. She'd expected such an answer, but her heart still ached. If only Marianne wasn't betrothed to Felix! While it was difficult to get a read on Marianne’s feelings due to how reserved she was, she had been more open with King Dimitri than with just about anyone else, and the king would certainly treat her much better than Felix did. As things stood, though, there was nothing she or anyone else could do.

She spent the remainder of the morning touring the gardens and admiring the flowers while Dedue explained what each flower was. There were even a few species that were native to Dedue’s homeland, Duscur. Due to Fhirdiad’s colder climate, they had to be kept in the greenhouse, and even then, they needed extra care and attention to flourish.

“Amazing,” Annette stated. “It must have been so difficult to grow all of these!”

“It was,” Dedue confirmed. "But the results are worth the effort."

"I couldn't agree more," said Annette. "They're beautiful."

Dedue quietly thanked her before continuing the tour. Before long, it was time to return to the castle so Dedue could attend King Dimitri's party. Servants were still bustling about, but when they reached the ballroom where the party was to be held, everything seemed to be ready. Food, drinks, and jars filled with flowers had been laid out on the tables, but there was still plenty of space to move around. More flowers and royal blue ribbons hung on the walls, and the curtains had been drawn so plenty of sunlight flooded into the room. One table contained a large cake covered in strawberries, whipped cream, and white icing, and Annette had to restrain herself from rushing immediately over to it.

She was quickly glad she did, because just then King Dimitri and Lord Rodrigue entered the ballroom. The king spotted her and Dedue quickly, and he made his way over to them before thanking Dedue for looking after her. Dedue had only enough time to nod before the great hall’s doors opened again, revealing an annoyed Felix and a weary Marianne. Sylvain and Ingrid followed after them, the former looking jovial and the latter looking anything but. Ingrid’s expression quickly changed at the sight of the food-laden tables, however, and Annette felt slightly less guilty about her sweet tooth.

“Ah, you’re just in time!” King Dimitri exclaimed. "Did you enjoy your time in town?"

Felix snorted and turned away from him, which said more than words ever could. Marianne was similarly silent.

"Well, I sure had a good time," Sylvain said as he placed his arms behind his head.

Ingrid huffed in annoyance. "You and Felix are both hopeless."

"What happened?" Annette asked before she could stop herself.

"Felix couldn't figure out how to have fun with a girl in town if his life depended on it, so I figured I'd give him some pointers," said Sylvain.

"Did you have to drag me into it as well, though?" Ingrid groaned.

"C'mon, Ingy, you were thinking the same thing!" Sylvain exclaimed.

Ingrid growled, crossed her arms, and turned away in disgust. Sylvain continued to spout flimsy explanations and protests, but she was unmoved by any of them.

King Dimitri sighed tiredly. "It's good to see that none of you have changed. Well, enough of that. Please, help yourselves to some food and refreshments. Victor, you're welcome to eat as well. You'll just have to take your food to the great hall."

Annette's growling stomach wasn't about to protest. Although it was tempting to pile her plate with cake, she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of the king. Instead, she first chose some more sensible fare and then took a couple large slices of the cake. As Dedue was attending the party, King Dimitri had another servant guide Annette back to the great hall so she could eat. The other servants and the castle guard were also eating lunch, and the scene reminded Annette of Garreg Mach's dining hall.

Unfortunately, Annette quickly found that her eyes were bigger than her stomach. She probably shouldn't have grabbed that extra slice of cake, but how could she not when it was sitting right there in all of its sugary, strawberry-topped, cream-covered glory? It's not like Felix was going to eat it!

She somehow managed to finish everything, but now she was too full to want to do anything but lie down. She stumbled back to her room with a servant's help and carefully climbed onto her bed so she didn't jostle her stomach too much. The servant left a bucket at her bedside and said that she would be waiting outside in case Annette needed anything else.

Once the servant was gone, Annette released the moan she'd been holding back. How embarrassing. She didn't entirely regret overindulging, but she was exceedingly glad Felix wasn't around to see her like this. She could almost see his disapproving frown.

She pursed her lips at that thought. When did she start caring about what Felix thought of her? At this point, she was confident that Felix would not slay her over her food choices, so why was she so concerned? Then again, staying in Felix’s good graces was probably wise. He was far less scary when he wasn’t angry.

Now that she thought about it, though, he’d never once been angry with her. There were plenty of times when he’d been annoyed with her, but she’d never been on the receiving end of his fury until he lashed out at her yesterday—and he apologized for it immediately afterward. He’d said it was because she reminded him of himself, but was that all there was to it? Still, it wasn’t like any of his sentiment mattered in the long run. She’d either succeed in her plan and leave him behind forever, or fail and find herself impaled on the end of his sword.

She moaned again and covered her mouth with her hand as another wave of nausea washed over her. That was the wrong thing to think about when her stomach felt ready to burst. She managed to hold herself together, but she could tell this was going to be a long, miserable afternoon.

She had the strangest feeling that she wasn’t alone in thinking so.

Chapter Text

Felix could tell this was going to be a long, miserable afternoon.

He’d expected Dimitri would make a big to-do about his engagement, but it didn’t make him feel any less annoyed. Marianne was equally bothered at being forced to attend this mess. She’d retreated back into her shell and barely spoke to anyone despite repeated attempts to cheer her up. Didn’t these idiots see that nothing would make her want to celebrate being engaged to someone she wanted nothing to do with?

If that weren't enough, Rodrigue was as dogged as ever in his efforts to make Felix and Marianne stop avoiding each other. He kept an eagle's eye on Felix and called him out every time Felix strayed too far from Marianne. At least he didn't try to force them to talk—the old man thankfully had enough sense to realize that Felix had no chance of getting Marianne to open up.

And to top it all off, Victor had been banned from the party and was currently off to who knows where. Although he was unlikely to find any real danger in Castle Fhirdiad at this point, Felix couldn’t completely quell the anxiety in his gut. On the other hand, it was probably better for Victor to be far away from him right now, especially after yesterday’s sudden revelation. The saints only knew what would happen to him and Victor if his old man caught wind of this—or worse, Sylvain.

“Hey, Fe, how long are you going to keep staring at that window like it's your enemy?”

Speak of the devil. “Shut up, Sylvain.”

“But you’re missing everything!” Sylvain protested.

“I don’t care,” Felix said tersely.

“So you don’t care that someone else has eyes for your fiancée?”

Felix looked at him irritably. “When has that ever stopped you?”

“I’m not talking about me,” said Sylvain. “Look.”

Felix rolled his eyes but decided to humor him. He looked at where Sylvain was pointing, only to see Dimitri attempting to talk with Marianne. “I don’t see what the issue is. The boar’s acting no different than usual.”

Sylvain had the gall to look disappointed. “Geez, Fe, I knew you were blind, but… Wow. Just wow.”

“What are you two up to?” Ingrid suddenly interjected.

“Ingy! Perfect timing!” Sylvain exclaimed. “You’re seeing what I’m seeing, right?”

“It depends on what you’re seeing,” Ingrid said sternly.

Sylvain wilted at the unspoken accusation. “Why do you always gotta assume the worst from me? I’ve been on my best behavior, haven’t I?”

“I suppose,” Ingrid admitted.

Sylvain looked genuinely hurt at that, which made Felix raise an eyebrow. Ingrid had been cleaning up Sylvain's messes for years, so her doubts were well-founded. Why was Sylvain suddenly caring about what she thought of him?

Sylvain wasn’t lying, though. He had been well-behaved for his standards. Sure, he’d been an absolute pain and wouldn’t stop giving Felix unwanted advice about wooing Marianne while they were in downtown Fhirdiad, but for once he hadn’t flirted with every girl who passed by. He had thrown a few winks and fake smiles around, but that was remarkably tame compared to how things usually went. Felix had thought Sylvain had been restraining himself for Marianne’s sake, but now he was beginning to wonder if there was more to it.

“Just take a look at His Majesty, okay?” Sylvain asked.

Ingrid looked skeptical but did so. After a moment, she frowned and crossed her arms. “He’s certainly persistent. He just keeps talking even though Lady Marianne isn’t saying much in return.”

“Exactly!” Sylvain exclaimed. “Don’t you two see? His Majesty is totally whipped!”

Felix frowned at him. “So?”

“So?!” Sylvain repeated in disbelief. “The king is head over heels for your fiancée, and all you have to say is so?!”

“You know as well as I do that it doesn’t matter how he feels,” Felix growled. “I’d gladly hand Marianne over to him if I could.”

“Felix!” Ingrid hissed.

“What? It’s not like she’s eager to marry me,” Felix snapped.

“Very true,” Sylvain agreed. “The two of you are about as incompatible as you can get.”

Ingrid snorted at him. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

“C’mon, Ingy, even you have to have seen how bad a pair they make after yesterday,” said Sylvain. “It’s not too late, though. Felix still has one way out of this mess.”

“What are you getting at, Sylvain?” Felix asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already,” said Sylvain. “You have another fiancée besides Marianne.”

Felix immediately grabbed Sylvain by the collar and yanked him towards him until they were practically nose to nose. "I told you to keep your foolish ideas to yourself."

Sylvain managed to crack a smile in spite of Felix's murderous intent. "It's not foolish if it works."

"If it works?!" Felix snarled. "You're proposing the impossible!"

"Will you two cut it out?!" Ingrid hissed. "You're making a scene!"

Felix looked up, and sure enough, everyone was staring at him. Rodrigue radiated disapproval, Marianne had retreated behind a bemused Dimitri's back, and Dedue was as unreadable as ever. Felix released Sylvain with a huff, snatched a drink from a nearby table, and retreated into a corner to nurse it. What he really wanted to do is get away from this stupid party and all the people who seemed hell-bent on pissing him off, but he was trapped.

The drink was far from the best he'd ever had, but at least it wasn't sweet, and he welcomed the burn of alcohol as it slid down his throat. Damn that Sylvain. Why was he convinced that a dead girl was the answer to all of Felix’s problems?

He watched the boar apologize to Marianne out of the corner of his eye as he took another sip of his drink. It was true that Marianne had been more receptive to Dimitri than anyone else, and Dimitri hadn’t taken his eye off her for the whole party. Still, there was nothing anyone could do about it. Dimitri would never be selfish enough to oppose Rodrigue, and Felix refused to take the cowardly route and run, no matter how tempting it was. Not only that, fleeing would mean abandoning Victor. He very well couldn’t force the kid to become a fugitive with him. Annette Dominic had paid for her foolishness with her life, and Felix was not about to let Victor suffer the same fate.

The thought of Victor made a host of unwelcome emotions bubble up inside him, and he clenched his teeth as he squashed them back down. He was going to have to get these feelings under control if he was going to continue training Victor. If anything happened to that kid because of him, he’d never forgive himself.

He heaved a sigh at his misfortune. To think, out of all the people in the world, the first one that he actually felt drawn to was the hapless squire he took in as his student. And to think this would happen to him right when he was about to be married off! Then again, he wouldn’t have been able to pursue Victor even if he weren’t engaged. Felix guessed that Victor was probably older than he looked, but he was still far too young to court. And even if Victor was old enough, there was still the fact that he was male, and a male partner couldn’t produce heirs. Thus, Felix had no choice but to bury his newfound attraction—it would only cause trouble for both him and Victor.

He continued to nurse his drink as he stared out the window. He'd always known he was a prize meant to be sold off to the first willing candidate, but now more than ever he could feel the walls of his gilded cage closing in. He wouldn't be able to have Victor as a refuge forever, either. Once the Wyvern Moon arrived, Victor would have to return to Garreg Mach, and Felix would likely never see him again. None of this would change even if he followed Sylvain’s inane suggestion. On the off chance that Annette had survived all this time, Felix would still be trapped in a miserable union with an unwilling bride.

Ah, but you never actually met Annette, did you? an annoyingly Sylvain-like voice whispered in his head.

He scowled. While that was true, it was because she had been too cowardly to face him. Why should he have to go through the trouble of seeking out someone who fled in terror at the mere thought of a seasoned warrior?

Although… He supposed it took guts for the girl to abandon her life as a noble. It was incredibly foolish, of course, but few noble women would have even considered such a drastic course of action. Most followed their parents' wishes to a fault, even if they disagreed. Marianne certainly hadn't done anything except try to discourage Rodrigue by claiming she was cursed.

Felix spared another glance at her and the boar. He had doubts about her supposed curse—Felix would have been doomed to misfortune no matter who his bride was—but if it existed, it didn't bother Dimitri. Felix couldn't help but snort. A man who harbored a monster inside him, and a woman who saw herself as a monster. It was no wonder those two were drawn to each other.

So why not let Dimitri have her? the voice in his head asked.

The idea was admittedly tempting. Dimitri was in desperate need of a queen, and he clearly liked Marianne. Marianne would definitely be happier with Dimitri than she would be with Felix, too. Felix doubted Margrave Edmund would object to it, either, considering how eager he had been to sell Marianne off. The issue came with Rodrigue. There was no way he’d let Felix worm his way out of marriage again, especially when the wedding was so close. The only solution would be to find another bride to replace Marianne, and that was impossible. There wasn’t a woman in all of Fódlan who would agree to marry him willingly, and very few nobles were desperate enough to sell their daughters, granddaughters, and nieces off to him because of his reputation. Aside from Margrave Edmund, the only ones who agreed to the deal had been Baron Dominic and his wife—and their niece decided to flee and die instead.

But what if she's not dead?

Felix gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his glass. Sylvain must have gotten to him more than he realized. There was no possible way a foolish noble girl could have survived the trials of the road by herself for two years. So what if no one found her body? Animals and bandits were exceptionally good at disposing of corpses.

So you're just going to give up without trying? That's not like you.

That was true. It wasn’t like him to give up so easily. This was a special case, however. He never wanted Annette in the first place. And frankly, she deserved to rot after what she did to him.

Sounds like you care more than you want to admit.

No, he did not care! He never wanted a wife! Even now, he was only engaged because he'd been forced into it! He hadn't wanted Annette, and he certainly didn't want Marianne.

At least Annette did something about her situation. Unlike you.

Felix's glass shattered in his hand. Every head in the room turned towards him as glass and liquid showered onto the carpet below. He met their gazes unflinchingly, not caring about the attention or his drenched glove.

"Felix? Are you alright?" asked Dimitri.

"Enough," Felix hissed.

"Enough?" Dimitri repeated.

"I've had enough of this charade," Felix growled. He turned on Dimitri and narrowed his eyes. “Boar. You like the girl, don’t you?”

Dimitri blinked stupidly at him. "I beg your pardon?"

“I’m talking about Marianne,” Felix grated. “You like her, right?”

“Well… Yes, but—”

“Take her, then.”

“Felix!” Rodrigue roared. “What is the meaning of this?”

“I told you: I’m done with this charade,” Felix growled. “Look, Dimitri needs a bride too, right? Why not let him marry someone he likes? It’s obvious Marianne prefers him, too.”

Rodrigue gave him a severe look. “Felix, if you honestly think you’re going to throw your future away now—”

“What are you going to do? Disown me?” Felix snapped.

“Felix!” Ingrid cried.

Dimitri looked similarly alarmed. “Felix, you really don’t have to—”

“Shut up, all of you,” Felix snapped. “If you’re all that insistent that I marry, fine. But I refuse to marry Marianne.”

“But if not Marianne, then who?” asked Dimitri.

“The only other one with a marriage contract with me.” Felix took a deep breath and steeled himself for what he was about to say. “I’m going to find Annette Dominic.”

As expected, his declaration was met with disbelief. Ingrid and Dimitri spluttered over Felix's about-face regarding Annette, Marianne was amazed that she was being released from the engagement, and Rodrigue, of course, was adamantly against Felix going on a wild goose chase when he had a wedding on the horizon. Sylvain, however, was strangely silent, and that could mean nothing good.

Felix was having none of it. He stormed past all of them and left the ballroom. After he was alone again, he found himself feeling strangely refreshed. All the resentment he’d been holding in must have weighed him down more than he realized. Now, however, he had a new problem: finding a woman who didn't want to be found—a woman who might not even be alive.

He couldn't believe he was actually doing this. It was a gamble at best and a complete waste of time at worst. The chances were high that his search would be for naught. Even so, he was willing to take the risk if it meant he could leave Marianne with the boar. Besides, if he failed, he'd be no worse off than he was now.

A large part of him still thought this was a terrible idea. Having to track down someone who'd spurned and humiliated him years ago disgusted him. Then there was the tiny detail of how he told a lot of people that he would kill Annette if he ever found her. If she was somehow still alive, she certainly wasn’t going to make herself known now. At best, he’d have to drag her to the altar, which was something neither of them would relish.

Given all of that, it would be easy to take back his words and go along with marrying Marianne as originally planned, but now that his true feelings were clear to him, he refused to back down. If he was going to be forced into a miserable marriage no matter what, he'd rather not be stuck with someone that one of his friends was pining over. The kingdom would be better off if Dimitri had a queen he genuinely liked, too.

Felix was also tired of following his old man's plans for him like an obedient hound. While his engagement to Annette Dominic also resulted from Rodrigue's machinations, it still felt good to upend what the old man was currently trying to force him into.

He suddenly heard footsteps and snapped his head up. He instinctively reached for his sword as the intruder came into view. Though there should have been no danger in the castle, he often couldn't help himself. He only relaxed when he realized it was Sylvain, but a surge of annoyance emerged soon afterward.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I'm proud of you, Fe," Sylvain said simply.

Felix huffed in annoyance. “I didn’t do it for you.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Sylvain replied. “I’m just glad you finally stopped burying your head in the sand.”

"I wasn't burying my head in the sand," Felix grumbled. "I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. One of the two is just… slightly more preferable, now."

Sylvain's eyes lit up. "Oh?"

"Don't get me wrong," Felix said. "I still hate that I'm resorting to seeking out a most likely dead coward. But if it means the boar will stop bumbling around and finally choose the queen he wants, then I'll put up with it."

"Aw, you really do care, Fe," Sylvain crooned.

"Shut up!" Felix snapped.

Naturally, Sylvain did not shut up, but at least he changed the subject. "So, now that you've made up your mind to find Annette, what's your next move?"

"Well, I guess the logical thing to do is to retrace the girl's steps," said Felix. "I don't relish it, but to start, I'll have to speak with the Dominics."

"Not a bad idea," Sylvain remarked. "That's a pretty long journey, though. What are you gonna do about Victor?"

Felix swore. In the chaos of the last five minutes, he'd completely forgotten about Victor. "He'll just have to come along. He's my responsibility, after all."

For some reason, this put a smug grin on Sylvain's face. "I'd expect nothing less from you."

"Shut up," Felix said again. "I'm not leaving the kid in Fraldarius by himself."

"You could always leave him with me," said Sylvain.

"And risk him picking up your bad habits? No thanks," Felix scoffed. "You don't even train yourself properly. The only thing you'd ever wind up teaching him is how to piss off girls."

Sylvain winced at that. "Ouch. You're as brutal as ever. I hope you don’t talk to Annette that way.”

Felix fought back a sigh. He was all too aware of the monumental task in front of him. Finding his wayward fiancée was just the first step. Dragging her back to Fraldarius and marrying her would be just as difficult, if not more so. Getting Victor to warm up to him had been hard enough. He doubted he’d ever be able to convince Annette that he was not going to actually kill her.

“I don’t think anything I say will change her mind about me,” he grumbled.

“You never know until you try,” said Sylvain.

Felix snorted disbelievingly. “I’ll be lucky if she doesn’t pass out from terror at the sight of me. But enough about that Dominic girl. Where’s Victor? I’m going to have to break the news to him.”

“If I had to guess from the amount of cake he took with him, he’s probably in a bathroom somewhere regretting his life choices,” said Sylvain.

“Great,” Felix groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. He’d forgotten that Victor had taken almost a third of the cake before he was shooed out of the ballroom. The kid’s sweet tooth was unlike anything Felix had ever seen. Ingrid came close, but she relished all food, not just sweets. Seeing Victor practically make a meal out of dessert alone was disturbing.

Still, it was probably wise to make sure the kid wasn’t suffering too much from his poor food choices. To accomplish that, though, Felix had to track him down first. If he had to guess, Victor probably would have headed back to his room first if he was feeling ill.

He quickly made his way to Victor's quarters. Sylvain, annoyingly enough, decided to accompany him. A servant was standing guard at the door, which told Felix that Victor was definitely inside. The servant gave a small start when he approached her.

"Lord Felix! Lord Sylvain! Why aren't you at the party?" she exclaimed.

"Party's canceled," Felix said tersely. "I came to check on Victor."

"Victor is currently… indisposed," said the servant. "I am afraid he is in no condition to train with you right now."

"I'm not here to train him," Felix said, ignoring Sylvain's poorly stifled snicker. "I just want to speak with him."

"I see," said the servant. "I suppose there's no harm in that. But please take care to not bother him too much."

Felix nodded at her, and she stepped aside, allowing him to enter the room. He opened the door carefully and peeked inside. A strange, faint tune reached his ears. Was Victor… singing? He couldn't catch everything, but he heard something about crumbs and yums and hurty tums. And the voice was strangely high-pitched, even for Victor. What was going on?

Felix stepped forward and soon spotted Victor lying prone on the bed. Victor noticed him an instant later and shot upright with an alarmed squeak, only to immediately clap his hand over his mouth and turn away.

Felix frowned, taking note of the bucket at Victor's bedside. Thankfully it hadn't been used, but its presence was telling. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you were that ill.”

Victor shuddered. He seemed to be putting all of his energy and attention into forcing his stomach to settle. After a long moment, he removed his hand from his mouth and turned back towards Felix. His face was pale, and though he managed a smile, he was clearly forcing it. “It’s okay. I’m fine. Just… ate a bit too much.”

“You don’t look fine to me,” Felix stated. “You don't sound fine, either. Weren't you just singing about a 'hurty tum'?"

Victor turned white as a sheet. "You heard— That was— You were imagining things! I—" He clapped his hand over his mouth again and swallowed hard.

"A hurty tum, huh?" Sylvain asked as he shoved past Felix.

"L-Lord Sylvain!" Victor squeaked. "Wh-what are you both doing here?! The party can't be over already!"

"It's quite simple, really," Sylvain explained. "Fe and parties just don't go together. He made quite the uproar."

"Sylvain. Shut up," Felix growled.

Sylvain merely grinned. “So now that the party’s in shambles, Fe came running here because he’d heard his prized student had an upset stomach.”

“Sylvain!” Felix barked. His cheeks flamed, and he hoped Victor and Sylvain would read it as rage and not anything else. Victor wasn't faring much better. His face turned from white to crimson in less than a second.

"What? I'm just speaking the truth," said Sylvain.

Victor sputtered a flustered denial, but his voice failed him after a couple words. He soon slumped over in defeat. "Please forgive me, my lord."

"I'm not mad at you," said Felix. "But you ought to be more careful about what you eat."

"Yes, my lord."

"Isn't there something else you need to tell him, Fe?" Sylvain interjected.

Right. That was the other reason he came here. Victor didn’t look like he was in good condition to receive sudden news, but if Felix didn’t tell him now, someone else would before too long. “There’s… been a change of plans.”

“What do you mean?” Victor asked.

“I’m not marrying Marianne anymore,” Felix replied.

“Huh?! You’re not?!”

“That’s why I left the party,” said Felix. “I’m sick of having my old man decide my life for me, and Marianne prefers the boar—I mean, the king, anyway.”

Victor frowned and lowered his head, seemingly in deep thought. “That’s… very bold of you, my lord. But what are you going to do now?”

"As much as I'd like to go on like nothing happened, my old man isn't going to let me get out of marrying so easily," said Felix. "I have only two options. The first is abandoning my title and striking out on my own, but I've already decided not to do that. I promised to train you, and I won't go back on my word."

“I… I see,” Victor said. “So, what’s the other option?”

“I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but I used to have a different fiancée,” said Felix. "But she fled almost immediately after we got engaged and vanished off the face of Fódlan. I don't relish it, but I'm going to have to track her down and marry her. Provided she's even alive after two years…"

A strange change came over Victor as Felix spoke. He suddenly froze and turned paler and paler with every word. And it didn't stop there. Before long, his face took on an unpleasant green hue.

Felix realized what was about to happen in the nick of time. He snatched the bucket from Victor's bedside and shoved it in front of the kid just as he clapped his hand over his mouth. Barely a second later, Victor dipped his head into the bucket and hurled.

Felix couldn't help but grimace sympathetically. He gingerly reached out and rubbed Victor's back. He noticed Sylvain giving him a smug look and glared at him in return. After a few seconds, Victor stopped retching and lifted his head from the bucket. He looked weary, but his color had improved.

"Better?" Felix asked.

"A little," Victor replied.

"You should take it easy," Felix said. "It will take some time for you to fully recover."

"Right," said Victor.

"You just can't wait to have him all to yourself again, can you, Fe?" Sylvain asked.

"Shut up!" Felix snapped.

"And you haven't even told him the most important part," Sylvain continued. "He deserves to know that you're taking him with you on your little crusade."

"Wh-what?" Victor squeaked.

Felix sighed. This was not going at all how he intended. "Just because I have another problem to deal with doesn't mean I'm going to neglect your training."

“Ah,” Victor croaked. His eyes were wide and fearful, almost verging on panic. Felix couldn’t blame him, considering how sudden the announcement was. Victor had only a couple weeks of training under his belt, and now he would be accompanying Felix on a very important and potentially dangerous mission. He must have thought his inexperience would drag Felix down.

“You’ll be fine,” Felix assured. “I’m more than a match for anything that would dare threaten us. And it’s not like you won’t be unarmed, either. That reminds me, Echidna should have finished your sword by now. We’ll pick it up as soon as you’re well enough to travel.”

Victor nodded mutely, seemingly at a loss for words. Sylvain, meanwhile, had covered his mouth and looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh. Felix glared at him, not seeing what was so funny about the situation.

"In the meantime, I'll start making other preparations," Felix continued. “I’ll have to confront my old man again, too. I’m sure he, Ingrid, and the boar are still losing their heads over all this.”

“What are you gonna do about them?” Sylvain asked.

“If the boar really likes Marianne, then I doubt he’ll object to the plan,” said Felix. “And my old man, stubborn as he is, won’t directly defy his king. Ingrid can get as mad as she wants at me. It’s not like she can do anything about it. The real problem lies with finding that girl. Everything hinges on her being alive.”

“Say, you’ve been really insistent that Annette Dominic is dead until today,” said Sylvain. “Why the sudden change?”

“Honestly, I still don’t think she’s alive,” Felix confessed. “But at this point, I’ll take the chance, however slim it is. It’s better than sitting around and doing nothing while my old man signs my life away.”

Sylvain clapped a hand onto Felix's back. "That's the Felix I know."

Felix snorted at him. "Anyway, I've said all I've needed to, so we'd better get moving. I'll be back for you later, Victor."

Victor nodded slowly again. He clearly needed more time to take everything in, so it was probably good that they were leaving now. Hopefully he would be in better shape by the time Felix took him to see Echidna. Now that was something he was looking forward to. If it weren’t for Victor’s poor condition, he would’ve taken him there immediately. He’d happily let his old man squirm for a while longer.

As things stood, however, he could no longer put off the inevitable. He had no doubt that his old man and his friends were frantically searching for him right at that moment. He’d made this mess, and like it or not, he was going to have to clean it up.

He sighed. He couldn’t believe he was going through all this trouble for someone he didn't care about. How had his life come to this?

Chapter Text

Annette touched the hilt of her new sword, drawing comfort from the cold metal. It felt like the one solid thing left in her crumbling world. The fact that it came from the source of all her problems was something she chose to ignore.

How had things come to this? Here she was, following anxiously after Felix as he was about to embark on a lengthy journey.

A journey to find her.

In private, Sylvain had made perfectly clear how funny he found this situation and earned many jabs and slaps for it. Unfortunately, he barely seemed to feel them. And considering that he would be joining them on this quest, she had no doubt that his teasing had only just begun. At least Ingrid would also be around to keep him in line, but she brought a whole different set of problems with her. Annette doubted she would ever get a moment to herself under Ingrid’s watchful eye.

Felix had originally intended to only bring Annette with him, but Lord Rodrigue and King Dimitri were insistent that he should have more companions if he was going on such a long and frankly foolhardy quest. Lord Rodrigue in particular had been incensed that Felix had thrown Marianne by the wayside to pursue the fiancée he'd previously refused to look for. Annette was amazed that he allowed Felix to go at all. Apparently, the only reason he relented was because King Dimitri expressed his desire to court Marianne, and even then, he only allowed Felix to look for Annette until the end of summer. If Felix failed to find her by then, then he would marry Marianne as planned. Lord Rodrigue also insisted that someone needed to accompany Felix and ensure he wouldn’t use the opportunity to run away. Ingrid and Sylvain were all too happy to oblige.

In addition, Lord Rodrigue and Felix had argued for a long time over Annette—or rather, over Victor. Lord Rodrigue requested that "Victor" should remain in Fraldarius while Felix was searching for Annette, as he didn't want Felix to become distracted from his goal. Felix stubbornly refused, saying that he didn't trust anyone else to train his student. They went back and forth on this for hours, and it seemed like they'd be at a standstill forever until Ingrid stepped in and promised to keep Felix on track and ensure he didn't spend all his time and attention on "Victor". Afterwards, she gave Annette a very pointed look—an unspoken warning that Annette had better stay in line or else.

And Ingrid was hardly the worst of Annette's problems. Their destination was the Dominic manor, which meant that she would soon have to face her uncle and Cornelia again. She was at a complete loss of what to do. Should she rip off her disguise and throw herself at Felix’s mercy now, or should she keep hiding and pray that Cornelia wouldn’t get a close enough look at her to recognize her?

She knew that she could save everyone a lot of time and trouble if she revealed who she really was, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. It would mean exposing herself as a fraud in front of everyone. Granted, Sylvain and Ingrid already knew she was a fraud, but the others, Felix in particular, did not.

Of course, there was also the fact that Felix had vowed to kill her. Though his current objective was getting out of marrying Marianne, there was nothing stopping him from slitting her throat once Marianne was out of the picture. She didn’t want to believe that the same person who’d tried to soothe her while she puked her guts out in front of him would do such a thing, but he’d made his disdain for the real her very clear. He refused to even say her first name out loud, instead referring to her as “the Dominic girl”.

It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did. She knew Felix never pulled any punches with people he disliked. Yet every time Felix called her a coward, or called her "the Dominic girl", or when his lips pulled into a snarl at the mention of her name, she felt a sting in her heart. She'd always known he hated her, but she never imagined just how deep that hatred ran.

He was right about one thing, though: she was a coward. She held the key to Marianne's freedom, and yet here she was, still hiding because she didn't have the courage to face Felix as herself. She’d spent so much time fleeing from certain death that now that revealing herself was the right thing to do, her survival instinct wouldn’t let her. Deep down, though, she knew survival wasn’t the only reason for her hesitance, or else she wouldn’t have risked her neck trying to calm Felix down when he was in a foul temper.

She now knew Felix wasn’t the savage monster she’d always believed he was. He was fierce, to be sure, and her fear of him was still well-justified, but time and time again he’d shown hints of something… softer. He’d helped her out of multiple jams, he was strangely protective of her, and he even tried to tone down his acerbic nature in front of her, especially recently. He’d admitted that he found her “less annoying” than most people, which, coming from him, was quite the compliment. But she knew that all of that good will was only meant for what he thought she was. The moment he realized she was a sham, those fond feelings would vanish forever, and he'd hold nothing but contempt for her.

It was so clear to her now. She didn’t want Felix to hate her. Now that she had seen and received flickers of kindness from him multiple times, the thought of losing that and having to face him at his worst hurt far more than she imagined.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Somehow, in the midst of all those hours of training, she'd started growing attached to Felix. Their daily sessions had become something she looked forward to instead of something she dreaded, not only because she'd started liking the training, but also because Felix seemed to be most at ease when he was training her. He was still a very strict teacher and would immediately point out any mistakes in her form or snap at her if her attention wavered, but overall, his sharp edges softened somewhat, and the tension that he always seemed to carry ebbed away.

It also didn’t help that, for all his faults, Felix was incredibly handsome. Right from the start, Annette had been shocked at how attractive he was. Although her terror kept any fantasizing well in check, she gradually found herself appreciating him more and more as she spent more time with him. She'd seen and felt just how toned his body was; his hair looked so silky and shiny, especially when he let it down; and his amber eyes were as beautiful as any gemstone she had seen.

It was the worst irony imaginable. Against all odds, she had become fond of the man she’d spent two years trying to escape from. Now she had two choices: continue running and abandon both Felix and Marianne to save her own skin, or reveal herself and endure the full brunt of Felix's hatred. Both options made her feel sick to her stomach.

"Hey."

Annette gave a start and snapped to attention at the sound of Felix's voice. "Y-yes?"

"You okay?" he asked.

If only he knew just how not okay she was. "Just… nervous about the trip."

"I told you before: you'll be fine," Felix said. "You'll have three of Faerghus's best to protect you."

"Right," she said in a small voice. At this point, bandits and wild beasts were the least of her worries. Between Ingrid being convinced that Annette was trying to get close to Felix in order to assassinate him, Sylvain's constant teasing, and her constant fear of Felix finding her out, she wasn't sure how she was going to survive this trip. And that was assuming Cornelia didn't out her first.

These thoughts haunted her in the days leading up to this journey. Naturally, everyone had to take time to prepare, since the trip to Dominic alone would take roughly a fortnight. Sylvain and Ingrid had to send missives to their families about their mission, and they all had to pack food and supplies for the trip. In the midst of all these preparations, Felix made sure Annette was comfortable using her new sword. The fact that she now had a weapon to call her own was possibly the most incredible thing that had ever happened to her. She’d never owned anything so expensive in her life. House Dominic, though one of Faerghus’s ancient noble houses, had never been especially well-off financially. Even after she moved into her uncle’s manor, she’d been granted few of the luxuries most other nobles enjoyed. When Echidna had finished her work and Felix had given her the brand-new blade with a simple, “It’s yours now. Use it well,” Annette had nearly been moved to tears.

The sword was beautiful and far lighter than she’d anticipated. It had a different feel and weight than the training swords she was used to, but she had little trouble adjusting. With every swing, the blade flashed appealingly in the sunlight, and it made Annette feel like she was a real knight. She wondered what her father would think of her if he saw her now.

She was abruptly pulled out of her thoughts when she walked right into a firm but warm surface. She squeaked and leapt back, cheeks flaming as she realized she’d been so distracted that she didn’t notice Felix had stopped walking. Sure enough, they were in the castle courtyard. Their horses were fully loaded and waiting for them. She glanced behind her and spotted Sylvain doing a very poor job of hiding his amusement. Between this and having Felix and Sylvain overhear one of her stupid songs, she was sure she was going to spontaneously combust. Thankfully, Ingrid smacked Sylvain for her, and Annette was able to mount her horse without further incident.

Their farewells were brief. King Dimitri wished them luck and sent them off with a smile. Marianne, who would remain in Fhirdiad at King Dimitri's request, echoed his sentiment, though she was much quieter about it. Lord Rodrigue warned them to be careful and reminded them of their time limit, to which Felix responded with a grunt. After a few more brief farewells, they were on their way.

It was Annette’s first time traveling with a small group rather than by herself or with an entire battalion of knights, and she felt horribly exposed. The company was mostly to blame for that, as she could feel Ingrid’s eyes boring into her. At least Sylvain was keeping his mouth shut for now, but it was only a matter of time before Annette fell victim to another round of his teasing.

The first day passed uneventfully aside from the frequent banter between Felix and his friends. Annette tuned most of it out, too overwhelmed by her own dire straits to pay attention. What in the world was she going to do? She had no hope of escape with Felix and Ingrid watching her every move. And even if she could escape, where would she go? She had no money, no dowry, no title, and nothing of worth besides her sword—and the very thought of selling her sword made her feel like she’d swallowed a rock. No matter what happened to her, she couldn’t bring herself to give up something that she’d been gifted so freely and graciously.

"Hey, Victor!"

Annette nearly fell off her horse in shock. She quickly recovered and whipped her head towards Sylvain. "Y-yes?"

"You've been awfully quiet. Is something bugging you?"

Annette scowled. He knew perfectly well what was wrong!

"Leave him alone, Sylvain," said Felix, once again coming to her rescue.

"C'mon, Fe, surely you've noticed it too!" Sylvain exclaimed.

"He's not obligated to share his problems," Felix stated.

Sylvain chuckled. “Now who does that sound like?”

"What are you talking about?" Felix demanded.

“You tell me, Mr. ‘I Can Handle This Myself.’”

“Shut up,” Felix growled.

“For once, Sylvain has a point,” Ingrid interjected. “I still can’t believe you weren’t going to bring anyone except Victor on this trip. Wolf or not, you’re not invincible.”

“I know that,” Felix grated. “I don’t need you coddling me.”

“I’m not coddling you,” said Ingrid. “I just think it’s ridiculous that you would even think about going on such a long and foolish journey without any backup. Especially since you’ll be talking to the Dominics about their missing niece.”

“Yeah, no offense, Fe, but you’re not the best at handling any problems that can’t be solved by stabbing them,” Sylvain remarked.

“And someone has to make sure you’re not a complete jerk to Lady Annette,” Ingrid continued. “If she is alive, saints know how terrified she must be. You repeatedly vowed to kill her, after all.”

Annette fought the urge to snort. Terror was practically all she knew for two years.

Felix growled and visibly tensed up, but by now Annette could tell he was annoyed, not angry. "You think I don’t know that?"

“But you don’t really intend to follow through with that threat, do you?” asked Sylvain.

“Of course not,” Felix growled. “I can’t marry a corpse, you fool.”

Annette tightened her grip on her reins. She was certain Sylvain had asked that on her behalf, but it wasn't helping. Sure, Felix might not kill her immediately, but she could not see herself getting away unscathed, especially since Felix despised her and she'd deceived him for so long.

The conversation soon changed subject, and Annette once again tuned them out as they rode on. Day eventually turned to dusk, prompting them to set up camp for the night. They pitched their tents, started a fire, ate dinner, and decided on watch order. They unanimously agreed that Annette should take the first watch, as she was the youngest and least capable. Annette wasn't about to argue. She was all too aware of her own shortcomings.

Annette was thus left with only the crackling campfire for company as the moon rose high and the others retreated to their tents until their turn to take watch came around. Even so, she knew better than to let her guard down or try to run away. She doubted that any of the others would sleep until her watch shift was done.

At least she was finally alone. Even if Ingrid and Felix were probably watching her through their tent flaps, it was refreshing to have some peace and quiet. She was very tempted to doze off to the sounds of the fire and the chirping crickets, but she had a job to do.

Time passed slowly. Though Annette kept her eyes and ears open for any sign of an imminent ambush, her surroundings remained peaceful. That peace was only broken by a slight rustling when Sylvain emerged from his tent again.

"What are you doing up?" Annette asked. "Is it that late already?"

"Nah, just couldn't sleep," Sylvain replied as he sat down next to her. "Thought you could use some company."

Annette snorted at him. "I was doing just fine on my own. I'm not helpless, you know."

"There you go, getting all feisty again," Sylvain chuckled. "You and Felix make quite a pair."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Annette said sharply.

"You're just as stubborn as him, too," Sylvain said, shaking his head. "After all this time, you're still stuck inside your own head. Why don't you try being honest for once?"

"You're one to talk," Annette shot back. "You're hiding behind a mask as much as I am."

"What makes you say that?" Sylvain asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You act all dumb and flirty, but you figured me out in about two seconds," said Annette. "I'm a little jealous, honestly. If I were as smart as you, maybe I wouldn't be stuck in this mess."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself," said Sylvain. "You did a very brave thing. Hell, I wish I had a fraction of your courage."

Annette sighed and hugged her knees. "You're wrong. I'm not brave at all. If I were, I'd have taken the path set out for me instead of running away."

"That's where you're mistaken," said Sylvain. "Look at where sticking to our designated paths has gotten us. If Felix hadn't decided to finally put his foot down, he and His Majesty would both be unhappily married."

"But if I— If Lady Annette hadn't disappeared, none of this would have happened in the first place," Annette protested.

"True," Sylvain conceded. "But if Annette hadn't fled, King Dimitri never would have met Marianne. Margrave Edmund would have found someone else to marry her off to, and who knows how they would have treated her.”

Annette frowned and stared at the fire. She’d never thought about it that way before. “Even so… She caused all of you so much trouble.”

“Well, Felix was pretty bent out of shape over the whole thing,” Sylvain chuckled. “Even I’ve never been rejected that badly.”

“I’m sure that if you were Lady Annette’s betrothed, she would have fled from you as well,” Annette said dryly.

Sylvain winced. “Ouch. You don’t pull any punches, do you?”

"Well, it's not like you've made a good name for yourself," Annette stated.

"Touché. Though the same can be said of Felix."

"I know that all too well," Annette grumbled. "I don't blame Annette for running away after all the horrible things she must have heard about him."

"Do you think she still would have run if she knew what you know now?"

"I…" Annette faltered and bit her lip. She didn’t want to admit it, but deep down she knew the truth. If she were to somehow go back in time two years and relive that fateful day, she would not have fled. It may not have been the happiest life, but maybe Felix would have eventually grown to accept her, and that was far better than what she was faced with now.

Then again, her actions had led to King Dimitri meeting Marianne, so at least one good thing had arisen from her choice. But was that one thing enough to outweigh all the other problems she had made?

"I don't know," she said at last.

"Yeah, I suppose there's no way to know for sure," said Sylvain. "But I like to think that, if she were given the chance to know Felix, she might have chosen differently."

Annette sighed deeply. Once again, Sylvain saw right through her. The man was far too perceptive for her liking. "Maybe."

"Well, wherever she is, I'm sure she'll come around eventually," said Sylvain.

"I don't know about that," Annette said quietly. "Lord Felix vowed to kill her."

“You heard him yourself. He can’t marry a corpse,” Sylvain pointed out. "Besides, people say things they don't mean all the time when they're upset."

“I can’t imagine why he would have been upset,” Annette stated. “I’d have thought he’d be glad to be rid of her. He’s held nothing but disdain for Lady Marianne.”

“Well, he was glad to not be forced to marry some stranger,” Sylvain admitted. “On the other hand… Well, think of it this way. How would you feel if someone found you so loathsome that they decided that a nearly certain death was preferable to meeting you?”

Annette opened her mouth to answer, but found herself at a loss for words. She hadn't at all considered what her flight must have looked like from Felix's point of view. A young noblewoman fleeing into the Faerghus wilderness in the dead of night without any real way to protect herself was almost certain to die a horrible death, and Annette probably would have died a horrible death if she hadn't met Alois. At the time, she'd been too desperate to think about the consequences of her actions, but now it was very clear just how big of a gamble she had taken. And now Felix, knowing full well how badly the odds were stacked against him, was looking for her, and all to get out of another arranged marriage.

Maybe Sylvain had it right. She and Felix had more in common than she thought.

“Well…” she began. “When you put it that way, that does sound pretty awful.”

"Right? But Felix would sooner fall upon his own sword than admit he has an emotional bone in his body," said Sylvain. "And when you combine that with his… well, everything, it makes for a huge mess."

"A huge mess, huh? That's rich, coming from you,” said Annette.

“Not you too…” Sylvain groaned. “Here I am, actually trying to be good for once, and no one believes me!”

“You made your bed, and now you have to lie in it,” Annette stated. “I do not blame Lady Ingrid for not trusting you, given your past behavior.”

Sylvain groaned and slumped over. “I guess not. Still…”

Annette looked at him in surprise. This was not his usual theatrics or teasing; he was genuinely distressed. She wondered why that was, since he’d never seemed to show any shame over his constant philandering before. She remembered him mentioning that he had promised Ingrid that he’d be better, but…

Oh. Oh.

"Well, well," she said, her lips curling into a smirk. "Has Faerghus's heartbreaker fallen for someone in truth?"

Sylvain's subsequent sputtering was as damning as any confession, and Annette couldn't suppress the rush of pleasure she felt seeing him squirm. It served him right after all the times he'd teased her! She was confident that she knew who Sylvain was longing for, too. However, she had the dignity to not mention it out loud, especially since Ingrid was likely eavesdropping on them.

"You really ought to take your own advice," she said. "Why tell me to be honest when you won't do the same?"

"It's not the same!" he hissed. Lowering his voice, he continued, "Even if I tell her, she'll never believe me."

"And whose fault is that?" she asked. "If you're serious about this, you're gonna have to show her that you're sincere."

"I'm trying," he said, and Annette felt her heart squeeze at how small he sounded. She gave him a sympathetic look and placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"I'm sure you'll get through to her sooner or later."

"That's just it. I don't have 'later'," Sylvain muttered darkly. "My father plans to marry me off before the year’s end."

"Oh," Annette said softly. She'd known that Sylvain and Ingrid would both inevitably be thrown into arranged marriages like she and Felix had, but she hadn't expected it to happen this abruptly. "How long have you known?"

"Since two nights ago. I got the missive from my father while we were in Fhirdiad."

"And you didn't think to tell anyone?"

He shook his head. "Felix had enough things to worry about."

"That's… surprisingly considerate of you," said Annette. "But you can't keep this a secret forever."

"I know," said Sylvain. "I'll tell the others soon. Maybe when this journey is over."

Annette had a feeling Ingrid and Felix would find out on their own before long. While she and Sylvain had lowered their voices, Ingrid and Felix still likely caught bits and pieces of their conversation. Hopefully whatever they heard wouldn't be enough to cause any confrontations in the morning.

Sylvain and Annette sat in silence for the remainder of her watch, and when it was his turn to take over, he bid her good-night. Annette retreated to her tent and curled up on her bedroll, but she knew sleep would not come easily. Her conversation with Sylvain gave her a lot to think about.

She and Sylvain were a lot alike. They were both pretending to be someone they weren't, and they both feared other people's reactions to their true selves. The only difference was that Sylvain feared rejection and Annette feared for her life.

She sighed and rolled onto her side. How could she possibly be honest with Felix when he hated her with every fiber of his being? Even if he didn't kill her, she couldn't see him forgiving or accepting her. On the other hand, if she didn't reveal herself, she'd doom Felix, Marianne, and King Dimitri to misery.

She knew what she needed to do. She was just too cowardly to go through with it. The moment she removed her mask, everything would be over: her and Felix's training sessions, Felix's small acts of kindness, and any hope she had of a happy life. The foolish, selfish part of her wasn’t ready to give all of that up.

She took a deep breath and made up her mind. She would maintain her Victor persona until Sylvain confessed to Ingrid. She wouldn’t be able to help him if she revealed herself now and got dragged back to Fraldarius. It would give her more time to practice with her new sword, too. She probably would never get to use it again once she revealed who she was, but maybe the knowledge would keep her alive a little longer if the worst came to pass.

With the matter settled, Annette closed her eyes and slowly drifted into an uneasy slumber.

Chapter Text

Something fishy was going on with Victor and Sylvain.

Ever since the first night after they left Fhirdiad, the two of them seemed strangely close. Felix hadn't been able to catch everything that they'd been talking about, but it must have been very important and personal considering how much they'd lowered their voices. He had a feeling it had to do with Victor’s secret, and that bothered him immensely. Why would Victor trust Sylvain with something so personal and not him?

From what he managed to glean, however, Victor seemed to be having regrets about something. He said that he’d run away from somewhere, but didn’t mention where or why. He also brought up Annette Dominic and her flight, a topic that made Felix’s stomach turn. Even so, he forced himself to keep listening. He was beginning to suspect that Victor’s secret and resulting fear of Felix had something to do with the fact that, like Annette, Victor had run away from something he’d found distasteful. Unfortunately, they only continued to discuss Annette.

The rest of their conversation had been whispered so softly that even Felix’s keen ears couldn’t make it out. Afterwards, Victor retired to his tent for the night, forcing Felix to give up and return to bed until it was his turn to take watch. He wasn’t about to let the matter rest, though. Ever since then, he’d kept a watchful eye on both Victor and Sylvain in hopes of uncovering whatever they were hiding. So far, his efforts had been in vain, but he wasn’t discouraged. In fact, it made him more determined than ever to uncover the truth. If Victor was so frightened of Felix’s reaction to his secret that he could only mention it in the vaguest terms to Sylvain whenever Felix was within earshot, then he must have been hiding something very important, or more likely, it was something he was ashamed of.

It puzzled Felix to no end. He couldn’t think of anything that someone as young and inexperienced as Victor could have done to warrant all of this secrecy. Victor didn't have the eyes of someone who'd killed in the past, nor did he seem capable of committing any crime severe enough that he'd have to hide it.

In hopes of uncovering any potential clues to help solve this mystery, Felix began to question Victor about his past during their long days of travel. When a shocked Victor asked him why he was suddenly curious about him, Felix explained that he knew very little about Victor despite mentoring him for several weeks. Even so, he knew Victor would clam up if he pressured him too hard, so he kept his questions simple.

He learned that Victor had just turned seventeen, as his birthday was the ninth of the Harpstring Moon. That was a shock to everyone, as it meant Victor’s birthday had passed while he was in Fraldarius! When Felix asked why Victor had never said anything, Victor explained that he didn’t think it was that important, and he’d also been too tired from his training to remember at the time.

Felix felt a stab of guilt. That had been during the time when Victor had been so afraid of him that he trembled uncontrollably the moment he spotted him. Even if Victor hadn't been exhausted from training, he would have been too frightened to bring up his birthday anyway. Still, Felix wished he had known about it. If he had done something for Victor's birthday, then maybe Victor would have had less reason to fear him so much. He supposed the sword he'd commissioned would have to suffice.

Felix also learned that Victor was originally from a small village in western Faerghus. However, bandits razed the town to the ground several years ago. Victor just happened to be away on an errand during the attack, and so he was the only survivor. This corroborated with what Alois had said, but Felix was starting to suspect that the tale might not be entirely true. While bandit attacks weren't unusual, it was rare for them to wipe out entire villages. Furthermore, the massacre of an entire town was big enough that other towns would take notice of it and report it to whichever noble house ran the territory. To Felix's knowledge, none of the western Faerghan territories had reported such a loss.

That left the question of where Victor was really from. Felix knew he wouldn't get a straight answer, but he had a feeling that wherever Victor came from, it couldn't have been a pleasant place. Why else would Victor flee from it and choose to join the Knights of Seiros?

Felix couldn't help but be a little envious. Victor was lucky. As a commoner, he wouldn't be heavily missed. He could freely choose what he wanted to do, where he wanted to go, and who he wanted to spend his life with. Meanwhile, Felix was bound to his duty and to his family. That's why he was stuck searching for a bride who didn't want him even though the one person he wouldn't have minded spending his life with was right before his eyes.

That little complication was proving to be more of a problem than he thought it would. Ever since Glenn died, Felix had become very good at hiding his emotions, but these feelings were far more troublesome than he anticipated. His heart did a funny little stutter whenever Victor smiled, and he had to force himself to not stare at Victor whenever they were training. At least Felix wasn't tempted to look at Victor while they were on the road since Felix rode at the front of the group and was too occupied with watching for potential threats, but he had to be careful not to let those strange urges get the better of him when they made camp each night.

Even then, he couldn't stop himself from peeking out of his tent to check on Victor whenever it was Victor's turn to take watch. Part of it was out of concern—Victor was still inexperienced at this, and Felix wanted to be ready in case they got ambushed. But another, selfish part of him wanted to admire Victor without the risk of being judged or discovered.

Then there was the fact that Sylvain often joined Victor for the last hour or so of Victor's shift. Sylvain’s shift immediately followed Victor’s, so it wasn’t like Sylvain was going out of his way to be with Victor. Still, seeing the two of them together made something hot and unpleasant boil in Felix’s gut, and he had to hold back the urge to storm out of his tent and confront Sylvain.

He had no idea where this feeling was coming from. He had no claim over Victor, and he had no business trying to control who the kid spent his time with, especially when their group was so small. While Victor was Felix's responsibility and Sylvain was prone to making stupid decisions, Felix also knew that Sylvain, for all his faults, was someone he could count on whenever something really important was at stake. Sylvain would never harm or mislead Victor. He wasn't below relentless teasing, but it was clear that wasn't taking place from Victor's reactions. So why did the sight of them talking alone bother Felix so much?

Then there was the fact that Felix couldn't get that song he'd overheard Victor singing back in Fhirdiad out of his head. Whenever he had a quiet moment, or even when he was training, he kept hearing Victor sing about his hurty tum. Even sleeping gave him no reprieve—Victor's voice haunted his dreams as well.

It wasn't that he disliked the tune. In fact, he rather enjoyed it. The issue was that he had yet another thing drawing him to Victor that he had to keep secret. One time, Sylvain caught Felix humming the tune and had given him an insufferably smug look. Although Felix had managed to wipe that smile off with a well-aimed punch, he knew he would have to be careful to not let anything else slip, for both his and Victor's sake.

If that weren’t enough, Ingrid seemed to have a bone to pick with Victor. For some reason, she watched Victor like a hawk, almost as if she was waiting for him to slip up or try something stupid. Worse yet, she seemed adamant on ensuring that Victor always had at least two people accompanying him except when he was on watch duty or asleep, and Felix had a feeling that she stayed up to keep an eye on him during the former.

A week into their trip, Felix finally pulled Ingrid aside and demanded what her problem was. Ingrid calmly crossed her arms and gave him a challenging glare.

"I don't trust that kid."

"What? Why the hell not?!" Felix exclaimed.

"He's hiding something," Ingrid said. "For all we know, he's just putting on an act in order to stab us in the back when we least expect it."

So even Ingrid had figured out that Victor had a secret. But she was way off on one thing: Victor couldn't stab anyone in the back if he tried. He was still learning how to stab, and though he was a quick study, he had a long way to go before had a chance of taking anyone but the most slow-witted of foes off-guard. Even if that weren't the case, Felix had a hard time believing that Victor would try anything untoward. The kid was so earnest in everything he did that he didn't seem capable of treachery.

And that brought Felix back to his initial problem: figuring out exactly what Victor was hiding. Felix highly doubted it was anywhere near as bad as Victor believed, and he was determined to find out the truth so he could reassure Victor that he had nothing to be ashamed of. However, Victor remained stubbornly tight-lipped about the matter, even to Sylvain. Despite his best efforts, Felix was hardly any closer to an answer than when he started.

He stewed over what else he could do during yet another long day of travel. At least it was quiet enough for him to think for once. Sylvain thankfully decided to keep his mouth shut, and Felix wasn't about to take the resulting peace for granted. It was still early in the day, after all, and Sylvain never could hold his tongue for long. Admittedly, Sylvain had behaved himself remarkably well for the most part, but he still hadn't been able to resist a few teasing remarks, mostly directed at Victor. Victor, of course, could do nothing except glare at Sylvain in return, so it was up to Felix to pay Sylvain back for those slights when he got the chance.

The quiet was soon broken not by Sylvain, but by a much more concerning sound. Felix stilled his horse and raised his arm, signaling the rest of them to stop as well.

“Lord Felix?” Victor called.

He shushed Victor and focused his hearing. There was a rustling in the brush surrounding the road, and it was too large and disruptive to be a passing animal. Felix instinctively reached for his sword and glanced at Ingrid and Sylvain. Their serious expressions and brief nods told him that they were ready. An instant later, a dozen or so men leapt out of the brush with a loud cry. Felix slid off his horse and leapt into the fray, welcoming the familiar thrill that coursed through him.

It had been a long time since he’d been in a brawl like this. These bandits clearly thought they had found an easy target, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. Felix would have been more than a match for them on his own, but with Ingrid and Sylvain with him, they stood no chance. One by one, the bandits fell to vicious sword strikes and carefully aimed lance thrusts. When Felix got a free moment, he spared a glance behind him at Victor. Victor had dismounted his horse and drawn his sword. Good. Though he still had much to learn, he'd managed to keep his head despite the ambush and had readied his stance just as Felix taught him. Fortunately for him, he wouldn't need to use his blade in earnest yet.

Before long, all of the bandits were dead. His work done, Felix sheathed his sword and quickly turned to check on Victor. "Are you all right, Victor?"

"I'm fine," Victor replied. His face was pale with fear and distress, but he wore a decidedly determined expression. Considering that this had most likely been his first real skirmish, he was holding up well. Felix felt another surge of pride at Victor’s courage.

Sylvain and Ingrid rode up to Felix to check on him and Victor, and Felix quickly confirmed that the two of them were unharmed. Sylvain and Ingrid had also escaped injury, which showed just how unskilled their foes had been. Despite that, they all agreed that sticking around would be unwise. It was possible that even more bandits were lurking just out of sight, and despite their victory, Felix was loath to expose Victor to more danger. Thus, they quickly remounted and continued on their way.

Fortunately, the rest of the day passed uneventfully, but Felix still insisted on accompanying Victor during his watch for that night. While Felix was reasonably confident in Victor’s ability to detect potential danger, he felt better keeping watch with him. Ingrid was visibly annoyed, but she didn’t object. She knew fully well that Felix wouldn’t change his mind no matter how much she complained. Sylvain, on the other hand, seemed highly amused by the idea. Felix wished he could figure just what Sylvain knew about Victor if only to wipe that stupid smug look off his face.

Sylvain quickly proved to be the least of Felix's problems, however. Felix took a lot of pride in his ability to ignore distractions, but he was finding it difficult to focus on his surroundings when Victor was sitting so close and not wearing his cloak's hood. The sight of Victor's fair face illuminated by firelight was breathtaking.

"Um… Lord Felix?"

"What is it?" Felix asked.

"You, um…" Victor trailed off and fidgeted, seemingly embarrassed.  "You were great today."

It took Felix a moment to realize he was talking about the bandits. "It was nothing. Those fools had no idea what they had gotten themselves into."

To Felix's surprise, Victor laughed. The sound rang in Felix's ears and seized his heart with more ferocity than any beast or foe he’d ever faced. "True. If they'd known the Wolf of Fraldarius was their target, they would have fled far, far away."

“My name has that effect on people,” Felix said with a snort. “It’s how I wound up in this mess in the first place.”

Victor went very quiet and Felix realized he’d unintentionally trodden on a sore spot. “You did well out there, too,” he blurted, hoping that it would take Victor’s mind off of wherever he had fled from.

“Huh?!” Victor exclaimed. “But… I didn’t do anything.”

"That was your first time seeing real combat, wasn't it?" asked Felix.

"Well, yes, but—"

"You fared better than many others in your position. I've seen many squires throw up or even pass out during their first battle."

Victor gave him a skeptical look. "Surely you jest."

"I don't jest," Felix stated. "A lot of people are not prepared for the reality of battle. It's messy, ugly work, and not everyone has the stomach for it."

A pensive frown crossed Victor's face. "I guess that's true. I can't say I wasn't bothered by it."

"Are you willing to continue down the path of the knight despite that?" Felix asked.

Victor nodded determinedly. "I've come this far. If I quit now, everything I've learned will go to waste."

"Be careful with that line of thinking," Felix warned. "It's an easy trap to fall into. Don't force yourself to continue doing something because you feel obligated to."

"That's not it at all!" Victor said quickly. "I… I like learning how to fight."

"You do?" asked Felix.

Victor nodded enthusiastically. "It's hard work, but it's very rewarding."

"I'm glad to hear that," Felix said, feeling his lips tug into a small smile. Maybe it was a trick of the firelight, but he swore Victor's cheeks turned rosier.

"It helps that I have such a good teacher," he mumbled shyly.

Felix did his best to hide his shock. This was the first time Victor ever complimented his teaching. He felt something in his chest unfurl and fill him with a warmth that the fire in front of him couldn't hope to match.

"Well," he began, trying to regain his composure. "It's not like I could let you keep floundering out there."

Victor's expression turned pensive as he returned his gaze to the fire. "You know, I had you all wrong. Despite what everyone says about you, you're actually really nice."

"Shut up," Felix grumbled, but his tone held no bite.

"Lord Felix, are… are you blushing?"

"Shut up. I'm not."

Victor thankfully didn't press the issue, but the teasing smile on his face was enough to slay Felix on the spot. Saints, he was smitten.

A quiet moment passed and Victor's smile faded. He stared at the fire again as his brow creased with either thought or worry. "Lord Felix… What will you do with Lady Annette if you find her?"

All the warmth left Felix's chest as quickly as if someone dumped a bucket of icy water on him. He'd nearly forgotten the reason why he was out here in the first place, but now the cauldron of awful feelings that accompanied the slightest mention of Annette Dominic returned with a vengeance. The worst part was that it didn’t matter if he found her or not. Either way, he was doomed to a miserable marriage to a woman he couldn’t care less about while he helplessly watched Victor slip away forever.

"My lord?"

Felix belatedly realized he was scowling. He sighed deeply to regain his composure before answering. "What do you think? I'll have to take her back to Fraldarius and wed her. Otherwise, I'll be right back where I started."

"R-right. Of course," Victor stammered. "I just… Well, I'm surprised you're going through with marrying her when you clearly dislike her. You vowed to kill her if you ever found her, after all."

"I did," Felix said. "But… things are different now."

"Because of King Dimitri and Lady Marianne?"

Felix hummed and nodded. "I've known the boar since we were kids. We grew up knowing that we had little choice about our futures. But now he's found someone he'd like to spend his life with. I didn't want to marry Marianne anyway, so I might as well give them both the chance of a better life. Even if it means I have to track down someone who might not be alive."

"I… I see," Victor said slowly. "That's very noble of you."

“It’s not about being ‘noble’,” Felix stated. “This kingdom’s just better off with a king that’s not constantly pining and moping around.”

“But… what about you?” asked Victor. “Don’t your feelings matter, too?”

Felix stiffened at the unexpected question. No one ever asked him such a thing before. Then again, Victor was a commoner. He had no idea that the price of nobility was freedom. Seeing the earnest expression on Victor's face, Felix felt more trapped than ever.

"No," he said at last, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "They never have."

Victor went quiet after that, and his face scrunched up in thought. Clearly, he found Felix’s answer odd, or even concerning.

“Don’t worry about me,” Felix said. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“But…” Victor trailed off, his protest seemingly dying on his tongue. “Are you really okay with that?”

“No,” Felix answered honestly. “But it’s my lot in life. I can either accept it, or run. And I won’t run. I’ve already seen what that leads to.”

“Oh,” Victor whispered. “I see.”

Felix tried not to frown. Victor must have been thinking about his past again. “Is something wrong?”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing,” Victor said quickly. “It’s just… I admire your selflessness, my lord.”

Once again, Felix was taken aback at being complimented for something other than his skill in battle. "It's not that big of a deal," he protested weakly. "It's just my best option given the current situation."

Victor shook his head. "If I was in your position, I don't think I would have done the same. I probably would have—" He cut himself off, suddenly looking very alarmed. "Uh, never mind. Forget I said anything!"

"Would you have run?" Felix asked. From the way Victor stiffened, Felix had hit the nail on the head. Before Victor could splutter a protest or apology, Felix shook his head and continued. "I can't say the idea isn't tempting. But I refuse to take the coward's way out. It would mean abandoning everyone and forcing them to clean up the resulting mess. And Ingrid already does that enough for Sylvain."

That got Victor to crack a smile. “I guess that’s true,” he admitted. “Still…”

“You don’t have to feel ashamed,” said Felix. “I wouldn’t wish this burden on anyone. Even though it’s common for nobles to have arranged marriages, we don’t always handle it well. It’s what made Sylvain turn to philandering.”

“So that’s why…” said Victor. “I guess, in his own way, he’s running away, too.”

“However you want to look at it, he’s a huge pain,” Felix growled. “Ingrid’s fed up with it, and so am I.”

“He hasn’t been flirting lately, though,” Victor pointed out.

“I noticed,” said Felix. “I don’t know why he’s suddenly decided to behave himself, but it’s a welcome change.”

“Yeah, it is,” Victor agreed.

“Have you been talking sense into him?” Felix asked, deciding to push his luck. This might be his only chance to find out whatever Victor and Sylvain were talking about at night.

“Um, sort of?” Victor answered. “I doubt I’ve influenced him any more than you and Lady Ingrid have.”

“Then what do you two keep whispering about when you’re on watch duty?”

Victor's eyes widened and began to dart wildly all over the place. "That's… I… Um… I can't say!"

"Why not?" asked Felix.

"I just can't!" Victor cried.

"What's going on out here?"

Felix cursed. Victor's outburst had roused Sylvain and Ingrid. They quickly approached Victor, Sylvain looking confused and Ingrid looking livid.

"S-sorry!" Victor cried. "I didn't mean to—"

"No, it was my fault," Felix cut in. "I pressured him too much."

"Pressured him? About what?" asked Ingrid.

"If he won't tell me, then he sure as hell won't tell you," Felix said. "Anyway, his shift is almost done. Since you're up, Sylvain, you can take over."

"Fine by me," Sylvain said with a shrug. "You heard him, Victor. Better hurry along to bed."

"Uh, right!" Victor exclaimed. "G-good night, everyone." He bowed deeply before hurrying back to his tent. Once he was out of sight, Ingrid glared at Felix.

"What?" he asked.

"You're soft on that kid," she stated.

"So?"

"Don't take the fall for his mistakes. You could come to regret it," said Ingrid.

"I can take care of myself, Ingrid," Felix grated.

"Fine," she huffed. "But if you wind up hurt because of him, don't say I didn't warn you."

Again with that unwarranted suspicion. Felix knew Ingrid was just looking after him, like always, but the idea that Victor was a potential threat was ridiculous. The only thing Victor threatened was Felix's poor heart, and that was something Ingrid could not know. With a snort, Felix bid Ingrid a disgruntled good night and retired to his own tent. Only then did he allow his façade to crumble.

He really, really screwed up. In his eagerness to uncover Victor's secret, he'd pushed too hard and scared him again. The panic and terror in Victor's eyes were reminiscent of the days when he quailed and trembled at the very sight of Felix. Victor would probably never trust him with the truth now.

Well, the least he could do for now was back off and give Victor time to calm down. Even though Felix hated being left in the dark, he hated seeing Victor in distress even more. He would get to the bottom of this mystery eventually, but it was clearer than ever that a direct approach was not going to work. He was going to have to lay low again, even though eavesdropping had proved frustratingly ineffective.

If that weren't enough, they were due to reach Dominic in just a few short days. Felix was not looking forward to encountering his wayward fiancée's aunt and uncle. Hopefully they could get their business over with quickly. The less time Felix thought about Annette Dominic, the better.

Once again, the reality of his situation coiled and tightened around him like a snake. It was like something out of those ridiculous tales of chivalry that Ingrid loved so much. Many of them featured princesses that fell for and married their knights despite their differing stations. But Felix was no princess, and real life didn't have happy endings.

With a sigh, he curled up on his bedroll and closed his eyes despite knowing sleep would not come easily. If he was going to be miserable, he might as well be miserable and rested. No matter how he felt, life went on, and he had to be prepared to face it.

Feelings were only ever a hindrance. It figured that they would be his downfall.

Chapter Text

Felix was onto her.

Annette's life was filled with uncertainty, but this was one thing she was sure of. She would be fooling herself if she believed Felix didn't suspect anything anymore. If he was directly confronting her about her nighttime talks with Sylvain, then he knew that she was hiding something.

She'd been so anxious and jittery since then that she barely slept. Even though Felix had apologized for pushing her too hard, she wasn't foolish enough to believe he'd given up. Every move she made was of vital importance. If she slipped up one more time, no matter how slightly, everything was over.

She couldn't let herself be discovered yet. She was still helping Sylvain work up the courage to confess to Ingrid. He was coming along, but it was clear that he needed more time. Annette had to do everything in her power to give him that time, and that meant she couldn’t make any more mistakes.

Admittedly, helping Sylvain in this matter had been a risk from the beginning. She had figured Felix and Ingrid would watch the two of them instead of sleeping, and sure enough, Ingrid had been giving Annette more of the stink-eye than usual during the day. While Ingrid's constant suspicion was exhausting, it showed that she cared, and that was good news for Sylvain.

While this was going on, Felix began to ask Annette questions about her and her past. She’d been initially shocked by his prodding, but it made sense he would want to know more about the person he’d been mentoring for several weeks. She gave him her usual fabricated answers, including her age and her origins, but she was truthful about her birthday. As a matter of fact, she'd forgotten her birthday had recently passed until Felix brought it up. In her defense, she'd been so focused on trying to survive each day that she hadn't paid much attention to the date. Furthermore, she hadn't celebrated her birthday in years. Cornelia never cared for such festivities, and at Garreg Mach only Alois cared about her enough to remember to give her a gift when her birthday rolled around. Although Felix looked strangely troubled over missing her birthday, she felt that it wasn't a huge deal. After all, he'd given her a sword, and that was the most anyone other than Alois had done for her in years.

Looking back, Felix had probably asked her those questions because he suspected that she and Sylvain were hiding something. She was sure her answers didn't give anything away, but she should have known she couldn't throw the Wolf off the scent.

That wasn't the only reason Felix was troubling her. Worse yet, the other reason wasn't even intentional. While they'd had good luck for most of their journey, bandits suddenly attacked them the other day. Naturally, that meant Felix and the others leapt into action.

Annette had never seen Felix fight in earnest before. She'd watched him train plenty of times, and he'd demolished his share of training dummies, but this was on another level. The way Felix moved and cut through his foes stole her breath away. His blade was like an extension of his body, and his footwork was so light and graceful that he put any dancer Annette had seen to shame. She'd been so awed that she hadn't been able to tear her eyes away even as she readied her own sword. Strangely, despite the death and destruction he left in his wake, she wasn't overcome by fear. Although finding herself amidst a real battle was terrifying, she felt strangely calm. Maybe it was because deep down, she knew Felix would keep her safe.

Without realizing it, she'd begun to trust him, and because of that trust, she was finally able to appreciate his fierceness. He was brutally efficient and left a trail of blood in his wake, but it was all to protect the people he cared about. When he rushed over to check on her after the battle was over, she found that, for the first time, she was able to look at him without fear.

She'd been so horribly, horribly wrong about him. This was a man she could see herself happily married to. Though he was rough around the edges and blunt to the point of rudeness, he was strong, protective, handsome, and surprisingly kind. He'd gruffly told her to shut up when she brought it up to him, but the rosy red blush that filled his entire face betrayed his true feelings.

And then there was his smile.

It barely counted as a smile—it was just the slightest quirk of his lips—but it had nearly done her in. Combined with how soft his eyes were, she couldn't describe his expression as anything other than "fond". The fact that Felix, the gruffest, rudest person she knew, could make such a tender expression was mind-blowing, and the fact that he directed it at her even more so. No one had ever looked at her like that before, and the potential implications of it were terrifying.

And yet, she wanted to see that smile again. She wanted to see Felix happy. Hearing him despondently accept being forced into a marriage he didn’t want broke her heart. It was also a painful reminder that he couldn't stand the real her. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't make him happy.

Hot on the heels of that thought came the realization that her feelings ran far deeper than she thought. How was this possible? Just a few weeks ago she couldn't even look at him without shaking uncontrollably. Now, however, she was faced with an undeniable truth: she, Annette Fantine Dominic, had fallen for the Wolf of Fraldarius.

It should have made her happy. The man she was supposed to marry was someone she genuinely cared for. Yet all she could bring herself to feel was despair. Knowing that those feelings were unrequited, that Felix only gave her the time of day because of all the lies she’d constructed, was crushing. And now that he had realized that she was hiding something, it was only a matter of time before all those lies came crashing down around her.

But she had to hold out for as long as she could, not just for Sylvain's sake, but for her own. True to his word, Felix hadn't neglected her training despite their lengthy journey, and she was finally starting to feel like she had a shot of protecting herself if she ran into trouble. After all, she was able to fend Felix off now! Roughly a week into their trip, he'd deemed her experienced enough to spar with her, and now they crossed swords on a daily basis. He moved very slowly, of course, but thanks to his tutelage, she knew exactly how to react to his strikes. She wasn't about to get a swelled head, especially after seeing how easily Felix dispatched those bandits, but she was proud of her progress. Felix was also pleased with how much she had improved in such a short time, and Annette couldn't suppress a rush of joy whenever Felix gave her a look of approval. She wanted that to last as long as she could.

Sadly, all good things had to come to an end. At long last, they were reaching the end of their journey. At their current pace, they were due to reach her uncle's manor by early afternoon. Already, Annette could recognize her surroundings. With every step, she came closer to her dreaded reunion with Cornelia.

She pulled her hood up again, knowing that she couldn’t chance letting anyone see her face. She tried her best to not think about what awaited her if anything went wrong. Humiliation was the most likely possibility. She couldn’t see Cornelia not paying her back tenfold for eluding her all this time, and there was no way she would miss an opportunity to show Felix just what kind of person his bride really was. And knowing Cornelia's silver tongue, he'd sooner believe her than the hapless girl who'd lied to him repeatedly.

Somehow, Annette found that even more horrible than him killing her.

She grew more and more nauseous as they approached the Dominic manor. By the time they reached the gates, she was trembling uncontrollably and trying her best to stay mounted lest she draw attention to herself again. She tugged on her hood again as the guards approached. The last thing she needed was for one of them—and she couldn't be lucky enough for them to be the one she'd bribed in order to escape—to recognize her and alert her uncle and Cornelia.

Felix informed the guards of who he and his companions were and his intent to speak with the baron, and they allowed them in without protest. As they approached the front steps of the manor, Annette kept her eyes glued to the ground. She didn’t need to look around when she already knew what everything looked like. In fact, it seemed like nothing had changed in the two years since her flight. It was almost like she had never left.

Except now she rode at the Wolf of Fraldarius's side, and that was something she never would have imagined in her worst nightmares.

Their group dismounted and the manor’s servants quickly attended to their horses. A moment later, the front doors opened, and a man stepped out into the courtyard. Annette only had to see his boots to know that the man was her uncle: Baron Henri Dominic. The boots took a few steps toward them and came to an abrupt halt.

“Um,” her uncle began, sounding very surprised. “What’s—”

“I’m Felix Hugo Fraldarius,” Felix cut in. “These are my friends and comrades in arms: Sylvain Jose Gautier and Ingrid Brandl Galatea. And finally, my student, Victor.”

"This is… quite the entourage," said her uncle. "What brings all of you all the way here?"

"Two years ago, you begged me to find your niece," Felix said. "I refused then. But things have changed, and now I have come to take up the task."

Annette felt her jaw slide open and immediately snapped it shut. Her uncle had begged Felix to find her? She could hardly blame Felix for refusing. Why would he want to track down a woman who'd spurned him? The only reason he'd changed his mind was because it was his best alternative to marrying Marianne, and even then, he was clearly swallowing his pride.

"You… You have?" her uncle asked, sounding even more stunned than before. "But… didn't you vow to kill her if you ever laid eyes on her?"

"Like I said, things have changed," said Felix.

"They sure have," Sylvain added. "But if it helps, Felix never intended to kill her in the first place. He often acts rashly when he's upset."

"Sylvain," Felix grated.

Annette pursed her lips. Sylvain had once told her the same. She hadn't believed him then, but now she was sure that he was telling the truth. If Felix was getting defensive over those words, then Sylvain must have hit close to home.

"Is this true?" her uncle asked.

"If you won't believe them, then you can believe me," said Ingrid. "On my honor as heiress to House Galatea, I promise you that none of us wish harm on your niece."

Annette tried not to fidget as she waited for her uncle to answer. "All right," he said at last. "Let us speak more inside."

Annette sucked in a breath. This was it. There was no turning back now. She followed closely behind Felix as they entered the manor and prayed her trembling wasn't too obvious. She found herself wishing that she hadn’t been such a coward and had told Felix the truth. His wrath couldn't be worse than constantly wondering who would be the first person to see through her meager disguise.

Before long, all of them were seated in the parlor over tea and pastries. Oddly, her uncle had not sent for Cornelia, but Annette wasn't about to question it. The less time Cornelia had to examine her, the better.

"Lord Felix, is there a reason why your student has not removed his hood?"

Annette froze at her uncle's question. She should have realized he would be suspicious of a hooded stranger, especially since he didn't know Felix well enough to trust him, unlike King Dimitri. She began to splutter, but Felix came to her rescue.

"He's ashamed of his face," he explained. "I gave him that cloak so he may feel more comfortable."

His stern glare ensured there would be no further arguments. Cowed, her uncle returned his attention to Felix and began his tale.

A tale of grief and woe.

A couple years before Annette and her mother moved into the manor, her uncle had been married to another woman, but she’d suffered a terrible accident and passed away. It was then that Cornelia wormed her way into his affections, and he’d been so overcome with grief that he’d been powerless to object to her desires.

One of which, oddly, was Annette’s betrothal to Felix.

The more Annette listened, the more she realized that her uncle really had cared for her and her mother. He'd been as victim to Cornelia as Annette was, but Annette had been too tied up in her own misery to notice. When Annette fled, he had been crushed with regret. With her mother dead and her father gone, Annette was the only family he had left in the manor, and now she was gone, too. Listening to him grieve her loss pulled at her heartstrings.

Now it made sense why her uncle didn’t call for his wife. If Cornelia caught wind of any of this, there would surely be hell to pay.

“Please, Lord Felix,” her uncle pleaded. “I do not care about the cost. Just… bring her home safely.”

“I’ll be frank: the chances of her still being alive are slim,” said Felix. “But as long as there is a chance, I will search as diligently as I can.”

“And what will you do when you find her?” her uncle asked.

Felix closed his eyes, looking resigned. "I intend to wed her."

"Wed her?!" her uncle exclaimed. "I thought you had no intention of wedding anyone!"

"Well, my old man has different ideas," said Felix. "If I don't find and marry your niece, I'll be forced to marry a young woman from House Edmund—one who the boar, I mean, the king is enamored with."

“His Majesty is enamored?” her uncle repeated. “I suppose that bodes well for the kingdom’s future. So then, your agreeing to this task is merely a matter of practicality.”

“I won’t lie,” said Felix. “If I had any better options, I would have taken them first.”

“Felix!” Ingrid hissed.

Henri released a long, deep sigh. “I can see you hold no love for Annette, and yet you intend to marry her regardless. I can’t say I’m thrilled to hand her over to someone who will not care for her—someone who rashly vowed to take her life, even.”

"I assure you I will make every effort to ensure she can live comfortably," said Felix.

"That, I can believe. But will she be happy?"

Felix did not answer, and that spoke more than words ever could. Her uncle gave him a resigned expression before continuing.

“Very well. I expected as much, given your… reputation. Still, if this is the only way you’ll agree to search for her, then I have no choice but to agree to your terms. But, once you are married, I hope you can find it in you to at least consider Annette’s happiness. The last thing she needs is yet another person abandoning her.”

“I’ll think about it,” Felix said after a moment.

“Coming from you, that’s more than I could have hoped for,” said her uncle. “Now then, I’m sure you’re all in need of a meal and rest. I’ll have you settled in my finest guest rooms. We can speak more about Annette later.”

He stood up and beckoned them to follow him. They all did so, but before Annette could take more than two steps, Felix pulled her aside and whispered in her ear.

"Stay close. I don't like this place."

Annette shivered, both from fear and from how close he was. “Neither do I.”

She prayed that their stay here wouldn’t be long. The less time she spent in Dominic, the safer she would be. While they were here, though, she was content to stay no more than a couple steps behind Felix as her uncle led them around. Every so often, he would glance over his shoulder to check if she was keeping pace, and she realized just how ironic it was that she found herself back in the place she’d fled from, and the man who’d driven her to flee was now protecting her. If she hadn’t already been convinced that the goddess was making fun of her, this latest incident would have proven it beyond a doubt. Still, Annette was willing to overlook the mockery her life had become just this once. It was infinitely better than being at Cornelia's mercy.

If only her heart had as much protection as her body. Alas, Felix had taken it without her realizing it, and now she wasn’t sure she’d get it back unscathed.

Chapter Text

Felix was finding the Dominic manor even less palatable than he imagined. Something about this place made his muscles tense and his hair stand on end. He was so on edge that could barely taste his food, and he found himself wondering how Annette dealt with this all her life. He was beginning to suspect that he wasn't the only reason she'd fled, and that in turn made him wonder, not for the first time, exactly what happened to her.

He sighed, shook his head, and sipped his drink. Wherever she was, he hoped she was having a better day than him.

He glanced over at his other problem, who was currently seated at his side and nervously picking at his own food. It was clear from the moment they arrived that Victor was terrified of this place, and that told Felix that Victor must have been here before. But when? And why?

Despite Felix's curiosity, those answers would have to wait. His main concern right now was keeping Victor safe from the vipress that called herself the lady of the house. It was a good thing that he'd convinced Baron Dominic to let Victor wear his hood, as otherwise Felix was certain that Cornelia would have endlessly mocked and humiliated Victor over his appearance.

"Would the young Lord Fraldarius care for more wine?"

Felix looked across the table at Cornelia, who was smiling as she held the wine bottle. Baron Dominic had clearly been telling the truth when he said he'd been blinded by grief, because Felix could not understand how any sane person would want to marry this woman. Her beauty was all superficial. Even now, her smile belied the coldness in her eyes.

"No need," he said.

"Very well," Cornelia said, placing the bottle back down. "So, I heard from my husband that you intend to wed our little Annette."

Every word she spoke made Felix's skin crawl. How did Baron Dominic put up with this on a daily basis? "You heard correctly."

"I do wonder where she could have gotten to, though," Cornelia mused. "Two years is a long time for a girl to hide. I've searched quite thoroughly, too."

"You have?" Felix asked.

"Indeed," said Cornelia. "I've looked all across Faerghus for her. I searched convents, churches, villages—anyplace a noble girl might find refuge. I've even sent men as far away as the Leceister Alliance. I've been fraught with worry."

Felix fought the urge to snort. Whatever this woman felt for Annette, it sure as hell wasn't worry.

"You mean to say that you've been doing all the searching?" asked Ingrid.

"Of course," said Cornelia. "My husband doesn't have the stomach for such an unpleasant task."

No wonder Annette had fled.

"Not in Faerghus, not in the Alliance, not even in the Empire, according to what the reports say," Cornelia continued. "Perhaps she's rotting in a shallow grave somewhere."

Felix did not like how she almost sounded pleased about that. "Perhaps," he admitted.

"So you know full well your search may be in vain."

"Felix knew that going into this," said Sylvain. "But he's not one to give up easily."

"Is that so?" Cornelia smiled in a horrible, slimy way. "So, if you are successful in finding her, what will you do?"

Felix was rapidly losing his patience for this woman. "I thought I made my intentions clear."

"You'd let the girl go unpunished after everything she's done?" Cornelia asked. "Although I suppose most would find marriage to the Wolf of Fraldarius punishment enough, wouldn't they?"

Felix opted to take another bite of his steak rather than indulge her with a response.

"Still, I think the girl is in need of something more direct," said Cornelia. "Something to instill a proper sense of obedience in her. I trust that you would know how to carry out such a punishment very well."

Felix gave her his steeliest glare. "If you're suggesting what I think you are, then you can forget it. My aim is to marry her, not to make her fear me more."

"But hasn't she earned your ire?"

"The only thing more cowardly than running from a fight is tormenting someone who can’t defend themselves,” Felix growled.

“I’ll have you know Annette is far from defenseless,” said Cornelia. “That girl has enough magic in her to bring down an army. She just has no control. After she nearly burned the manor down, I had to confiscate all of her magical materials. For her own safety, of course.”

How this woman could lie through her teeth with a straight face stunned Felix. If Annette was truly so gifted, she should have been encouraged to hone her skills instead of barred from using them. No, Cornelia clearly wanted to stifle Annette’s talents, most likely to keep her under her heel. He didn’t think it was possible that he could like Cornelia any less, but she was quickly exceeding all his expectations.

"We'll keep that in mind," said Ingrid. Like Felix, she seemed to be making a great effort to hold back her disgust. Similarly, Sylvain was quiet, and the fact that he wasn't making any teasing remarks at Felix for once spoke of how serious he found the situation. Baron Dominic, meanwhile, continued to eat as if nothing had happened. Perhaps he had listened to his wife's thinly disguised contempt for so long that it no longer bothered him.

Felix was exceedingly glad to not be in his shoes.

The evening seemed to drag on forever. Even after everyone finished eating, the Dominics kept the conversation going for hours. The only bright spot Felix could find in this hellhole was Victor, who remained steadfastly silent even as Cornelia peppered them with questions. Felix spent more time watching Victor than was probably proper, but in this case, he felt it was justified. He did not miss how much Victor tensed up whenever Cornelia spoke or looked at him.

At long last, Cornelia began to tire. She released a great yawn—a yawn that reminded Felix more of a savage beast than a noblewoman. “The hour has grown late, so I shall retire for the evening. When you’re ready, the servants will guide you to your chambers. The manor’s finest, of course. Esteemed guests such as yourselves deserve nothing less.”

Felix found himself beyond any words, so he settled for a curt nod.

“Thank you, my lady,” Ingrid managed.

“It’s good to see at least some of us still have manners,” said Cornelia. She stood up, strode over to her husband, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Don’t keep me waiting too long, my love. The bed is ever so cold without you.”

“Of course,” Baron Dominic said absently.

Cornelia released him and sauntered off, giving her husband one last wink before departing for her chambers.

"Wow," Sylvain said once she was well out of earshot. "Your wife sure has some… presence. You'd think she was the boss of the place."

"Sylvain!" Ingrid hissed.

"No, he's right," said Baron Dominic. "As I mentioned before, I've been unable to object to her."

"I can't believe your niece didn't run away sooner," said Felix. "That woman is nothing but bad news."

"Felix, could you at least try to be a little more tactful?" Ingrid asked.

He snorted and rolled his eyes. Didn't Ingrid realize there were more important things to worry about right now than tact?

"My deepest apologies," said Baron Dominic. "Were I a stronger man, this never would have happened."

"What's done is done," said Felix. "The important thing now is finding your niece. Once we've confirmed her safety, we can worry about what to do about Cornelia."

"Of course," said Baron Dominic. "But I'm afraid I cannot spare you much time tonight. My wife does not like to be kept waiting."

"You can tell your wife to shove it," Felix said. On cue, Ingrid yelled his name in horrified disbelief.

"I'm afraid things won't end well for any of us if I did that," said Baron Dominic. "And you, Lord Felix… You should learn to hold your tongue. If not for your sake, then for your young student's."

Victor went very still, and Felix shot the baron a deadly glare. "Is that a threat?"

"Heavens, no! I wouldn't dream of threatening the Wolf!" he exclaimed. "Cornelia, however… She fears no one. And she is not below striking someone at their weakest point."

So Baron Dominic also saw that Cornelia was a danger to Victor. The baron may have been a fool, but at least he hadn't lost all his good sense. He also brought up an excellent point. Cornelia might not be able to harm Felix directly, but Felix would never forgive himself if Victor wound up in trouble because of him.

"In that case, Victor will stay with me for the night," said Felix.

Sylvain immediately clapped a hand over his mouth, Ingrid frowned disapprovingly, and Victor froze and stiffly shook his head.

"Please do not trouble yourself, my lord," he said.

"I don't trust Cornelia," said Felix. "I'll feel better knowing that you're safe. Besides, it's not like we haven't roomed before."

“If I may interrupt,” said Baron Dominic. “I am afraid our guest rooms only have single beds. Is the young man fine with sleeping on the floor?”

Felix stared at him. “You have no cots?”

“None to spare, unfortunately,” said Baron Dominic. “House Dominic is one of the least wealthy of Faerghus’s noble families, and our coffers have dwindled even further ever since Annette disappeared. We've spent so much gold searching for her that we have barely enough supplies for everyone here."

“I see,” said Felix. “Very well. I’ll take the floor, then.”

“L-Lord Felix!” Victor squeaked.

“What? I’m used to sleeping on the ground,” said Felix.

“I… I won’t let you do that for my sake!” Victor exclaimed. “I’m a commoner! If anyone should be sleeping on the floor, it’s me!”

Felix massaged his temples. He hadn't expected Victor to insist on propriety. He was tempted to argue, but it had been a very long day, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to refrain from snapping at Victor.

"Fine, if you insist," he said.

"If you've managed to settle everything, then I'd best be off," said Baron Dominic. "I'd rather not test my wife's patience."

"Very well, then," said Ingrid. "We shall retire as well. Have a good evening, Baron Dominic."

The baron nodded at them, and they all stood up and began to go their separate ways. Felix quickly spotted the servants that Cornelia had summoned to escort them to their bedchambers and followed their lead. The guest rooms were thankfully close together, so if any emergencies came up, it wouldn’t take long for him to find Sylvain and Ingrid. He bid his friends a curt good-night and gave Sylvain one last warning glare before entering the room he and Victor would be sharing.

The room, while far from luxurious, was comfortable and furnished, and it at least had a carpet so Victor wouldn’t be stuck sleeping on a cold floor. The servants were able to provide an extra blanket and pillow, but both had clearly seen better days. When Victor removed his armor and bedded down on the floor, he looked so small and helpless that it stirred something in Felix's heart. The feeling grew even stronger when he noticed Victor shivering beneath the thin blanket.

"Are you sure you're okay down there?" Felix asked.

"I'm fine," Victor said, but he couldn't hide the quaver in his voice.

Felix sighed and shifted uncomfortably. He couldn't believe he was even considering this, but he hated seeing Victor in such a pitiful state, especially since it was because Felix insisted that they room together.  "We… We could share the bed."

"Excuse me?!" Victor exclaimed, his face turning crimson. "That's— I— I couldn’t possibly— Lord Felix, this is highly improper!”

“No one has to know,” said Felix.

“But… I…”

“Look, I won’t force you to do it if you don’t want to, but it’s warmer than sleeping on the floor.”

Victor went quiet and stared at his lap. When he didn’t say anything for several moments, Felix sighed in resignation.

“I’ll leave you room if you change your mind,” he said. He blew out the room’s candles and climbed into bed. “Good night.”

“Good night, my lord,” Victor whispered back.

Everything was quiet after that, and it gave Felix the opportunity to think about what just happened. He felt like an idiot for blurting out such a foolish idea. Why did he think, even for an instant, that Victor would agree? They hadn't known each other for long, and were of vastly different rankings. A teacher wasn't supposed to offer to share a bed with his student. Once again, his emotions had gotten the better of him.

It was too late to take his words back, so he turned onto his side and tried to settle his mind. He’d apologize for his foolishness in the morning. Just as he was about to drift off, however, he felt the mattress dip beside him.

He froze in place and his heart began to beat wildly against his ribcage. He hadn’t expected Victor to take up his offer after how uncomfortable he looked. Now that Victor was here, however, Felix found himself unexpectedly anxious. He hadn't shared a bed with anyone since he was a child, and even then, it had been with his close friends. This was a decidedly different situation.

Still, he couldn't let himself be overcome. He couldn't possibly kick Victor off the bed when he had been the one to make the offer in the first place. He willed his heartbeat to slow down and desperately tried not to think about how Victor was lying just inches away from him. At least the bed was large enough to allow even that much space.

Eventually, Felix succumbed to his burning curiosity and tentatively peaked over his shoulder. It was hard to see Victor in the dark, but he had his back to Felix and was still as a stone. Well, at least one of them was sleeping soundly. With a sigh, Felix rolled back onto his side and closed his eyes. If Victor was able to sleep despite how awkward the situation was, then the least he could do was try to do the same. He needed to be rested for the long journey ahead. It was an immensely difficult task, but eventually, he slipped into an uneasy slumber.

The next thing he knew, the gentle light of dawn was trying to coax him awake. Felix was normally an early riser, but today he found himself reluctant to move. He was so warm and comfortable that getting up sounded like the most unpleasant thing in the world. Way in the back of his mind, a niggling feeling told him something wasn't right about this, but it was drowned out by the pleasant fuzziness that enveloped his entire being. Not only that, Victor's strange song had once again invaded his dreams, and a large part of him wanted to return to that dream.

Felix was a creature of habit, however, and soon his desire to train overcame his desire to sleep longer. He'd already overslept judging by how bright it was, and the longer he delayed, the longer he'd be stuck in Dominic. With more effort than he cared to admit, he slowly opened his eyes.

He was met with the sight of Victor's sleeping face barely an inch from his.

Felix instinctively recoiled, only to immediately curse himself for making such a sudden movement. Much to his surprise and relief, however, Victor remained fast asleep. After several tense seconds, Felix began to slowly disentangle himself from Victor. His face burned at the realization that he had not outgrown his childhood habit of cuddling in his sleep. He'd been an embarrassingly clingy child, and despite years of training in an effort to stamp out his weaknesses, that part of him still lived deep inside him. To have it brought to the forefront so suddenly, and by his student, no less, was beyond humiliating.

Eventually, Felix managed to free himself and sat up. He closed his eyes, took several deep breaths, and tried to calm his racing heart. At least no one was around or awake to see him in such a flustered state. Felix didn't want to think about what Sylvain would say if he found out about this.

A soft moan from nearby made Felix's heart stop. He looked down and saw that Victor was stirring. After a moment, however, he settled again and fell back into a deeper sleep. Felix continued to watch him for a little while, but he showed no more signs of awakening.

Soon, however, Felix’s heart began to race for a different reason. The sight of Victor fast asleep in the morning light, even with his short hair sticking every which way, was breathtaking. It took all of Felix's willpower to not reach out and tuck a stray tuft of Victor's hair behind his ear.

How did a boy with such delicate, beautiful features manage to survive all the trials of life? Felix wasn't foolish enough to believe that the Seiros squires were the only ones to abuse Victor. Felix had been teased in the past for being able to pass as a woman in the right light, and it was only his own hard work that shut people up. Victor wasn’t so lucky. Without his hood or armor to conceal him, he looked so much like a girl that Felix could hardly believe that he wasn't looking at one.

Felix paused and turned that thought over in his head several times. Could it be…? Before he could stop himself, he reached out and very gently poked Victor’s cheek.

It was as soft and squishy as a freshly baked sweet bun.

Felix swallowed, and then, mustering up all his courage, he slowly and carefully dragged his finger down Victor’s cheek, checking for the slightest hint of stubble or any facial hair waiting to burst forth.

He only felt smooth skin all the way down to Victor’s chin.

The truth descended and draped over Felix like a heavy blanket, and with it, so many things clicked into place. Victor's appearance, his squeaky voice, the fact that he was clearly hiding something—all of it was explained by this one simple revelation.

Victor was really a girl.

Felix dragged a hand down his face. All this time, he had been training and pining after a girl, and he’d never once guessed the truth. By the saints, no wonder she’d been so distraught when he’d offered to share the bed!

Oh, Seiros. He’d slept in the same bed as a woman other than his betrothed. If anyone found out about this, he and Victor—or whatever her real name was—were finished. The scandal would be beyond anything Faerghus had seen before. Victor had to have known that, too, so why did she agree to share the bed?

She trusts me, Felix realized. Victor must have known the risks involved in her choice, but she trusted him enough to go through with it. And he'd taken advantage of that trust when he'd found her out. How did he keep managing to mess everything up?

The least he could do for her now that he knew the truth was keep her secret safe. If she had gone through all the trouble of pretending to be a boy, then she must have had very good reason. Just how long had she been living in disguise, anyway? He doubted Alois or the Knights of Seiros knew, so it had to have been at least two years. The fact that she had managed to fool so many people for so long was remarkable. She couldn’t have pulled off such a feat without being incredibly careful, clever, and lucky.

Felix looked down at her again, feeling warm admiration blooming in his chest. Now, this was a woman he could see himself being bound to without regret. Had he not already given his word to find Annette Dominic and protect Victor’s secret, he would have tried to court her right then and there, his old man be damned.

He wondered exactly who she was. She had clearly been to Dominic before, which meant she was either from here or she had traveled here in the past. But why did she decide to disguise herself as a boy and join the Knights of Seiros? Perhaps she was a servant trying to find a better life for herself. If she worked under Cornelia, then Felix could hardly blame her for trying to get as far away from her as possible. On the other hand, Victor shouldn't have needed to disguise herself for that—the Knights of Seiros had many women among their ranks.

Well, whoever she was and whatever her reasons for hiding were, Felix felt even more obliged to protect her now. Even though he was still curious about her true identity, keeping her out of Cornelia's clutches was more important right now. He could try to find out why she was pretending to be a boy after they were safely out of Dominic.

With that matter settled, he climbed out of bed and began to get dressed. He'd have to rouse Victor before anyone got suspicious. He could not afford anyone walking in on them, especially Cornelia, Ingrid, or Sylvain.

Felix froze. Sylvain. He suddenly recalled all those times Sylvain poorly hid his amusement and all the times he'd teased Victor. Sylvain knew Victor was really a girl all along. And if his charm and intellect hadn’t failed him, he likely knew who Victor was as well. The fact that he had decided to not share either of these things and instead watched Felix make a fool of himself was irritating in the extreme.

Felix growled as he finished pulling on his sweater and tied up his hair, already planning how he would pay Sylvain back for his cheek. His temper only cooled when he approached Victor in order to wake her. He didn't want Victor to see him in a bad mood first thing in the morning. The girl had clearly endured enough already.

When she awoke, she immediately apologized for her impropriety even though sharing the bed had been his idea in the first place. She also apologized for oversleeping when Felix was guilty of the same. As Victor babbled on, it was so obvious that she was purposely lowering the pitch of her voice that Felix felt ridiculous for not noticing sooner. He wondered what she sounded like when she wasn't disguising her voice, and that led him to wonder about how she would look if she grew out her hair and exchanged her armor and tunic for a gown.

Fraldarius teal would suit her well, he thought.

"Lord Felix?"

Felix snapped back to reality, realizing with no small amount of horror that he had been fantasizing. Who the hell was he, Sylvain?

"It's nothing," he said quickly. "Just… hurry and get dressed. We should still be able to get in some training before we speak with Baron Dominic."

"R-right!" Victor exclaimed as she scrambled off the bed. Felix opted to look the other way while she pulled on her boots and armor. Knowing what she really was, it was only right that he gave her a little privacy, and it would also keep her from seeing the shame written all over his face.

He had fallen in love with a girl he could never have. With how his life had been going lately, he shouldn't have been surprised.

Chapter Text

"Victor, focus!"

Annette flinched, once again having been yanked out of the maelstrom of her mind by Felix's voice. This was the third time he'd had to do so this morning, and despite her best efforts, it probably wouldn't be the last. How in the world was she supposed to concentrate when she couldn't stop thinking about how she'd woken up in Felix's arms?

She hadn't intended for it to happen, but nonetheless, the entire thing was her fault. Felix had offered to share his bed with her out of some misguided pity, but he hadn't forced her into it. No, she had climbed into his bed of her own free will.

Granted, she hadn't made the decision lightly. It put her at risk of being discovered, after all, and she'd endured worse than a hard floor and a thin blanket to keep herself safe in the past. When Felix brought up sharing the bed, however, she became plagued by thoughts of what it would be like to sleep next to him. She doubted he would ever want to share his bed with the real her, so this might be her only chance to do so other than when they had to take care of… marital business.

Her face went red at the thought and she firmly shoved it away into the darkest corner of her mind.

After Felix went to bed, Annette reasoned she would join him after he fell asleep, just for a little while. She'd be in and out with him being none the wiser—or so she thought. In reality, she'd underestimated how exhausted she was after a long evening of suffering under Cornelia's scrutiny. Furthermore, the bed was warm thanks to Felix's body heat, and comfortable after two weeks of sleeping on the ground, and before she knew it, she'd fallen asleep.

She didn't realize what happened until she'd opened her eyes and found herself nose to nose with Felix, and she'd needed every last ounce of her willpower to not scream. She’d then tried to back away, only to find that she couldn’t move. With rapidly growing horror, she realized that Felix had embraced her in his sleep.

If the situation wasn’t so dire, she would have thought the fact that Felix was a cuddler was adorable. As things stood, however, if either of them was seen like this, the consequences would be severe. Annette tried her best to squirm out of Felix’s grip without waking him, but every attempt ended with Felix making a small noise of displeasure and tightening his hold even further.

She lay awake for a while after that, cursing the goddess for mocking her again, Felix for his unexpected clinginess, and herself for getting into this mess in the first place. Even if no one walked in on them, how was she going to explain this to Felix when he woke up? Although he had left space on the bed for her, she highly doubted that this was his intention.

The longer she lay there, though, the more she realized that, in spite of everything, she was comfortable. Felix was so warm, and it was cozy being cuddled together under the blankets. If she closed her eyes, she could pretend, just for a moment, that Felix loved her and that this wasn't all some terrible mistake. Lulled by the warmth surrounding her and the sound of Felix's steady breathing, it didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep once again.

It all felt like a strange, pleasant dream, and she would have passed it off as such if it weren't for the fact that when Felix woke her as usual, she'd found herself in his bed. She’d initially been terrified that she had been discovered, but shockingly, Felix did not demand her to reveal herself, nor did he ever bring up the fact that they had been cuddling, even though he had to have noticed their positions when he’d woken up. Did he simply not care? Annette was almost tempted to ask him about it, but she couldn’t muster up the nerve to do so.

It all weighed heavily on her, and it was severely impacting her ability to focus. Her familiar surroundings and all the guards watching them weren’t helping matters, either. Even though she tried her best to not think about anything, the sight of Felix’s face kept dredging up memories of last night, and it caused her to have trouble parrying even the most lukewarm of Felix’s attacks.

“What’s with you today?” Felix asked. “I could have removed your head twenty times in the past three minutes."

"I'm sorry," Annette said softly.

Felix let out a long, resigned sigh. "We'll cut it here for now."

Annette looked at him in surprise. "Huh?!"

"There's no point in continuing if your head's not in it," said Felix.

"O-oh," Annette stammered. "I'm sorry."

"We all have our off days," said Felix. "Take some time to clear your head. We'll be leaving after we speak with the baron anyway."

"Okay."

Annette trudged over the nearest bench, knowing that even if Felix was going to let her off today, he wasn’t about to neglect his own training. She plopped herself down with a sigh and wiped her sweaty brow. She was positively filthy, and she hoped she would get a chance to freshen up a little before she saw her uncle again. She could have handled the matter herself if she went to Sylvain, but she wasn’t about to miss a chance to watch Felix do what he did best. Not only that, she wasn't exactly eager to see Sylvain after what had happened last night. She'd had enough of his teasing already.

Felix asked the spectating guardsmen if they were willing to indulge him with a spar, and surprisingly, many of them agreed. Annette wondered if they hoped for a chance to boast about facing the Wolf of Fraldarius in combat and living to tell the tale. If any of them seriously thought they could best Felix, then they were either arrogant or ignorant. Considering that most of the challengers were quite young, she suspected that it was a good deal of both.

As expected, it didn't look like anyone would have much of anything to boast about anytime soon. Felix may have lacked a nobleman's tongue, but he more than made up for it with his swordplay. He was so graceful and light on his feet that he could have made many a dancer envious. Combined with the way his sword flashed with every stroke, he was a sight to behold. Of course, the poor souls who had to face him in battle were too busy fighting for their lives to appreciate it. Annette counted herself lucky to be able to witness him like this.

She sighed heavily, feeling embarrassed at how ridiculously smitten she was. The whole reason she was sitting here was because she couldn’t get her feelings under control. If she couldn’t fix this soon, then Felix would notice for sure, and that would put her into more hot water. For the time being, though, Felix’s attention was not on her, and she supposed there was no harm in appreciating a view.

One by one, her uncle’s guardsmen found themselves knocked to the ground and held at swordpoint, disarmed, or both. Annette wondered if Felix was starting to get bored, but his expression remained inscrutable. Surprisingly, Felix’s repeated victories only seemed to make the remaining challengers even more determined. Perhaps they thought Felix would tire if enough of them fought him in a row. Annette heartily pitied them.

After a couple dozen challengers had been thrashed, her uncle's most fierce guardsman finally stepped into the fray. A ghost of a smirk appeared on Felix's face, and Annette swallowed. She had a feeling this was not going to go well for his opponent. And judging from how she had a sudden urge to fan herself, it wasn’t going to go well for her, either.

The two men clashed swords, but unlike the previous bouts, Felix’s challenger was putting up a considerable fight. His attacks were strong—so strong, in fact, that Felix’s arms visibly trembled as he parried them.

A crowd began to gather around to watch the spar, and Annette’s heart stuttered when she spotted her uncle among the spectators. Sylvain and Ingrid also showed up, and Annette quietly began to creep over to them. However, her efforts were foiled when her uncle called for her.

"Young man— Victor, was it?"

"Y-yes?!" she squeaked, and she cursed herself for making such a high-pitched sound. "Yes, that's me," she continued in a deeper voice.

"Come here for a moment," said her uncle.

Annette briefly considered bolting, but doing so would only make her look like she had something to hide. Luckily, Sylvain had noticed her distress and was subtly making his way over to her, but until he caught up, she was on her own. She slowly trudged toward her uncle and kept her hood high and her head low. "What is it, my lord?"

"How long have you been under Lord Felix's tutelage?" her uncle asked.

"Not long," she admitted. "A little more than a moon, I'd say."

"I see," said her uncle. "And what is your impression of him?"

"Erm, well, he's very strict, and he never minces his words. But he is not unkind."

Her uncle made a soft hum of acknowledgement. "He wishes to speak to me. I suppose I should oblige him after he has finished his business here."

Annette dared a glance up at him and was surprised at how pale he looked. Had part of his dinner last night been spoiled? Did Cornelia slip something into his drink under all their noses? Or did the mere thought of Felix leave him ill? She watched him return his attention to the ongoing battle and saw him shudder. She could understand the reaction. Felix was very formidable, after all, and just a moon ago, she would have reacted the same way.

She returned to watching the battle just in time to see Felix finally starting to get serious. His opponent, who had previously pushed Felix back with a flurry of strong blows, was now fully on the defensive and was hard-pressed to keep up. With just a few more precise hits, Felix sent his foe's sword flying.

"Weak," he said. Then he turned towards the spectators. "Sylvain."

Sylvain, who had nearly reached Annette at this point, froze. "F-Felix? What are you—"

"Grab your lance. I hope you put up a better fight than these fools."

Sylvain looked as if Felix had just challenged him to a duel to the death. Seeing that every eye was on him, however, he had no choice but to do as Felix asked. As the two of them squared off, Henri sighed and shook his head.

"What a man," he said. "It is a shame he holds no love for anything other than his blade. He would have made a fine nephew in-law otherwise."

Annette opened her mouth to retort, but quickly shut it again when she realized how ridiculous it was that she of all people was willing to jump in and defend Felix. The whole reason she was standing here right now was because she had drawn the exact same conclusion as her uncle. Who was she to criticize him?

At least she could make her escape now that his attention was on Felix and not her. She quietly crept away from him, but she didn't make it more than a few steps before she spotted Cornelia approaching. She frantically looked for a place to hide, but found nothing that didn't require her taking off at a full sprint.

"Quite the show they're putting on, wouldn't you say?" Cornelia asked as she slipped her arm through her husband's.

He hummed and nodded in agreement. "I wonder if that Fraldarius ever tires of fighting."

"He is the Wolf after all," Cornelia reminded him. "If anyone can find that disobedient niece of ours, it'll be him."

"I suppose," he replied.

"And what a man to do the deed," she purred. "I'm certain he'll come up with an appropriate punishment for her. Men of his ilk have the right sort of mindset for putting people in their place.”

Annette watched as her uncle freed himself from Cornelia's grip. “I pray he does not. Annette has suffered enough already.”

Cornelia’s smile quickly melted into disgust. “You always were too soft on her.”

“She’s like a daughter to me. I just wish I had been better to her in her time of need. And I deeply regret listening to you and allowing her to be betrothed to that beast of a man. I would have her with me now instead of wondering what horrible fate has befallen her.”

With that, her uncle walked away, leaving Cornelia to fume silently.

Annette returned her gaze to Felix and Sylvain's spar, pretending that she hadn't heard anything. Her uncle was right. If he hadn't listened to Cornelia, she never would have fled. But that also meant she never would have gotten to know Felix. And knowing what she knew now, she didn't think she wanted a life where that had never happened.

"Men," Cornelia spat. "But you're one of them too, aren't you?"

Annette stiffened and ducked her head, praying Cornelia wouldn't come any closer. Naturally, her prayers went unanswered, and Cornelia slipped her arm through Annette's just like she'd done with her uncle. There was no escaping now.

She found herself instinctively reaching for Felix's dagger, which was tucked in her boot, but forced herself to stop. An unprovoked attack on the baroness would only damn her.

“You’re the Wolf’s pupil,” said Cornelia. “What is he like? Have you seen him with any women other than our guest from House Galatea?”

Annette shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.

"Surely he's as cruel as the rumors say, if not more so. A man like that couldn't possibly have a shred of gentleness in him."

She sounded all too pleased by the prospect.

Annette swallowed and nodded, frantically trying to think of a way to free herself. She tried to subtly sidle away, but Cornelia's grip was like iron.

"You certainly are a skinny one," Cornelia said. "Tiny, too. I wouldn't have thought the Wolf would choose someone so physically limited."

Annette looked away, refusing to take the bait.

"Mm, so you refuse to talk and you refuse to show your face? Aren't you a rude little boy?"

It happened before Annette could blink. Cornelia snatched Annette's hood and yanked it off, and then grabbed Annette by the chin and wrenched her face around. Annette frantically scrambled for her hood, but it was too late. She was now face to face with her aunt with nothing to shield her.

"Well, well," Cornelia crooned. "What do we have here?"

Annette's blood ran cold, and she found herself unable to breathe. In the two years she'd spent hiding, she had never known terror like this. She wondered if she might just drop dead where she stood, because she was sure her heart was going to explode with how rapidly it was pounding in her chest.

"Hey, back off."

A gloved hand wrapped around Cornelia's wrist.

"I don't care if you're the baroness. I will not tolerate you harassing my student."

Annette didn't know how Felix had come to her rescue so quickly, but she was not about to complain. She managed to rip herself free, threw her hood back over her head, and leapt behind Felix's back. Even in her wildest dreams, she never imagined that he would have become her savior.

Despite that, she knew that it was too late. Cornelia had recognized her. Now it was simply a matter of when she would unmask her. Knowing Cornelia, it would be at the worst possible moment.

"My, my, Lord Felix," Cornelia sneered. "I never would have expected you to take in such a feminine student."

"I chose him because of his potential. Appearances aren't everything, you know," said Felix.

"True, appearances can be deceiving," Cornelia admitted. "I'm sure our little friend is far more than what meets the eye."

The smug smile on her face made Annette shudder.

"My lady, you should really choose some better company."

Like one of the saints sent from above, Sylvain appeared and gently grasped Cornelia's arm.

"Oh, you didn't have to interfere, my dear," Cornelia said smoothly. "We were just having a friendly chat."

"Yeah, well, things can go from friendly to unfriendly in no time when it comes to Felix," said Sylvain. "Why don't we head inside now? I, for one, have seen quite enough violence for one day."

Annette fought back a snort. From the looks of things, he'd experienced enough violence for one day, too. If Cornelia had her way, though, this was far from the last she'd see of violence. In fact, her ordeal was only beginning.

With Sylvain currently occupying Cornelia's attention, everyone headed inside for an early lunch. Ingrid was visibly displeased, and Annette prayed she would survive long enough to pay Sylvain back for diffusing a very dangerous situation.

The meal thankfully passed without major incident, but Henri was strangely absent. According to a servant that tried to fetch him, he wasn’t feeling well. Annette couldn't help but wonder if Cornelia had a hand in his sudden illness. She certainly had good reason to delay their departure. Even before she'd seen Annette's face, she'd held an unnerving interest in her. At least Felix was deterring Cornelia for now, but Annette knew it was only a matter of time before Cornelia pounced. Once that happened, there would be no one left to protect her.

Since they couldn't speak with the baron, Felix took Annette back to the training grounds for the afternoon. He asked if she was up for a spar, and she was more than happy to oblige. She needed something, anything to get her mind off her impending doom, and it was likely that this would be the last time she would get to spar with him.

She felt strangely sad at the thought.

Perhaps because of the finality of the situation, she performed better than she ever had before. She did her best to memorize Felix's proud smile, because she knew in her heart that she would never see it again.

Afternoon turned to evening, but Cornelia still hadn't made a move. She had to be biding her time so she could ensure Annette would suffer the worst possible fate. The anticipation ruined her appetite, and yet she forced herself to eat dinner if only to avoid further suspicion. Cornelia was very insistent that everyone should eat richly as an apology for Baron Dominic being too ill to join them.

Annette barely tasted anything, and after she finished, she felt so exhausted that she headed straight to bed. Oddly, the others were similarly fatigued. Felix once again guided her safely to his room and she bedded down on the floor. Only as she found herself drifting off did the thought that something wasn't quite right settled in her head, but her consciousness faded away before she could think about it any further.

When she awoke, her awareness returned slowly, and even then, her head felt strangely fuzzy. She shifted a little, but her body refused to move the way she wanted it to. Her wrists seemed to be stuck together, which was frustrating because she really wanted to rub the sleepiness away from her eyes.

"Good morning, my dear."

Annette jolted and immediately opened her eyes. She tried to sit up, but once again, she could not separate her wrists, which led to her falling back down on the floor. She then attempted to move her legs, but they too, were tied together at the ankles. Even her cry of alarm was stifled by a cloth gag that had been shoved into her mouth.

Panic rushed through her as she realized where she was and what had happened. It was quickly replaced with cold terror when a pair of familiar heels entered her vision and a slender hand grabbed her chin in a vice grip and yanked her face upward.

Cold blue eyes met hers and a cruel smile spread across a face as beautiful as it was dangerous.

"It's certainly been a long time, Annette."

Chapter Text

When Felix awoke, his head felt strangely heavy. He tried to recall what happened, but his memory of the previous evening was fuzzy. He remembered that the baron once again failed to appear at dinner, so they all ate without him, and then…

He shot straight up in bed. Even a full day's worth of training wouldn't have left him like this. The food must have been drugged. He looked down at the floor, only to see that his worst fears were confirmed.

Victor was gone. All that remained were her blanket and pillow, the dagger he’d given her, and a single piece of paper.

Felix swore. He'd been careless, and now Victor was paying the price for his mistake. He scrambled off the bed and snatched up the paper, already suspecting what it contained.

If you want to see your student again, come to my chambers alone. If you fail to comply, I cannot guarantee any unfortunate accidents will not occur.

Cornelia Dominic

Felix snarled and crumpled the paper in his hands. He knew Cornelia had been behind this. The only question now was her aim. What did she have to gain from drugging everyone and kidnapping Victor from under his nose?

One thing was certain, however. He had to save Victor before Cornelia ripped her to shreds.

From how she acted yesterday, Cornelia had already discerned Victor's true identity. That was yet another failure on Felix's part. He'd been so focused on his spar that he hadn't noticed Cornelia swoop in until it was too late. Even though he managed to cross the training grounds in record time thanks to the panic surging through his veins, he wasn’t able to reach Cornelia until she already had Victor's face in her claws.

The fact that she chose to not unmask Victor right then and there bothered Felix immensely. He didn't know what sort of game she was playing, but he vowed to keep Victor close and Cornelia far away for as long as they stayed in Dominic. However, he hadn't anticipated Cornelia pulling something as brazen as drugging their dinner. The fact that she had managed to set up her scheme within a matter of hours meant that she had pulled off a similar plan before. She also must have had a large supply of poison and medicine readily available to her. Doubtless that Baron Dominic's sudden illness was her doing as well.

Felix wondered how many shady dealings Cornelia had made underneath her husband's nose, and how many mysterious deaths and disappearances had been her doing. He'd severely underestimated just how dangerous she was. If he didn't act fast, he had no doubt that Victor would become yet another of her victims.

He dressed as quickly as he could, grabbed his dagger and his sword, and burst into the hallway. He spotted a servant nearby and demanded that she direct him to Cornelia's chambers. The servant, though wide-eyed and fearful, did so without hesitation. Felix suspected Cornelia had ordered her to stand by his bedchamber for this very purpose.

It took only moments for him to reach Cornelia's private chambers. He flung the door open as easily as if it were made of paper. Inside, he found exactly what he expected and feared.

Cornelia, sitting primly with her legs crossed, a cup of tea in one hand and a knife in the other.

And Victor lying tied up, gagged, and helpless on Cornelia’s lap.

"Well, well, look who's right on time," Cornelia said without looking up from her teacup.

"What do you want?" Felix demanded.

Cornelia chuckled softly. "Someone is certainly lacking in manners. "Barging into a lady's chambers without so much as knocking, and then making demands of her. He's quite brutish, wouldn't you say, Victor?"

Victor could only make a faint whimper through the cloth covering her mouth.

"If I'm brutish, then you're a monster," Felix growled. "You drugged everyone at dinner last night and kidnapped my student. Those are the actions of only the vilest of people."

"Oh, did you enjoy my little present?" Cornelia asked coyly. "I just wanted to ensure everyone slept soundly. You've all been such wonderful guests."

"Enough of your games," Felix snarled, placing his hand on his sword. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you here and now."

He would have done so already, but he could make no moves with that knife barely a centimeter away from Victor’s neck. One mistake, and Victor would be dead.

"I'll do you one better. I'll show you," Cornelia said, setting down her teacup. She stood up and lifted Victor by the back of her shirt. "Might you be interested in just who you've been harboring under your wing for the past moon or so?"

Terror flashed through Victor's eyes, and Felix had to force himself to stay still even though every inch of his being screamed at him to rush to her side. He needn't have bothered, however, as before he could blink, Cornelia’s knife flashed through the air and sliced through the front of Victor's shirt. Cornelia then pulled the tattered remains of the clothing aside, ensuring that Victor's breasts were clearly visible.

"I present to you the errant lady of House Dominic, Annette."

She then flung the girl to the floor like a rag doll, where she skidded for several feet before she lay still. Felix could do nothing but gape at his student as she trembled at his feet. Annette? Victor was really Annette Dominic? But that was impossible! There was no way that weak-willed coward could have lived long enough to pull such a brilliant, if foolish, scheme.

Was there?

"All this time, the girl who'd scorned you has been hiding right under your nose," said Cornelia. "I can't say I'm surprised. She's always been a disobedient child. Surely you aren't going to let her deception slide."

Felix said nothing. He was still trying to reconcile that his wayward fiancée and his clumsy yet courageous student were one and the same. His first instinct was to reject the notion. Cornelia could easily have been lying in order to turn him against Victor, and he couldn't picture Victor being the coward who didn’t have enough guts to face him.

Then again, Victor certainly had been terrified of him at first.

He pursed his lips, recalling just how badly Victor reacted whenever she so much as laid eyes on Felix. It was a different sort of terror than what Marianne had displayed, and one he saw again when he'd pressed her on whatever she was hiding. If she really was Annette Dominic, then she certainly had good reason to be so afraid.

One by one, he turned the facts over in his head. Victor fled from some unpleasant place, concealed her true identity and her gender, and wound up in Garreg Mach as Alois's squire. Well, Dominic was certainly unpleasant enough, considering that the baroness was a witch of the vilest degree, and given Victor's apprehension about coming here, she was obviously familiar with the place. Furthermore, Victor's choice to disguise herself as a young boy made a lot more sense if she was trying to escape from not only Dominic, but also someone who'd publicly vowed to slay her if he ever found her.

He dragged his hand down his face. It was too much. The woman he’d fallen in love with and the woman he was betrothed to were the same person. Countless emotions collided and twisted and fought for dominance inside him. Among them were anger, shock, and betrayal, but he also felt a strange sense of relief. The person he had to marry was someone he wanted to marry.

However, that relief was soon overtaken by despair. Annette had rejected him once before, and since she maintained her ruse even after he’d made it clear that he wouldn’t kill her, she hadn’t changed her mind. His heart sank into the depths of a black abyss and shriveled like a dying flower.

“What’s the matter, Lord Felix? Aren’t you going to exact your vengeance?”

Cornelia’s voice abruptly dragged him back to reality. He’d almost forgotten the reason why he was here. He looked down at Victor, no, Annette again and made up his mind. He drew his dagger and tried to ignore the way his heart clenched as Annette flinched in terror. He then knelt down, and with one careful motion, sliced the ropes binding Annette’s wrists.

Cornelia’s reaction was immediate. “What are you doing?”

"I told you before: the only thing more cowardly than running away is tormenting the defenseless." He then sliced Annette's ankles free and said, "Come on, get up."

Annette moved as if she were in a daze. She slowly sat up and stared at Felix as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She was so out of sorts that she didn't seem to realize that she was still gagged or that her bare chest was still exposed.

Feeling his face burn, he quickly found a wall to stare at, tugged his coat off, and thrust it in her direction. "You should, um, cover up."

He felt the weight of his coat leave his hands and didn't dare look away from the wall until he stopped hearing any rustling. As expected, the coat was far too big for her, but at least it protected her modesty. She also apparently regained enough sense to remove her gag.

"It seems I was terribly mistaken," Cornelia snarled. "I would have thought one such as you would be more than happy to strike down a pathetic little liar, but it looks like I'll have to see to her myself. Just like I did to her mother."

"What?" Annette said breathlessly.

Cornelia smiled cruelly. "I poisoned her. Just a sprinkle in her drink each night. It never takes much to kill one such as that."

Annette swayed and toppled over backward, but Felix caught her before she could she could hit the floor. He then helped her to her feet and fixed Cornelia with the deadliest glare he could muster up.

"You're the lowest," he growled.

"Am I? I daresay you would have done the same," said Cornelia. "After all, didn't you vow to kill Annette on sight?"

Felix replied without missing a beat. "I lied. I don't kill for the fun of it."

"Neither do I," said Cornelia. "I kill to rid the world of weaklings. I'd have taken care of Annette a long time ago, but of course the little brat just had to possess a Minor Crest of Dominic. She might have made a good tool if only she weren't so disobedient. Unfortunately, a young girl with a Crest suddenly passing away from illness would be a little too suspicious. But if she were to succumb to an unfortunate accident on the way to meet the man she was betrothed to…" She chuckled. "Well, no one would think twice about it."

Felix felt his blood run cold. He could scarcely believe the depths of this woman's depravity. Had Annette not run away, she would be dead right now.

"I can't… I can't believe you!" Annette cried. "You killed my mother and tried to kill me for no reason but your own selfishness?! I… I'll never forgive you!"

She was trembling again, but this time from fury rather than fear. Felix's heart filled with warmth at her courage, and seeing how Cornelia needed to be stopped before she killed again, he knew there was only one thing to do.

He took Annette's hand and placed his dagger in it.

Annette looked over her shoulder at him, bewilderment written all over her face. "Wha—"

"This is your fight," he said. "It's high time you paid this vipress back for killing your mother and for everything else she did to you."

"But—"

"I didn't spend all that time training you for you to not use those skills in times of need. Go on. You have the skill and the courage to take her down."

Annette's shock slowly morphed into determination. She nodded firmly, turned back towards Cornelia, and readied her stance the way Felix had taught her.

"Now this is rich!" Cornelia cackled. "You honestly think you can defeat me?"

"I'm not the same girl you ground under your heel two years ago," said Annette.

"Really?" Cornelia asked. "I'd be more than happy to put that to the test. Let's see how quickly I can make you scream!"

Cornelia lunged forward, knife drawn, but Annette was ready. She leapt out of the way of the blade and grabbed Cornelia by the wrist. She twisted it firmly and Cornelia released a pained yelp as she dropped her knife.

Cornelia wasn't done, though. She fisted her free hand and aimed it squarely at Annette's face. Annette had to duck out of the way and accidentally released Cornelia in the process. Cornelia quickly retrieved her knife and lunged at Annette again. Annette managed another quick dodge, but this time Cornelia lashed her knife around in a frenzied assault, and Annette was hard pressed to keep up.

Cornelia managed to nick Annette's cheek, and Felix was ready to step in and help when Annette held her hands in front of her defensely. Her hands glowed and she cried out as a burst of green light emerged from them and smacked straight into Cornelia and knocked her to the floor. It was so powerful that even Felix could feel the wind it produced from across the room. For a moment, Annette stared at her hands in disbelief, but she snapped back to her senses when Cornelia groaned in pain. She dashed over to Cornelia, climbed on top of her, and held Felix’s dagger to Cornelia's throat.

Cornelia yelled many words that a lady of her station would normally be appalled to hear. Annette, to her credit, took it all in stride.

"I could say the same to you," she said. "Now should I slay you here, or do I leave you to my uncle?"

"He'll never believe I killed your mother," Cornelia said. "There were no witnesses and I left no evidence."

"I should kill you," Annette growled. "I would be more than justified in doing so."

"I dare you," Cornelia replied. "Let's see how your uncle reacts to you committing cold blooded murder under his own roof."

At that moment, the sound of someone clearing their throat echoed through the chamber. Felix turned towards it, and to his surprise, an ashen-faced Baron Dominic stood in the doorway. Felix wondered how long the baron had been there, as he hadn’t heard him approach.

Cornelia let out another screech, and without a second thought, Felix grabbed the remains of the ropes Cornelia had used to tie up Annette and used them to help Annette secure Cornelia. It wasn’t easy with how much Cornelia struggled, but eventually, they managed to tie Cornelia’s hands behind her back.

"I'll kill you both for this!" she snarled.

"I'd like to see you try," Annette taunted.

Cornelia smiled, which made Felix reconsider leaving her alive. In the end, though, he decided to leave her fate up to Annette. If Annette thought leaving her aunt to rot in a dungeon was enough, then he would support her decision.

"Fear not, Annette," said Baron Dominic. "She will hurt you no longer."

"Uncle," Annette said, her eyes filling with tears.

The baron swept Annette into a tight embrace, and Felix decided to give them some space. Even then, he felt like he was intruding as the two exchanged apologies and tender words. After several moments, Annette pulled away from her uncle and gave Felix a nervous look.

"I suppose," she began. "That the two of us have some unfinished business."

Felix hoped his surprise wasn't obvious. In the chaos Cornelia had caused, he had forgotten about having to confront Annette about her deception. Now that Cornelia had been taken care of, however, there was no running away from the truth.

Or certain rejection.

"We do," he said carefully.

Annette glanced over at the still struggling Cornelia. "Shall we discuss this elsewhere?"

"Gladly."

Baron Dominic escorted Annette to another room so that she could change into something that wasn’t torn up. When she returned, Felix did a double take. There was no question that the person who stood in front of him was a woman now. The green dress she now wore suited her perfectly, and even though her hair was still boyishly short and messy, she was a sight to behold. It was going to make what he needed to do next even more difficult.

After Annette returned Felix’s coat to him, the two of them headed outside to the garden. It was secluded enough to give them privacy but still accessible enough that the baron could keep a close eye on them and call the guards if Felix tried anything. Felix couldn't blame him for his suspicion, given everything that had happened.

Annette sighed heavily as she sat on a nearby bench. "You can yell at me now, if you wish."

Felix blinked, but quickly realized that of course she thought he'd be livid. "I'm not going to yell at you."

"Why not?!" Annette exclaimed. “I deceived you, I lied to you, and everything that’s happened has been all my fault! You should hate me!”

“I did hate you,” Felix admitted quietly. “At least, I hated what I thought you were."

Annette looked like she couldn't believe her ears. "What?"

"I hated it, you know. When you ran away. I told myself you were a coward and said that I would kill you if I ever found you because it was easier than facing the truth."

"The truth?"

"That being rejected hurts."

"Oh," Annette said softly.

"It only got worse from there," Felix continued. "People kept talking about you. Your name haunted me no matter where I went. And just when I thought I'd be free of you forever, I was forced to track you down to avoid an even worse outcome."

Annette lowered her head, her face ridden with guilt. Felix felt his heart squeeze, but he forced himself to go on.

"But then I found out I'd been harboring the person I was looking for for over a moon. Someone I never would have suspected in my wildest dreams. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe I'd been deceived. But in the end, I was… relieved."

"Relieved?" Annette repeated. "Why?"

"Because it meant the person I had to marry and the person I wanted to marry were one and the same."

Annette went very red in the face. "You… You… You WHAT?!"

"I know you must think I'm lying, but it's true," said Felix. "I've… liked you for a while now. I didn't care that you were a boy. The real issue was your supposed age and the fact that you were my student. Even if I wasn't already engaged, it wouldn't have been right to court you."

"You… You like me?" Annette squeaked.

Felix grimaced, feeling his cheeks burn. "D-don't make me say it again."

"Even after everything I've done?"

"I won't deny that it hurt to learn that you'd lied to me," said Felix. "But I understand why you did it, considering my… everything. So, I won't force you to marry me."

"Y-you're giving me a choice?" asked Annette. “But if I say no, you’ll be right back where you started!”

“I know,” said Felix. “But it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“What do you mean, ‘it doesn’t matter’?!” Annette exclaimed, and Felix was surprised at how upset she sounded. “All that work, and you’re just going to give up at the end?!”

“That’s not what I mean!” Felix snapped.

“Then what do you mean?”

“There’s no point to it if you’re going to be miserable!”

Annette recoiled as if he’d slapped her. She stared at him wide-eyed as he growled and cursed himself for losing his temper again. He sighed deeply and did his best to compose himself before continuing.

“I… I don’t want to marry you if it would mean forcing you into something you don’t want. After seeing what Cornelia’s done to you, I can’t in good conscience try to force you into anything.”

He couldn’t bring himself to tell her that a marriage to her would be an empty one if she didn’t want him.

“Lord Felix…” she whispered.

“I know I’m not a pleasant person to be around,” he said. “I’m not good with words and even worse with feelings. I have an awful temper and I’d sooner stab someone than try diplomacy. I wouldn’t blame you if you said no.”

Annette was silent for a moment. Then she stood up from the bench, walked over to him, and poked his nose.

“You are. An idiot.”

He was so surprised that he could only blink stupidly at her. "What?"

"First, I can’t believe Felix ‘stubborn as hell’ Fraldarius would ever consider giving up," she asked. “And second, why are you so sure I'll say no?”

"B-because you already did before," he replied. “And you maintained your disguise even when I told you I’d be looking for you, and not to kill you.”

“W-well, that’s because… I thought you’d hate me if you knew the truth.”

Felix found himself at a loss for words. Of course she would think he’d hate her, considering he’d made no effort to hide his disgust whenever her real name was mentioned. Then the true nature of her words suddenly dawned on him. Was she saying that she kept her disguise because she didn’t want him to hate her? Against his will, something sparked deep within his heart. Something he hadn’t felt in a very, very long time.

Hope.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I said a lot of terrible things in front of you, and you just endured it all silently.”

“You weren’t wrong, though,” Annette said softly. “I knew what I had to do, and yet I still chose to run and hide.”

"No, I was wrong," said Felix. "You threw your entire life away, tricked countless people into thinking you were a boy for two years, endured my training regimen for over a moon without complaint, kept your cool even when blood was being spilt around you, and took down Cornelia with nothing but your own skill. If that isn't strength and courage, then I don't know what is."

"Lord Felix…"

"Just 'Felix' is fine. You're not my student anymore. You're my equal."

Her look of surprise gradually morphed into a shy smile that made his heart skip a beat. "All right… Felix."

He coughed and turned his head in a lame attempt to conceal his flaming cheeks. "So… What's your answer?"

"Answer?" she repeated.

"Are you going to marry me or not?"

Annette smiled again, a smile so brilliant and lovely that Felix felt as though he'd been shot in the heart. It was a good thing that she had never smiled like that while she'd been disguised. His poor heart would never have survived.

"Well," she began, her eyes shining with both happiness and mischief. "Since you're not going to kill me, I guess you'll just have to wed me."

Felix gaped at her and resisted the urge to pinch himself. He had to make sure that she was serious about this. She didn't sound like she was joking, but it couldn't hurt to ask. "Is that really what you want?"

"It is," she said simply.

The tiny spark inside Felix's heart ignited and grew into a roaring flame. Warmth flooded him from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. A fluttery feeling accompanied it, and he found that he was unable to contain it. He waited breathlessly as it burst forth.

"By the saints," Annette breathed. "You smiled."

Felix reached up to touch his mouth and was startled to find that she was right. And it wasn't the smile he made when he clashed swords with a worthy opponent. It was something different; something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Was this… joy?

"You should smile more," said Annette. "It suits you."

"Sh-shut up," he grumbled.

"What are you getting embarrassed for?"

"I said, shut up. Now, let's go find Ingrid and Sylvain. Since you made up your mind, it's high time we got out of here."

"Um, about that…"

He turned to face her again and frowned at her worried expression. "What's wrong?"

"Well, there's actually one more reason why I didn't reveal myself," Annette admitted.

"What's that?" asked Felix.

"I was assisting Lord Sylvain in the matters of the heart. I didn't want to return to Fraldarius until he'd settled those matters."

"What?" Felix breathed. All of a sudden, he remembered all those times Sylvain and Victor—or rather, Annette—had been whispering fervently to each other. "That's what the two of you have been talking about at night?"

"That and… my own situation," said Annette. "Lord Sylvain figured out who I really was almost right away."

"Of course," Felix groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That idiot…"

“He is a fool,” Annette agreed. “But he’s not so different from me. I think he just needs a push in the right direction.”

“Ingrid’s been trying to do that for years,” Felix said with a sigh. “Makes me wonder why he went to you and not— Wait. It’s Ingrid, isn’t it?”

“So you noticed, too," said Annette. "Yes. He's terribly smitten with her."

"I knew he was acting stranger than usual, but saints," Felix groaned, dragging his hand down his face. "He is such a fool. I guess I have no right to criticize him, though."

Annette giggled softly. "No, I suppose not."

"All right. Before we leave, we'll try to get Sylvain to confess to Ingrid without her killing him in return."

"Sounds good! Well, aside from the whole killing part."

"It'll be fine. We're more than a match for her."

"'We'?"

Felix gave her a serious look. "Don't tell me you already forgot how you took your aunt down one-on-one."

"That's— I—"

"Don't discount yourself," said Felix. "You went from barely being able to hold a sword properly to holding your own in a fight for your life in just over a moon. Sure, you still have plenty of room for improvement, but that's what I'm here for."

"Y-you mean…"

"Of course I'm going to keep training you. Like hell I'm going to let your skill go to waste after what you accomplished today. And…" He swallowed and felt his cheeks flame anew. "W-well, if you're going to be my partner in life, I'd like you as my partner in battle, too."

The next thing he knew, a pair of arms flung around him and a body crashed into him with so much force that he nearly lost his balance. He instinctively wrapped his arms around the offender and looked down into a pair of blue eyes sparkling with tears.

"I'd like nothing more," Annette whispered.

Felix's heart was beating so fast that he was sure it was going to explode, and yet he couldn't help but be struck by how right this felt. It was simultaneously wonderful and terrifying. He watched, mesmerized, as his hand moved and tucked a few stray strands of Annette’s shorn hair behind her ear with a gentleness he didn’t know he possessed.

That this brave, exceptional woman wanted to marry him of her own free will was beyond anything he could have dreamed. Even now, a part of him was convinced he would soon wake up back in his room in Fraldarius, alone and miserable. Nothing ever worked out as nicely as it did in tales of chivalry, after all. But as Annette continued to slowly squeeze the life out of him and his surroundings remained blessedly solid, he allowed himself to think that maybe it was all right to believe in miracles.

There was still a lot that he needed to sort out, but all of it could wait. Right now, he was content to bask in the warmth filling him inside and out. Surely no one would begrudge him for wanting to spend time with his fianceé.

He fought back a chuckle. He never thought he’d see the day when that word didn’t fill him with dread.

Chapter Text

"You have got to be kidding me."

The look of disbelief on Ingrid's face was almost comical. Annette could hardly blame her. Even she was having a hard time believing anything that had happened since she woke up this morning had been real. She'd been drugged, kidnapped, and unmasked in the most humiliating way possible, and yet Felix did not scorn her. In fact, it was the opposite: he wanted her.

Despite that, he still gave her the option to turn him down. It actually made her very upset. He was willing to throw Marianne and Dimitri’s happiness and all the work he had done away for her sake? At the same time, though, she recognized that him giving her a choice in the matter showed that he truly cared for her. He was an idiot—and she made sure to tell him as such—but the sentiment was very sweet.

Not so long ago, she never would have imagined using the word "sweet" to describe the Wolf of Fraldarius. To be fair, he certainly lived up to his fearsome title, but he was so much more than that. She felt privileged to be able to see the tender heart underneath his fearsome and prickly exterior, and she had Cornelia of all people to thank for it.

Now Cornelia was safely locked away in the dungeon, and Annette no longer had to hide herself or fear for her life. On top of that, Felix was now officially courting her. So far, it only amounted to him returning her earlier hug and shyly offering his hand to her before they left to see Ingrid and Sylvain, but considering how both of those actions had turned him into a blushing mess, it was a start.

When he had said he was more comfortable holding a sword than a woman’s hand, this was not what she had in mind. The fact that the same man who didn't hesitate to cut down whoever crossed him with either his blade or his tongue got so flustered over something so simple was endearing. He was clearly trying his best for her sake, though, and his grip was warm and gentle. She hadn't been able to stop her own blush from creeping across her face as they walked hand in hand. This was something she could get used to.

The downside to their new relationship was that they now had to break the news to everyone, and Ingrid had been the unfortunate first victim. She was still gaping as she looked between Felix and Annette. Sylvain, on the other hand, took the whole matter in stride.

"Ingy, you're gonna swallow a fly at this rate," he said.

Naturally, this caused her to turn on him. "Sylvain! You knew what was really going on, didn't you?!"

"Guilty as charged," Sylvain admitted, scratching the back of his head. "In my defense, Annette was convinced that Felix would kill her, and I wasn't about to ignore a pretty girl in distress."

Annette managed to resist clapping her hand to her face. Even now, Sylvain could not resist slipping back into his old habits. He was supposed to be trying to win Ingrid over, not make her even more irate with him!

"Why am I not surprised?" Ingrid groaned. "You never change."

Sylvain, having clearly realized his mistake, looked crestfallen. "Ingrid…"

"Forget it," she said. "Actually, I figured out 'Victor' was a girl a while ago."

"How long have you known?" Felix asked with a frown.

"Since before we left Fhirdiad," she replied. "That's why I didn't like her getting close to you. I knew she was deceiving you. I just didn't know to what end."

"I'm sorry," said Annette. "I didn't mean to cause you so much worry, but I didn't have a choice. I was certain that my discovery would mean my death."

"You're lucky I didn't decide to kill you anyway," said Ingrid. "But without any proof of wrongdoing, I had to stay my hand, or else Felix would have killed me."

"I appreciate your restraint, my lady," said Annette.

"I still can't believe you managed to pretend to be a boy for so long," Ingrid continued. "How did anyone not notice something was off for two years? How did you not notice anything, Felix?"

"Um," Felix began, going very pink in the face. "I had my suspicions almost from the start."

Everyone turned to stare at him, and the subsequent chorus of "You did not" made his ears turn an even brighter shade of red.

"All right," he conceded. "I didn't know for certain until yesterday."

Now it was Annette's turn to blush. He figured out she was a girl yesterday? He must have discovered the truth when they shared the bed. Yet despite discovering that she had lied to him and how bad the situation must have looked, he had decided to pretend he knew nothing in order to protect her. What did she do to deserve such a kind man?

"I can't believe you," Ingrid groaned.

"Hey, all's well that ends well, right?" said Sylvain. "Fe may not be able to notice a pretty girl when one's standing right in front of him, but at least he figured out that she meant no harm."

"Sylvain. Shut up," Felix growled.

"Well, anyway, now that we've found Lady Annette—or rather, found that she's been with us the whole time—I guess that means our job is done," said Ingrid. "We should return to Fhirdiad as soon as possible and tell His Majesty the good news."

"Not yet," said Felix. "There's something I need to attend to first."

"What?" Ingrid yelped. "What could be more important than reporting to His Majesty?"

"I…" He began to blush again. "I want a chance to court Annette without my old man or the boar breathing down my neck."

Annette gave a start. This was his plan for buying time to help Sylvain?

Ingrid looked similarly stunned. "You're serious, aren't you? Seiros. I never thought I'd see the day when Felix Hugo Fraldarius wanted to court anyone. You really do love her."

Felix's only response was an embarrassed grunt.

"He's been whipped for a while," Sylvain interjected. "Have you seen the way he looks at her when they're training together?"

"Sylvain," Felix growled warningly.

Annette looked at him in surprise. She hadn't noticed Felix looking at her any differently while they were training, but on the other hand, she had been more focused on her technique than on him. The fact that Sylvain had managed to notice Felix's expression from afar and she hadn't showed just how much tunnel vision she had.

"Do you even know how you're going to court her?" asked Ingrid. "And no, sparring for a few hours doesn't count."

"I know that," Felix growled.

"Please don't force yourself for my sake, Felix," Annette cut in. "You've already endured so much because of what I've done."

"I'm not forcing myself," said Felix. "I've wanted to court you for a while now. I just wasn't allowed to do so for obvious reasons."

"Oh," Annette said in a small voice.

"Well, I hope for Lady Annette's sake that you know what you're doing," said Ingrid. "I won't forgive you if you wind up hurting her with one of your callous comments.”

"Neither would I," Felix murmured.

"You know, Fe, I'm more than willing to give you some tips," said Sylvain.

"Don't you dare!" Ingrid exclaimed.

"What?" Sylvain asked. "Felix wouldn't know how to charm a woman if his life depended on it!"

Felix bristled at that, and Annette had to admit that Sylvain was at least partially correct. She couldn't see Felix charming any woman, at least not in the traditional way. Even so, he was clearly trying for her sake, and she couldn't help but feel flattered that he considered her worth the effort.

"I'm willing to give him a chance," she said.

“All right,” Ingrid conceded with a sigh. “I guess it can’t hurt to let him try. But if he wrongs you in any way, let me know and I will kick his ass.”

Felix rolled his eyes. “If it comes to that, she can kick my ass herself. She already took down Cornelia in spectacular fashion.”

"So you mentioned," said Ingrid. "How did you manage to pull that off anyway, Lady Annette?"

"Well," Annette began as she fiddled with her fingers. "I didn't really think about it. I just reacted the way Felix taught me. And in the heat of the moment, I wound up tapping into my magic. It wasn't very controlled, but it was enough to throw Cornelia off balance."

"Off balance? You knocked her to the ground," Felix pointed out. "She underestimated you, and she paid for it. And now we know you have another weapon to hone and master. I don't know anything about magic, but I'm sure we can find you a proper teacher."

Annette looked at him in surprise. “Felix…”

“Oh, saints,” Ingrid groaned. “Training really is all you think about, is it?”

“If she has the ability, I don’t see why she shouldn’t try to master it,” said Felix. "It's only fair after Cornelia tried to stamp it out of her."

"And I want to learn!" Annette added. "Felix has spent all this time protecting me, and I want to be able to protect him, too.”

“I can protect us both,” Felix grumbled.

“Don’t give me that!” Annette exclaimed. “If we’re going to be partners, then we need to look after each other! And that includes in battle!”

Sylvain barked a laugh as Felix reddened again. "She's got you there, Fe."

"Shut up," Felix grumbled.

"Well, I stand corrected," said Ingrid. "It looks to me like you should have no problem handling Felix."

"We're leaving," Felix growled before putting his arm around Annette's shoulders and gently urging her along. She squeaked in surprise as she found herself unceremoniously escorted away.

"Aw, I get it. The new couple needs their alone time," Sylvain crooned.

Though she could not see it, Annette could perfectly picture the glare Felix shot Sylvain over his shoulder. It was a reaction that once frightened her, but now she could only laugh.

"What's so funny?" Felix asked.

"Oh, nothing," she replied. "It's just… Lord Sylvain is very bold, isn't he?"

“He’s a fool, that’s what he is,” said Felix. “He should know better than to test me like that.”

“I’m sure he’ll be paying for his slight later,” said Annette.

“He will. And he has far more to answer to as well.”

Annette raised an eyebrow at him. “Did he not pay enough yesterday?”

“Nowhere near enough.”

“Oh my,” Annette said. “I don’t envy him at all.”

Felix snorted, but otherwise remained quiet as they continued to walk. Eventually, they made their way back outside, where Felix asked if Annette was up for a spar. She couldn't help but smile. Even after all of the morning's excitement and drama, he was as diligent as ever. How could she not indulge him after she agreed to be his partner both on and off the battlefield?

Their swords clashed repeatedly in a now familiar dance, but the situation had changed. They were no longer just teacher and student; they were soon to be husband and wife. Absently, Annette wondered how many other women sparred with their future husbands. She imagined a lot of noble ladies would be scandalized at the very thought.

An hour later, Annette was breathing hard and dripping with sweat. As always, Felix looked as fresh as if he'd just awoken from a full night's sleep, but she was used to it by now. She would have been happy to keep going, but a loud growl from her stomach put a halt to that notion. Felix immediately took notice and took her to the dining hall for breakfast. With Cornelia safely in the dungeon, Annette had no qualms about taking as many muffins and pastries as she could.

"Don't overdo it," Felix warned. "You don't want to end up with a hurty tum again."

Annette nearly choked on the muffin she had just bitten into. "You still remember that?!"

"It's a catchy song," Felix said simply.

"You've got to be kidding me," she moaned. "This is so embarrassing…"

Felix had the gall to look confused. "Why?"

"Because it's stupid!" Annette exclaimed. "It's bad enough that you overheard in the first place, but out of everything it just had to be the song about my tummy ache! Why couldn't it have been the box song or the dungeon song or… or… anything else?"

"You have more songs?" Felix asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Um… Yes?" she replied unsurely.

"I'd love to hear them, if you don't mind."

Annette's muffin slid out of her hand and landed with a thunk on the table. She searched Felix's face for any sign that this was all some elaborate joke, never mind that Felix was not the type to joke around. His expression remained dead serious.

"I haven't been able to stop hearing your voice since that day," he said. "I even hear it in my dreams. It's almost like… like I'm your captive."

"M-my captive?!" Annette cried, feeling all her blood rush to her face. "H-how can you say something like that with a straight face?!"

“What do you want me to say?” Felix asked, tugging a lock of his hair in frustration. “I can’t— I’m not… I’m not good at this.”

“N-no! That’s not what I mean!” Annette exclaimed. “It was just a little overwhelming, that’s all. I never expected you of all people to say something like… that.”

Felix grunted and turned to stare at a wall, his ears turning crimson again. “Forget I said anything, then.”

"No, it's fine," said Annette. "I mean… If that's how you feel, then I guess I could sing for you."

"Really?" Felix asked, and Annette was taken aback at how hopeful he sounded.

"B-but only in private!" she hastily added. "It's still really embarrassing!"

"Fine with me," he said with a shrug. "I'll wait as long as you need. But… I'm looking forward to it."

Annette found herself reddening again. "H-hey, I thought you were supposed to be courting me. If anyone should be singing songs, it’s you.”

“I don’t sing,” Felix said simply.

“Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me,” said Annette.

“Are you disappointed?”

“No. Well, maybe a little, but I don’t want you to twist yourself into knots trying to please me.”

Felix's expression turned serious. "Annette. You spent an entire moon indulging me, and two years pretending to be something you're not because of me. If anyone's twisting themselves into knots, it's you."

"But you just said—"

"I don't sing because I'm bad," Felix interrupted. "If I knew I wouldn't make your ears beg for mercy, and if it would make you happy, then I'd sing for you."

Annette gasped. "What's this? The Wolf of Fraldarius admitting a weakness?"

"Don't get used to it," he grumbled.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Annette said with a smile. "But surely it can't be that bad, can it?"

Felix closed his eyes and sighed. "My professor at the Officer's Academy made me attend choir once. After that one time, I was banned from ever attending again."

"No way!" Annette exclaimed.

"It's true. Sylvain, Ingrid, and the boar— I mean, Dimitri can all confirm it. Sylvain still brings it up from time to time."

“Oh my,” said Annette. “That sounds like Lord Sylvain, all right.”

“He never learns,” Felix grumbled.

“Well then,” Annette began. “If singing is out of the question, what else do you have in mind to court me?”

“I have a few ideas,” Felix said vaguely.

Well, that was something, at least. Encouraged, Annette returned to her breakfast. If nothing else, she was confident that Felix’s attempts at courting would be interesting.

When they finished eating, Felix once again took her by the hand to escort her. He led her back to their shared room, blushing all the while, and had Annette sit on the bed while he locked the door.

"There. No one should bother us now," he said.

"Felix? What are you planning?" Annette asked as he joined her on the bed.

"I just…" He growled and scratched the back of his head. "I just want to talk."

“Talk? About what?”

“About… you.”

“M-me?!”

“We’ve known each other for a while now, but I realize that I don’t know that much about you,” Felix explained. “And a good deal of what you did tell me was a lie.”

“Oh,” Annette said in a small voice.

“Don’t misunderstand me,” Felix said quickly. “I know you did it to protect yourself. But since you don’t have to hide anymore, I’d like to hear the truth from you. If you’re willing to tell me, I mean.”

"Oh," Annette said again. "W-well, there's not that much to tell you that my uncle already hasn't. And it's not terribly interesting."

"I don't care. I want to hear it from you."

Annette swallowed, feeling heat creep into her face again. "All right, if you insist."

She launched into her life story, starting with her childhood in Fhirdiad. When she mentioned that her father had left her and her mother, Felix was incensed. He couldn’t believe that her father would abandon his family like that. He became even angrier when Annette said that she had found her father at Garreg Mach.

“He knew who you were, and he didn’t even try to help you?!”

“Ironically, he did the exact same thing I did,” Annette muttered. “He changed his name and his identity. Neither of us could do anything without revealing ourselves, so… we had to pretend we didn’t know each other.”

"Saints," Felix growled. "Was he really more concerned about saving his own ass than helping his own daughter?"

"Felix!" Annette cried. "I-I'm sure he had his reasons!"

"You're willing to give him the benefit of the doubt even after what he did to you?" Felix asked incredulously.

"Of course!" Annette exclaimed. "He may have done some awful things, but he's still my father. He's still my family. And I'm sure he'll listen to reason if I just talk to him."

Felix sighed gustily. "You are a fool."

"Excuse me?!"

"If he wouldn't give you a second glance when you were in dire straits, why would he listen to you now?"

"Because I can tell him the whole truth now!" Annette exclaimed. "Surely he'd listen if he found out his only daughter is getting married!"

Felix was visibly taken aback. He stared at her for several moments, his mouth slightly agape, before he found his voice again.

"Shit," he said. "You're gonna want him at the wedding, aren't you?"

"Of course!" she replied. "He's my father, after all."

"All right," he said with a sigh. "Dimitri and my old man probably aren't expecting us to return for a while yet. We can afford to stop by Garreg Mach before we head back to Fhirdiad. We need to tell the Knights of Seiros the truth about you anyway. And… I'm sorry for calling you a fool."

Annette reached over and placed her hand on top of his. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You're, um, welcome," he replied stiffly.

She failed to suppress a smile at his flushed face. "Well then, shall we continue?"

Felix gave her a bewildered look, but understanding soon dawned on his face. "Oh. Yes, please go on."

Annette giggled before continuing the next part of her story. Felix was far too easy to fluster. She now understood why Sylvain routinely risked life and limb to tease him. His blush was simply adorable.

Still, it wasn’t enough to make her forget the tense situation she’d barely skirted. She knew that although Felix had relented for her sake, he would not so easily discard his disgust for her father. The fact that Felix immediately called her a fool for wanting to believe in her family hurt, and she doubted it would be the last time he caused her pain.

At least he apologized, but this was something they were going to have to work through. All too often, Felix spoke his mind without a thought about the consequences. Annette was sure he hadn't meant to be hurtful, but his razor tongue cut deeply all the same. As long as he recognized his mistakes, though, she was willing to forgive him. Felix was who he was, after all—tangling with a wolf always meant risking getting bitten.

But it was a risk she was willing to take. Yes, Felix could be hurtful, but he was also brave, loyal, and fiercely protective. He was gruff and rude to the point of being insensitive, but he deeply cared about the people close to him, even if he wasn’t the best at showing it.

And he had such a lovely smile.

Yes, Felix definitely had numerous faults, but his good qualities more than made up for them. Besides, she'd spent most of the last two years fearing for her life. A few disagreements were nothing compared to what she'd been through.

She continued her tale, and Felix listened attentively. Annette found herself easily slipping into the relaxed atmosphere. She loved how comfortable and domestic it felt. Slowly, and without thinking, she interlaced her fingers with his. Felix stiffened and his eyes darted over to their entwined fingers. He gulped visibly and his ears turned crimson again, but he did not pull away.

This, she realized, was what being in a relationship was about: being together and open and comfortable with each other. This was more than worth whatever difficulties or arguments they experienced. They still had a lot of problems ahead of them, not the least of which being their wedding, but Annette was willing to endure all of them if it meant she could experience more of this.

She smiled to herself. For the first time in a very long time, things were finally looking up for her. Cornelia had been taken care of, she would soon marry a wonderful man, and she could finally convince her father to come home with her. With so much to look forward to, she was sure she could handle whatever bumps in the road she encountered along the way.

The warm hand wrapped around hers was all she needed to keep going.

Chapter Text

Contrary to what most people would believe, Felix had a modicum of knowledge about courting.

He may have been the infamous Wolf of Fraldarius, but he was still a noble. He'd had etiquette lessons drilled into him from an early age. He'd hated them, of course, and most of the time he blatantly ignored what he'd learned, but he hadn't forgotten all of it. And for the first time in his life, he was grateful for that.

Yet all the lessons in the world couldn't stop him from turning into a nervous wreck. He tried his best not to show it, but he was terrified that he would slip up and do something to cause Annette to reject him. And despite his best efforts, he very nearly did just that.

What sort of idiot called the woman they were in love with a fool, especially right to her face? If Ingrid found out about this, she'd never let him live it down. The worst part was that he hadn’t been insincere, either. He could not believe Annette was still willing to make peace with her father after he’d abandoned her. It was incredibly naive of her—if her father hadn’t bothered to acknowledge her when she’d been in the direst straits of her life, then he most likely wouldn’t do so now. Felix tried to dissuade her before she inevitably got hurt again, but instead, he ended up being the one to hurt her.

She'd forgiven him, but it still weighed heavily on him. The last thing he wanted was to make Annette regret agreeing to marry him. He needed to be better, but he knew change would not come easily. He doubted he would be able to hide his disgust when the subject of Annette's father came up again.

His one consolation was that if Annette was still willing to reconcile with her father, then there likely wasn't much Felix could do that she wouldn't forgive. It made him realize just how big her heart was and how little he deserved someone like her. He knew it would be up to him to put in the effort to ensure that he didn't continually hurt her, and he would have to start as soon as possible.

So after she finished telling him the story of her life, he responded in kind. It was only fair that she should know as much as possible about the man she was going to marry, especially after she'd told him all about herself at his request. He started from the beginning, where he admitted, at great cost to his pride, that he had been a timid and weak child.

"Really?!" Annette exclaimed.

"It's true," he said. “Glenn always teased me about it. He said I'd never make it as a knight if I didn't stop crying every time I lost."

"Glenn?"

"My older brother," Felix clarified. "I told you about him before, remember?"

"You did, but you never mentioned his name," said Annette.

Felix thought back to the day he'd told her about Glenn and realized she was right. "No, I suppose I didn't."

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly happened to him?"

"He…" Felix trailed off. Even after all these years, revisiting that fateful day brought forth a deep and familiar pain. It was then that he felt a gentle hand squeeze his.

"It's okay," said Annette. "You don't have to tell me if it's too painful."

"No," Felix said, shaking his head. "If we're going to be living together, then this is something you need to know." He took a deep breath and exhaled, steeling himself for the inevitable. "It was eight years ago. Glenn had just become one of the Fhirdiad royal knights. He was sent to guard the royal family on a diplomatic mission to Duscur. It was on the way there that… the assassination happened.”

Annette’s eyes widened in horror. “No…”

“Glenn died protecting Dimitri,” Felix continued. “Apparently, the assailants used some kind of powerful magic. When it was over, all that was left of Glenn was his sword and armor.”

“That’s horrible,” Annette said softly.

“It gets worse,” said Felix. “I’ll never forget the day the knights brought Glenn’s armor back to Fraldarius. Do you know what my old man said when they presented the armor to him? 'He died like a true knight.'"

“He said that in front of you?” Annette asked, looking aghast.

“He sure as hell did,” said Felix. “When I saw that… When I realized what being a knight entailed… I vowed to not follow the same path. I wasn't about to throw my life away because of some stupid knightly ideals. Instead, I swore to become as strong as possible. Chivalry doesn't win you fights; strength does. So from that day on, the pursuit of strength became the one thing that drove me forward. In essence… that day was when the Wolf of Fraldarius was born."

"Oh, Felix…"

"You don't have to pity me. I don't regret my choice."

"But still…"

"It's all in the past," Felix said quietly.

"I had no idea," Annette whispered. "You'd been hurting all this time, and I never knew."

“I told you, it’s all in the past,” Felix grunted. “I’ve put it behind me.”

“Don’t lie!” Annette exclaimed. “You’re hurting even now! You don't have to put on a brave face in front of me. I already know what you're really like."

"I'm not—" Felix began, but a sharp glare from Annette shut him up. Those blue eyes pierced every wall he'd constructed around his heart. He hated feeling so vulnerable, but he knew that this was something he would have to get used to. He had to remember that this was Annette, who had accepted him despite his many flaws. If there was anyone he could trust with his heart, it was her.

"You're right," he conceded at last. "I never really moved on from that day. In that respect, I'm no better than the boar."

”Oh right, King Dimitri lost both his parents that day,” Annette recalled. “This has something to do with why you call him a boar, doesn’t it?”

Felix nodded grimly. “That day changed him. He’s become better at controlling it over the years, but on the battlefield, he is more beast than man. Not only that, he listens to the voices of the dead. I’ve caught him mumbling to ghosts on more than one occasion.”

“That’s horrible,” said Annette.

"He's gotten better ever since the assassins responsible for the attack were captured and executed, but he still relapses now and then," Felix continued. "I don't think he will ever fully recover."

"Maybe not, but he has Lady Marianne now. Just like you have me."

Felix gave a start, realizing that he had completely forgotten about Marianne. Then he felt his cheeks warm as the full meaning of Annette's sentence sank in. "I-I suppose that's true."

“You see? It’ll be alright,” said Annette. “I’m a little more worried about Lord Sylvain and Lady Ingrid, to be honest.”

“Ah, right,” said Felix. “That reminds me, there’s something else I forgot to tell you about Glenn.”

“What’s that?”

“He was Ingrid’s fiancé.”

“What?!” Annette exclaimed.

“She was betrothed to him practically from birth,” Felix explained. “You see, House Galatea has fallen on hard times in recent years. Your uncle mentioned how House Dominic is struggling financially, but House Galatea is even worse off. They were in such dire straits that the moment they found they had borne a Crested child, they immediately began searching for a wealthy noble family with an eligible son that they could marry her off to."

"And Lord Rodrigue took their offer?" Annette asked.

Felix nodded. "House Galatea and House Fraldarius are old allies. My old man believed that a marriage between our houses would both strengthen their relationship and save House Galatea from financial ruin."

"Oh," Annette said softly. "Obviously that didn't end up working out."

"No, it didn't," said Felix. "When Glenn died, House Galatea was left out to dry. Naturally, a lot of speculation began about whether or not I'd take Glenn's place. But I refused. I didn't want to be a replacement for Glenn. Ingrid wasn't keen on the idea, either. Luckily for both of us, our parents decided to respect our wishes. It probably had to do with the fact that we were all still grieving. But after a while, Ingrid's parents began searching for suitable husbands for her. It hasn't gone well."

"I can imagine," said Annette. "Lady Ingrid is certainly… spirited for a noblewoman."

"That's putting it kindly," Felix snorted. "She trains, fights, and eats more than most men. Her reputation is almost as bad as mine."

"Don't exaggerate," Annette said sternly.

"Alright, maybe not that bad, but it sure feels that way sometimes," Felix conceded. “Several of her suitors were practically in tears by the time they left.”

“The fact that I can see that happening is unsettling,” Annette remarked.

"It's probably why Sylvain's so hesitant to make a move," said Felix. "He knows she'll rip him apart if she thinks he's not sincere."

"Well, he'll just have to show her that he's serious," said Annette. "I've told him as much many times. But he just can't work up the nerve."

"We can talk with him about that later," said Felix. "I still have a story to finish."

Annette gave a start. "Oh, right! I almost forgot! Please, carry on."

"So, as I was saying, a lot changed after Glenn died," said Felix. "And it didn't help that my mother had also passed away."

"No…" Annette whispered.

"She died from an illness a couple years before Glenn was killed," Felix explained. "She'd always been sickly, but we never imagined she'd die so suddenly."

"I'm so sorry," Annette said softly.

"What are you apologizing for? It's not your fault," said Felix. "Hell, you arguably had it worse than me."

"That doesn’t mean that I can’t feel sorry for you,” Annette said, shaking her head. “Losing a family member is never easy. I know that all too well.”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Felix muttered. “If you were anyone else, I would have said I didn’t need your pity. Pity alone never solves anything. But you… you know exactly what I’ve been through, so you get a pass.”

“I'm honored,” Annette said wryly.

Felix smiled softly. "She would have liked you."

"She? Oh, you mean your mother?"

"Yeah," said Felix. "If she were here now, she'd probably laugh herself silly over how all this panned out. She'd say something like 'This one's a keeper!' and dive right into the wedding planning."

"She sounds like a wonderful person," Annette said warmly.

"She was a character, all right," said Felix. "I… I still miss her sometimes."

Annette squeezed his hand. "It's okay. I feel that way about my mother, too. "

"I'm not surprised to hear that," said Felix. "From what you told me about her, it's clear you loved her a lot."

"And you obviously loved your mother, too," said Annette. “I wish I could have met her.”

“It can’t be helped,” said Felix. “Just know that she’d be happy if she saw us like this. She… she told me that the only thing she needed to be happy was to see her family happy.”

Annette’s eyes began to fill with tears. “Oh, Felix…”

Felix swore, assuming he'd said the wrong thing again, but Annette quickly reassured him while she wiped her eyes.

"No, it's okay. It's just… it's clear to me how much your mother loved you. It touched my heart."

Felix grunted, feeling his face heat up yet again. He'd never felt this flustered in his life. Despite that, relief flooded his veins. He wouldn't have been able to forgive himself if he made Annette cry.

All this talk about his mother threatened to bring tears to his own eyes. She was someone he consciously refused to think about. Much like with Glenn, he’d stubbornly locked her memory away in the deepest corner of his heart in order to deal with the pain of losing her. Now, though, everything he’d tried to hide or suppress was being forcefully brought to the surface. Confronting all those feelings was immensely difficult, but it was necessary. He needed to be honest with Annette, even if it hurt. She deserved it after everything he'd put her through.

"Well, anyway," Felix said after he managed to compose himself. "There's not much more to say about me. You already know everything important that happened after Glenn died."

"I guess that's true," said Annette. "I just wish I knew all of this two years ago."

"Oh?"

"If… If I had known what you were really like, and not just what everyone was saying about you, then I wouldn't have run away."

Felix found himself at a loss for words. He gaped at her for several moments as he tried to find his voice. “I… I wouldn’t have been opposed to it, either.”

“Well, at least everything worked out in the end,” said Annette. “It’s actually kind of funny. I have the person who’d made my life miserable to thank for the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

It took Felix a moment to realize that she was talking about Cornelia. “She deserves no thanks. She was going to kill you.”

“I know,” Annette admitted. “But if it weren’t for her, I never would have met you."

Felix pursed his lips, realizing she was most likely right. He recalled House Dominic had been the one to reach out to his old man. Furthermore, Baron Dominic had said that marrying Annette off had been Cornelia's idea. Considering that House Dominic was not wealthy nor especially close with House Fraldarius, Felix doubted that his old man would have approached them unless he was really desperate, and even then, Felix doubted that Baron Dominic would have agreed to the arrangement if Cornelia hadn't pressured him into it.

"I guess so," Felix conceded. "Still… Knowing what she was planning to do, I'm glad that you ran away now. I never thought I would feel this way about anyone… until I met you."

Annette inhaled sharply, and her face turned that lovely shade of pink again. "I… I'm flattered."

Felix felt another smile tug at his face. For once, he'd managed to say the right thing. He hoped he could keep this up as he continued to court her.

"So," he began. "Now that we've gotten to know each other better… Would you, um…"

Annette, ever patient, smiled at him. "Yes? Go on."

"Would you… care to go for a walk?"

"Huh?!" Annette exclaimed. "Since when do you walk around for pleasure?!"

"I don't," Felix admitted. "But if it's with you, then… I don't mind so much."

Annette blushed and smiled again. "Well, if that's how you feel, then I'd be more than happy to."

Felix's heart thudded wildly in his chest. This was it. He could do this. He stood up and offered Annette his hand, which she took without hesitation. As their fingers touched, Felix again felt lightning race up his arm. He wasn't sure if he would ever get used to this.

Hand in hand, they left the room and began to walk around the manor. Even though Felix was the one escorting Annette, she routinely had to give him directions since she was far more familiar with the place.

Felix found himself appreciating the manor a lot more now. He normally wasn't one to appreciate his surroundings for anything other than practical reasons, as the potential of an enemy hiding in wait meant that he always had to stay alert, but with Cornelia out of the picture and Annette at his side, he found it much easier to relax. Dominic was nowhere near as grand as Fraldarius or Fhirdiad, but something about that humbleness was strangely appealing. And unlike Galatea, it didn't give off the air of a place that had once been much greater.

As they walked through the courtyard, a soft meow reached Felix's ears. He looked around, and sure enough, he spotted an orange cat slinking around.

"Oh! Mr. Fluffles!" Annette exclaimed, kneeling down as the cat drew close. "It's been ages since I last saw you!"

"Mr. Fluffles?" Felix repeated.

"What, you got a problem with it?" Annette asked.

"No," Felix answered truthfully. "It's a very 'you' name."

"Ugh, you're the worst," Annette groaned.

Felix chuckled softly as she turned back towards Mr. Fluffles. The cat approached Annette and happily accepted a scratch behind the ears. He purred contentedly as she continued to dote on him.

"Who's a good kitty?" Annette crooned. "Yes, you are! Yes, you are!"

“It’s good that he still recognizes you,” said Felix. “Cats can be fickle.”

Annette gave him a curious look. “Do you like cats, Felix?”

“I don’t dislike them,” he replied with a shrug.

A shrewd smile spread across Annette’s face. She scooped Mr. Fluffles into her arms, stood up, and presented him to Felix. “Go on, try holding him.”

Felix blinked, surprised by the offer. “I don’t think that’s such a good id—”

“Oh, come on, he won’t bite!” Annette exclaimed. “Mr. Fluffles is the gentlest, sweetest kitty in all of Fódlan! Don’t tell me the bloodthirsty Wolf of Fraldarius is afraid of a cat!”

Felix sighed, knowing he was beaten. He held out his arms and Annette placed Mr. Fluffles in them. Felix half expected Mr. Fluffles to hiss or protest in some way, but instead he just stared at Felix. And Felix—curse that soft, mushy part of him that couldn’t say no to adorable expectant stares—reached out and scratched Mr. Fluffles’ ears. The satisfied purr he earned in response melted his heart.

"See? He likes you!" Annette exclaimed.

"He has strange tastes, then," said Felix. "Most animals don't want anything to do with me."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised to hear that," said Annette. "Animals can usually tell when someone doesn't like them."

Felix felt his ears burn at how easily he'd been found out. "Yeah, well… There's a reason for that. The first time I rode a horse, it spooked and bucked me off. I ended up with a broken arm and a bad first impression."

"Saints," Annette gasped. "I'm amazed you got on a horse again at all after that."

"I had no choice," said Felix. "Horses are the quickest way to travel. If I could help it, I'd only use my own two feet."

"It's good that you decided not to marry Lady Marianne, then," said Annette. "She'd be aghast to learn that you don't like horses."

"I think that’s the least of her worries," Felix said with a snort. "She can barely stand being in the same room as me."

"You are very intimidating," Annette pointed out.

Felix smiled in spite of himself. “And yet you stuck around.”

“What can I say?” Annette said with a shrug. “I guess Mr. Fluffles and I have similar tastes.”

"I guess so," Felix agreed. Then he paled as remembered what he'd said earlier. "Shit, Annette, I didn't mean—"

"No, no, it's okay," she quickly assured him. "Strange doesn't mean bad, after all."

"I'm sorry. I'm no good at this," Felix muttered.

"Hey," Annette said as she walked closer to him. "No one's perfect at everything."

"Still…" Felix said with a sigh.

"Don't worry so much," said Annette. "I already know you struggle with words. But what's really important is what's here." She placed her hand over his heart. "You're a kind person, Felix. The fact that you're so concerned is proof of that. Even Mr. Fluffles can see it."

"I wish it were that simple," said Felix. "I know what I'm like, Annette, and I can't guarantee I won't hurt you again. And that scares me."

“It’s okay to be scared,” said Annette. “I'm scared, too. Don’t look at me like that; I’m not afraid of you; at least not anymore. I’m afraid of what lies ahead. We’ll… We’ll be running Fraldarius together after your father retires, but I don’t know the first thing about running a territory. And I can’t imagine Lord Rodrigue will be pleased to discover that I deceived him. What if… he rejects me?”

"There's no way my old man is going to turn you away after all the trouble he went through to find me a bride," Felix stated. "And if he did, I would kick his ass. I'm through with him deciding things for me."

Annette smiled wryly. "I wouldn't expect any less from you."

Felix smiled back, knowing that she meant it as a compliment.

"You know," she continued. "I've come to realize something recently."

"What's that?"

"That sometimes something seems really scary at first, but then it turns out that it's not so bad after all," said Annette. "Sometimes… It's even the best thing to ever happen to you."

Felix stiffened and blushed, realizing that she was talking about him. His heart thudded wildly at the implications of her words, and he only realized he'd stopped petting Mr. Fluffles when a displeased meow reached his ears.

"That's… I…" He swallowed and tried again. "I can't say I disagree."

"Right? That's why even though I'm scared, I'm still willing to take this chance," said Annette. "And it's easier knowing that you'll be with me all the while."

"Even though I might end up hurting you?"

"It'll be okay, because I know if you do, you won't mean it."

Felix couldn't help but gape at her. She was willing to overlook his mistakes, knowing full well how awful he could be? Then again, she'd already shown that she was willing to forgive her father after all he'd done to her. She was too kind for her own good.

Another meow from Mr. Fluffles drew his attention. "Geez, you are one needy cat," he grumbled as he resumed petting him.

"And yet you're still indulging him," Annette said smugly. "Try to hide it all you want, but we both know you're a big ol' softie deep down."

"Shut up," Felix growled, feeling his ears burn yet again. At this rate, his head was going to explode from embarrassment, and Annette's subsequent giggle only made the matter worse.

"It's cute that you have a soft spot for cats," she said.

"I never said that," Felix grumbled.

"You didn't have to. It's obvious from just looking at you," said Annette.

With a sigh, Felix conceded defeat. "You've got me. I have a hard time not indulging cats. There's one back in Fraldarius that won't stop begging me for fish. I swear, the face he makes when he runs up to me…"

"I can imagine," Annette giggled. "You're a bit like a cat too, you know."

"What?!" Felix exclaimed.

"Most cats prefer to be on their own and only choose to approach people they like," said Annette. "You are much the same."

Felix opened his mouth, but quickly realized that trying to deny it was fruitless. His frustration must have been clear on his face, because Annette laughed at him.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed about it,” she said. “I think it’s charming, actually.”

"R-really?"

"Yeah. And if it weren't for that, you probably would have been married off a long time ago. We never would have…"

"Say no more," Felix interrupted. "There's no point in thinking about what-ifs. The important thing is that we're together now."

"Y-yeah, you're right," said Annette. "And I'm glad for that."

"Me too," Felix said, smiling softly. Annette smiled back at him as her face flushed.

“Thank you for trusting me enough to let me in," she said.

Felix cleared his throat awkwardly and looked down at Mr. Fluffles in a futile attempt to hide his embarrassment. The cat’s blank stare didn’t help him feel any better.

“All right, I think I’ve spoiled you enough,” he said before placing Mr. Fluffles back on the ground. Mr. Fluffles meowed at him again, but he wasn’t falling for it. “Go on. I know you have a job to do.”

He received another expectant stare and a meow in response.

“Why does this always happen?” Felix groaned.

“I guess cats see you as one of their own,” Annette giggled.

Felix grunted, unwilling to agree but unable to deny it either. “Let’s just get going.”

Annette laughed again—saints, would that sound ever not make his heart stutter—and accepted his proffered hand. They hadn’t walked more than a few steps before she spoke up again. “He’s following us.”

"Why am I not surprised?" Felix asked. "Well, I doubt he'll cause too much trouble. He seems to be well-behaved. Unlike a certain idiot we both know."

"Oh, yes, absolutely," Annette agreed. "But we did promise to help that idiot out."

"We did," Felix said grudgingly. "I suppose we should make sure he hasn't done anything to piss Ingrid off. Again."

“Sounds good,” said Annette.

“All right, let’s go find him, then.”

In truth, Felix would have very much preferred spending more time alone with Annette. He was not looking forward to enduring another round of Sylvain’s teasing. Even so, he truly wanted to see Sylvain and Ingrid settled and happy. If Sylvain didn't get his act together, then both he and Ingrid would end up married off to some other nobles, almost certainly people they would never care for. Felix couldn't let that happen after he'd narrowly avoided the same fate.

He glanced over at Annette and fought back a smile. He was immensely glad that he had met her. For the first time in years, he had something to look forward to besides training. He still had a lot to do, especially on the courting front, but for once, the thought of marriage didn’t fill him with dread.

Now if only Sylvain would stop being such a pain, maybe he could bring himself to indulge in this newfound happiness a little more.

Chapter Text

After ensuring Mr. Fluffles was safely in the hands of one of the servants, Annette braced herself for the worst. Who knew what sort of trouble Sylvain had gotten into while they were gone? Surprisingly, however, he had managed to not piss Ingrid off. In fact, Ingrid herself said that Sylvain had been extremely well-behaved. In addition, Sylvain had taken the time to explain why he'd spent so much time with Cornelia the day before. Upon hearing this, Annette threw in her own apology, as Sylvain had only done that in order to protect her.

"Don't worry about it," said Ingrid. "If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I underestimated just how dangerous Cornelia was."

"We all did," said Felix. "But at least she's been taken care of, now."

"True," Ingrid agreed.

"Speaking of 'taken care of'..." Sylvain cut in, and Annette could practically hear the steam coming out of Felix's ears. "Did you two enjoy your time alone?"

"We did, thank you very much," Annette said before Felix could explode.

"Really? Color me impressed," said Sylvain. "I never thought I'd see a day when Felix could give a girl a good time and not have it involve swords in some way."

"Sylvain," Felix growled.

“What? Fighting and weapons are all you ever talk about,” said Sylvain. “When it comes to women, you—”

“Lord Sylvain,” Annette cut in. “I would consider my next words very, very carefully if I were you.”

Sylvain gaped at her for a moment before glancing over at a scowling Ingrid. “Okay, I’ll shut up now.”

"Not bad," Felix said, the faintest of smirks gracing his face.

Annette felt a surge of pride at the compliment, but tried her best not to look too excited. She may have deterred Sylvain for now, but she wasn't about to leave herself open for more teasing later.

"Anyway, we were hoping to borrow Lord Sylvain for a moment," she said.

"What for?" Ingrid asked.

"Just to talk for a bit. No, he didn't do anything bad this time, I promise. We just have a private matter to take care of."

Ingrid frowned. "So private that you can't tell me about it?"

"Well, I…"

"Ingrid," Sylvain suddenly spoke up. All traces of humor had left him, and his gaze was so intense that Annette would have flinched if he'd directed it at her. Ingrid, however, must have been made of much sturdier stuff. "I need you to trust me, okay?"

Ingrid was quiet for a moment. She seemed to be considering what to do. At last, she relented with a sigh. "All right. I trust you."

"Thanks, Ingy," Sylvain said, smiling warmly.

Annette swore Ingrid's face turned faintly pink. "J-just go already."

"Alright. We shouldn't be long."

Sylvain followed Felix and Annette to another room. Once Felix shut the door, Sylvain's shoulders slumped as he sighed heavily.

"So, I'm guessing Annette told you everything?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

"You are an idiot," Felix said. "How long has this been going on?"

"A few years, I think?" Sylvain confessed.

"And yet you still couldn't stop flirting with anything that moved," Felix growled. "Is it any wonder Ingrid is always pissed with you?"

"I know, but—"

"If you cared that much, you should have cleaned up your act a long time ago," Felix said sternly.

Sylvain dragged a hand down his face. "I can't believe you, of all people, are giving me advice on this. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

"Sh-shut up!" Felix snapped, going red in the face.

"Wh-why don't we all calm down?" Annette interrupted. "Arguing isn't going to get us anywhere."

Much to her relief, both Sylvain and Felix backed down. She breathed a small sigh and cleared her throat before continuing.

“All things considered, I think you’ve done admirably, Lord Sylvain. All you need to do now is make your feelings clear to Lady Ingrid.”

“How, though?” Sylvain asked. “Even if I tell her, she won’t believe me.”

“If you keep that mindset, you're never gonna get anywhere," Annette said sternly. "You got her to believe you just a little while ago. All you have to do is show her that same conviction."

"But—"

"No buts! We don't have much time left. If you wait too long, you'll lose your chance forever."

"I know, I know…" Sylvain said tiredly. "My father's been breathing down my neck enough as-is… "

"What happened?" Felix asked sharply.

"Oh, so Annette didn't tell you everything…" said Sylvain.

"It wasn't my place to tell him," said Annette. "I figured you would tell him when you were ready—provided Felix didn't figure it out already."

"Your old man's pushing you to marry soon, isn't he?" Felix asked.

Sylvain nodded grimly. "I only have until the end of this year."

"Idiot!" Felix snapped. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Did you forget why we came all the way out here?" Sylvain asked, raising an eyebrow. "Your problems were far more pressing."

Felix growled, his facing turning crimson, while Annette lowered her head apologetically.

“I’m sorry. This is all my fault,” she muttered.

“You don’t need to apologize,” said Sylvain. “This would have happened sooner or later. In fact, this trip actually kinda worked in my favor. It’s been ages since I’ve spent this much time with Ingrid.”

“I’m guessing you’ve both been busy, huh?” asked Annette.

"Yeah," said Sylvain. "My father's eager to have me take over the margravate, and Ingrid's parents have been pushing more suitors on her than ever before. The moment we return home, it'll be back to more of that."

"Then that means you need to make your move before then," said Annette. "The sooner, the better. We'll be taking a detour on the way back to Fraldarius, but at most, that's only another week or so of travel time."

"A detour?" Sylvain asked. "To where?"

"Garreg Mach," said Felix. "That's where Annette's father is."

Sylvain gave a start. "Huh? What's he doing there?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but he's always been a very pious man," said Annette. "I'm sure he felt right at home among the Knights of Seiros."

"Hold on, back up," Sylvain said, raising his hands. "Are you saying you and your father have both been living in Garreg Mach, and he never once recognized you?"

"No, I'm sure he did," said Annette. "But he acted like he didn't know me. I was confused until I found out he'd adopted a new identity, like I had."

"Geez, no wonder the baron's in such a state," Sylvain remarked. "To think that both his brother and his niece vanished in the same way."

"Believe me, I get the irony," Annette said dryly. "But now that I don't need to hide anymore, I want to speak with him as myself."

"Ah, you want him to walk you down the aisle, don't you?" Sylvain asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"N-not just that!" Annette exclaimed, feeling her face burn. "I've wanted to bring him back home ever since he left without a word years ago!"

"He left?" Sylvain asked. "Why?"

"That's what I want to know," said Annette. “I didn’t get to see him much when I was a child because of his work, but he loved me and my mother. It's not like him to just… leave.”

Sylvain crossed his arms thoughtfully. "Hmm… That does sound strange."

"Exactly," said Annette. "So I'm sure he must have had a good reason. That's why I need to talk to him. I need to find out what happened and fix it so he doesn't have to keep hiding."

"I see why Felix likes you," Sylvain said with a chuckle. "I've told you this before, but you've got guts, Annette."

Annette laughed nervously, feeling her face flush. "I'm not that great…"

"Don't sell yourself short," Felix cut in. "Don't tell me you already forgot what you accomplished this morning."

"Felix…" Annette said softly.

"What'd I tell you? He's whipped," said Sylvain.

"Sylvain!" Felix snapped.

“I wouldn’t be talking if I were you,” Annette said sternly. “Did you forget that we’re the ones trying to help you right now?”

Sylvain winced. “You’re right; I’m sorry.”

"Apology accepted," said Annette. "But you need to remember that we only have so much time. Felix and I were able to buy you a bit more, but you can't afford to fool around anymore."

"You're right," Sylvain conceded with a sigh. "I… I'll try telling her before we leave. And if she rejects me, I'll accept it as best as I can."

"I don't think she'll reject you," said Annette. "Didn't you see how she got even more irate with me after we started talking at night? And what her face looked like when you were talking to her earlier? She cares about you a lot."

"Well, we've been friends since childhood," said Sylvain. "She's been looking after me for as long as I can remember."

Absently, Annette wondered if this was how Sylvain felt when he watched her and Felix fumble around. If so, she could understand his relentless teasing a little more now. It was exceedingly frustrating that he couldn't see something that was obvious to her.

"I think it's more than that," she said. "I don't think she would have gotten quite so angry with me if she was just concerned for a friend."

"I don't know about that," Sylvain muttered. "Ingrid had known you were really a girl by then. She hates dishonorable, dishonest people even more than she hates my flirting. She probably thought you were up to no good."

"While that's probably true too, think of it this way: if you saw a young man and a young woman having secret conversations at night, what would you think they were up to?"

Sylvain frowned thoughtfully, and then understanding dawned on his face. "Wait, you don't mean…"

"Exactly," said Annette. "We may not have been planning a tryst, but it certainly looked like we were. Whether she was aware of it or not, I'm certain I made Lady Ingrid jealous."

"Ingrid? Jealous?" Sylvain repeated. "No way. The only thing Ingrid gets jealous about is meal portions."

Annette had to take a deep breath to stop herself from groaning in frustration. It was hypocritical of her to feel this way, but she couldn't believe how blind Sylvain was. He was so caught up in his self-doubt that he couldn't see what was right in front of him.

"All right, I have an idea," she said. “It’s a nice day, so… why don’t we all have a picnic lunch? I’m sure Lady Ingrid would appreciate it, and maybe it’ll help you see what I’m talking about.”

“Well, Ingrid certainly won’t say no to anything involving food,” said Sylvain. “What about you, Fe?”

“I won’t object to it,” said Felix. “I’m more worried about the baron. Is he going to be fine with letting us go outside the manor grounds after everything that’s happened?”

"It should be fine," said Annette. "If Uncle is that worried, he and his guards can accompany us."

"Won't that kill the mood?" asked Sylvain.

“Like I said, it should be fine,” Annette stated. “Let’s go talk to Lady Ingrid, and then we’ll see Uncle.”

As Annette anticipated, Henri was more than happy to allow their group to have a picnic. He wanted to make up for all the years that Annette had spent living miserably, and said that he was fine with almost anything she did as long as it made her happy. He still had some qualms about her agreeing to marry Felix, but he did not try to make her reconsider.

After doing some digging around, Annette found the perfect blanket and picnic basket to use. The servants provided the food, however—even after two years, they had not forgotten Annette's disastrous attempts at helping in the kitchen.

Much to her chagrin, the others overheard this, and of course Sylvain could not help but ask for specifics. The head chef went on to tell the story of how a pot of soup under Annette's care suddenly exploded, coating everyone and everything within several meters with broth and vegetables.

Sylvain laughed heartily before asking, "How'd that happen?"

"I-I don't know!" a red-faced Annette shrieked. "I just looked away for a second, and then—"

"That's enough," Felix cut in. "We don't need to hear anymore.”

Annette could have cried at him once again saving her, but she was angrier with Sylvain for pushing the matter in the first place. Luckily, based on the stern glare Felix was currently giving him, he’d get his come-uppance in due time.

With their basket full of sandwiches and other treats from the kitchen, Annette led Felix, Ingrid, and Sylvain to a sunny hilltop a short distance outside of the manor’s grounds. It was a beautiful day, and Annette had to hold back the urge to burst into song. She may have agreed to sing for Felix, but that didn't extend to Sylvain and Ingrid.

Even so, she couldn't stop herself from humming as she unfolded and spread out the picnic blanket. Ingrid asked why Annette insisted on continuing to do these menial tasks when she no longer had to pretend to be a commoner. Annette explained that she was used to doing chores, not just from her time in disguise, but from when she lived with her mother and father in Fhirdiad. Even though she was of noble blood, she didn't live like the nobility for most of her life.

"I see," said Ingrid. "We're kind of alike in that regard."

"How so?" asked Annette.

"I don't know if Felix or Sylvain told you, but even though I'm from a noble family, I haven't enjoyed the luxuries of most nobles," she said. "My parents did their best to ensure I lived comfortably, but when it came to more frivolous things like fashion, I had to do without."

"Lady Ingrid…"

"It's all right," said Ingrid. "In a way, I think it was a good thing. I'm able to appreciate the simple things more."

“Oh,” said Annette. “I think I understand. I kind of feel the same way, actually.”

"In that case, we'd better hurry up and appreciate this meal!" said Ingrid.

On cue, Annette's stomach growled, and she let out an embarrassed giggle. "Yeah, let's eat!"

Annette couldn't remember the last time she'd had a proper picnic. She'd had to eat on the road a lot because of all the traveling she'd done lately, but it couldn't compare to those warm, sunny days when she and her mother sat on a blanket on this very hilltop and ate together. The memories were bittersweet, but having Felix by her side helped lessen the ache in her heart.

As anticipated, Ingrid was more than happy to dig in. She couldn't hold back her smile as she devoured her sandwich. Felix and Sylvain had mentioned her love of food before, and Annette had witnessed it several times, but the gusto Ingrid displayed whenever she had food in front of her was still a sight to behold. She didn't even seem to notice that there were crumbs all over her face. Sylvain did, however, and he slowly reached out to her.

"What are you doing?" Ingrid asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Uh, you, um…"

"Lord Sylvain just wanted to give you a napkin," Annette interrupted.

"Y-yeah!" Sylvain agreed lamely, quickly grabbing said napkin.

"Oh," Ingrid said, her face reddening. "Um, thank you, Sylvain."

Annette fought the urge to groan. She was almost impressed at how Sylvain continued to bungle things. Something told her that Ingrid would not have appreciated him brushing the crumbs off her cheek. Felix may have been hopeless when it came to romantic gestures, but at least he knew not to cross the line.

Her lips curved into a small smile. If the Annette from two moons ago heard that, she'd have thought she'd gone mad.

The rest of their meal passed uneventfully, aside from Sylvain sneaking glances at Ingrid whenever she wasn't looking. And given that Ingrid was mostly focused on her food, Sylvain was able to peek a lot. Despite her annoyance at his behavior, Annette genuinely felt sorry for Sylvain. His feelings for Ingrid were clear on his face, and yet he only showed them when Ingrid's eyes were elsewhere.

Something warm touched Annette's hand and she couldn't hold back a surprised gasp. She whipped her head around and felt a stab of shame upon realizing it was just Felix. He said nothing, but he looked uneasy. Annette smiled at him and interlaced their fingers, hoping to ease his fears. He grunted and stubbornly averted his eyes, his face turning crimson, but he didn't pull away. Well, he was trying, at least. Maybe one day he would stop being so shy.

All too soon, the food was gone, and it was time to pack up and return to the manor. Annette sighed as she folded up the blanket, discouraged that her idea didn't work. She had hoped Ingrid would have lowered her guard and been more open with Sylvain, but she instead paid more attention to her food than to him. Evidently, Annette had underestimated just how much Ingrid loved food.

Annette was just about finished cleaning up when a sudden sound of clanking armor and crunching grass broke the peace. Everyone whirled their heads and saw a pair of guards sprinting towards them.

“Lady Annette! Lord Felix! Lord Sylvain! Lady Ingrid!” one of them cried. “You must return to the manor immediately!”

"What's wrong?" asked Annette.

"It's… I…" The guard's face was ashen. "J-just come quickly!"

Annette exchanged glances with Felix. It was clear that something had gone terribly wrong. She nodded at the guards and followed them back to the manor. Once they reached the courtyard, they found even more guards, and Henri stood by the doorway looking as if the Imperial army had announced they were invading.

“Uncle, what happened?” Annette asked, running up to him.

Her uncle’s face was even paler than that of the guard she’d just spoken to. “It’s Cornelia. She escaped.”

Annette suddenly found her legs growing unsteady. She nearly fell over backwards, but a sturdy pair of hands caught her by the shoulders.

“You idiot!” a furious Felix snarled. “It’s only been a few hours, and you let her slip away?!”

“I fear this was an inside job,” said her uncle. “She took several guardsmen with her, and several more are dead. I hadn’t realized her influence ran so deeply.”

Felix let out a long, resigned sigh. "Change of plans. We leave immediately."

"N-now?!" Sylvain yelped.

"There are traitors in this manor," said Felix. "And until they've all been rooted out, I'm not leaving Annette here."

"I don't like it, but I agree," said Ingrid. "If this happened under everyone's noses, there have to be more people loyal to Cornelia than just the ones that escaped with her."

Felix carefully turned Annette around until she was face to face with him. "We need to hurry and pack. You should bring your armor, too. We'll depart within the hour."

Annette nodded slowly, finding herself too stunned to speak.

“I’ll come as well,” said her uncle. “And I’ll bring guards—”

“No,” Felix said immediately. “You and your guardsmen will only slow us down.”

“Felix!” Ingrid snapped.

Surprisingly, Henri only nodded gravely. “If that is the case, I will come alone. Cornelia escaped under my watch, and it was my inaction that led to her getting away with so much evil. It is time I made up for my mistakes.”

"Can you fight?" Felix asked, narrowing his eyes doubtfully.

"Before I became baron, my brother and I were both in training as knights," said Henri. "I may be a little out of practice, but I know my way around an axe."

"But Uncle, who will run the barony in your stead?" asked Annette.

"The head servants and guards can handle the manor for the time being," said her uncle. "I'll also send a missive to one of your cousins to tell them I'll be gone for a while, so they can take care of the politicking. He won't object if I tell him I'm attending your wedding."

Annette flushed crimson at that. She'd been so concerned about her father that she'd completely forgotten that her uncle would want to attend her wedding as well. If worse came to worse, he would be the one to walk her down the aisle—and since they hadn’t yet informed him of their plan, he must have intended to do just that.

“Uncle, about that… There’s something you should know,” she said.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I know where Father is.”

“Wh-what?!” her uncle exclaimed. “You’ve found Gustave?!”

Annette nodded. “He’s been living as a Knight of Seiros at Garreg Mach for the last eight years or so.”

“So I assume that we’re headed for Garreg Mach first, then?” he asked.

“That’s the plan,” said Felix.

"And it would be a wise one even if we did not have business there," said the baron. "Cornelia would not dare attempt an ambush with so many prying eyes around. But we must move quickly."

"Exactly," said Felix. "You'd better move it, old man. If you're not ready soon, we're leaving you behind."

"Felix!" Ingrid hissed.

"You need not worry, Lord Felix," said the baron. "I will not be long."

He turned and made his way back inside the manor, accompanied by a pair of his most trusted guardsmen. Felix then turned his attention to Annette.

"We'd better get moving, too," he said.

Annette nodded, feeling a grim determination flood through her. She hurriedly followed her uncle's lead, and Felix accompanied her to their shared room. Luckily, they did not have too many belongings to gather. Annette quickly changed back into her armor and slid Felix's dagger back into its usual spot in her right boot. It was all so familiar and habitual that she almost laughed. Here she was, soon to be married, and she was still playing the part of a knightinstead of that of a noblewoman. A part of her wondered if she'd ever get used to wearing dresses again once this was all over.

As Felix promised, they were packed and ready to ride before the hour tolled its end. Annette tried not to gape at her uncle. She had never seen him wear armor or wield an axe before, and now he resembled her father so much that it was almost unsettling.

While she was happy that her uncle was joining them, she couldn't help but feel bad for Sylvain. This sudden turn of events completely uprooted all his plans. She highly doubted he'd be willing to confess to Ingrid while they were on the road, and especially not in front of someone like Annette's uncle.

She then looked over at Felix as they began to ride away. His scowl was deeper than usual, which told her how he felt about all this.

"You don't look happy," she pointed out.

"I wasn't expecting to have to leave so soon," he said.

"Funny, considering how eager you were to get out of here just the other day," she replied.

The corner of Felix's mouth twitched. "Well, a thing or two has changed since then."

Annette smiled at him. "I suppose that's true."

"I'm not finished with you yet, you know," he said. "We'll just have to take care of our business on the road."

"Business?" Annette repeated.

"Y-you know…" Felix scowled, his face turning bright red. "I still intend to court you."

Oh. She’d forgotten all about that between her attempts to assist Sylvain and the chaos surrounding Cornelia’s escape. She smiled shyly as she felt her own face flush.  “I’m looking forward to it.”

Felix grunted and returned his attention to the road, but somehow, she could tell that he was looking forward to it, too. She wondered just what he had in mind for her. Knowing Felix, it would be anything but conventional. Just the thought of it made her heart beat wildly with anticipation.

But that would have to wait for now. It figured that just when she'd thought she could finally relax, Cornelia once again stepped in and ruined everything. This time, though, Annette wasn't afraid. She now had the power to fight back, and she had Felix by her side. Cornelia was a fool if she thought she could take them on. If she dared to show her face again, Annette would make her pay, provided Felix didn't get to her first.

Annette determinedly gripped her horse's reins and spared another glance towards Felix. After coming this far, there was no way she was going to let anyone rip them apart again, and she was sure that Felix felt the same.

She pitied anyone foolish enough to try.

Chapter Text

It had been several years since Felix last walked the hallways of Garreg Mach.

Like many noble children, he'd spent a year at Garreg Mach's Officer's Academy in order to improve his skills and also to meet the noble children from the other regions of Fódlan. He hadn't been alone, either—Dimitri, Sylvain, and Ingrid all attended during the same year. Were it not for Cornelia's meddling, Annette might have gotten to attend as well.

He wondered how different things would have been if she had.

Still, there was no sense in dwelling on what had already passed. The important thing is that Annette was with him now, and he was not about to let anyone take her away. Especially not Cornelia.

He was still seething over how that witch had escaped. He should have killed her while he had the chance. Now because of that poor decision and several traitors lurking in House Dominic, they had been forced on the move. He had been severely tempted to storm his way through the Dominic manor and root out the traitors himself, but chances were high that they were the group that fled with Cornelia. Even if there were more in hiding, he couldn't afford to waste time. Every moment that passed was another moment Cornelia had to plan an ambush, and Felix refused to let her take him off guard again.

Thus, they had no choice but to leave the manor in the head servants' hands and rode as hard and fast as they could. Felix hadn't anticipated Baron Dominic joining them on their journey, and he hoped that decision wasn't another mistake. The baron had assured him that the head servants and guards were loyal to him, but a sliver of doubt still lingered in Felix's heart.

Thankfully, their journey was uneventful. Felix constantly kept a sharp eye and ear out for any potential danger, but it seemed like their swift escape proved fruitful. They reached Garreg Mach in record time, and only then did he allow himself to relax. Regardless of his feelings about the Knights of Seiros, they were extremely good at keeping the peace at Garreg Mach. Cornelia and her allies wouldn't dare attempt an attack here.

However, upon arriving, they soon ran into a different problem. When a pair of squires arrived to tend to their horses, they all gaped at Felix and Annette.

"It's Victor and the Wolf of Fraldarius!" they exclaimed.

"So, it's true!" one cried. "The Wolf really did take Victor as his student!"

Felix sighed, realizing that he and Annette had a lot more to do here that he anticipated. “Yes, she is my student, and she also happens to be my fianceé.”

“‘She’?” the squires repeated.

“It’s a long story,” Annette said.

The boys’ mouths somehow fell open even further. “Is… Is that really you, Victor?”

"The one and only," Annette replied. "I go by Annette now, though."

The squires glanced between each other and Annette, seemingly having a hard time believing what they were seeing and hearing. Felix was beginning to understand how Annette had managed to keep her true identity secret for so long.

"Stop staring and get moving," he said. "We have business here."

The boys snapped out of their stupor and quickly obeyed. Once they were out of sight, Felix sighed heavily.

“Maybe wearing this was a mistake,” Annette said, hugging herself self-consciously.

“No,” Felix disagreed immediately. “It’s better that you’re ready for a fight at a moment’s notice.”

“I agree,” said Baron Dominic. “Although I pray the day where you won’t have to be constantly prepared for battle comes swiftly.”

“Well, we at least won’t have to worry about a potential ambush here,” said Ingrid. “It might be a good idea for us to gather information. If Cornelia’s lurking around, one of the patrols may have seen her."

"Sounds like a plan," said Felix. "We need to see Sir Alois anyway. He needs to know that I'll be taking his squire permanently."

"Pardon me, what is this all about?" asked Baron Dominic. "I was under the impression that Annette was posing as your student, Lord Felix."

"While that's true, it's only been about five weeks since I took her in," said Felix. "Up until then, she'd been working as a squire for the Knights of Seiros."

"That's right," said Annette. "I never did tell you the full story, Uncle. After I ran away from home, Sir Alois rescued me from the wilderness and took me on as his squire."

Baron Dominic looked less than pleased to hear that. "Well, I suppose you were in good hands, at least. The Knights are esteemed throughout Fódlan for good reason, after all."

"I beg to differ," said Felix. "I can't understand how that man got his position."

"Sir Alois may be a little… unconventional, but he still commands a lot of respect," said Annette. "Even so, he was always kind to me. Perhaps a little too kind. He didn't allow me in the training grounds very much."

"And that is how you ended up under my tutelage," said Felix. "I don't know how Alois thought he could get away with having a squire that doesn't know how to fight."

"In his defense, it wouldn't have mattered if everything had gone according to my original plan," said Annette. "Once I saved up enough money, I had intended to stow away in an Alliance caravan and make a new life for myself there."

"So you were planning on vanishing without a trace again?" asked Felix. "You don't think ahead very much, do you?"

"It was the best plan I could think of at the time!" she exclaimed. "I couldn't pretend to be a boy forever!"

Felix gave her a long, hard look. "How long did you think you could hide from one of Fódlan's largest armies?"

"I… Um…"

"Never mind," Felix said, shaking his head. "Everything worked out in the end anyway."

"R-right!" Annette agreed quickly.

Felix sighed heavily. Once again, he'd criticized Annette without thinking, and based on how he could feel Ingrid’s eyes boring into him, it hadn’t gone unnoticed. At least he’d managed to catch himself before he could dig himself any deeper, but he really needed to watch his mouth. Annette had been in a very stressful situation; of course she wouldn’t necessarily make the best choices. If he were in her position, would he really have done any better?

No, he definitely wouldn’t have. He doubted he could have lasted a day trying to pretend to be someone he was not. That Annette had managed it for as long as she did and avoided being discovered was nothing short of remarkable. He reached out and squeezed her shoulder, hoping to convey what he couldn’t form into words.

"Let's go find Sir Alois," he said. Annette nodded vigorously, more than eager to do just that.

Luckily, it was not hard to find Alois. The man stood out so much that even a crowd wouldn’t be able to hide him. In fact, the crowd would make him even easier to find because they would all be groaning at his terrible jokes.

“Lord Felix!” Alois exclaimed. “What a surprise! I wasn’t expecting you back so soon!”

“Believe me, I wasn’t expecting it, either,” said Felix. “There’s been a change of plans.”

“What do you mean?” asked Alois. “It couldn’t be… Is Victor not meeting your standards?”

“No, you don’t need to worry about that,” Felix said, shaking his head. “In fact, she’s done extremely well.”

Alois’s eyes went wide. “‘She’?”

“Um,” Annette began unsurely. “It’s kind of a long story.”

“We can skip the details,” said Felix as he gently pushed Annette forward. “Sir Alois, meet Lady Annette of House Dominic.”

Alois looked at Annette as if Felix had declared that she was Saint Seiros in the flesh. A long silence passed, and Annette shifted uncomfortably under Alois’s gaze. Then at last, he smiled.

“I’m glad you finally told me,” he said.

“Huh? Sir Alois… Did you know all this time?” Annette asked.

“I didn’t know who you were, but I realized that you were a young lady very early on,” said Alois. "I kept quiet because I figured you would come to me with the truth when you were ready. And I was right!"

"I'm sorry for lying to you. And to everyone," said Annette. "You've been far kinder to me than I deserved."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Alois. "It was clear from the moment we met that you'd been through some trying times. You deserve every kindness that comes your way, Vic— I mean, Lady Annette."

Annette smiled and shook her head. "Just 'Annette' is fine. I've never cared much for my title. Besides, we've known each other long enough by now."

"Well said!" Alois exclaimed. "I suppose it would be odd after you've been my squire for so long."

"Speaking of which," Felix interrupted. "I assume you decided to keep Annette away from the training grounds because you knew she was a girl."

"That's right," said Alois. "Because of her stature and inexperience, she would have been an easy target for the other squires. I feared she would be humiliated, or worse, discovered. But in hindsight, I fear I may have made things worse. I never anticipated the squires doing something as brazen as what they pulled in Fraldarius.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore,” said Felix. “Annette is more than a match for any of them now.”

“Is that so?” asked Alois. “Why, it's only been five weeks since I left her in your care! She must have taken to the sword like a fish to water!”

Annette laughed nervously. “I wouldn’t go that far…”

"She struggled at first, but she's a quick study," said Felix. "She needs practice more than anything now."

"I'm glad to hear it!" exclaimed Alois. "But… I'm going to guess that if you're back this soon, then it must not be for pleasure.”

“You would guess right,” said Felix. “We’ve come because we need information.”

“Information?” Alois repeated.

Felix began to explain everything that had happened since they’d arrived in Dominic. How Cornelia had been running things, how Annette had managed to defeat her, and her subsequent escape with the help of the traitors. Ingrid, Sylvain, and Baron Dominic all confirmed his story and added onto it when necessary.

“I doubt she could have come this far yet without any horses, but she and her men have to be out sneaking in the countryside somewhere,” said Felix. “Have your patrols seen anything?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” said Alois. “But thank you for telling me. I'll be sure to inform the other knights so they know to keep an eye out."

"Thank you, Sir Alois," said Ingrid. "With the Knights of Seiros on the case, I'm sure Cornelia will be apprehended soon."

Felix fought back a snort. He doubted Cornelia would let herself be captured again that easily. Still, he had to admit that he felt a bit better knowing that a group with far more troops and resources would be out searching for that witch. At the very least the Knights would force Cornelia to stay on her toes and well out of sight, discouraging any potential ambushes.

"Rest assured that we will do all in our power to bring her to justice!" Alois exclaimed. "Such evil cannot be allowed to roam unchecked! We must take her into custody before she can cause any more trouble!"

"I apologize," said Baron Dominic. "All of this happened because I failed to act when it was prudent."

"As I told you before, what's done is done," said Felix. "But if that witch ever shows her face again, she's not getting away from either me or my blade."

"Felix, could you maybe not make thinly veiled threats in front of your fiancée and her uncle?" Ingrid quipped. "Baron Dominic looks like he's about to be ill."

"Fiancée?" Alois repeated. "I thought you were betrothed to Lady Marianne von Edmund."

"It's a long story," Felix explained with a sigh. "And it's actually the other reason why we came here."

"What do you mean?" asked Alois.

"First, we had to inform you that I'd be needing your squire permanently," said Felix. "And second, there's someone here besides you that Annette really wants to speak to before she gets married."

"Really? Who?"

Felix looked over at Annette and nodded at her. She nodded back and gave Alois a determined look.

"Sir Gilbert Pronislav," she said.

"Sir Gilbert?!" Alois exclaimed. "Forgive me for asking, but why him?"

"He's my father," Annette said simply.

Alois gaped at Annette again. For once, he seemed to be at a complete loss for words. Seeing this, Annette opted to explain herself.

"His real name is Gustave Dominic," she said. "Like me, he changed his identity in order to hide. I wasn't able to confront him before because of my own situation. But now that I don't have to hide anymore, I want to know why he left me and my mother. I want to bring him home again."

Alois remained in a stunned silence for several moments. At last, he seemed to regain enough sense to speak again. “Well. I suppose that does explain a few things. I thought it was odd that your uncle looks a lot like Sir Gilbert. And now I understand why you reacted the way you did when you first saw him.”

Felix fought to not roll his eyes. Once again, he wondered how Alois got his position.

“Do you know where he is now?” asked Annette.

“He’s not under my command, and he usually keeps to himself, so I haven’t spoken with him much,” Alois admitted. “But I don’t believe he’s been sent on any assignments recently, so he should be on the monastery grounds.”

“Thank you so much, Sir Alois,” said Annette. “It seems like you’re always helping me.”

“There's no reason to feel ashamed," said Alois. "Helping others in need is what we Knights exist for!”

"That is true," Annette admitted. "But thank you all the same."

"It's no problem! I'm more than happy to give my squire a hand!" exclaimed Alois. "Besides, I'm sure you're all squired out by now!"

An awkward silence fell over the entire room, and Felix had to bite his tongue to not groan in annoyance. Alois looked distinctly disappointed at the lack of reaction.

"Struck out again, huh?" he grumbled.

"You make a better knight than a comedian, Sir Alois," Annette said politely.

"Well, I suppose you can't win 'em all," Alois said with a sigh. “Still, it was wonderful to see you again Vi— I mean, Annette. I admit, I’m sad that I have to see you go. It’s… hard to believe you’ll soon be married.”

“I know,” Annette replied, her face turning pink. "But… I'll be sure to visit when I get the chance!"

She gave Felix a hopeful glance and any resolve he had dissolved instantly. No matter what he thought of Alois or the Knights of Seiros, he'd be cruel to deny her visits to the person who'd helped protect her for so long. And even if that weren't the case, he found himself powerless to refuse that pleading look.

As embarrassing as it was to admit, he was, as Sylvain would say, whipped.

"We'll stop by every now and then," he said, sounding less grudging than he thought he would. He saw Sylvain stifle a snicker out of the corner of his eye and shut him up with a quick jab to the side.

"That's great to hear!" exclaimed Alois. "I'll be looking forward to it. In the meantime, I wish you luck in your marriage and in finding Sir Gilbert."

"Thank you again, Sir Alois," said Annette. "We will take our leave now."

"So," Sylvain began after Annette returned to them. "How should we go about tracking down Sir Gilbert? He could be anywhere around the monastery."

“I have a few ideas where he could be,” said Annette. “But it can’t hurt to look everywhere. I need to stop by my old room to pick up a couple things, anyway.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” said Felix. “We’ll head there first, then.”

Annette's room in the monastery was about what Felix expected. It was tiny and sparsely furnished, only containing a bed, a dresser, and a small desk with a chair. As such, it didn't take long for her to find what she was looking for. After digging around in the dresser for a bit, she pulled out a small leather pouch and what looked like a kitchen knife.

"What are those?" Felix asked.

"This—" Annette began, lifting the pouch. "—is the money I was going to use to fund my escape to the Alliance. And this—" she lifted the knife, "is what helped me flee from the Dominic manor. Hopefully I won’t ever have to use it on my hair again.”

Ah. So that’s how she managed to disappear so quickly. It made sense that in her haste to escape and hide herself, Annette would choose the first tool she could find to cut off her hair—the most obvious trait someone would look for when trying to find a missing noblewoman. It was smart thinking on her part, and the knife could even serve as a weapon if she needed it. She may not have known how to use it properly at the time, but it was at least something. However, he agreed that she should never have to use that knife for anything but its intended purpose from now on.

"I know it's not much of a dowry… but it's all I have to offer," Annette said.

"You think I care about that?" Felix scoffed. "You can keep your money. All that matters is that you're happy."

Her look of surprise slowly morphed into a soft smile. "Thank you."

"Geez, Fe, when did you turn into such a sap?" Sylvain asked. He then yelped in pain as Felix punched him again.

"Let's just go find Annette's father," Felix said.

Despite having not seen her father in six years and not interacting with him in eight, Annette clearly knew him well. They found Sir Gilbert in the cathedral, one of the first places Annnette guessed he would be. Felix could immediately see the resemblance to Annette and Baron Dominic—they all had the same fiery orange hair, although the baron and Sir Gilbert both had gray streaks in theirs. Sir Gilbert sat in one of the pews, his eyes closed and his hands folded in prayer. Felix recalled Annette mentioning that her father was a pious man, and that obviously had not changed. Something nasty boiled in Felix's gut at the fact that Sir Gilbert cared more for the goddess than his own daughter.

Annette looked nervous yet determined as she watched her father. She took a deep breath and turned towards their group. "I think it's best that I do this alone."

"Are you sure?" Felix asked.

She nodded at him. “This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. And I think he’ll be more willing to open up if it's just me.”

“I see,” said Felix. “We’ll wait for you outside, then.”

“Actually,” Baron Dominic interrupted. “May I join you, Annette?”

Annette chewed her lip for a moment as her face scrunched up cutely in thought. At last, she nodded at her uncle. “All right. It’s only fair that you get to see him again after all these years, too.”

The baron nodded back at her before turning back to Felix. “Hopefully we won’t be too long.”

As Annette and Baron Dominic approached Sir Gilbert, Felix, Ingrid, and Sylvain all headed outside the cathedral to wait. It was tempting to watch, but Felix thought it was best to abide by Annette’s wishes. Even so, the wait was agonizing. It wasn't long before Felix began to fidget impatiently.

"Settle down, Fe," said Sylvain. "It's not like they're in any danger."

"I know," Felix said tersely.

"Then why are you twitching like you need to stab someone?"

"I'm not twitching," Felix denied.

"Cut it out, both of you," Ingrid growled. "I'm sure Baron Dominic and Lady Annette have everything handled, so do them both a favor and quit making a scene!"

As far as Felix could tell, no one was giving them a second glance, so he didn’t see what the problem was. Nonetheless, he tried his best to settle down in order to avoid another lecture from Ingrid. He wasn’t sure why he was so anxious. It wasn’t like he had anything personally at stake, and like Sylvain said, Annette wasn’t in danger. He mulled it over for a while and suddenly realized that, despite his own feelings about Sir Gilbert, he still wanted him to acknowledge Annette. Maybe it was because of the difficulties he had with his own father, or maybe he just wanted to see her happy. Either way, he hoped Annette could get through to her father, regardless of how little he deserved it.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the cathedral, and Felix was surprised to see that it was Sir Gilbert. He passed by without acknowledging any of them. A cry of “Father, wait!” followed by a huffing Annette emerged next. She looked upset and frustrated, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out why. Felix felt a surge of fury and was tempted to chase after Sir Gilbert himself, but Annette was a higher priority.  Baron Dominic appeared next, calling after his brother, but like Annette, he was ignored.

"What's your problem?!" Felix yelled at Sir Gilbert.

"Please leave," was the terse response.

"Like hell I'm going to leave just because you told me to," Felix spat. "What did you do to Annette?!"

A tug on his sleeve drew his attention. "Felix, stop."

Had it been anyone but Annette who said that, he would have ignored them. As things stood though, he backed down, even though it damn near did him in to do so. Sir Gilbert soon slipped out of sight, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

"What the hell happened in there?" Felix asked, turning towards Annette.

"Father… He…" Annette paused, took a deep breath, and sighed. "He said he was not worthy to have a family and that he needs to spend the rest of his days without one."

“That’s the biggest load of bull I’ve ever heard,” Felix snarled. “It sounds to me like he’s a coward who can’t bear to face the truth.”

“Felix!” Ingrid snapped.

“Actually, my brother explained why he hid himself here,” the baron continued. "If you recall, he used to be a royal knight of Fhirdiad, but he was unable to protect His Majesty King Lambert in his time of need. Because of that failure, he decided that it was his duty to repent."

"Repent?" Felix repeated incredulously. "He calls abandoning his family without a word of explanation 'repenting'?"

"The young prince Dimitri lost his entire family," said Baron Dominic. "Gustave must believe that the only just punishment for him is for him to lose his family as well."

"That's completely insane!" Felix snarled. "What the hell is wrong with knights? They're so caught up in their so-called 'duty' and 'honor' that they don't even think about how the people around them feel!"

"Felix, stop!" Ingrid exclaimed.

"Felix…" Annette said sadly.

"H-hey, why don't we all calm down a bit," Sylvain interjected. "Fe, I know this is reopening old wounds for you, but taking it out on Sir Gilbert isn't gonna help anyone."

Felix growled in frustration, but grudgingly admitted that Sylvain was right. Not only that, antagonizing Sir Gilbert wasn't going to get him Annette's good graces. "So what do you propose we do?" he asked.

"Well, I'm not ready to give up, yet," said Annette. "I want to try to talk to him again."

Felix wanted to argue. He wanted to say there was no reasoning with people like Sir Gilbert. He wanted to be on his way and never give that awful man another thought for the rest of his life. But he couldn't bear to extinguish the hope in Annette's eyes.

Fortunately, Sylvain decided to intervene. "Something tells me we aren't gonna have any more luck with him today. Why don't we give him some space and try again later?"

"I agree," said Ingrid. "If we hound Sir Gilbert, we'll only alienate him more. Let's wait a day or two before we speak to him again. We need to give the Knights of Seiros time to track down Cornelia, anyway."

"All right," Annette conceded. "Tomorrow, then."

"Perfect," said Sylvain. "I'm wiped from all that riding. I could use the break."

Felix sighed. He didn't want to spend more time here than necessary, but the others made good points. Even he had to admit that cutting the normally weeklong trip to Garreg Mach down to five days had taken its toll on him. "Fine. Let's find an inn in town to stay at."

"In town? Can't we stay in the monastery?" asked Annette.

"We're not knights, Officer's Academy students, or special guests. We'll have to find our own accommodations," said Felix.

"Oh," Annette said, looking embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it," said Felix. "I'm sure you were more concerned with other things when you lived here."

"Y-yeah."

Their plan decided, the group began to make their way into town. Felix was not at all pleased that things had come to this, but he knew objecting would only make matters worse. All he could do was hope for Annette's sake that Sir Gilbert would see reason soon. If that fool broke her heart, he would soon have another thing to regret.

Chapter Text

As it turned out, tomorrow didn't go any better than today.

Or the next day. Or the next.

Annette hadn’t anticipated receiving so much resistance from her father. She thought he’d be overjoyed to hear that his daughter was getting married, or at the very least be moved at hearing that his wife had passed. No matter what she tried, though, her father wanted nothing to do with her. Even her uncle, his brother, couldn’t get through to him.

It was frustrating, to say the least. She’d come all this way to bring her father home at last, only to be spurned and ignored. Still, she refused to give up. She had to keep trying to persuade him for both her and her late mother’s sake.

For his part, Felix showed a remarkable amount of restraint regarding her father. He was clearly displeased at Gustave's actions, but managed to hold his tongue. She knew he was doing it for her, and that both warmed her heart and hurt her a little. She appreciated that he put her desires above his own, but at the same time she felt guilty about inconveniencing him once again. Were it not for her, they’d have left a long time ago.

Her and her father’s stubbornness had an unintended positive effect, however. The delay allowed her to spend more time with Felix. Whenever Annette’s father gave her the slip, Felix would take her into town or someplace in the monastery to try to cheer her up. They ate at food stalls, perused the merchants’ wares, or sometimes just sat quietly in the monastery greenhouse. There were too many other people around for it to be truly private, but they were precious moments nonetheless.

Her uncle was kind enough to not insist on accompanying them everywhere, which she was immensely grateful for. He still had some misgivings about her marrying Felix, but at least he trusted Felix enough to not worry about him slaying her or running off with her. She couldn't blame her uncle for having his doubts, though. He didn't know Felix as well as she did, after all.

In addition to their frequent trips into town, Felix made good on his promise to court her. When she opened her door one morning and was greeted by the sight of a red-faced Felix holding a bouquet of flowers, she initially wondered if she was still dreaming. He thrusted the bouquet towards her with a gruff "For you", which was enough to snap her out of her stupor. She suspected that despite his earlier defiance, Felix must have swallowed his pride and asked Sylvain for advice.

He was so obviously out of his element that she couldn't help but feel a little bad for him. Yet at the same time she was immensely flattered that he would go out of his way to do something so sweet for her. So she graciously accepted the bouquet and gave him the biggest smile she could muster. His face turned even redder and he managed to grunt out a "You're welcome" even as he averted his gaze. It was so tempting to tease him, but this time at least, she decided to spare his pride.

It didn’t end there, either. Every day, Felix would surprise her with a small gift or treat. One day, it was a tiny cake; on another, it was a bag of cookies. Annette was impressed—he hated sweets, but remembered that she loved them. She almost laughed as she recalled how repulsed she had been upon learning that particular quirk of his. What a fool she was. He could hate sweets all he wanted if it meant he gave them to her instead.

Some things hadn't changed, though. Felix still roused her early every morning for training, and he didn't go easy on her even though she was his fiancée—and she wouldn't have had it any other way. It was hard work, but she'd already seen payoff from it, and she was only going to get better and better. Plus, she absolutely loved seeing Felix's look of pride whenever she succeeded in performing a particularly tricky move.

After a few days of this, the contrast between how Felix treated her and how her father treated her began to sink in and gave her pause. How was it that her only living family other than her uncle was less receptive to her than the man she'd spent two years hiding from? Just how deep did her father's guilt run? Why couldn't he see that she didn't care about his failure and that she just wanted him to come home?

On the fifth day of their stay in Garreg Mach, she was unable to find her father at all. Upon inquiring with some of the other knights, she quickly discovered why: he was leading one of the patrols that were on the lookout for bandits and wandering Demonic Beasts. If it hadn't already been obvious that her father was avoiding her, this made it clear as day.

It was a huge blow to Annette's already wounded heart, and despite her best efforts to hide her disappointment, Felix picked up on it immediately. She could practically feel the fury radiating off of him. Yet he still kept his temper in check as he led her away, and once again, she felt a sting of guilt over how much Felix was forcing himself to suppress his real feelings. At this rate, he was going to explode and get them all in trouble, and it would all be her fault.

She realized she was going to have to make a difficult choice. Either she could keep trying to get through to her father and continue to frustrate Felix, or she could give up and move on without her father. Annette wasn't a quitter by nature, and she really didn't want to give up when her father was so close, but she also didn't want to trouble Felix any more than she already had. It wasn't fair of her to continually force him to acquiesce to her wishes, even though his willingness to do so touched her heart.

She was slowly coming to terms with the fact that she and Felix were going to have to compromise, and this was the first of no doubt many instances of that. In a perfect world, everything would have gone the way she had envisioned, but as her efforts to persuade her father continued to prove fruitless, she wondered if she was being selfish. She was going to be married soon, and that meant she had to think not only about her own well-being, but that of Felix’s. She remembered with a heavy heart how despondent he had looked and sounded when he’d told her that his feelings never mattered. Even now, he was still putting other people ahead of himself, even if he didn’t agree with it.

She made up her mind. Once her father got back from patrols, she'd try to speak to him one more time. If she still couldn't convince him, she would move on. The thought of letting her father go after spending so many years without him stung, but it was becoming increasingly clear that her arguments were not getting through to him. It was like trying to knock down a stone wall with her bare hands—it might work eventually, but was the resulting injury worth it?

She explained her plan to the others when they all gathered together in the inn that evening, and she got the reaction she expected.

“Wait, you’re thinking of giving up?” Sylvain asked.

“Not yet,” she admitted. “I’m going to try one more time. If I can’t get him to agree to come with us, we’re leaving without him.”

“Wow,” said Sylvain. “With how stubborn you are, I wouldn’t have thought you’d give in this soon.”

“That's not what this is about,” said Annette. “Of course I want my father to come home. I want that more than you can imagine. But this isn’t just about me. I have to think about you, and Uncle, and Ingrid, and Felix, too. I don't want to drag any of you down because of my selfishness."

"You’re not dragging anyone down,” Felix said, because of course that was what he would think. “If anyone’s dragging us down, it’s your old man.”

"Felix," Ingrid said, sounding exasperated.

Annette wanted to object, but knew that arguing over semantics was pointless. “Even so, I know you guys weren’t expecting such a long delay. And while I’m sure the innkeeper appreciates our business, I know you only brought so much gold for this journey.”

“Gold isn’t a concern,” Felix said with a snort. “I have enough to cover our rooms for at least another couple moons.”

"But it still isn't fair to you," said Annette. "Felix, I… I know you're doing all of this for my sake, but I can't keep taking advantage of you. Your wants and needs are just as important as mine."

Felix, Ingrid, and her uncle looked surprised to hear that, while Sylvain smiled widely. Feeling emboldened, she pressed on.

"So once Father returns from patrol, I'm going to try talking to him one last time. If it doesn't work out, we'll just have to leave him behind."

"You've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?" asked Ingrid. "But what about Cornelia? We still have no idea where she's hiding."

"I think the Knights of Seiros should be able to handle her," said Annette. "If nothing else, their presence should discourage her from making any moves that would give her away."

“I agree,” said Felix. “Cornelia’s too crafty to let herself be captured again easily. Wherever she is, she’s not going to come out of hiding while the knights are around.”

“Exactly!” said Annette. “So I don’t think there’s much to gain from continuing to wait around for news about her whereabouts.”

“Hmm, I suppose,” said Ingrid. “And it is true that we’ve had to stay here much longer than I expected.”

"True. It’s almost summer now,” said Sylvain. “I’m sweating just thinking about it.”

“It’s not that hot here in summer,” Annette protested.

Sylvain gave her a pointed look. “You didn’t grow up in Gautier. I’m used to there being snow on the ground until the Harpstring Moon.”

“Oh,” Annette said in a small voice. Then, realizing they were getting off-topic, she cleared her throat. “Well, anyway, the point is that after my father returns from patrol, we will be leaving either with him or without him. Does anyone have any objections?”

“I’m cool with it,” Sylvain said with a shrug.

“If that is truly what you want, Annette, then I will not object,” said Henri.

“Same,” said Felix. “But are you really sure this is what you want?”

“It is,” said Annette. “I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I realized that there’s no perfect solution to this, no matter how much I want there to be. I can't force Father to change his beliefs, however flawed they might be. I also can't make this all about me. I spent two years being selfish, and it caused Lady Marianne and so many others so much pain. It’s time that I made up for my mistakes.”

As she spoke about Marianne, Annette suddenly recalled that she and Dimitri were waiting with baited breath for their return. Any potential union between them rested entirely on Felix returning with Annette. She felt foolish for forgetting something so important, but it also strengthened her resolve. The less time she kept Marianne and Dimitri in anxiety about their future, the better.

“I think it’s very admirable of you to want to take responsibility for your actions,” said Ingrid. “I fully support your decision. I don’t like how there’s been no news about Cornelia whatsoever, but it should be safe to travel as long as the Knights of Seiros are on patrol.”

“Thank you all,” said Annette. “Now that that’s settled, why don’t we all take some time to relax? It might be a while before Father gets back.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” said Sylvain. “How’s another trip into town tomorrow sound, Ingy?”

“Well, don’t you sound eager?” Ingrid said, but the small smile on her face told a different story. The two of them had been going into town a lot lately, taking advantage of their extended stay in Garreg Mach. Unsurprisingly, these trips frequently involved food, but Sylvain also helped Ingrid pick out a new lance, as her current one was showing its age. Ingrid was impressed with how well Sylvain behaved himself, and the hope in Sylvain’s eyes was so palpable that made Annette’s heart ache. Yet even after all this time, neither of them had made a move. Annette realized that it was up to her to give them the push they needed. Though her last attempt at helping them didn't go the way she had hoped, she wasn't going to let that deter her.

"I know a great place you two can go to," she said.

"Oh, do you?" asked Sylvain. "I wouldn't have taken our little Annette as the type to know places."

Ingrid smacked Sylvain for her. "Will you ever learn to keep your mouth shut?"

"Well, to tell the truth, I've never actually been there," Annette admitted sheepishly. "But you hear a lot from a lot of people when you live in Garreg Mach. And people say that Oscar's has the best steak in Garreg Mach."

"Steak?" Ingrid said excitedly, only to sober immediately and clear her throat. "I mean… It certainly sounds nice, but steaks are really expensive. I'd rather not scrounge our limited funds on needless extravagance."

"With all due respect, Lady Ingrid, I think a little extravagance is called for right now," said Annette. "Consider it an apology for all the trouble I put you through."

Ingrid pursed her lips, looking uncertain. In response, Sylvain wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

"C'mon, Ingy, it's just for one night. Let your hair down for once!"

"But—"

"Don't worry about the cost," said Felix. "Besides, I'm interested as well."

"You too?!" Annette exclaimed, turning to gape at him. This wasn't part of her plan!

"I can't remember the last time I had a good steak," he said. "And if you say it's good, then I'll take your word for it."

"B-but… It's not actually my word," Annette protested.

A smirk spread across Felix's face. "Then I guess you'll just have to come along and see if the word on the street is right."

"H-huh?!" Annette exclaimed. "F-Felix! I couldn't possibly—"

"Now you're sounding like Ingrid," said Felix. "When's the last time you got to eat somewhere nice?"

Annette opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again as she tried to think of an answer. Felix chuckled softly, and damn if that didn't do terrible things to her poor heart. How dare he make fun of her and still manage to look attractive all the while!

“You villain,” she growled.

Felix raised an eyebrow. “That’s a new one.”

“It’s true, though!” she exclaimed. “Only a villain would pull a dirty trick like that!”

“You have a strange definition of ‘villain’,” said Felix. Annette didn’t indulge him with a response, instead opting to scoff and refuse to look at him.

“You two are adorable,” Sylvain said with a snicker, and Annette immediately gave him the nastiest glare she could muster. He had some nerve to say that when she was doing her best to help him with his own love life!

"Will you ever learn to shut up?" Felix growled.

"What? Can't handle the truth?" Sylvain asked, only to earn another smack from Ingrid.

"Stop teasing them," she chided. "Are you really going to make Lady Annette regret her generosity?"

"Well, it was more of a suggestion than anything," Annette admitted. "But thank you, Lady Ingrid."

“Sounds to me like you’ve been convinced,” said Felix.

“Wha— I never agreed to anything!” Ingrid exclaimed.

“Neither did I!” Annette chimed in.

“Will you two quit being so stubborn?” Felix asked.

“That’s rich, coming from you, Fe,” said Sylvain.

“Shut up,” Felix growled.

Henri began to laugh heartily, drawing everyone’s eyes. “Seeing you kids squabble over such petty things makes me feel about thirty years younger. You all should go. Have fun while you still have the chance.”

“Uncle!” Annette said in surprise.

"I've lived in regret for so long," her uncle said sadly. "There are so many things I wish I had done differently. But one thing I will never regret is the time I shared with my late wife. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything."

"Uncle…"

"I have been watching you and Lord Felix for the last few days, and I've seen that he truly does care for you," her uncle continued. "If he wants to treat you, you should let him."

"But… I can't possibly eat at a place like Oscar's!" Annette protested. "This armor is all I have to wear!"

“Then I guess we’ll just have to fix that,” said Felix.

“F-Felix!” Annette cried. “I can’t ask you to do something like that for me!”

“Hey, that sounds like a great idea!” said Sylvain. “You should pick out a new outfit too, Ingy!”

“Sylvain!” Ingrid exclaimed, looking mortified.

“C’mon, it’s a good opportunity for you two to have a girl’s day out!” said Sylvain. “Like the baron here said, we should enjoy ourselves while we have the chance!”

“Well, if you put it that way…” Ingrid said reluctantly.

“I still don’t feel good about this,” said Annette. “Felix, you’ve already done more than enough for me. I don't want you to trouble yourself anymore."

"I'm not troubling myself," Felix said. "And even if I was, I wouldn't care. I want to do this."

"Felix…"

"Well, it looks like it's settled," said Sylvain. "Tomorrow, the girls get to go on a shopping trip, and then we all have dinner at Oscar's."

Annette sighed, knowing she'd been beaten. In truth, she was excited about the chance to go shopping with another girl—she hadn't had a proper girl's day out since before her mother died. It was also a good chance to convince Ingrid to confess. Her feelings were clear as day to Annette, but she had a feeling Sylvain wouldn’t be convinced unless he heard it straight from the horse’s mouth.

On the other hand, Annette felt woefully unprepared for dinner with Felix tomorrow. Her definition of going out to eat meant visiting the local pub with Alois. Oscar's was way, way out of her league. Not only that, she hadn’t bought an outfit for herself in years. She feared that no matter what she picked, she’d be severely underdressed.

And then there was the matter of her hair. It was, to put it bluntly, a disaster. She hadn’t had a proper haircut since the day she fled House Dominic. Sure, she’d gotten some touch ups since joining the knights, but it was hardly something she could sport in a fancy restaurant without earning countless stares. Clearly, she would have to take care of that tomorrow as well.

It was all so much, and so sudden, but at the same time it was strangely exciting. Getting all dolled up before dinner with her fiancée… The thought left her giddy as a village maiden. This was her chance to impress Felix in a way that didn't involve swords!

She could help Ingrid look her best, too. Her plan may not have gone the way she intended, but she was still determined to make the most of it. As they made their way back towards the inn, Annette's mind was abuzz with thoughts of how she should best tackle her shopping trip. There was so much to do, and so little time.

After she had dinner and retired to her room for the night, she began hurriedly scribbling down every place she could think of that sold dress clothes or makeup. There wouldn't be time to visit them all, so she would have to narrow it down to the best of the best. It was easier said than done, given that she had never been to any of these places during her time in disguise, but she did her best to remember what the female knights and the students from the Officer's Academy said.

She only looked up from her work when she heard a knock at her door. Only now did she see how little wax her candle had left. How late was it? She stood up and answered the door, only to squeak in surprise upon seeing that her visitor was Felix.

"You're still up?" he said in lieu of a greeting.

"I'm… planning my strategy," she said lamely.

"Spend any more time planning, and you're not going to have any energy to do anything else," said Felix.

Annette began to splutter out a protest, but the look on Felix's face told her he was having none of it.

"I thought this was supposed to be a chance to relax," he said. "It doesn't look like you're relaxing to me."

"You're one to talk!" Annette exclaimed. "What are you still doing up this late?!"

"I was training," he said, which made Annette pout. Of course that was the reason. "I had just gotten out of the bath and was about to go to bed when I saw your room was still lit."

"Well don't let me keep you up," she replied. "I'll go to bed soon."

Felix gave her a disbelieving look, and then, without warning, scooped her into her arms. Annette let out an undignified shriek and began to squirm.

"Wh-what are you doing, you villain?!" she demanded. "Put me down!"

Naturally, Felix only smirked at her, which enraged her even more. It spurred her to struggle even harder, but his grip remained firm no matter how much she squirmed or kicked. He soon released her, but only to put her on her bed. She felt very much like a child being chastised, and like a child, her face screwed into a pout.

“I can take care of myself, you know,” she grumbled.

“And you’re already planning to run back to your desk the moment I leave,” Felix said dryly.

Damn it. How’d he figure her out so easily? “Well, what are you gonna do about it?” she asked.

He sat down on her bed. “Stay until you go to sleep, obviously.”

Well, that settled it. The man truly was evil. She knew how stubborn he could be, and there was no chance he would get any sleep until she did. Well, two could play at that game. She scowled at him and said, "I can't sleep with you sitting there."

"Where do you want me to sit, then?" he asked.

"I have a desk, you know," she grumbled.

Without complaint, Felix did as she asked, but not before making sure she was securely tucked in. Annette felt like she was being mothered, and it was terribly embarrassing. She rolled away from Felix, feeling her cheeks burn as she felt his eyes bore into her.

“Stop staring,” she grumbled.

“How will I know you’ve gone to sleep, then?” he asked.

“Figure it out yourself!” she snapped.

She felt a sting of regret as soon as the words left her mouth. She hadn’t meant to sound that harsh. Embarrassing as it was, Felix was just trying to look after her. Surely he could have chosen a better method than this, but she knew there was no malicious intent behind his actions. It was also true that she needed to be well-rested for tomorrow. On the other hand, she doubted she could get any sleep with him watching her so intently. How could she convince him to stop looking at her without asking him to leave altogether—an argument she knew she’d never win?

An idea suddenly occurred to her. It was bold, foolish, and made her heart race wildly. It most definitely would help her sleep, but she wasn't sure Felix would agree to it. Furthermore, her uncle and Ingrid would definitely not approve. Still, it was worth a shot—she didn't get to where she was without taking chances.

"Um, Felix?" she began in a small voice.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Since you're so insistent on staying here, would you mind if…" She swallowed and steeled her courage. "If I asked you to sleep here with me?"

Felix made a small surprised noise and Annette immediately regretted bringing it up. Of course he wouldn't be comfortable with it. He could still barely hold her hand without turning into a blushing mess.

A long silence passed, and Annette used it to brace herself for inevitable rejection. When Felix spoke up at last, though, what came out of his mouth was very different.

"Are you sure?"

Annette was so surprised that it took her several seconds to pull herself together enough to answer. "Um, yes? I mean, as long as you're okay with it! I don't want to force you into it or anything!"

"Annette," Felix began sternly. "Stop worrying so much. You're not forcing me into anything."

"So…?"

"If it's what you really want, then… I don't mind sleeping next to you," he said. "It's… it's not like we haven't done it before."

"W-well, that's true, but…"

"Annette. We’re engaged, for Seiros’s sake. If the others make a fuss, they can shove it.”

Annette snorted in spite of herself. It was so like Felix to say something like that. Even now, he didn’t care what other people thought of him or his actions, and she found that oddly reassuring. Even so, the fewer people who knew about this, the better.

“Well, just make sure you’re out of here before anyone else gets up,” she said.

“That won’t be a problem,” said Felix.

“You realize that the last time we did this, you overslept?” Annette asked.

“I’m not worried about that,” he replied.

“But—”

“If the worst comes to pass, I'll take care of it." The finality in his tone left no room for argument. Annette felt a little bad—once again, he was troubling himself for her sake. Then again, he didn't sound displeased about this, unlike her attempts to reach her father. Did he… want to share her bed? As Felix blew out the tiny stub of a candle and plunged the room into darkness, her heart began to race. She gulped as she squirmed over to make room for Felix. The bed here wasn't very large, so it would be a tight fit regardless, but Annette wanted to ensure Felix was as comfortable as possible.

She soon felt the bed dip, followed by Felix's lithe form crawling next to her. Nervous as she was, she found herself drawn to his warmth and instinctively shifted closer to him. Felix stiffened, but after a moment, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her.

"Is this okay?" he whispered.

"It's fine," she replied. More than fine, actually. Surrounded by Felix's warmth and scent, she could already feel her earlier tension ebbing away. She made a little sigh of contentment and rested her head on his chest. She could hear how fast his heart was beating; a pace that echoed her own. It was strangely reassuring to confirm that he was as nervous as she was.

After a little while, she felt his chin rest on top of her head, and she made another pleased hum in response. "Good night, Felix," she whispered.

"Good night," he whispered back. Annette settled in a little closer to him, and lulled by the sound of his heartbeat, soon fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Chapter Text

Felix emerged from the realm of sleep slowly and reluctantly. He'd just had the most wonderful dream. Annette had asked him to sleep with her, and he agreed. He didn’t care that they weren’t married yet; if Annette wanted him by his side, then like hell we wouldn’t indulge her. Especially when he’d been itching to have her in his arms again.

He moaned softly as he began to stir. He knew he had to get up for his morning training, but he found himself reluctant to move when he was so comfortable. The last remnants of his dream still clung to him, and he wanted to relish them for as long as possible. He swore he could still feel Annette in his arms.

Eventually, though, habit won out and he slowly opened his eyes. The room was just barely illuminated by the first rays of dawn. He realized he'd overslept, and the reason why was immediately apparent.

He hadn't been dreaming at all.

Felix's heart thudded as he observed Annette's sleeping form. She was nestled right beside him, her expression relaxed and both of her hands clinging to his nightshirt. Her mouth was slightly agape, and a small trickle of drool leaked out of its side. Felix smiled fondly as he gently brushed her hair out of her face. She truly was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

If he had his way, he'd lay here in peaceful bliss forever, but he'd promised to leave before anyone found them together, and so now he was left with the unpleasant task of getting Annette to let go of him. He gently tried to pry her hands off of him, but that only made her whine and cling tighter. Felix chuckled in spite of himself. He never thought anyone would want to hold onto him so badly, and though Annette was unconscious, it still touched his heart. Nonetheless, he had to leave, and he realized that in order to do that, he was going to have to wake Annette up.

Very gently, he reached over and patted Annette's cheek. "Annette, wake up."

She moaned softly as she began to stir. Very slowly, her eyes fluttered open, and she gave him the most adorable sleepy expression. "Felix…?"

"Good morning," he greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mm-hm," she answered. "What time is it…?"

"Just past dawn."

"'S too early," Annette groaned.

"You can go back to sleep if you want, but I need to get going," he said.

"You're leaving now?" she asked. "But you're so comfy…"

Felix sighed, both amused and exasperated. "Annette, you asked me last night to leave before anyone saw us together."

"I know, but…"

"We'll have plenty of time for this later," said Felix. "But right now, I'd rather you not endure a lecture from Ingrid and the baron. And I don't even want to think about what Sylvain would say."

"Good point," said Annette. "I guess I'll see you later, then."

"Right. Later." Though it pained him, he forced himself to pull away from Annette and climbed out of bed in order to get dressed. As he pulled his coat on, he heard her call for him again.

"Um, Felix?"

"What is it?"

"Would you, um…" She paused for a moment, seeming to gather her thoughts. "Would you mind staying with me tonight, too?"

Felix chuckled softly. She was worried about asking that? "Believe me, Annette, if I had my way, I'd have you in my arms every night."

"R-really?!" Annette squeaked.

"I'm a lot of things, Annette, but I am not a good liar," he said.

"I'll say," Annette said with a snort. "'I had my suspicions almost from the start,' my foot."

Felix felt his ears burn again but tried his best to ignore it. "My point exactly. So you have nothing to worry about."

“I guess you’re right,” Annette said with a giggle. “So… I’ll see you tonight, then?”

 “Yeah. See you then.”

With that, he left the room and closed the door behind him. The inn was still dark and quiet, which was a good sign. He’d rather avoid any awkward confrontations if he could help it.

As always, he headed outside to do his early morning training. Normally, Annette would join him, but he hadn't had the heart to rush her out of bed today. Her drowsy expression was still burned in his memory, and it was making it hard for him to focus. He couldn't stop thinking about how badly he wanted to wake up to that lovely face every morning.

He was about halfway through his routine when, much to his surprise and delight, Annette emerged from the inn and jogged up to him, sword in hand. She apologized for being late, but he told her she had nothing to apologize for. The fact that she was so dedicated to her practice that she chose to join him even when she didn’t have to made him happier than he could describe.

Her dedication showed in how quickly her skills had improved. Felix could hardly believe that she had been barely able to hold a sword properly only two moons ago. She was nowhere near his level, but she exceeded all of his expectations and was shaping up to be a skilled swordswoman. He was excited to see her continue to grow and improve even as a selfish part of him lamented that she soon wouldn't need him to protect her anymore.

Saints. Falling in love had changed him more than he thought.

They finished their session just in time for breakfast. Henri, Sylvain, and Ingrid were already seated in the inn's dining area and greeted them as they approached. Their plates were already full of food, and Ingrid was happily digging in.

"Geez, Fe, you're still dragging Annette out to train at the crack of dawn?" Sylvain asked. "I thought we were supposed to be taking it easy today."

"I didn't drag her out," Felix said. "She joined me of her own volition."

"Wait, she got up on her own?" Sylvain exclaimed. "Geez, I didn't realize you were that bad of an influence on her."

He yelped as Annette suddenly kicked his leg. "Lord Sylvain. Kindly shut up," she said.

"Ouch," Sylvain moaned. "Guess he rubbed off on you more than I thought."

"Good," said Felix. "Now I know I can count on her to keep you in line."

"Oh good. Less work for me," Ingrid cut in.

"Is this 'Everyone Pick On Sylvain Day' or something?" Sylvain groaned.

"No, but you need to shape up!" Annette exclaimed. "Did you forget what's happening tonight?"

"No, but—"

"No buts!" Annette interrupted. "I want to see you on your best behavior today, you hear?!"

Even Felix was surprised at the harshness in Annette's voice. She was clearly determined to keep Sylvain from screwing everything up again. Considering that she was the one who suggested that Sylvain and Ingrid have dinner at Oscar's in the first place, this must have been part of her plan in helping Sylvain to finally confess to Ingrid.

To his credit, Sylvain shrank back sheepishly and nodded. With peace achieved for the time being, Annette and Felix sat down and ordered their breakfasts. The food was delivered in a timely fashion, and as they ate, Annette began to discuss her plans for the day with Ingrid. She pulled out the list she had been working on and pointed out the various shops she thought would be good to visit. Ingrid, who had never gone shopping with another girl her age, looked bewildered but did her best to follow along. Felix felt a little bad for her. He knew she didn’t understand anything Annette was saying any more than he did, but she had to pay attention to all of it.

“So, Fe,” Sylvain cut in. “Since the ladies are going to be occupied for most of today, why don’t you and I hang out as well?”

Felix’s immediate instinct was to refuse, as Sylvain’s idea of a good time was very different from his own, but he soon realized that this was the best way to keep Sylvain out of trouble while Ingrid was busy. As frustrating as Sylvain could be, Felix genuinely cared for him and wanted to see him happy. If he had to put up with Sylvain's teasing in order to keep him from spiraling into his self-destructive tendencies again, then so be it.

"All right," Felix said at last. "Someone has to keep you in line, after all."

"You really need to loosen up," said Sylvain. "You've got a date tonight too, y'know."

"Shut up," Felix growled, feeling his cheeks burn. He stole a nervous glance over at Annette and Ingrid, but it seemed they were too focused on their own conversation to have heard them.

"C'mon! You want to impress Annette, right?" asked Sylvain. "And I mean in a way that doesn't involve swords."

"If I were you, I would be more worried about myself," said Felix. "Annette's already agreed to marry me. You're going to have to convince Ingrid that you aren't playing around."

"I know, I know," Sylvain groaned. "That's what makes this so hard."

"Why do you think Annette got on your ass just a moment ago?" asked Felix. "She's being hard on you because she wants to see you succeed. If you let her down after she went out of her way to set this whole thing up for your sake, I won't forgive you."

"Way to pile on the pressure," Sylvain grumbled. "All right, all right, I promise I'll stay out of trouble. But I still want to use today to prepare for tonight."

“At least you’re putting some thought into this,” said Felix.

“Hey, don’t think you’re off the hook, either,” said Sylvain. “If I’m going to be putting in the effort to impress Ingrid, then you should be doing the same for Annette.”

Felix sighed tiredly. He didn't like it, but Sylvain was absolutely right. Felix had coerced Annette into eating out with him, so it was only fair that he did his best to impress her. He was the one courting her, after all. And much to his chagrin, Sylvain was far more experienced in this matter than he was.

“All right,” he said at last. “But you’d better not make me do anything stupid.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Sylvain said with a wink that wasn’t the slightest bit reassuring.

After breakfast, everyone went their separate ways. After agreeing that they would meet back up at the inn at six in the evening, Annette left with Ingrid to go to whatever shop they had in mind first. Baron Dominic went off on his own, not wanting to get in the way of their preparations. That left Sylvain and Felix, and Felix was not at all looking forward to how this was going to turn out.

As he feared, Sylvain proceeded to drag him all over town. Thankfully, Sylvain kept his word and didn't give any of the women they came across a second glance, but he still proved exhausting. He kept trying to teach Felix his terrible lines and tried to convince him to get a new outfit. Felix refused at first—he had formal wear at home, so what was the point of buying something he was only going to wear for one night? Eventually, though, they reached a compromise: Felix grudgingly purchased a new shirt, pants, boots, and gloves, but he could keep his Fraldarius teal coat. Sylvain also bought a new outfit, which for some reason included a green scarf. When Felix asked why he picked that, the simple answer was "Because it looks good!"

Felix knew better than to question him anymore after that.

They took a break for lunch, and then afterwards they visited Garreg Mach’s sauna. Sylvain said it would be good for them to relax before their big night. Felix wasn't sure how stripping to their smallclothes and sitting in a room full of steam was supposed to help with that, but he had to admit it was strangely refreshing. His northern Faerghan blood meant he didn't have a very high tolerance for heat— which made Sylvain's decision to come here even stranger because he liked the heat even less than Felix—but something about the steam combined with the heat gave him a similar feeling to a particularly grueling training session. All of the tension in his body melted away, and by the time they walked out, Felix felt ready to take on the world.

At last, the moment of truth arrived. Felix and Sylvain returned to the inn in order to change and reunite with Ingrid and Annette. Felix regained some of his earlier trepidation return as he put on his new outfit. It wasn't uncomfortable, but he felt naked without his usual sweater, gloves and boots. If anything happened, he couldn't count on these clothes to give him any sort of protection. He knew it was just for a few hours, and Garreg Mach was generally safe, but one always had to be prepared for the unexpected. As such, he wanted to bring his sword, but Sylvain immediately shot that idea down.

"You're going to a restaurant, not a duel," he'd said. "I know this is asking a lot of you, Fe, but you need to look approachable when you're going on a date."

So, with great reluctance, Felix left his sword in his room, but he wasn't about to leave without any sort of weapon to defend himself with, so he slid one of his hunting knives into his boot. No one would be any the wiser.

Now fully dressed, Felix began making his way towards Annette's room, only for Sylvain to stop him again.

"Don't tell me you're going out without bothering to fix your hair!" Sylvain groaned. Felix really didn't want to waste any more time—his hair was fine as is—but Sylvain insisted that ladies loved men with pretty hair. "You have a gift, man, and I am not letting you squander it!"

That was how Felix found himself sulking in a chair while some girl who worked at the inn brushed and played with his hair. Sylvain had apparently charmed her into it by saying that she would get to work with "the prettiest hair you'll see on any man ever!"

Hearing that out of Sylvain’s mouth made Felix feel like he was dying inside, and listening to this random girl chirp away about his hair as she brushed it made the sensation even worse. It didn’t help that he was extremely uncomfortable about having a stranger’s fingers in his hair. The only reason he didn’t refuse her altogether was because this was for Annette. If all this hassle meant seeing her smile, then it would be worth it.

At long last, the girl declared she was done. She directed Felix to a mirror to see her handiwork, and he reluctantly did so. He braced himself for the worst, but when his reflection came into view, he was surprised to find that he wasn't revolted by what he saw. The girl had tied his hair into a single braid which she had draped over his shoulder. To his relief, she hadn’t added any frivolous ribbons or other nonsense. The result was something more elegant from his usual look, yet not so different that it looked out of place on him. As much as he hated to admit it, he was impressed.

Sylvain let out a low whistle. "Lookin' good, Fe!"

"Shut up," Felix growled, feeling his cheeks burn.

With all preparations complete, it was finally time to meet up with Ingrid and Annette. Felix felt his heart begin to race as he approached Annette's door. He had no reason to be so nervous—Annette had already seen him at his worst, after all—but a large part of him still feared he would disappoint her somehow. There was no turning back now, though, and so with his heart in his throat, he steeled himself as Sylvain knocked on the door.

"Just a second!" Annette's voice called from inside. A few tense moments passed, and then the door finally swung open.

Felix could not stop himself from inhaling sharply at the sight before him. Annette was, for lack of a better word, stunning. Someone had managed to tame her shorn hair, trimming and styling into something that was still short but distinctly feminine. Combined with the sky blue short sleeved dress and golden heart shaped pendant she wore, no one could mistake her for a boy now.

Ingrid stood right behind her. Like Annette, she’d restyled her hair into something more feminine, although since her hair was much longer than Annette’s to begin with, that task would have been less difficult. Small dark green ribbons were tied on each side of her head, just above her ears, and the hair she usually kept pinned close to her head hung loose. She’d also exchanged her armor for a dress, but hers was the same dark green as her ribbons.

Annette averted her eyes almost as soon as they landed on Felix and tugged at her necklace as her cheeks turned pink. "Um…"

"Um…" Felix answered dumbly.

“Well, hi there, ladies!” Sylvain cut in, and Felix never felt more relieved to hear him speak. “Lookin’ good, both of you!”

“Cut it with the cheap flattery,” Ingrid said, crossing her arms.

“No, I mean it,” said Sylvain. “You look amazing, Ingrid.”

Ingrid scrutinized Sylvain's face, and her expression gradually softened into something uncharacteristically shy. "Well, then, uh… Th-thank you. You look great too, Sylvain."

Sylvain looked stunned for a moment, and then let out a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his head. "W-well, you know…"

“Wh-why don’t we get moving?” Annette interrupted, likely to keep Sylvain from saying something stupid. “I’m getting pretty hungry.”

“Oh! Yeah, sounds great!” exclaimed Sylvain.

“Yeah, I’m getting hungry, too,” said Ingrid. “I’m excited to try the steak Lady Annette mentioned. Here’s hoping it’s as good as Lady Annette said.”

“Again, I haven’t actually tried the steak myself,” said Annette. “But I've heard people have come from as far away as Enbarr to try it."

"If that's the case, will we even be able to get in?" asked Ingrid.

"Well, the prices usually deter all but the richest and most elite…" Annette said sheepishly. "Even most of the higher-ranking knights can only afford to go once in a blue moon."

"Then we should have nothing to worry about," said Felix.

"Are you really sure about this, Felix?" asked Annette.

"I am," said Felix. "Even if I wasn't, it'd be foolish to back out now."

"I guess so," Annette conceded. "Well… Shall we get going, then?"

Felix nodded and extended his arm, and Annette linked her elbow with his. He swallowed, feeling his heart race again as Sylvain and Ingrid also linked elbows. This was it. There was no turning back now.

The walk to the restaurant passed in a blur because Felix was hyper aware of Annette's arm around his. It was ridiculous—he'd spent the night with her, and here he was getting as flustered as a teenager with a crush. He could almost hear Glenn laughing at him.

Odd how that thought didn't bother him as much as it used to.

When they arrived at Oscar's, they were greeted by a young man waiting near the doors. Seeing that they were two young noblemen with two young ladies in tow, he asked if they would like to sit as a group or if they wanted two separate tables.

To Felix's surprise, Annette immediately answered with, "Two tables, please."

“Ah, a young lady who knows exactly what she wants,” said the greeter. “An admirable trait. Very well then; please follow me.”

Felix gave the greeter a glare that should have felled him where he stood, but he didn’t so much as flinch at it. Felix wondered what sort of people this man had dealt with in the past for him to brush an expression like that off and suddenly felt a strange sense of pity for him.

Upon entering the restaurant, Felix could immediately tell that the place was posh. It was richly furnished with delicately carved wooden tables and chairs, and all of the patrons were obviously wealthy given their lavish clothes. Normally, Felix didn't care for such extravagance. He was from one of the kingdom's wealthiest families, but he never liked to flaunt his wealth—he'd much rather be known for his skill rather than his gold. Just for tonight, though, he was willing to make an exception.

A pair of waiters soon arrived to escort them to their tables, and it was at this point that Felix and Annette had to separate from Sylvain and Ingrid. Before they split up, Felix gave Sylvain one last warning glance.

"Don't screw this up."

The nervous yet determined look he got in exchange said more than words ever could. Sylvain obviously wanted this to go well and would do his best to ensure that. Felix hoped that Sylvain could finally work up the courage to say what he needed to.

As one waiter led Sylvain and Ingrid away, the other led Felix and Annette in the opposite direction until they reached a table for two. A delicate white tablecloth covered it, and a single candle rested on its center. Combined with the restaurant's low lighting, it was clearly designed for an intimate experience.

Felix pulled out one of the chairs for Annette, and she made a little noise of surprise before thanking him and sitting down. He then took the seat opposite to her and felt his heart begin to race anew. For all his concern about Sylvain, he was just as worried that he’d do something to ruin this night for Annette.

The waiter placed menus in front of them, which listed both the food and their list of vintages. He also mentioned there was a special offer: a five-course meal for two. Felix bit his tongue; it was obvious bait, but he wanted to hear what Annette thought of it first.

“What's included in it?” she asked.

The waiter gave them a second set of menus, clearly having been prepared for that very question. Felix looked it over and saw that there were several choices for each course, with Oscar's famous steak being among the choices for the fourth course. Everything was included for a single price, which was unsurprisingly very expensive.

"Can you give us a few minutes?" Annette asked.

"Of course," the waiter replied. "I'll get you some bread while you decide." He then filled their glasses with water and left them alone. Annette proceeded to study the menus intensely, her face scrunched up adorably as it always did when she was deep in thought. She was so endearing to watch that Felix found himself looking at her more than his own menu. It was a problem he admittedly didn't mind having.

After a little while, she looked up at him again. "Huh. That five-course meal actually isn't a bad deal. I added up the prices of everything individually, and it's about the same as the lump sum for the special."

Felix was amazed that she had managed to figure that out so quickly and without needing to write anything down. Math was something he had very little patience for. If Annette was this good with numbers, then she would have no trouble learning how to write and manage ledgers, which Rodrigue would no doubt be overjoyed at.

Felix quickly realized where his thoughts were going and returned to himself with a start. Saints, this wasn't the time or place to be thinking about that! Annette gave him a concerned look and he quickly reassured her that he was fine.

She didn’t look completely convinced, but she opted not to push him. "So, um, has anything caught your eye?"

"I still want to try that steak you recommended," he said. "It's even on that five-course meal special."

"You did look at the entire thing, right?" Annette asked. "Is the man who doesn't like sweets really going to eat a dessert course?"

In spite of himself, Felix smiled. "You remembered."

"Of course I did," Annette said with a pout. "How could I forget that you have the most villainous tastes?"

"You say that as if it doesn't mean more sweets for you," Felix teased.

Annette went very red in the face. "I— You— How dare you! Only a villain would twist my words so… so… evilly!"

She managed to look even more adorable when she was indignant, and he couldn't hold back an amused chuckle. "Since when did I become a villain in your eyes?"

"From the very beginning!" Annette answered without hesitation. "From the moment Cornelia told me I was betrothed to you, I thought my life was over."

Felix went quiet, feeling the old wound in his heart ache. It was a blunt reminder of his faults; of how unlikeable he was. Annette quickly picked up on his change in demeanor and her expression softened.

"But then I found out that the evil man I was supposed to marry had a secret soft side. That he could be really sweet if he tried. That he was incredibly devoted to the people and things he cared about. And, of course, that he was incredibly handsome."

Felix was sure he would spontaneously combust any second now. His entire face felt like it was on fire. He still wasn't used to being praised for anything except his skill with the blade, and the fact that it came from Annette made it all the more flattering. He cursed the table that separated them because he was suddenly filled with an overwhelming urge to kiss her.

He compromised by gently taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. "I'm flattered that you think I'm handsome."

Annette turned delightfully red and began to stammer. "S-since when did you start kissing hands out of the blue?"

"I may be a villain, Annette, but I am still the son of a duke," he answered. "Unless… you don't want me to…"

"N-no! It's fine!" Annette exclaimed. "I just wasn't expecting it! I mean… You were so nervous earlier, and well…"

"No, I get it," said Felix. "This is all new for me. I… I've never felt like this about anyone before. If I ever cross a line, let me know right away."

Annette smiled at him in a way that made his heart stutter. “The fact that you’re worried about that tells me that I have nothing to worry about.”

Felix wished that was true, but he knew what he was like. He was curt, temperamental, and about as romantic as an actual wolf. Even with all his lessons from childhood and Sylvain’s admittedly questionable advice, he was still stumbling through this courtship with all the grace of a newborn fawn.

He returned his attention to the menu in hopes of not looking any more awkward than he already had. He'd already decided that he wanted steak, but he needed to pick out what he wanted to have with it. In the end, they wound up deciding against the five-course special. Felix would have been more than happy to give Annette his dessert, but he didn't want a repeat of the hurty tum incident.

Both of them decided to order the steak, which came with potatoes and a vegetable medley. They also decided on an appetizer: a platter of shrimp cooked three different ways. When the waiter returned with the promised basket of freshly baked bread, Felix asked what vintage he recommended for the steak. Unsurprisingly, the one he chose was very pricey, but as this was a special occasion, Felix was willing to pay up, even as Annette openly gaped at how much gold he was parting with.

The wine wound up living up to its price tag. It was much better than what Cornelia served them in Dominic, and better than most of the wine House Fraldarius had. Annette said she'd never had such a good wine in her life, and seeing how she'd been living up to this point, Felix knew she wasn't exaggerating.

The bread was fantastic as well. It was still hot, with a crunchy exterior and a soft interior. Annette loved it so much that Felix had to warn her not to eat the entire basket at once.

"There's still plenty of food to come," he said. "If you fill up on bread now, you won't have any room for dessert."

"You don't have to worry about that," she replied between bites of bread. "I have a whole extra stomach just for dessert!"

Felix was unsurprised to hear that. This was the girl who'd devoured a third of a cake for lunch, after all. Still, he decided he would keep a close eye on her. Even though they weren't having five courses, Annette had already shown that her eyes were bigger than her stomach.

A short time later, the waiter brought their order of shrimp. All three varieties were delicious, but none could compare to the look of delight on Annette's face as she sampled each one. Felix would have been happy to let her eat the entire plate if he hadn't already decided to make sure she didn’t overeat.

After the shrimp was gone, their steaks arrived in a timely manner. Upon the first bite, it became clear why people traveled from all over Fodlan to eat it. It was so tender that it practically melted in Felix’s mouth, and tasted better than any other steak he’d had in his life. Annette’s bliss was clear on her face as she savored each bite, and it brought Felix more joy than the steak itself.

After they'd both polished off their steaks, their waiter asked if they wanted dessert. Annette asked to see the dessert menu, but upon taking a single glance, her eyes widened with shock. She gave Felix a worried and guilty look, and he fought back a sigh as he asked for another copy of the dessert menu. As he expected, every option aside from some of the drinks sounded as sweet as they were expensive. Annette would have loved any of them, but one option stood out from the rest.

"We'll have one order of the chocolate mousse cake," he said.

"F-Felix!" Annette exclaimed.

"What, do you not want it?" he asked.

"You're not supposed to decide for me!" she said angrily.

“Then consider it my treat. I’m the one paying for all this, after all.”

“B-but— You—”

“Do you want the cake or not?”

Her face told him that she very much did want it, but she remained stubborn. “Can’t I choose what I want by myself?”

“If this is about the money, I already told you I don’t care about that,” he said. "We have more than enough to get us back to Fhirdiad. You don't need to feel guilty about wanting something if it makes you happy."

"Still…"

"It's a special occasion, remember. Can't you put your worries aside for one night?"

"Well… All right," Annette conceded at last. "I guess if we've come this far, we might as well go all the way. And that cake did sound really good."

"Wonderful," said the waiter. "I'll get that out for you right away. Anything for you, sir?"

"I'll pass," Felix responded.

The waiter was true to his word. They didn't have to wait long before the cake arrived. Annette's eyes lit up the moment the plate was placed in front of her. The slice of cake was sizable, consisting of three layers with a mousse filling. It sat on top of a decorative drizzle of raspberry sauce, and the frosting almost glistened thanks to the candle on their table.

"It almost looks too pretty to eat," Annette lamented.

"You're gonna let that stop you?" Felix asked.

"No!" she answered as she grabbed her fork. As if to spite him, she stabbed the cake and shoved a large chunk of it into her mouth. Her irritated expression quickly melted into surprise, and then she closed her eyes and squealed in delight.

"This is the best thing I've tasted in my life!" she cried.

"Is it now?" asked Felix.

Annette nodded eagerly. "It's so soft and moist and the mousse perfectly complements it! It has just the perfect amount of chocolate and it's so sweet I almost want to sing!"

"Really? Will you?"

"We're still in public, Felix," Annette said with a frown.

"I know," said Felix. "Had to give it a shot though."

"I can't believe you," Annette said with a sigh. "Sorry, but you can't make me sing any more than I can make you eat this cake."

The fact that he was immediately tempted to take a bite of the cake just to see if he could change her mind told him, once again, that he had a serious problem. As he wasn't keen on making a fool of himself in front of her, he opted to drop the issue and instead watched her enjoy the cake. It really was strange how seeing her happy made him feel happy, too.

The cake soon vanished from Annette’s plate, and she let out a contented sigh. “That was sooooo good!”

“Yeah, it was,” Felix agreed.

“I might need some help getting out of here. I’m stuffed,” she moaned.

“I told you not to fill up on bread."

“It was worth it!"

Felix chuckled softly, prompting Annette to ask him what was so funny. "Nothing. I just like watching you."

"H-hey!" she sputtered. "You can't just… say things like that out of the blue!"

"What would you rather have me say?" Felix asked.

"I… It's…" Annette trailed off, chewing her lip. "It's just… I'm not used to hearing you of all people saying such things."

Felix nodded in understanding. "I get it. This is all new for me, too. I… I'm still worried I'll screw this up somehow."

"You're doing fine, Felix," Annette assured. "I've had a wonderful evening."

"I'm glad to hear that," Felix said.

"But…" She gave him a strangely intense look. "I can think of one thing that would make it even better."

Felix blinked in confusion for a moment, and then understanding dawned on him. He felt his face flame anew and his heart threatened to burst out of his chest. "Annette… Are you asking what I think you are?"

"What do you think?" she countered, still giving him that intense look.

He swallowed and slowly began to lean across the table towards her. Annette did the same, which made Felix's heart beat even faster. Feeling emboldened, he reached out to cradle her face, and the distance between them vanished.

Felix hadn't kissed anyone since he was a child, and it had been just as long since anyone had kissed him. Even then, it had always been strictly familial, with his mother being the initiator in almost every case. This was unlike anything he had experienced before. Annette’s lips were soft and sweet, the latter of which was doubtlessly thanks to the cake she’d just eaten. He normally hated anything sweet, but he found that he didn’t mind this. He’d even go so far to say that he liked it. Despite that, doubt lingered in his heart. He didn’t have the slightest clue what he was doing. Was Annette enjoying this? Was he making her uncomfortable, or worse, hurting her?

After a couple seconds that felt both far too long and far too short, he slowly pulled away and opened his eyes—somehow, he’d closed them without realizing it. Annette had a strange expression on her face. She seemed satisfied, but at the same time she almost looked disappointed.

"Was that… okay?" Felix asked, feeling a rock drop into his stomach.

"Was that okay?!" Annette repeated, looking scandalized. "Felix, you dummy! You're not supposed to ask that after you kiss a girl!"

"But you—"

She gave him an irritated look, grabbed his face, and kissed him again. "Does that answer your question?!"

Felix was so stunned that he could only stare at her and nod. He only snapped out of his stupor when he heard someone clear their throat nearby.

“Am I interrupting?”

Felix turned toward the voice and saw their waiter watching them with barely concealed amusement. Annette yelped and sat back down before apologizing profusely. Meanwhile, Felix sighed, feeling his own face burn.

“Just give us the bill. I know that’s what you’re here for,” he grumbled.

As expected, the bill was grossly expensive. It was nothing Felix couldn't handle, but that was only because of House Fraldarius's wealth. Even so, Annette looked guilty as he counted out the gold. He had to assure her that these funds had been meant for their trip anyway, so they weren’t harming his family’s coffers any more than when they had first set out. Rodrigue had expected them to be gone for far longer than this, after all. Felix could hardly wait to see the look on his old man’s face when he returned with Annette in tow.

With the bill taken care of, they made their way out of the restaurant. They didn’t know where Sylvain and Ingrid were seated, nor did they know if they had finished their meal, so they decided to wait for them outside. It was also possible Sylvain and Ingrid had finished first and were waiting on the two of them.

As it turned out, they had beaten Sylvain and Ingrid outside, but they didn't have to wait long for them. No more than ten minutes passed before the two of them emerged from Oscar's. And given how red both of their faces were and how pleased they looked, things must have gone well.

"So," Felix began. "You two have fun?"

Ingrid immediately glared at him. "You knew all along, didn't you?"

"I knew for a while, yes," Felix admitted. "But it was Annette's idea to kick Sylvain's ass into action."

"Is that so?" Ingrid asked.

Annette nodded at her. "It was urgent. Sylvain did explain his situation, didn't he?"

"I did," said Sylvain. "And she punched me for it."

"As you deserved!" Ingrid snapped. "I still can't believe you kept that a secret all this time!"

"I said I was sorry!" Sylvain exclaimed. "I just didn't want you to worry!"

"But we could have helped you way sooner if you'd just spoken up!" Ingrid argued.

"Please don't be too hard on him, Lady Ingrid," said Annette. "I'm partially at fault for this. Lord Sylvain was more concerned about Felix and I at the time. If I had only revealed myself sooner…"

"Annette, stop," Felix interrupted. "You did what you thought was best. Same with you, Sylvain. There's no sense in dwelling on it now."

"I guess that's true enough," Ingrid conceded with a sigh. "But don't ever hide something that important from me again!"

"I won't. I promise," Sylvain assured.

"I'll hold you to that," said Ingrid.

With the matter settled and their dinner finished, the four of them made their way back to the inn. Their earlier seriousness melted away, leaving behind an amiable atmosphere as they talked about their respective experiences that day. Felix would never admit it aloud, but seeing Sylvain and Ingrid holding hands and looking so happy made him feel light and warm inside.

But it couldn't compare to the bliss of having Annette in his arms. He could scarcely wait to get back and do just that.

It took some patience, but he eventually was able to sneak into Annette's room without being spotted. He'd promised her, after all. As he drifted off to sleep clutching her close to him, he pressed one last kiss to her forehead—a promise to cherish and protect her always. It was a promise he intended to keep, no matter what.

She was the best thing that ever happened to him, and tonight proved that more than ever.

Chapter Text

If Annette had her way, she would have spent the rest of her life cuddled next to Felix. He was warm, solid, and comfortable—no pillow could compare to him. Not only that, their she'd learned that she loved the feeling of his lips on hers thanks to their dinner at Oscar's, and despite the fact that both he and her were woefully inexperienced, she relished every chance she got to kiss him.

It made their inevitable parting that morning all the more bittersweet. She would see him again shortly, but given how shy Felix was and the fact that they were still unmarried, it wouldn't be anything like when it was just the two of them. It was almost enough to make her want to head back to Fhirdiad with Felix at that very moment, even if it meant not seeing her father again.

Fortunately, she would not have to wait much longer. She'd just finished her breakfast when news of the knights returning from patrol, including Sir Gilbert's, swept through the inn. Annette didn't need to hear another word. She rose from her seat and immediately bolted out the door, barely hearing the protests from the others. She had no time to waste.

She made her way up to the monastery, knowing that the knights always had to report after completing their patrols. Just as she approached the monastery’s steps, however, she felt someone grab her arm. Acting on pure instinct, she shrieked, whirled around, and socked the offender square in the nose.

The resulting pained yelp was familiar enough to snap her out of her panic. All the blood drained from her face as she realized who she had punched.

“F-Felix!” she cried. “Oh my gosh, I-I’m so sorry!”

“Geez, Annette,” Felix moaned as he held his nose. Oh saints, was he bleeding? "You actually caught me off guard. It seems I taught you well."

"A-are you okay?!' she cried.

"I've had worse," he replied. "It's definitely not broken, that much I'm sure of. But enough about me. What were you thinking, running off on your own like that?!"

"I…"

"Felix! Lady Annette!"

Sylvain, Ingrid, and Henri came running up to them. After taking a moment to catch their breath, Ingrid straightened up and glared at Annette.

"What was that all about?!" she demanded. "You could have at least waited for us!"

"I'm sorry," said Annette. "I just want to see my father as soon as possible. I can't afford to miss him again."

"I don't blame you," said Felix. "That old man is uncannily good at slipping away. I can see where you got it from."

"Felix!" Ingrid hissed as Annette's face burned with embarrassment.

Felix winced, belatedly realizing his mistake. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I just… Look, don't feel like you have to do this alone, okay? Or at least tell me where you're going before tearing off like that."

"I'm sorry," Annette said again. "I know how you feel about my father, so I thought it was best if I took care of this by myself. I've delayed our departure long enough."

Felix sighed tiredly while the rest of the group gave her sympathetic looks.

"Oh, Annette," said Henri. "You are just like your father in that way."

“Yeah, I guess I am,” she answered, mildly surprised at how easily she accepted it. “Well, since you’re all here now, let’s go see him together.”

It didn’t take long to learn where Sir Gilbert and the knights under his command were, as they were the topic of discussion around the monastery, and for good reason.

“They found Cornelia?!” Annette exclaimed.

“So I’ve heard,” said the squire who’d given them the news. "I don't know all the details, but Sir Gilbert's patrol group encountered her and a dozen or so men with her. All are presumed dead."

"Presumed?" Felix repeated sharply.

"You'll have to ask Sir Gilbert about that yourself," said the squire. "His group should still be in the knights' hall."

In spite of herself, Annette was a bundle of nerves as they followed the squire's instructions. This was her last chance to convince her father, for better or for worse. A warm hand squeezed hers, and she looked up in surprise to see Felix giving her a reassuring expression. She smiled at him, feeling her heart squeeze. He was still trying to encourage her even though he hated what her father had done. He was too kind.

Before long, Annette spotted her father's familiar orange hair in the knights' hall. She took a deep breath, steeled her courage, and marched towards him.

"Father."

As expected, he turned away the instant he noticed her. "I don't deserve to be called that."

"Cut the crap, old man," Felix interjected. "At least listen to what she has to say."

"I wanted to thank you, Father," Annette continued. "We heard that your unit discovered and subdued Cornelia and the men she was traveling with."

"Word travels fast," said Sir Gilbert.

"What's this about them being 'presumed' dead, though?" asked Felix. "That tells me you didn't kill all of them."

"You're sharp, young man," said Sir Gilbert. "Most of them fell to our weapons, but Cornelia chose to jump off a cliff rather than face her end with dignity. It was too high for us to follow her, but I can't imagine her surviving such a fall."

"I won't believe that woman is dead until I see her corpse with my own eyes," Felix growled. "But if what you say is true, she at least will be in no condition to attack us anytime soon."

"Exactly," said Annette. "You've done us a great service, Father. We can now return to Fhirdiad without fear of an ambush."

"I see. I'm glad I was able to assist you, then," her father said. "Well, if that's all, I'd best be going, now. I bid you good day."

"Father, wait!" Annette cried. "I want you to come with us!"

"As I told you before, I cannot," he replied. "I must bear the weight of my sins."

"You won't go, even to see your king?" asked Annette.

Her father lowered his head. "I failed him most of all."

"I see," Annette said softly. So, not even King Dimitri could change her father's mind. "If that's truly how you feel, then I won't force you."

"Annette, are you sure?" asked Henri.

"I made up my mind a while ago," she answered. "I've delayed our journey long enough. Even so… I won't give up on you, Father. This is good-bye, but just for now. I only hope that one day you'll be able to see the truth."

She turned and walked away, refusing to look back. Despite her resolve, she could feel her eyes burn with tears she refused to shed. She would not cry, no matter how much she wanted to. It hurt beyond measure to know that her father refused to see her married, but she couldn't let that get to her. She had to press on without him.

Felix and the others repeatedly asked her if she was fine, and every time she insisted she was. She was surprised at how easily the lie came to her lips. Evidently, lying had almost become second nature to her after the last two years.

But she should have known she couldn’t fool Felix again.

He confronted her when she was in her room at the inn packing her few belongings. When she again assured that she was alright, he marched up to her, placed his hands on her shoulders, and leaned forward until their noses were almost touching.

“Look me in the eye and say that again.”

For a moment, she stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. Under the intensity of his gaze, her resolve crumbled. With a sob, she threw her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. Once the tears started flowing, there was no stopping them. She wept like she hadn't wept in years, her chest heaving with the force of her sobs. All the while, Felix held her. He said nothing, only occasionally and hesitantly stroking her hair. He didn’t complain even as her tears dampened his shirt and pathetic noises erupted from her throat.

She didn’t know how long they stayed like that. All she was aware for the longest time were her own hoarse cries, the tears streaming down her face, and the warmth of Felix’s body. Eventually, her sobs subsided, but she didn’t pull away from Felix. It felt good to be so close to him, and childish as it was, she didn’t want to lose that small comfort.

"Feel better?" Felix's voice rumbled.

She sniffled again and nodded. "Yeah. Sorry about your shirt."

"It's just a shirt," he said dismissively. "I can always get it washed."

"Still…" she mumbled. "That was unbecoming of me."

"You really think I care about that?" he asked. "You were upset and needed to let it out. The only thing I'm mad at is the fool who made you cry."

In spite of herself, Annette managed a small smile. "It's sweet of you to be angry on my behalf."

Felix grunted as his face turned pink. "W-well, someone has to be. You're too soft on that old fool."

"He's my father," Annette said simply. "And for all his faults, I still love him. I just wish that he could see that."

"He's just like my old man," said Felix. "All he thinks about is his duty. It makes me sick."

"We aren't so different, are we?"  Annette muttered.

"In that respect, at least, we aren't," he replied. "The difference is that you haven't given up your old man as a lost cause yet."

"Oh, Felix," she said sadly. "I know Lord Rodrigue can be… frustrating, but I know he still loves you."

Felix grunted, but he didn’t outright deny it. Part of him, however small, must have agreed with her. "Like I said, you're too soft."

"One of us has to be," Annette said with a smile. "Maybe I can talk some sense into him. He's going to be my family soon, after all."

"O-oh," Felix said, turning very red. "I guess that's true."

"Don't tell me you forgot," she said teasingly.

"I-I didn't forget!" he exclaimed. "I just… didn't think about it like that."

"Of course," she said with a giggle. "Well, I hope I can make a good first impression on him."

"You'll do fine," Felix assured. "I can't wait to see his face once he learns who you really are."

"Do you think he'll be angry?"

"With you? I doubt it. With himself? Most likely. Once word gets out that you fooled the Shield of Faerghus, no one is going to let him live it down."

Annette giggled again, feeling her nervousness ebb away. "That extends to you too, you know."

Felix grunted again as his ears turned red. "It's not like people haven't been gossiping about me for years already."

"True," Annette admitted. "You're famous for your unsavory reputation."

"I'm well aware," Felix said grimly. "But it's a burden I gladly endure. I'm more worried about what they'll say about you."

Annette shook her head. "I spent two years living in fear of being discovered and beheaded. Nothing they say could possibly be worse than that."

"Oh." Felix suddenly looked ashamed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

Annette reached up and put a finger to his lips. "I told you before, if I had known you and not your reputation, I wouldn't have run away."

"Still…" He lowered his head and sighed heavily. "Figures. I came to try to cheer you up, and here I am making a mess of everything again."

"You're doing just fine, Felix," said Annette. "I feel much better than I did before."

He gave her a relieved smile. "I'm glad. I'm still not used to this sort of thing."

"Well, we'll just have to learn together, then," she replied. "Now c'mon, let's finish packing. I've kept everyone waiting long enough."

It didn't take long for her to gather up the rest of her things. She didn't have a ton of room in her pack, but she managed to squeeze the new dress and shoes she'd bought into it. She couldn't bear to leave them behind, not only because it would have been wasteful, but because they were now full of good memories. It had been her first real night out with Felix, and it was a night she always wanted to remember. She allowed herself the indulgence of wearing the necklace again, ensuring the pendant was safely tucked under her armor. Now finally ready, she and Felix headed outside to meet up with the others.

Her uncle immediately noticed how red her eyes were and immediately demanded what had happened. Annette explained everything, reassuring him that Felix had been the one to comfort her. Henri nodded at them in understanding, but there was an unspoken warning in his eyes. Clearly, part of him was still worried that Felix would wind up hurting her.

Annette smiled wanly. If only he knew that Felix was more worried about hurting her than anyone else. In spite of how unpleasant and disagreeable he could be, Felix had a tender heart, and she was determined to protect it.

Before they set off, Annette asked to stop by the monastery one more time to say farewell to Alois. She wasn’t sure when she’d get another chance to visit Garreg Mach, and were it not for him, she wouldn’t be where she was now. She would never be able to repay her debt to him, but she could at least express her gratitude before she left him for good.

It didn't take long to find Alois again, and Annette immediately enveloped him in a tight embrace. As they said their good-byes, the tears began to flow. Alois proclaimed how proud he was of her, and she in turn thanked him for everything he'd done for her. As they continued to hug and cry, Annette suddenly realized that Alois had been more of a father to her these past two years than her real father had. It made her heart ache, but it also gave her a sudden idea.

"Alois," she began. "I know you're very busy, but… would you like to come to my wedding?"

"Would I? I'd love nothing more!" he exclaimed. "Have you settled on a date yet?"

"Well… No, not yet," she admitted. "Felix and I have some things to sort out with Lord Rodrigue first. But I promise I'll write to you as soon as I know more."

"Sounds perfect!" declared Alois. "I'll wait for your letter the same way I wait for a fish to bite—with baited breath!"

Annette's smile became strained as an awkward silence descended around them. "Never change, Alois."

"I'll land a joke one of these days," he grumbled. "I'll come up with something that will make you laugh in time for the wedding; I swear it!"

"I will look forward to it," she replied, knowing perfectly well that Alois hadn't managed to make anyone but the smallest of children laugh in all his time at Garreg Mach. She could almost hear Felix's groan. She was proud of him for holding back his exasperation so far, but she knew he was probably about to explode from the effort, so for his sake, she had to leave before Alois made any more terrible jokes. She embraced her old master one last time, and he wished her luck on her journey.

At last, she reluctantly parted ways with him and rejoined Felix and the others. They retrieved their horses from the stables, mounted, and set off. As they left Garreg Mach behind, Annette suddenly realized that she had forgotten to ask Felix if he had written to King Dimitri and Lord Rodrigue about their return. When she brought it up to him, he gave her a smirk that made her heart skip a beat.

"They know we're coming, but they don't know about you," he said. "I wanted to leave that reveal for when we get there."

"You're terrible," she said fondly.

"I know," he responded just as fondly.

"You two are enjoying this way too much," Ingrid groaned. "You do realize that Lord Rodrigue is not going to appreciate being deceived?"

"I know. That's the point," Felix said simply.

Ingrid groaned again and mumbled something about her friends being idiots, but made no more protests. Annette allowed herself a private smile. She knew that Ingrid had a point, but considering how Felix had been dreading his future until very recently, she thought it was fine to allow him this one indulgence. She didn't know Lord Rodrigue very well, but she was reasonably confident that as long as Felix wound up married, he would be willing to overlook any smaller mishaps.

Her heart began to race again. Saints, she was going to be married soon. While there was still a lot to sort out first, it was coming on faster than she imagined. It almost didn't feel real. Part of her worried if she was ready for it, or if she would ever be ready for it.

She glanced over at Felix. His expression was neutral, but she was certain that he was having similar thoughts. Their earlier heart to heart had shown that he was still worried that he'd do something that would make her regret choosing him. His concern was understandable and even endearing—he really was a sweet and caring person underneath that grouchy exterior—and it further solidified her resolve. No matter what challenges they faced in the weeks and moons and years ahead, they would make it through as long as they stood together and supported each other.

And the first of those challenges would be facing Felix’s father. Although Annette was still a little nervous, she felt more than equal to the task. After her encounters with her aunt and her own father, she felt ready for anything he could throw at her. And if it came down to it, she was more than willing to put up a fight.

She’d learned from the best, after all.

Chapter Text

A week later, Felix dismounted his horse in Castle Fhirdiad’s courtyard, nervous energy thrumming through him. Their trip had been pleasant and peaceful; a calm before the storm their return to Fhirdiad would inevitably create. Annette soon joined him, and it was clear that she was nervous, too. Felix could hardly blame her. It wasn't every day you left a city as a squire and came back as a bride.

Despite that, Felix was very much looking forward to this visit. He could scarcely wait to see Rodrigue's reaction to seeing Annette alive and well. And eager to marry his son, at that.

Felix waited for Sylvain, Ingrid, and Baron Dominic to join them, left their horses in the stablehands’ care, and approached the waiting Dedue. He led them all inside, and Felix made sure to stroll into the audience chamber with as much bluster as he could muster.

Only to find Marianne standing at Dimitri’s side, holding his hand.

Holding his hand.

Felix gaped at them, knowing that in Dimitri’s mind, they might as well have walked in on the two of them making love. Sure enough, as soon as they noticed who’d entered, the two of them turned crimson and Marianne leapt away as if she’d been burned before stammering numerous apologies.

"F-Felix!" Dimitri exclaimed. "You're back sooner than I expected!"

"Didn't you get my letter?" asked Felix.

"It arrived yesterday, but I figured you wouldn't arrive until this afternoon," said Dimitri. "Why the haste?"

"I'll explain in a moment, but first, where's my old man?"

"Like I said, we weren't expecting you until later, so…"

"Summon him, then. This is important."

“Um,” Marianne suddenly spoke up. “I guess I’ll be going, then.”

“No, this involves you, too,” said Felix. He almost felt bad when she gave him a look of horror, but she needed to hear what he had to say, especially now that it was clear that she held some affection for Dimitri.

It didn’t take long for Rodrigue to arrive, and he immediately recoiled in surprise. “Baron Dominic? What brings you all this way?”

“I came to present my niece to you,” said the baron.

“Your niece?” Rodrigue repeated. “Forgive me for asking, but… I do not see her. Aside from you, this is the same group that left here weeks ago.”

“I’m right here.”

Annette stepped forward, squaring her very small, very brave shoulders and giving Rodrigue a determined look. Her hands were trembling, but she did not back down even as Rodrigue stared at her in shock. Felix swiftly joined her at her side and squeezed her hand reassuringly, an action that left Rodrigue visibly reeling. But Felix wasn't done yet.

"May I present Lady Annette Fantine Dominic, my fiancée."

The whole room fell silent. Dimitri's jaw visibly slid open, Marianne covered her mouth with both hands, and Rodrigue continued to stare at Felix and Annette in complete disbelief. After several tense seconds, the silence broke.

Rodrigue laughed.

Felix gave a start as his old man doubled over in front of him, unable to contain himself. This was not at all the reaction he expected. The others were similarly puzzled, with Dimitri straight up asking Rodrigue what he found so funny. Eventually, Rodrigue composed himself enough to answer.

"I can't believe I never guessed," he said. "I knew something was odd about you right from the start, and it didn't take me long to realize you were a woman in disguise, but to think you were Annette Dominic the entire time! And Felix had no idea! Forgive me, but I cannot help but find it all incredibly humorous."

"Shut up, old man," Felix growled, feeling his face burn. “How long did you know?! And why didn’t you ever say anything?!”

“As I said, I thought something was off about her from the start, but I became certain she was a woman when I saw how she behaved around Sylvain,” said Rodrigue. “But seeing how she ended up under your care completely unwillingly, I was certain that she wasn’t hiding her gender for malicious purposes. Given that, there was no real reason to reveal her. I think a better question is when did you realize her true nature?”

Felix growled again and refused to look at him.

"He was clueless until after we reached Dominic," Ingrid answered.

"Didn't stop him from being infatuated, though," said Sylvain.

"Shut up, both of you!" Felix snapped.

"I can't say either of those answers surprises me," said Rodrigue. "It was clear right away that Felix harbored affection for his little student. It's why I was against him spending so much time with her. It would only end up hurting them both in the end."

"You have some nerve to say that when you're the reason we ended up in this mess in the first place," Felix growled.

"Felix, let it go," said Annette. "The important thing is that we're together now."

Felix reluctantly backed down, but he still gave his father a nasty glare. Admittedly, Rodrigue was directly responsible for helping Felix meet Annette in the first place, but the entire fiasco with Marianne had left a bad taste in his mouth, and he wasn't about to let that slide so easily.

"I'm impressed, Lady Annette," said Rodrigue. "Felix won't listen to just anyone. How'd you manage to enamor him so, and disguised as a boy, at that?"

"Well," Annette began as she fiddled with her fingers. "I didn't do anything special, really. I just endured the training every day without complaint. At first, I only did it because I was terrified of what would happen if I objected in any way. But eventually I came to appreciate the simple discipline of it, and it was the only time I saw Felix truly happy."

"It helps that you're so cute," Sylvain interrupted. "Felix may be blind as a bat, but even he was able to see that much."

"I told you to shut up!" Felix snapped.

"It was a mistake to think he'd listen," Annette quipped.

"I see," said Rodrigue. "If that’s how you felt, then why did you not reveal yourself sooner?”

“My reasons were entirely selfish, my lord,” said Annette. “I feared the consequences once Felix realized I had deceived him.”

“Considering Felix’s tongue, I can hardly blame you for feeling that way. But what made you change your mind?”

Annette smiled wryly. “I didn’t. My aunt made the choice for me.”

“The baroness?” Rodrigue said in surprise. “Was she that desperate for the marriage to take place?”

“The opposite, actually. She never intended for me to marry Felix,” said Annette. “The entire thing was a setup so she could kill me en route and pass it off as an accident."

"She was plotting to murder you?! Her own niece?!" Rodrigue exclaimed.

"She always hated me and my mother," said Annette. "She saw us as bugs to be crushed under her heel. She even admitted she was responsible for killing my mother, and that the only reason I lived as long as I did was because I possessed a Crest."

Rodrigue was aghast as he turned to Baron Dominic. "Is all this true?"

"It is," the baron replied, his head held low. "And I am to blame for it. Were it not for my inaction, Annette would not have suffered so much.”

“It’s alright, Uncle,” said Annette. “I don’t begrudge you for it, and Cornelia has paid the price for her cruelty.”

“Not a big enough price, if you ask me,” scoffed Felix. “She’s probably plotting her revenge even now. I know her ilk, and falling off a cliff won’t stop people like her.”

"She fell off a cliff?!" Rodrigue exclaimed. "What in the world happened in Dominic?!"

Felix and Annette were more than happy to explain. They spoke about how Cornelia drugged their entire group in order to kidnap Annette, how she cruelly unmasked Annette and left her at Felix's mercy, and how Annette was able to defeat her using everything Felix had taught her. They also explained that Cornelia managed to escape her imprisonment with the help of traitors, which forced their group to flee to Garreg Mach. They kept the details of their stay in Garreg Mach to a minimum and finished by recounting Sir Gilbert's encounter with Cornelia and how she managed to escape judgment by throwing herself off a cliff.

"So no one's been able to confirm her death, then," said Rodrigue. "But even if she somehow still breathes, there's no way she'll be in any shape to threaten anyone."

"At least not for a while," said Annette. "I hate to say it, but I can't fully relax until I know for sure that she's dead."

"You need not fear, Lady Annette," Rodrigue assured. "We shall ensure no harm befalls you."

Felix snorted. "You needn't bother, old man. If Cornelia ever dares to show her face again, I'll make sure she breathes her last."

"Oh Felix," Annette said tiredly. "I appreciate what you're doing for me, but don't feel like you're the only one qualified to protect me. You’re letting your pride get the better of you.”

He growled in annoyance, knowing she was right, and grew even more irritated when his old man laughed at him.

“She’s got you there, Felix,” said Rodrigue. “And she said it without a hint of fear! I’d never thought I’d see the day, but it’s clear to me that you’ve met your match.”

“Does this mean,” Dimitri began, looking nervous but hopeful, "that Felix's betrothal to Lady Marianne is now invalid?"

"If it isn't, my old man better make it so," Felix huffed. "I have another bride now, so go ahead and take Marianne, boar. I know you want her."

Dimitri's visible eye went impossible wide. He turned to Marianne, who was similarly aghast, and approached her as if she was a scared animal.

"Lady Marianne," he said, gently taking her hands. "I know this is sudden, but… would you do me the honor of becoming my queen?"

For a fleeting, heart stopping moment, Felix thought Marianne would refuse, but her shock soon morphed into a shy smile as her cheeks flushed.

"The honor is all mine, Your Majesty."

Felix was impressed. Dimitri had obviously done a lot of work in helping Marianne out of her shell since he left. Part of him was curious as to how Dimitri managed it, especially considering his occasional episodes. Even if he never experienced one around Marianne, Felix doubted he would have kept them a secret from her—the boar couldn’t lie to save his life.

"All's well that ends well," said Sylvain. "So when can we expect the royal wedding?"

Ingrid smacked the back of his head. "His Majesty just proposed to her! Give them some time!"

"Indeed," said Dimitri. "There is much we have to do first. We will have to inform Margrave Edmund of this change, although I doubt he will object to it."

"I'll say," Felix snorted. "Seeing as how he was willing to hand his daughter over to me, he clearly doesn't have much preference over who she marries."

On cue, he felt a smack on the back of his head. "For Seiros's sake, Felix, have a little tact!"

"It's all right," said Marianne. "He's right, after all. My adoptive father was more than eager to marry me off to a powerful noble, no matter how undesirable, if it meant improving his political position. He won't refuse when this is only beneficial to him."

"That's what I thought," Felix snorted.

"Well then," said Sylvain. "That just means we can look forward to Felix and Annette's wedding first!"

Felix spluttered, his face turning crimson from rage and embarrassment. "Will you ever stop being so insatiable?!"

"Lord Sylvain," Annette said sternly. "Did you forget you have your own matters to attend to?"

"I haven't forgotten," said Sylvain. "Can't I be excited for my dear friends?"

"Matters?" Dimitri parroted. "What's she talking about, Sylvain?"

"Um…" Sylvain said, and Felix couldn't help but feel smug at seeing his friend get a taste of his own medicine.

Surprisingly, Ingrid answered for him. "Sylvain… proposed to me," she said as her face flushed.

"Did he?" A wide smile spread across Dimitri's face. "That's excellent news! I always thought the two of you were good for each other. I'm just surprised it didn't happen sooner."

"Well, this idiot neglected to tell any of us that his father was sick of waiting for him to find a wife," Ingrid grumbled.

"Wait, when did this happen?" asked Dimitri.

"Not long ago," Sylvain admitted with a wince. "I would have brought it up sooner, but I figured the whole 'Felix trying to find his wayward bride' was a higher priority."

"I told you we can worry about more than one thing at a time!" Ingrid snapped. "I still can't believe you kept something that important a secret!"

"And I told you I'm sorry!" Sylvain countered.

"Calm down, both of you," said Rodrigue. "There's no sense in arguing over it now."

"I know," Ingrid admitted with a sigh. "It's so frustrating, though. Sylvain would rather carry a burden by himself and pretend nothing’s wrong than trust me—er, us with it. He’s been that way for as long as I can remember.”

“Ingrid…” Sylvain said, looking ashamed.

“That’s something the two of you will have to work out,” said Annette. “Lord Sylvain worked on improving one aspect of himself for you. I know he can improve on this aspect, too.”

Sylvain and Ingrid looked mildly surprised for a moment, but then Ingrid nodded in agreement. "You're right. Thank you, Lady Annette."

“Thanks for believing in me, Lady Annette,” said Sylvain. “Ingrid, I can’t promise I'll change overnight, but I know I can trust you to catch me when I stumble, like you’ve always done.”

“You’re such a sap,” Ingrid scoffed, but her crimson cheeks told a different story.

"I'm glad that that’s been settled,” said Rodrigue. “Now then, do you have any more grand revelations to share?”

“Erm, I think that’s the last one,” Annette said nervously.

“Then I say it’s time for a feast!” Rodrigue exclaimed. “What better way to celebrate not one, not two, but three successful engagements?”

"So then… You approve of me, even after what I've done?" asked Annette.

"My dear, you've managed a nigh-impossible feat: convincing my son to willingly enter matrimony. Given that and the fact that you carried no ill intent, I think your transgressions are easily forgiven."

Felix grunted, annoyed but unsurprised that his old man chose to focus on the fact that he agreed to marry at all. Still, Rodrigue's approval, however misguided, was a good thing. The less trouble Felix had with marrying Annette, the better.

Dimitri happily agreed with Rodrigue's suggestion to throw a celebratory feast, and it wasn't long before everyone was seated in the great hall with piles of food in front of them. Dimitri even had the servants even bring out the good wine, and it flowed freely as the evening wore on. It wasn't long before Sylvain was giggling maniacally and Dimitri started drunkenly ranting about how beautiful Marianne was. Even Felix could feel the wine start to go to his head after just a couple of glasses, and based on how much Annette was swaying in her seat, she had also underestimated how strong the drink was.

"Feeeeliiiiiix," she slurred. "Wheeeeennn are they gonna bring the cake?"

"Soon," he replied.

"But I want it nooooow," she whined.

"Can you even handle cake right now?" he asked.

She pouted at him. "I told you; I have a second stomach for dessert! This is nothing! I'll even eat your cake, since I know you won't want any!"

"Normally I'd be glad to let you, but I don't think you being on a sugar rush when you're drunk is a good idea."

"I'm not drunk!" Annette drunkenly protested.

She looked so genuinely offended that he couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, you are. You can hardly sit up straight.”

“Don’t lie, you villain!” she snapped. “I’m perfectly fiiiine!”

From across the table, Sylvain laughed. “A villain, huh? She’s got you there, Fe.”

“Like you’ve got room to talk,” Felix snorted.

“Oh look, the cake’s here!” Annette suddenly exclaimed, her ire entirely forgotten.

The servants cut and served the cake, seeing that most everyone at the table was either too drunk, too excited, or too disinterested to do it themselves. Ingrid and Annette eagerly dug in, heedless of their impaired coordination. Sylvain laughed again and commented on how adorable they looked, which caused both Felix and Ingrid to smack him. Marianne, one of the few at the table who was still sober, smiled politely and ate her own cake, which caused Dimitri to cry about how lovely she was again. She blushed at the praise but mumbled about how she wasn't that great, which Dimitri vehemently denied.

Felix rolled his eyes at them and refocused on Annette. She was gushing about how delicious the cake was, although he wondered how much she was actually tasting in her drunken state.

“You have to try it, Felix!” she exclaimed.

“Annette, you know I don’t like sweets,” he said. “And didn’t you say you wanted to eat my cake not even ten minutes ago?”

“I know, but it’s too good to not share! C’mon, just one bite? Pleeeeeeassse?”

She was giving him that look again: the one eerily similar to a cat wanting a treat from him. And just like the last time she'd looked at him like that, his resolve crumbled to dust. Knowing full well that he'd never hear the end of this from Sylvain or his old man, he sighed and grumbled his consent.

Annette cheered loudly and shoved a forkful of cake in his face. "Now, open wide!"

Sylvain snickered loudly, Ingrid whooped and cheered Felix on, and worst of all, Rodrigue watched the entire scene with barely concealed amusement. Felix thought he might just die on the spot. He'd already come this far, though, so he closed his eyes, opened his mouth, and felt the last bit of his dignity shrivel up and wither away.

He braced himself for the worst when the cake touched his tongue, but much to his surprise, it wasn't as awful as he expected. It was sweet, but not overly so, and Annette had remembered to give him a piece with no frosting in spite of her inebriated state.

"It's… not bad," he admitted.

Annette let out a delighted cheer while Sylvain and Ingrid applauded him. Dimitri stared at him in open-mouthed shock while Rodrigue looked oddly pleased. It was beyond humiliating, but seeing how happy Annette looked, Felix found the strength to endure the wound to his pride.

The night wore on, and eventually almost everyone at the table became too drunk for Felix to handle anymore. In particular, Annette had taken to leaning against him because she could no longer keep herself upright, and that combined with his own tipsiness were tempting him to do something he would definitely regret. He requested to be excused, and seeing the condition Annette was in, volunteered to escort her to bed. Naturally, Annette once again denied that she was drunk. Felix sighed, and then, knowing that there was no sense in trying to argue with her, scooped her into his arms. She squeaked in surprise before she began to squirm and clamor for him to put her down.

Everyone else watched them in either amusement or concern. Sylvain in particular was doing a terrible job of holding back his snickers. Felix shot him a murderous glare before turning and leaving with Annette in tow.

As he walked, Annette continued to struggle and feebly pounded her tiny fists against his chest. "You villain! Put me down right now!"

"Annette, I'd be amazed if you could walk more than two steps without tripping right now," he replied.

"I'm fiiiine! And I can prove it!" she insisted.

"The only thing you're proving is that you've had way too much to drink. C'mon, let's get you to bed."

"I can handle myself! Stop treating me like a child!"

"Annette, you are the farthest thing from a child. I just don't want you to hurt yourself. You're going to be in enough pain once you've sobered up."

"You're the worst," she growled.

“I know,” he replied.

Eventually, Annette stopped struggling, although Felix was unsure whether it was because she’d tired herself out or had decided that escaping as a lost cause. Either way, it made things much easier when he made it to the guest room Dimitri had prepared for her. Opening the door while he was still carrying her proved tricky, and it would have been even more difficult if she was still squirming. Once inside, he carefully deposited her on the bed. She tried to sit up, but her face immediately screwed up in pain, so Felix grabbed her shoulders to steady.

“Take it easy,” he said.

“Why’s the room spinniiiiiing?” she asked groggily.

“I told you; you’re drunk. Give me a second; I’ll help you out of your armor.”

“Mmmm, ‘kay.”

It was a simple task in theory, but Felix found himself strangely nervous. This wasn't like when he helped Ingrid with her armor. This felt strangely intimate, as if he were helping Annette undress instead of merely removing her boots and armor. Her drunken state wasn't helping matters, either. In contrast to her earlier defiance, she was mostly still and calm as he unfastened her buckles and straps and slid each piece of armor off of her.

When all of it was off, Felix helped Annette climb under the covers. She looked genuinely exhausted now, and his heart squeezed at her adorable sleepy expression. He was seized by a sudden urge to kiss her, but he resisted—it wouldn’t be right to take advantage of her when she wasn’t in her right mind. Instead, he turned to leave, only to feel an unexpected tug on his sleeve.

"Where are you going?"

Felix stopped and looked at her in surprise. "I need to go to bed too, Annette."

"Can't you stay with me?" she asked.

"Not this time," he replied.

Annette looked so disappointed that Felix needed all of his willpower to not give in right then and there. "Why not?" she murmured.

"Because you're drunk out of your mind," he explained. "You probably don't even realize what you're asking right now."

"I do!" Annette protested. "I like it when you sleep with me!”

Her declaration made him feel warm inside, but he remained firm. “I know that, but no one else does. Everyone’s going to think I took advantage of you being drunk.”

“But…”

“This isn’t like before, Annette. There are too many servants around for me to risk trying to sneak back to my room undetected. And I know someone’s going to be here early to help you with your hangover.”

"Oh," Annette said softly.

"Don't look so sad," said Felix. "I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

Annette lowered her eyes and chewed her lip. After a moment, her shoulders sagged in defeat. “Okay.”

With that, Felix nodded at her and turned to leave, only to be stopped when Annette suddenly grabbed his sleeve again.

“Annette,” he said tiredly. “I told you I can’t stay.”

“I know, but…” She trailed off and looked at him pleadingly. “Before you leave, will you… kiss me good-night?”

“Wh-what?!” Felix spluttered, feeling his entire face burn.

“D-did I say something wrong?” Annette asked worriedly.

“N-no!” Felix said quickly. “I just… Do you realize what you’re asking right now?”

Annette frowned at him. “Of course I do. I always asked my mother to kiss me good-night, and she never thought twice about it.”

“Oh.”

Oh.

Felix felt the tension leave his body as both relief and embarrassment flooded through him. He'd immediately assumed that Annette wanted a kiss on the mouth, which he couldn't do in good conscience when he didn't know how much she would remember in the morning. If she just wanted him to kiss her like her mother used to, though, then he could handle that. Even so, his heart thudded anxiously as he leaned over her. He mustered up all his courage, closed his eyes, and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Good night, Annette," he murmured.

"Good night," she whispered back.

When Felix pulled away, Annette's eyes had closed, and her expression was peaceful and serene. Warmth bubbled up inside Felix, and he was tempted to kiss her again, but he refrained. Instead, he crept out of the room to let her sleep in peace. Now that he had taken care of her, he could finally get to bed himself. He could already tell that the morning would be miserable since almost everyone would be nursing their hangovers, but for now, he allowed himself to indulge in the warm feeling in his heart. Rodrigue had accepted Annette, Marianne had agreed to become Dimitri's queen, and Margrave Gautier would soon get a very rude awakening from his son. There was still much to do, but all of it could wait for another day.

For now, he was content.

Chapter Text

Annette vowed to never let herself get drunk again.

It was bad enough that she woke up feeling like a Demonic Beast was trying to claw its way out of her head, but she wanted to sink into the ground and die when she remembered what she'd done while she was three sheets to the wind.

How in the world had Felix put up with her antics with hardly a word of complaint? By the saints, she'd coerced him into eating something he abhorred; acted like a spoiled child when he rightfully decided she'd had enough to drink and carried her to bed; and worst of all, persuaded him to kiss her good night! And the last part only happened because Felix had the sense to not listen to her when she tried to get him to spend the night with her while she was inebriated. Had he done as she asked, it would have looked like Felix was taking advantage of her, and while she knew he wasn't that kind of person, the resulting castle gossip would have been nigh impossible to quell.

So the first thing she did after her head stopped throbbing so much was seek Felix out and apologize profusely for her behavior. Felix told her it was nothing he couldn’t handle, which just made her feel worse.

“Felix, I made you eat something you hate,” she argued. “I don’t want you to feel like you constantly have to please me if it comes at the expense of your own happiness.”

“Annette,” Felix began. “It’s alright. It really wasn’t that bad. I think the cooks actually used less sugar than usual."

"That's not the point!" Annette protested.

"Annette," he said again, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Stop worrying so much. The only thing that matters to me is that you’re happy. I can handle anything if it means seeing you smile."

It took all of Annette’s willpower to not burst into tears in front of him. That was one of the kindest things anyone had ever said to her. It strengthened her resolve to become someone worthy to stand by his side, because she still felt like had done nothing to deserve having him as her soon-to-be husband.

Speaking of which, the next item on their agenda was to return to Fraldarius so they could begin all the preparations for their wedding, but it quickly became clear that those plans would have to be put on hold for a bit. Annette wasn’t the only one paying the price for too much merrymaking last night. King Dimitri looked terrible, and Ingrid and Sylvain weren't faring much better. Rodrigue, Dedue, and Marianne were busy tending to the ailing trio, which meant no one would be going anywhere for a while.

Not that Annette was complaining. All it meant was that she got to spend the day in town with Felix. Now that she no longer had to hide, she told him about some of her favorite places in Fhirdiad when she lived there as a child, and Felix suggested that they see them together. She was immensely flattered by the suggestion and was more than happy to agree. A part of her still felt self-conscious about how she'd grown up with a much lower social and financial standing compared to Felix, but she reminded herself that he didn't care about any of that.

It was incredibly nostalgic to walk the streets of her old neighborhood after so many years. A lot had changed, but a lot more hadn't. The houses were all the same, but there were many new faces, most notably many children she'd never seen before. Surprisingly, no one gave her a second glance, even though recognized several faces. While it had been many years since she'd lived here, she would have thought someone would have recognized her by now.

She didn't have to wait much longer, though. When she and Felix stopped inside the neighborhood bakery, the owner's cheerful greeting died on her tongue as her eyes widened in disbelief.

"By the saints," she gasped. "Annie, is that you?"

"It's been too long, Ms. Tatiana," Annette said with a smile.

"What in the world happened to you?!" exclaimed Tatiana. "We all heard you'd vanished off the face of Fódlan! And yet here you are, strolling into my shop like you haven't been missing for two years! And accompanied by the Wolf of Fraldarius, at that!"

"It's a long story," Annette admitted. "But to put it simply, I spent the last two years in hiding because I leapt to the wrong conclusion."

"The wrong conclusion?" Tatiana repeated

"As you probably know, my aunt and uncle betrothed me to Felix here. I was so scared, I… I refused to give him a chance and instead took matters into my own hands. A lot of things happened after that, and I eventually realized I'd been too hasty in my judgment. My one regret is not realizing my mistake sooner."

"Wait a moment," said Tatiana. "Are you saying you're agreeing to marry Lord Felix, now?"

"I am," Annette confirmed. "And not because it's what our families decided for us years ago. I'm marrying him because I want to spend my life with him."

Tatiana was quiet for a moment, but then a warm smile spread across her face. "Well, I'll be. I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that."

"Oh, really?" asked Annette.

"In all honesty, I was saddened when I heard you were going to be married off," said Tatiana. "I know it's typical for the nobility, but the thought of you being forced to spend your life with someone you didn't love broke my heart. But I see now that that's no longer the case."

Annette laughed nervously as her face flushed. "Well, it wasn't easy getting to this point."

"It usually isn't," said Tatiana. "Why, I can't tell you how long it took me to work up the courage to confess to my Zeke. But it was all worth it in the end."

"Yeah," Annette agreed. "So, um, since we're here and all… Felix was hoping to try your bread."

"Oh!" Tatiana covered her mouth, looking like she'd completely forgotten where she was. "Oh, of course! Is there anything in particular you have in mind?"

Felix smirked in that ever so infuriatingly attractive manner of his. "Surprise me."

"Just make sure it isn't sweet!" Annette hastily added.

"Not sweet, huh?" asked Tatiana. "I think I know just the thing."

She disappeared into the back of the bakery, and after a moment, reemerged carrying an oval shaped loaf of bread speckled with… something.

"What's that?" Annette asked curiously.

"An herb loaf," Tatiana explained. "It's got a bit of zing to it, but it's nothing you can't handle, Annie. Go on, give it a taste!"

Annette took the loaf from her, pulled off a piece, and handed the rest of the loaf to Felix. The bread was warm—freshly baked, as always—and when she bit into it, she tasted a pleasant savoriness accompanying the nostalgic comforting flavor and pillowy texture signature of Tatiana's bread. She felt like she was eight again, and sampling one of Tatiana's newest creations like she always used to do before she moved to Dominic territory.

"It's delicious!" Annette exclaimed. "Go on, Felix, try it!"

Felix pulled off another piece of the bread to sample it, and Annette watched him as he closed his eyes and chewed it. After a moment, he looked at her and smiled.

"You're right. It's good."

"Wonderful!" Tatiana exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I'm thrilled my bread meets the next duke of Fraldarius's tastes."

"You're the best baker in Fhirdiad, Ms. Tatiana," said Annette. "If he didn't like it, I might have had to reconsider marrying him. I’m kidding, I’m kidding!" she added hastily upon seeing Felix’s look of alarm.

“You two are adorable,” Tatiana giggled. “You can have this loaf on the house!”

“B-but Ms. Tatiana!” Annette protested. “I couldn’t possibly—”

“Then think of it as a wedding gift,” Tatiana interrupted. “It’s the least I can do for my favorite customer. Especially when she’s grown up to be such a beautiful, capable young lady.”

Annette blushed and laughed nervously. "I don't know about 'beautiful', but thank you."

"Stop putting yourself down," said Felix. "You are beautiful."

He said it so plainly, as if he were stating a fact. Annette was so touched that she thought she might just start crying again.

"He's right!" exclaimed Tatiana. "I admit I was surprised at first to see your hair so short, but it suits you!"

"Th-thank you," Annette managed to say, overwhelmed by emotion. "I… I would like to grow it out again, though. I've missed having braids."

“Well, you’ll have plenty of time for that,” said Tatiana. “You’ve got a lifetime ahead of you, after all.”

“Yeah,” Annette agreed. “Well then, we’d best be going, now. Thanks so much for the bread, Ms. Tatiana.”

“Anytime, Annie. I wish the both of you the best of luck! Safe travels!”

The next stop on their list was the flower shop, another place Annette and her mother often visited. The owner, Sumia, was busily pulling the petals off a daisy and mumbling to herself, not looking up from her work even though the bell attached to the door had rung loudly when they entered.

"Ms. Sumia!" Annette called.

"AH!" Sumia leapt into the air, scattering flower petals everywhere. "I swear I wasn't doing flower fortunes on the job aga— Annette? Is that you?"

"You haven't changed a bit, Ms. Sumia," Annette said with a giggle. "You're still doing flower fortunes?"

"Flower fortunes?" Felix repeated.

"You've never heard of flower fortunes?" Sumia asked in disbelief.

"He… grew up in a very different environment," Annette explained.

"Is that so? Well, I'm more than happy to demonstrate!" Sumia headed into the back of the shop, and came back out with another slightly wilted daisy. "All right, ask me something!"

"What?" Felix said, looking baffled.

"Just ask anything!" Sumia pressed. "It just has to be a yes or no question!"

"Um," Felix said, shifting uncomfortably. "Will… Will our wedding go well?"

"F-Felix!" Annette exclaimed. Out of all the things to ask, why did he have to pick something related to their upcoming marriage?

Sumia's eyes lit up. "Oh, the two of you are getting married? I heard you were to be betrothed two years ago, but I thought… Well, I guess it doesn't matter now. Let's see what the flowers say!"

She began mumbling "It'll go well… It won't…" over and over as she plucked the daisy's petals one by one. Felix watched with an incredulous expression. At last, the final petal fell, and Sumia smiled.

"Looks like it's going to go well!" she said cheerfully.

"What the— What kind of fortune telling is that?!" Felix exclaimed. "What's the point of pulling all those petals if all that matters is if the number is even or odd?!"

"Felix!" Annette said sharply.

"It's all right," said Sumia. "A good friend of mine told me it's pointless, too."

"And yet you still do it?" asked Felix.

"Of course," said Sumia. "Knowing what to expect in the future, whether good or bad, helps a lot. If you get a good fortune, you work hard to make sure it comes true, and if you get a bad fortune, you work hard to make sure it doesn't come true."

A crease formed in Felix's brow. "That's… the most ridiculous yet sensible thing I've ever heard."

"My friend said the same thing when I told her that," Sumia said with a giggle. "She used to try to get me to stop doing flower fortunes, but she relented once she understood my perspective."

"Well, I guess as long as you don't pull apart so many flowers that you don't have any left for your customers," said Felix.

"Oh, don't worry!" Sumia exclaimed. "I only use flowers that I know won't sell for my fortunes!"

"I see," said Felix.

"On that note, we'd love to buy some of your flowers, Ms. Sumia!" Annette cut in.

"Oh, of course!" exclaimed Sumia. "I'd be honored to make your wedding bouquet!"

"Erm, we aren't getting married for a while yet, but thank you," said Annette.

"Oh, is that so? Well, that's all right," said Sumia. "I'll settle for making an engagement bouquet instead! It'll be the best bouquet you've ever seen!"

"Wait, Ms. Sumia!" Annette cried, but Sumia had already run off. A cry and a crash from the back of the shop told her that Sumia had tripped. Annette winced before sighing and shaking her head. "She hasn't changed a bit."

"She reminds me of you," said Felix.

Annette frowned at him. "I hope you mean that in a good way."

"I do," he assured. "She's cheerful yet determined. A bit on the clumsy side, but she doesn't let that hold her back."

Annette blushed and giggled. "You flatter me, my lord."

About ten minutes later, a slightly disheveled Sumia reemerged carrying a bouquet. She cheerfully presented it to Annette, who stared at it in awe. It was simply stunning. Red roses, pink peonies, and purple gladiolus were all carefully bundled together and held in place by white decorative paper and a lovely red ribbon. Annette hardly felt worthy to take such a beautiful gift, especially since it would wilt before they made it back to Fraldarius, but Sumia insisted that she should have it. Annette eventually accepted it, but only after paying Sumia triple the amount she normally charged for bouquets. She and Felix then thanked Sumia for her services, with Annette feeling very much like a blushing bride as they left the shop.

The rest of the day consisted of many similar encounters. Numerous old acquaintances of Annette and her mother were shocked to see her alive and well, and even more shocked to learn that she was getting married. They expressed their grief and condolences over her mother's untimely death and reminisced about older times. Annette gave and received more hugs that day than any other day in her life. It got to the point where Felix was starting to look jealous. She tried her best to convince him to be patient without being too obvious about it. It wouldn't be long until he had her to himself again.

They visited many other shops and street stalls, some of which Annette remembered from her childhood and some of which were brand new. She was quickly learning that Felix had a hard time refusing her, and she soon had a bag full of sweets and treats to try later. The one thing Felix did not budge on was that he would not let her eat all of the sweets at once—her "hurty tum" mishap was still fresh in his memory, much to her chagrin.

The sun was setting by the time they returned to the castle, and despite snacking on bread and sweets for much of the day, Annette's stomach was growling. Luckily, their friends had finally recovered from their hangovers, and everyone sat down for a decidedly less alcohol-fueled dinner.

As they ate, Rodrigue told Felix and Annette that they would be returning to Fraldarius in the morning. Marianne would remain in Fhirdiad while Sylvain and Ingrid would return to their respective territories. Both Sylvain and Ingrid had written to their parents announcing their engagement, but both had other duties they needed to attend to now that they had finished assisting Felix on his quest. It suddenly sank in for Annette that she was going to have to say good-bye to them soon, and that made her feel sadder than she expected. Without realizing it, she’d started to think of their group as almost like her family. Even though she hated Sylvain's constant teasing and had spent way too much time as the subject of Ingrid's ire and scrutiny, she was going to miss them both.

She reminded herself that their parting wouldn't be that long. Both Sylvain and Ingrid would be attending her wedding, and they were such close friends with Felix that they routinely took time to visit each other when they could get a break from their duties as heirs to their respective houses. Annette was certain that wouldn't change even though they would likely be busier from now on.

Speaking of which, she and Felix were going to have their hands full as well. They hadn't yet set a date for their wedding, but no matter when it took place, they had much to prepare. While some things had been taken care of while Felix had been engaged to Marianne, Felix abruptly calling the whole thing off had caused a mess, especially when it came to the invitations. Rodrigue had spent a good portion of the time they'd spent on their journey writing to the heads of other noble houses about the change in plans. Annette felt a little guilty about that—that whole debacle was mostly her fault, after all—but she hoped she could make up for her mistakes.

Unfortunately, she soon found out that she was still making mistakes. That evening, when she went to bed, she found that she had a hard time getting to sleep. It felt like she was missing something, and after thinking about it for a moment, she realized this was the first time she’d slept alone in a while and wasn't drunk out of her mind. She'd blamed her embarrassing clinginess last night on alcohol, but now that she was sober, it was clear that those feelings weren't the result of too much wine. She genuinely missed sleeping next to Felix.

Sadly, there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She didn't know her way around the castle very well, and even if she did, she'd look very suspicious sneaking around at night. On top of that, no one else knew that she and Felix had been sleeping together. It wasn't exactly wrong, especially since sleeping was all they were doing, but it was a generally frowned upon practice for unmarried nobles. If the two of them were discovered, Annette knew she'd be in for a long lecture from her uncle at minimum, and Felix would probably suffer the same from Lord Rodrigue and Ingrid.

She also had no doubt that the news would spread through the castle and potentially even the city thanks to the servants. In both House Dominic and Garreg Mach, she'd learned that there was nothing people liked more than a good bit of gossip. She'd also learned that people loved to stretch the truth to the point where people could no longer tell what was fact and what was fiction. She had almost never met a beautiful, wonderful, kind man because of how much people had twisted and distorted a single aspect about him. She wasn't about to let her marriage suffer the same fate. Felix may not care what other people thought of him, but she did.

So as much as she felt cold and lonely now, she tried her best to get to sleep. With any luck, it wouldn't be too much longer before she could sleep at Felix's side again, and without fear of consequences. Of course, by that point some people would be hoping for one specific consequence, but she and Felix could cross that bridge when the time came.

Although… she had to admit the thought of having a child with Felix made her heart race. Now that she was thinking about it, she was surprised by how much she wanted that. It made her even more anxious to return to Fraldarius so they could be wed at last.

She tried her best to squash the feeling down, knowing that she had to contain herself. She had a lot to do before she could think about having children. What she needed to focus on for the time being was preparing for her wedding, and to do that, she needed to be well rested.

She rolled over, did her best to get comfortable, and eventually managed to drift off. She dreamed of flowers, pastries, and a smile she hoped she would get to see every day.

Chapter Text

For the first time in many years, Felix couldn't wait to get home.

He loved that he got to spend a wonderful day with Annette, but he was still glad that their hangover-induced delay was over. Now that everyone was sober and rested, he, Annette, Baron Dominic, and Rodrigue could finally bid their farewells to Sylvain, Ingrid, Dimitri, and Marianne. Annette got emotional at their parting, and Felix let her borrow his handkerchief to dry her tears. Seeing her cry still bothered him, even though this time it wasn't his fault. After dabbing at her eyes, Annette shot him a grateful smile that made his heart skip a beat, and he felt a surge of relief. He'd managed to do the right thing.

With their good-byes completed, their now smaller group set out for Fraldarius. Felix hoped for an uneventful trip, but it was not meant to be. Now that they were alone, his old man would not stop pestering him, Annette, and Baron Dominic with a seemingly endless supply of questions. Felix knew it was only natural that Rodrigue would want to know more about Annette, but his prodding got annoying very quickly. It didn’t help when Rodrigue started talking about all the embarrassing things Felix did as a child.

“Will you shut up already, old man?” Felix growled, feeling his entire face burn from humiliation.

Rodrigue just laughed. Damn him for being one of the few people Felix couldn't intimidate into silence.

Thankfully, they didn't run into any issues aside from Rodrigue being annoying. Maybe he was being paranoid, but Felix couldn't bring himself to fully relax until they were safely inside Fraldarius's walls. The thought of Cornelia possibly still being alive and plotting her revenge sat in the back of his mind like an itch he couldn't scratch. He knew her ilk, and he knew that she wouldn't stop hunting Annette until she was in her grave.

Soon after returning to Fraldarius, however, all thoughts of Cornelia became buried under a rapidly growing pile of worries regarding wedding preparations. The castle became a bustle of activity as servants rushed around to clean and decorate and Felix was pulled this way and that and asked his opinion on everything from what dishes to use to what color tablecloth to use. It was ridiculous; they all should have known he didn't care about such frivolous things, but he answered them because it was the only way to get them to back off for a while.

This went on for two whole weeks. Felix couldn't believe that all this trouble was needed and got into an argument with his old man about it a few days in. As far as Felix was concerned, all he needed was himself, Annette, and an officiant, and they could have had all those things in just a few hours. Rodrigue refused to budge, however. He said that Fódlan's other noble houses needed to see with their own eyes that the infamously unmarriable Wolf of Fraldarius was finally getting married, or else they'd never believe it. He also explained that Felix's abrupt change in his bride meant that her wedding dress needed to be re-fitted. Felix wanted to argue—he couldn't care less about what Annette wore—but he held his tongue because he remembered that he had to consider what Annette wanted to do. When he asked her about it later, she confirmed that she wanted this to be a special day, and so Felix reluctantly agreed to his father's decisions, even though he still thought they were unnecessary.

The worst part about all of this is that Felix and Annette were so busy that they barely got to spend any time together that didn't involve some important decision regarding the wedding. They hardly even had time to train together like they usually did. While Annette still joined Felix for his early morning training, by the evening she was so exhausted that Felix had to help her to bed immediately after dinner.

At first, he wondered if his old man and the servants were pushing her too hard, but upon questioning them it quickly became clear that Annette was doing this to herself. She insisted on helping out with decorations, writing invitations, and even cleaning every surface she could reach. The fact that she had spent a good portion of her life living like a commoner was showing, and while Felix admired her determination and work ethic, it was clear that she was wearing herself out. One day, he pulled her away from dusting and polishing some suits of armor and told her that she had to rest. Unsurprisingly, she put up a huge fight, but Felix was used to her antics by now. She could flail her limbs around and smack him as much as she wanted, but he remained unfazed as he carried her back to her room.

Several of the servants whispered among themselves or watched with barely concealed amusement as Felix passed by, but he paid them no mind. He'd known them for years, and he was used to them talking about him. They also knew him well enough to know that he had nothing untoward in mind. Indeed, the worst he did was stay with Annette in her room until she passed out from exhaustion.

This process repeated several times over the course of those two long weeks. If there was one thing Felix had learned about Annette, it was that she was as stubborn as he was. He could tell that it was going to be his job to make sure that she got enough rest, because she was keen on pushing herself past her limits. She reminded him of himself, and he now understood why Sylvain always got on his ass when he trained late into the night.

At long last, the big day arrived. Felix had thought he'd be too anxious to sleep, but the bone-deep exhaustion he'd gained between preparations and looking after Annette caused him to pass out almost as soon as he hit his pillow. After he got up on the morning of the wedding though, he became a bundle of nerves. He couldn't stop pacing around, and even when he had to sit or stand still, he constantly fidgeted. His hands itched for a weapon, but he was barred from having anything except a useless ceremonial sword. Even so, he was tempted to use it to whack a few training dummies around, and the only thing that stopped was the knowledge that the sword would break after three hits tops.

If that wasn't enough, he was barred from seeing Annette before the ceremony. He was told some nonsense about how seeing the bride in her dress before the wedding was bad luck and promptly escorted away. Felix didn't see what the big deal was, but no one would listen, so he was forced to stew as he waited with Sylvain.

"Hang in there, Felix. It won't be much longer," Sylvain assured, but it didn't make him feel any better. In fact, he was pretty sure he was either going to throw up or explode any minute now. He was starting to regret eating breakfast, as his stomach had tied itself into knots. Just when he thought the anticipation was going to kill him, his old man directed him into the castle chapel.

The chapel's pews were packed to the brim with guests. They were almost all from other noble families that had important financial or political ties with Fraldarius. Several of them had daughters of marriageable age, some of whom were even in attendance. Felix had never been gladder for his foul reputation. If not for that, he could easily have been saddled with marrying any one of those girls, and he never would have met Annette.

He stood at the altar and tried not to fidget. The stone walls of the chapel felt like they were closing in on him, and the fact that every eye was on him didn't help matters. His black formal wear suddenly felt too tight. His cravat was choking him, his cufflinks pinched his wrists, and his palms felt clammy inside his white gloves. Even his ceremonial sword felt heavier than usual. He swallowed, but the lump in his throat refused to go away.

Then the chapel's wooden doors opened again, and Felix forgot to breathe.

Annette was always beautiful, but today, she was radiant. Between her white wedding gown and veil and the brilliant smile on her face, she practically glowed as she walked arm in arm with her uncle up towards the altar. Felix hardly noticed Baron Dominic because he couldn't tear his eyes away from Annette. She was like the sun, and he was the sunflower drawn towards her warmth and light.

Felix barely remembered any of the ceremony that followed. The Seiros priest droned on and on for what felt like hours. Felix mostly tuned him out. How could he pay that old man any attention when Annette was right in front of him and he had to use all of his willpower to not kiss her right then and there?

When the priest was finally done with his seemingly endless drivel, Felix and Annette exchanged their vows and their wedding rings. Felix normally would have found it frivolous, but when it came to Annette, he meant every word. He would care for her, protect her, and love her until death came for him, and he would do all he could to make sure that day didn't come for a long, long time.

"You may now kiss the bride," the priest said at last, and Felix was more than happy to do so. He thought he heard applause, but the taste of Annette's lips drowned out everything else. His heart was full, and he felt as though he could sprout wings and fly.

That happy moment was unfortunately short-lived, as he now had to deal with the reality of the wedding reception. This wasn't like the party Dimitri had thrown in Fhirdiad—because there were so many nobles in attendance, there were way too many people that wanted to talk to him about things he really didn't want to talk about. At least Annette's presence made things bearable. She handled all the attention remarkably well, although when some nobles tried to pry into her two-year disappearance or comment on her family's lack of wealth, Felix repelled them with thinly veiled threats. It was reassuring to confirm that, even though he was now married, people still knew better than to challenge the Wolf of Fraldarius.

Thankfully, Felix and Annette weren't the only topic of conversation. There was also plenty of buzz about Dimitri and his new betrothed, Marianne. Dimitri thankfully had the sense to leave Marianne back in Fhirdiad—those gossiping vipers would have eaten the poor girl alive. Dimitri at least was used to people talking about him, and not always in favorable ways.

In spite of their previous disagreements, Felix was glad Dimitri came. It couldn't have been easy for Dimitri to break free from his own duties, especially since he would have been busy preparing for his own wedding. That was still a long way off, but that was because the royal wedding necessitated a lot more pomp and circumstance.

Alois had also come, as he promised he would. He hadn't given up on trying to make Annette laugh, but his jokes continued to fall flat—with one exception. Dimitri howled with laughter at every single one of Alois's terrible jokes. He didn't even care that the entire reception was looking at him in baffled silence. Alois was so stunned that he asked Dimitri if he genuinely found his jokes funny. Dimitri replied that no, they were terrible—so terrible, in fact, that they circled back to being funny again.

Felix shook his head at this. At least Dimitri wasn't completely without sense.

In between Alois's antics and all the other nobles talking to them, Felix and Annette managed to find some time to speak with Sylvain and Ingrid. Felix was grateful for the periodic breaks. Though his friends annoyed him to no end, they were infinitely more tolerable than most of the nobles in attendance.

Ingrid and Sylvain received their own share of attention thanks to the fact that they were newly engaged. They had considered keeping that fact to themselves and to their families for a while longer, but they had no choice but to publicly announce it in order to stop getting letters and visits from other suitors. Even now there were multiple young women eying Ingrid enviously. Felix was grateful that Annette had pushed Sylvain into action—he couldn't see his friend being anything but miserable if he had to marry any of those harpies.

As they hadn't spoken since they were all in Fhirdiad, Sylvain and Ingrid explained everything that had happened since they parted ways. Their parents had been surprised but pleased upon learning their intentions, and they supported their marriage because the match made a lot of political sense. House Gautier would get its Crested heir, and House Galatea would get some much-needed financial support. Sylvain and Ingrid were not thrilled to find that their parents were more focused on the political ramifications of the match than their children's happiness, but they weren't surprised, either. Felix nodded upon hearing this, knowing that it was up to their generation to put an end to these political marriages. He certainly wasn't going to force any of his children to marry, no matter how much his old man complained.

His heart did a somersault as he realized what he just thought. He'd never considered wanting children until now. It was something that was expected of him, but not something he looked forward to. Now, however, the idea of having children with Annette was starting to sound appealing. He would have to discuss it with her later, but his heart was already racing with anticipation, especially since he knew what had to happen after the reception.

That moment came sooner than he expected. When the guests finally began leaving, Felix realized just how unprepared he was for what was to come. Annette noticed how tense he was and asked him what was wrong. He quickly assured her that he was fine, but he suspected that she didn't believe him. He wondered if she figured out the truth on her own, and he wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or worse.

It didn’t matter either way, though, as when the last guests departed and a servant began to lead Felix and Annette toward their bedchamber, Felix knew he could no longer stave off the inevitable. He and Annette had to consummate their marriage. Tonight.

Soon, they were alone in the room together, but Felix didn't find that very comforting. This was their first night together as husband and wife, and Felix was terrified that he would do something wrong. As much as it pained him to admit it, he wished he'd swallowed his pride and asked Sylvain for his advice. Now he was up against an adversary that he had no idea how to defeat.

"Felix." A soft voice cut through the maelstrom of his thoughts. "Relax. It's just me."

Felix sighed gustily. "That's exactly the problem, though. I don't… This isn't…"

"It's okay," Annette interrupted. "I'm as new to this as you are."

"Aren't… aren't you nervous?"

"Of course I'm nervous. But it'll be okay. I trust you, Felix."

And therein laid the problem. She trusted him, but he didn't trust himself. What if he did something to drive her away, or worse, hurt her? The last thing he wanted was to make her regret choosing him.

"There's no going back after tonight, you know," he warned.

Annette looked offended. "Felix, if you seriously think I'm having doubts on our wedding night, then you're an even bigger idiot than I thought."

"Sorry," he said with a wince. "You're right. I… I should know better by now."

"Is it really that hard to believe that I'm not afraid of you?" she asked.

"You ran away once before."

"I did, once. But I know better now. I love you, Felix. Nothing you do will ever change that."

Felix's heart flipped in his chest. Her declaration was so confident, like she was stating a fact. He felt like the worst person in the world for doubting her. Here he was, only a few hours into his marriage and already making mistakes. He needed to be better. He needed to be a husband Annette could be proud of. And if that meant diving into unknown waters, then so be it.

"We should… get changed," he said slowly.

"Now that I can agree with," said Annette.

Felix swallowed, turned away, and began to undress. His heart was racing faster than a galloping horse, and he prayed that his anxiety wasn't showing in his posture. He felt as though he were preparing for battle, only he had no weapon and no idea who his opponent was.

He almost wished that was the case. He knew how to make his body into a weapon. He hadn't the slightest idea how to use it for love.

At last, he changed into his nightclothes and mustered up the courage to look at Annette. She too, had changed. She now wore a silk nightgown that was just a little too big on her—evidently, the servants had been so busy with wedding preparations that they hadn't had the time to hem it. Despite that, she was stunning. Felix didn't know how she managed to look beautiful no matter what she wore, but he wasn't complaining.

"I, um…" he said awkwardly. "How should we… go about this?"

Annette smiled softly. "You could start by kissing me."

"Kissing you?" he repeated.

"Don't you want to?" she asked.

"I do," he admitted. "But—"

"No hesitation!" Annette said sternly. "Don't tell me the Wolf of Fraldarius is afraid of kissing his wife!"

He scowled, marched over to her, grabbed her face, and began to kiss her like his life depended on it. His indignation rapidly melted away and was replaced by an almost desperate hunger as Annette pulled him against her and kissed him back. He wanted more, and more, and before he knew it, he and Annette were tangled together in the bedsheets. All of his earlier trepidation had vanished, having been driven out by how badly he wanted Annette. She flooded every one of his senses and filled him with a thrill that even his most fierce battles paled in comparison to. The world was now just the two of them, and he would be content if it could stay that way forever.

Eventually, though, morning came. Felix moaned softly and tried to roll away from the light that roused him, only to find that something warm and heavy in his arms impeded his movement. He reluctantly opened his eyes, only to find himself staring at a still asleep and very naked Annette.

It took him a moment to remember where he was and what he'd spent a good part of last night doing. Well, he certainly wasn't going to be doing any training this morning. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this sore and tired. Even so, he didn't regret a thing. He would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Annette stirred, mumbled something unintelligible, and snuggled closer to him before falling back into a deeper sleep. Felix smiled fondly and stroked her hair. She was without a doubt the bravest woman in Fódlan. To think that she had the courage to wed and bed the Wolf of Fraldarius. His heart swelled with the knowledge that she was truly, finally his.

He gently kissed her forehead and she began to stir again. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at him sleepily.

"Good morning," he greeted.

"Mmm," she moaned.

“Did you sleep well?”

She moaned again. “Everything hurts… And I thought your training was bad.”

A stab of worry shot through Felix’s heart.  “Did… did you not like it?”

She scowled at him. “You dummy! Of course I liked it! I mean, I don’t have anything to compare it to, but considering it was the first time for both of us, I’d say that went really well.”

"Then I guess," Felix began, "that we'll just have to keep honing our skills."

Annette turned a beautiful shade of pink. "Oh. Y-yes, that sounds like a good idea."

"I've always admired your dedication," Felix said with a smile.

"It's nothing compared to yours. I'm never going to see the outside of this room again, am I?"

"If that's what you want."

"Unfortunately, we are going to have to see your father and my uncle at some point today."

Felix snorted and pulled her closer to him. "They can wait.”

She smiled. “You really are a villain. Holding me captive like this…”

“I’ll be as villainous as I want. You have no idea how much I’ve missed holding you.”

“You’re mistaken there, dear husband.”

“Huh?” Felix’s heart skipped a beat as he stared at her in shock. “Did you just—”

She kissed him, soft and sweet. “I’ve missed you holding me just as much.”

Felix could feel how badly he was blushing. How was he getting so flustered when they'd just made love? "Did… did you just call me 'dear husband'?"

"What? Is there a problem with that?"

"No!" he quickly assured. "I just… Well… I guess it hasn't really sunk in yet."

"That we're married now?"

His heart thumped at the word "married". "Yeah," he admitted.

"I understand," said Annette. "It almost doesn't feel real."

He held her a little tighter. “If this is a dream, I never want to wake up.”

"Me neither."

A quiet moment passed, and then Felix remembered something important.

“Annette?”

“Yes?”

“Will you… sing for me now?”

She turned pink again. “I did promise that, didn’t I? Well, um… What do you want to hear first?”

“Any of them. Whichever one you like most.”

“All right. How about this one…”

Felix could have stayed cuddled next to Annette while she softly serenaded him forever. Eventually, though, their bodies’ needs forced them to leave their cozy nest. Felix reluctantly got himself dressed, and after Annette had done the same, he escorted her to the latrine. He let her take care of her business first, and then he followed suit. It was tempting to return to their room—saints, he wasn't sure he'd ever get used to calling it their room—but their growling stomachs forced them towards the great hall. Felix was not looking forward to speaking with his father and Baron Dominic, but he had to do it sooner or later.

The encounter was not as bad as he expected. Rodrigue thankfully saved any prying into their consummation until after they’d eaten a late breakfast. He’d already confirmed the deed had been done from the night watchmen assigned to patrol near their room. Felix felt his face flush. He knew that a trusted third party had to be a witness in order to make their marriage officially binding, but he still felt very uncomfortable knowing that someone other than Annette had heard the noises he’d made last night. At least he was reasonably confident that that knowledge would not leave Castle Fraldarius’s walls. He didn’t want to think about what Sylvain would say if he ever found out about this.

After that awkward conversation, it was time to bid farewell to Baron Dominic. The baron was very reluctant to leave, and Felix was surprised to find that he felt a little sorry for him. Henri had only just reunited with his niece after two years, and now he was forced to return to Dominic without her. He also lamented that he had been unable to deal with Cornelia personally. He still felt partially responsible for all that she had done, and he apologized for his inability to keep his word. Annette, of course, didn't care about any of that and tearfully thanked him for being with her on her wedding day.

Felix decided to give the two of them some space. He was the reason why Annette was being parted from her family again, after all. Unwittingly, he recalled that Sir Gilbert should also have been here to bid Annette farewell and he felt a renewed fury. He would never forgive Sir Gilbert for what he did to Annette. If Felix had his way, Sir Gilbert would be begging him for mercy instead of the goddess. He only stayed his hand because he knew Annette still loved her father, and he loved Annette more than he hated Sir Gilbert.

Baron Dominic and Annette shared a tearful farewell. Annette was worried for Henri's safety, given that he had none of his men with him, but Rodrigue assured her that Fraldarius troops would be escorting the baron back to Dominic. Felix also approved of the move, especially considering the current state of House Dominic.

Henri and Annette hugged one last time, promised to write to each other often, and then the baron reluctantly went on his way. Annette watched him go, and Felix, sensing that she needed support, moved closer to her. She immediately reached for his hand and held on tight. He squeezed hers in return, and when the baron was out of sight, she clung to Felix and buried her face in his chest. Hesitantly, he put his arms around her and stroked her hair.

"Are… are you okay?" he asked.

"I will be," she mumbled. "Just… let me stay here for a while."

He smiled fondly. Who was he to deny her? He would gladly be her pillar, now and always, even if it wasn't his responsibility to do so as her husband.

Her husband.

He felt a shiver of pleasure and became extremely conscious of the ring around his finger as he held Annette tighter. This was something he could get used to.

Chapter Text

Annette walked through Castle Fraldarius's courtyard, basking in the fall sunshine. She had to wear her fur cloak, as it was colder than she was used to for this time of year, but she was determined to enjoy the sunny weather while it lasted. It wouldn't be long before the snows started, and if Felix's stories were to be believed, chances were high that they would be buried from the Red Wolf Moon to the Lone Moon.

She could scarcely believe that it had already been three moons since she started calling Castle Fraldarius her home. If she had known how happy she would be living with Felix, she would have—no, she had to remember what Felix always said whenever she was stricken by regret: “What’s done is done.” She’d made the best decision she could at the time with the information she had, flawed as it was, and everything had worked out in the end.

And now she was finally living the life she never thought she’d have.

She looked fondly up at the castle’s keep. Not only was it her home, it also housed the man she loved.

She loved him so much.

And she would also love the child he’d granted her.

She'd somewhat anticipated it given how much they'd been "practicing", but she was still surprised that she'd gotten pregnant this soon. Thus far, only Lena knew about her condition, and she agreed to keep it a secret until Annette was ready to share it. She wasn't outwardly showing yet, so she decided to keep the news to herself for a little longer. The only issue was that Felix was becoming increasingly concerned with how she had to keep running to the latrine every morning to throw up, so she knew she had to tell him soon.

It wasn't like she was afraid of telling Felix. Before all of this started, they had discussed the matter of having children. Felix shyly admitted that he liked the idea of having children with her, but if she wasn't ready, then he offered to do whatever it took to avoid any unplanned accidents. Annette had been surprised—she had been about to suggest the exact same thing! As a result, they decided that they would continue their lovemaking not just for pleasure, but because they both wanted a child. She was sure Felix would be over the moon when he learned that their efforts had borne fruit; she just needed to find a good time to tell him. She'd been so busy learning how to manage the household as the future duchess that she hardly had any time alone with Felix anymore.

And there was one other issue: Lord Rodrigue. He was a wonderful father-in-law, but he was a bit overbearing when it came to the subject of heirs. She knew Lord Rodrigue was starting to get on in years, but his enthusiasm about her and Felix's "practice" was embarrassing. She wasn't sure she would ever be ready for how he would react when he learned that she was pregnant.

A small commotion at the gates drew her attention. She drew closer and soon discovered that the guards were yelling at a hunched over figure wearing a long-hooded cloak.

"Please, sirs," a withered female voice rasped. "I only wish for a single night of food and shelter."

"Then go find an inn in town!" one of the guards snapped. "You are not welcome here! Begone!"

"Let her through," Annette said sternly. The guards jumped and spun towards her in shock.

"L-Lady Annette!" they exclaimed.

"Are you really so cruel that you would turn away a poor old woman?" she asked. "It's already late afternoon. Night will fall by the time she reaches town. We can more than afford to shelter her for tonight."

"But, my lady—"

"I will take care of her," she said firmly. The guards looked between each other and Annette, and then reluctantly stepped aside. She smiled and held her hand out to the old woman. "Please come with me, ma'am. I will see you fed and attended to."

"Thank you," the woman said.

Annette slowed her pace to match her new companion's and allowed her thoughts to wander. Right about now, Felix would be finishing his afternoon training and be ready for dinner. He still managed to find training time in between all the tasks Rodrigue kept finding for him to do. Annette would join him when she could, but today was one of those days when her pregnancy rendered her too ill to do so. Admittedly, swinging a sword around while she was with child, even just for practice, was unwise, but she was determined to not lose her skill, and the familiar movements were soothing to her. It was another reason why she kept her condition secret; Rodrigue would surely never let her within three meters of a sword once he learned about it.

At least she had a less physically strenuous alternative to her sword training now. As he promised, Felix had helped her start studying magic again. He had no experience with magic, but that wasn't the case for some of his family. There were a few books on magic in the Fraldarius library, and Lord Rodrigue, as a Holy Knight, was well-versed in using white magic. Annette was more familiar with black magic, but she welcomed any new learning opportunity. White magic would also be useful for when Felix inevitably got hurt—he may be the future duke, but he was still the battle-hungry Wolf of Fraldarius. Despite his reputation, he wasn't invincible, and she wanted to be by his side to both support and protect him.

She was still very early in her studies, but like with her sword training, she was learning quickly. She was sure she could learn even faster if she had someone tutoring her personally, but no one in Fraldarius was experienced enough in black magic to do so. Felix had offered to hire a tutor for her, but she politely declined—he had already done so much for her, and she felt guilty about imposing on him yet again. Besides, having a tutor meant spending less time with her husband—time that she was finding more and more precious every day. But on this particular occasion, it was for the best that Felix wasn't around. He was still a very intimidating man, and Annette wanted their guest to feel as welcome as possible.

She escorted the old woman to the great hall and requested food to be prepared. It was a little early for dinner, but the woman looked so tired and haggard that Annette decided to see her fed right away. After the food arrived, Annette made to leave, but the woman stiffened as she did. Feeling pity in her heart, Annette sat down next to her. Maybe she was lonely, or maybe she felt insecure about her appearance—her entire face was still shrouded by her hood. Annette could empathize with both of those things.

"Have you lived in town for long?" she asked.

The woman said nothing, only bowing her head as she tucked into her meal. Maybe she wasn't one for small talk, or maybe she cared more about filling her belly than anything else. Annette decided not to prod anymore and waited patiently as the woman ate. When she finished her meal, she asked very softly for a latrine.

Annette was more than happy to show her the way. She guided her companion up a staircase and down a corridor. As usual, it was sparkling clean, which almost made Annette disappointed. While Castle Fraldarius had never been dirty, it didn't take the servants long to realize that Annette was wont to pitch in with cleaning, even though she was now the lady of the house. She actually liked cleaning; it was strangely soothing to her, so whenever she noticed a bit of dust or dirt, she was quick to sweep or polish it away. As she wouldn't stop when asked to, the servants soon became extra diligent in their cleaning. It was a strange thing to be frustrated about, especially since it was technically a positive result, but it bothered her all the same.

"Here we are," Annette said, gesturing at a particular doorway. "Now then, I'll be on my—"

The next thing she knew, her hair, which she had finally been able to regrow over the past three moons, was caught in a grip far too strong for an old woman to possess. She barely had time to gasp when she felt the prick of a knife at her back.

"It's good to see you, Annette. What a lovely castle you have."

Annette’s shock turned to horror as the weight of her mistake fell over her. The guards had been right to turn this woman away. Now her bleeding heart was going to be her and her child's undoing.

"What do you want, Cornelia?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Cornelia laughed. The sound made Annette's blood run cold. "What do I want? What I want is something you can't give me. I want back the beauty your oaf of a father stole from me. I want to walk without a limp. I want the three moons of hell you put me through to have never happened. But I'll settle with taking your life."

Annette swallowed. So her father had wounded Cornelia's pride as much as her body. It was cold comfort, though, and she forced herself to not gasp as Cornelia's knife pricked harder.

"Not here, though," Cornelia continued. "I want your husband to watch you die. Let's head to the roof by the training grounds. We'll wait for him to notice."

"Felix will kill you for this," Annette growled.

"At this point, that would be a relief."

"Then why don't you just kill yourself and leave us be?!"

Cornelia snorted. "My death has no meaning until I've exacted my revenge. Now move it, before I'm forced to slay you here and now."

Annette did so, mainly because Cornelia's knife had now broken her skin. She hated to admit it, but she was powerless. She couldn't reach her own knife tucked in her boot, and Cornelia would easily kill her before she could begin casting a spell. And even if she somehow survived being stabbed, the wound would bleed so heavily that her baby likely wouldn't make it.

The walk was short and tense, with only Cornelia's heavy breathing and occasional shouts at servants and guardsmen breaking the silence. All the while, Annette couldn't stop thinking about how foolish she'd been. She let her guard down after three moons of peace, and now she and her baby would pay the ultimate price for it.

They reached the roof all too soon. Annette squinted as the late afternoon sun hit her eyes. With how Cornelia was gripping her hair, she was forced to look upwards, so she couldn't see where she was walking very well. It would be just her luck to misstep and plummet to her doom—a fate Cornelia would no doubt relish.

"And now, we wait," said Cornelia. "I don't see him below, but I imagine he'll emerge before long."

"He's out on a trip—"

"I see you're as awful of a liar as ever," Cornelia snarled. "The whole time I was in town, no one would stop talking about how disgustingly in love the two of you are. They've been saying this is the longest that Felix has stayed in the keep in years. He's here, no doubt about it."

"You could learn a thing or two from him," Annette retorted. She knew doing so was a mistake, but at this point, she no longer cared. As expected, Cornelia wrenched her head back further, and she bit back a cry of pain. She refused to show any more weakness to her aunt, even if she was about to die.

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. Annette began to worry that she would either lose her balance and fall off the roof or that her neck and spine would be permanently bent from how long she'd been stuck in this position. Just when she thought she couldn't endure the pain any longer, a voice broke through the silence.

"Let. Her. Go."

Annette sucked in a breath. When did Felix get up here? Did he realize how close Cornelia was to ending her life?

"So, the little lord arrives at last," Cornelia said smugly. "And he'll be getting a front row seat to all the action."

Annette closed her eyes. This was it. Felix couldn't save her this time, and she wasn't even sure she could save herself. But then, something completely unexpected happened.

"Let her go, and I'll let you have me."

Cornelia laughed cruelly. "As if you would!"

"I mean it."

Annette couldn't believe what she was hearing. Felix couldn't be serious, could he? Then again, she couldn't think of a single time Felix wasn't serious. If he really meant to die instead of her… No, she couldn't let that happen!

Luckily, his bold, if foolish proclamation bought her the distraction she needed. With Cornelia's attention on Felix, Annette was able to gather just enough wind magic in her hands and blasted Cornelia with it. Her aunt shrieked, and Annette suddenly found herself falling backwards. She hissed as her palms and back hit the stone roof, but she forced herself to get back up. An enraged Cornelia was charging at her, knife in hand. This time, though, Annette was ready. She extended her hands and murmured an incantation, and flames erupted forth.

Cornelia released an ear-piercing shriek as she flailed about, but her suffering was short-lived. Felix moved in, sword drawn, and in the blink of an eye, Cornelia's still burning body toppled to the ground. Annette took a couple seconds to catch her breath, during which Felix sheathed his sword and put his arms around her.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"She got my back, but not deeply," she replied. "I'm more worried about the baby than myself."

Felix went very stiff and she realized too late what she had blurted. She looked up at him and saw that his pupils were blown and his face was very pale.

"What… did you just say?"

She sighed and muttered a curse. "Let's get off the roof first. At this rate, you're going to be the next to fall off. "

Felix moved as if he were a trance, but he did as she asked. Once they were safely inside again, Annette tore off a piece of her dress as a makeshift bandage for her still bleeding back. She would have to see Lena later, but first she had to come clean.

"I'd hoped to tell you this under better circumstances, but… you heard right. I'm pregnant."

Felix gaped at her for a long moment. Then he covered his mouth and breathed a laugh. "Are you serious?"

"I am," she said with a nod. She then squeaked as Felix pulled her into a tight hug. With a start, she realized that he was trembling.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I failed you and our baby."

"No, Felix, it was my fault," Annette insisted. "I'm the one who let Cornelia into the castle. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead right now."

"I didn't do a damn thing," Felix murmured. "She had you at her mercy. All I could do was watch."

"But you distracted her," Annette argued. "You gave me the opening I needed. That reminds me… Did… did you really intend to give her your life instead of mine?"

"At the time, all I could think about was how much I didn't want to lose you," said Felix. "I blurted that without thinking, but I meant every word. I figured that if one of us had to die, then better me than you. Most people wouldn't mourn my loss."

"Idiot!" Annette scolded. "I would!"

"I know," Felix admitted. "And I'm sorry. It would have been terrible to put you through that, especially after I already went through it with Glenn. Figures. I spent my whole life rejecting knightly ideals, but when it comes down to it, I really am no different from my old man."

“Oh, Felix…” She hugged him tighter. “Well, you don’t have to worry anymore. You’ve made sure that Cornelia will haunt us no longer.”

"Yeah," said Felix. "Speaking of which, we should probably move her body before someone stumbles on it."

Just then, a loud scream came from somewhere below. Annette winced. "Too late."

"Figures," Felix said with a sigh. "Well, let's get you to Lena first. The sooner we take care of your wound, the better."

Annette couldn't agree more. They made their way to the infirmary, and if anyone came up to them with questions, Felix barked at them to mind their own business. Even so, Annette was sure they could put two and two together. The lady of the house wounded and bleeding, and an unidentified body in the courtyard—it was obvious that there had been an assassination attempt. Annette was not looking forward to explaining all of this to Lord Rodrigue. Especially since it had been her fault.

Lena, thankfully, was much easier to talk to. She was horrified to learn that Annette had been stabbed, but she quickly determined that the wound wasn't serious. She healed it in no time with white magic, but she insisted that Annette should rest for the next few days. As far as Lena could tell, the baby was fine, but she wanted to keep a close eye on Annette and her child just in case. Annette was a bit frustrated to hear that—she hated sitting around and doing nothing—but she reluctantly agreed for the sake of her child.

After hearing that, Felix sat down on one of the beds and covered his face with his hands. When Annette asked him what was wrong, he dragged his hands down his face.

"It's just… It still doesn't feel real," he admitted. "And to think that witch almost took you and the baby and I didn't even know."

"Shh, it's okay," Annette soothed. "It's my fault, really. I should have told you sooner."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because it meant I wouldn't be able to train with you anymore."

Felix laughed. "You like training that much?"

"You rubbed off on me," she admitted. "And after what happened today, I'm glad I've kept my skills sharp."

"They certainly served you well today," said Felix. "And if you really want to keep training, who am I to stop you? You know your physical condition better than I do."

Annette smiled at him. "Thank you, but it's not you I'm worried about. It's—"

Just then, the infirmary door slammed open. Annette and Felix turned their heads just in time to see a panicked-looking Lord Rodrigue rush in.

"Annette!" he cried. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, Lord Rodrigue," said Annette. "I assume you've been told what happened?"

"Not the details," he said. "Only that you had been attacked and held hostage."

"Well, the culprit is dead now. Felix made sure of that. You… haven't seen the body, have you?"

"No, but the servants are all in an uproar," said Lord Rodrigue. "What exactly did you do?"

"Well…"

Annette explained everything that happened from the moment Cornelia arrived at the keep. She once again expressed remorse for letting Cornelia inside, but Lord Rodrigue quickly assured her that she wasn't to blame.

"Kindness is not a quality to be ashamed of," he said. "Our house could use more of it, actually."

Annette thought Felix was plenty kind. He didn't overtly show it often, but he did so many little things for her that warmed her heart. Why, just that morning he'd saved her a pair of cinnamon rolls after her morning sickness made her lose her breakfast. Of course, few people outside the castle knew about Felix's softer side, and that was by design. He had a reputation to keep, after all.

Annette continued her tale, and Lord Rodrigue was alarmed to learn that Cornelia had come so close to killing her. He commended her and Felix's quick thinking and praised Felix for being willing to put his life on the line to protect Annette. Felix looked like he wanted to gag, but surprisingly held his tongue. It was likely because as much as he disliked it, he couldn't deny that it was true.

"We'll have to send Cornelia's remains back to House Dominic," Lord Rodrigue said after Annette finished. "Baron Dominic can decide what to do with her."

"It's more than she deserves," Felix said with a snort. "If I had my way with her, I'd throw her body in the forest for the wolves to feed on."

"Felix," Lord Rodrigue groaned.

Privately, Annette thought Felix's idea was splendid, but she agreed that her uncle should ultimately be the one to decide Cornelia's fate. He had never gotten the chance to deal with her like he wanted to, and he'd always lamented that. He deserved to see that she was dead with his own eyes, and even if he hadn't been the one to kill her, he could at least have some closure.

With the matter settled and Annette's safety confirmed, Lord Rodrigue left them alone. Annette sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. I was afraid he'd pry more than that."

"He's going to find out sooner or later," Felix pointed out. "I wouldn't be surprised if he suspects already. He probably let it be because you've had a very trying day."

"I know," Annette admitted. "But I'm not ready to have that conversation. Once he finds out he has an heir on the way, he'll probably never let me leave the castle."

"Stupid old man," Felix grumbled. "He's too old to be getting this excited. If he starts acting up, I'd be more than happy to cover for you."

"You're so sweet," Annette said fondly. "When the time comes, I'll take you up on that offer. Actually, now that I think about it, there are a couple other people who should know, now that you know."

"You're gonna be writing to Garreg Mach again, huh?" Felix asked. "I'm sure Alois will be thrilled, but I don't know about that old foo— I mean, Sir Gilbert. You've written to him at least five times now, and he hasn't responded once."

"I know," Annette admitted. "But… I can't just give up on him, Felix. He's my family. And he deserves to know that he has a grandchild on the way."

"I know I can't change your mind, but if he wasn't willing to budge to attend your wedding, I doubt this will move him, either."

"You're probably right, but I have to try. If nothing else, he'll at least know."

Felix sighed gustily. "I suppose that's true. I still don't like it, though."

"You don't have to. This is my problem, Felix. I can handle it myself."

"You shouldn't have to handle it at all," Felix grumbled. "Saints, that man is blind as can be."

Annette didn't disagree, but that was why it was her job to help her father see the truth. The moment she was able to return to her room, she grabbed some paper, an ink bottle, and a quill and began to write. She'd gotten used to writing letters since she moved to Castle Fraldarius, and she wrote frequently to her father, her uncle, and Alois. She usually got timely responses from the latter two, but her father never wrote back. It hurt a lot, but given how he'd acted when she'd spoken to him in person, she wasn't terribly surprised.

Maybe this time would be different, though. She chose her words carefully and poured as much feeling into them as she could. When she finished, she read it over carefully, let the ink dry, and then folded it and placed it in an envelope. She sealed the envelope with wax and then repeated the process twice more, once for her uncle and once for Alois. Once all the envelopes were addressed, she called for a servant to take them to a messenger. Now that they were out of her hands, all she could do now was hope for the best.

"I pray that Father will understand one day," she said, reaching down and touching her stomach. "My greatest wish now is for him to meet you."

Maybe it was just her imagination, but she swore she felt a movement in response.

Chapter Text

Felix paced up and down the hallway. His hands itched for the sword at his side, even though he knew it was of no help in this situation. The battle Annette was facing was one she had to fight alone, and no blade could cut down her foe.

Lena had refused to let him into the chamber where she was tending to Annette. She said that given his mannerisms, he would end up doing more harm than good. He didn't disagree, especially since his name featured prominently in Annette's screaming and cursing. He didn't doubt that she might attempt to blast him with wind magic if he stepped foot in the room, and that wouldn't bode well for her or the baby.

The four saints help him; he still couldn't believe Annette was having a baby.

He'd watched her through her entire pregnancy and all of the complications that came with that, but even now, as Annette was giving birth, it didn't feel real. That said, Annette's screams were certainly real enough, and each one made him feel like he was being stabbed. The worst part was that he was completely helpless. He could do nothing to ease her pain or comfort her, and it frustrated him to no end.

"Easy, Felix. She's going to be just fine."

Felix growled. "You're one to talk, old man."

Rodrigue shook his head. "This is different. Annette's in Lena's hands now. If any can get Annette through this without complications, Lena can."

"I know," Felix admitted grudgingly. "I just… I hate not being able to do anything."

"I understand," said Rodrigue. "We are men of action. But there are times when we need to leave actions to others."

Felix huffed. He had heard this countless times, and even though he knew Rodrigue was right, that didn't make it any less unpleasant to hear. He fidgeted impatiently and winced as he heard another pained scream from Annette. How much longer was this going to take?

Just then, a servant rushed up to them, completely out of breath. "Your Grace! Lord Felix!"

"This better be important," Felix growled.

"Calm yourself, Felix," said Rodrigue. "What news do you bring?"

"We have a visitor," said the servant. "He says he is here at the request of the king."

That drew Felix's attention. "This visitor… He wouldn't happen to call himself Gilbert Pronislav, would he?"

"Why… Yes, my lord," the servant said, eyes wide with surprise. "How did you know?"

"Don't worry about that," said Felix. "Just bring him in. He is trustworthy."

The servant bowed to him before running off. Once he was out of sight, Felix sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of all days for him to finally show his face…"

"Felix, did you have something to do with this?" asked Rodrigue.

"It's a long story," Felix said evasively.

"We have time while we're waiting," said Rodrigue.

Felix grumbled under his breath, hating that his old man was right. "Fine. It's like this…"

It all started over half a year ago, when Annette first wrote to her father, her uncle, her friends, and her old master to inform them of her pregnancy. Felix had seen enough of Sir Gilbert's behavior to know that even news as big as that would not sway him. Sure enough, a few weeks later replies came from Sylvain, Ingrid, Marianne, Baron Dominic and Alois, but Sir Gilbert sent nothing. At that point, Felix knew he would have to take matters into his own hands.

It gutted him to admit it, but there was only one person who could realistically change Sir Gilbert's mind. Felix abhorred that he had to resort to something so drastic, and the only reason he was able to swallow his pride and go through with it was because it was for Annette. He braced himself as best he could, and threw himself into the one task he thought he'd never do willingly.

He wrote to Dimitri to ask for his help.

It galled Felix to no end that he had to do this, but if anyone could get through to a single-minded former knight of Faerghus, it would be his king. Felix explained everything about Annette's situation, which unfortunately included her pregnancy. While Marianne must have informed Dimitri about Annette's condition by now, Felix still felt awkward writing to him about it. It felt like it wasn't his news to share. Nonetheless, it was important—it was the biggest reason why he was doing this in the first place.

Annette never said it out loud, but Felix knew she wanted their child to meet Sir Gilbert. It hurt Felix to see Annette constantly try to reason with her father only to be ignored at every turn. If Felix wasn't so tied up with his own duties and with tending to Annette as her pregnancy progressed, he would have gone to Garreg Mach and dragged that stubborn old man all the way to Fraldarius himself.

Part of him wished he could have done this back when he and Annette were preparing for their wedding, but Dimitri had been extremely busy with his own wedding preparations and helping Marianne adjust to her new role as the soon-to-be Queen of Faerghus. Now that they were finally married—which was its own wild affair—Felix felt better about asking Dimitri for help. Of course, Felix knew better than to expect any results immediately, but at least now Dimitri didn't have an impending wedding looming over him.

It had taken over half a year, but Felix's efforts had finally borne fruit. He didn't know what Dimitri had said or done to Sir Gilbert, nor did he know when Dimitri took action, but he didn't care. All that mattered was that Sir Gilbert was here.

Rodrigue smiled at Felix after he finished his tale. “I’m proud of you, Felix.”

“Shut up,” Felix growled. He was almost tempted to throw up in his mouth, but another scream from Annette drew his attention. This time, however, it was followed by an excited cry from Lena.

“Lord Felix! Lord Rodrigue! Please, come!”

Felix and Rodrigue looked at each other, and an understanding passed between them.

"I will see to Sir Gilbert," said Rodrigue. "Go be by Annette's side."

Felix didn't need to be told twice. He hurried into Lena's chamber, his heart in his throat. Lena was busily cleaning the baby wailing in her arms, while Annette was lying on the bed, looking exhausted but content. When the baby was clean, Lena cut its cord and bundled it in a blanket before helping Annette sit up and gently placing the baby in her arms.

Felix suddenly felt unsteady on his feet. That was his child there. His and Annette's. It was almost too much to take in. He wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh, cry, throw up, or all of the above.

"Oh, Lord Felix, you're just in time!" Lena exclaimed with a smile. "Where's Lord Rodrigue?"

"He's…occupied right now," Felix managed to say. "He should be here soon."

"I see," said Lena. "Well then, while we wait for him, would you like to meet your daughter?"

"D-daughter?" Felix squeaked.

"Listen carefully, little one," Annette said, stroking the baby's cheek. "That's not a sound you'll hear often. The only time the Wolf of Fraldarius squeaks is when he's overcome by emotion."

Felix blushed at her bold and embarrassingly true statement, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He stumbled over to Annette's bedside and leaned over to get a better look at the baby—no, their daughter.

The child's wailing had ceased and she was securely settled in the blankets. Her eyes were closed and her face was red, wrinkled, and blotchy, and yet Felix thought she was beautiful. He reached out slowly, both entranced and terrified.

"You can touch her, Felix," said Annette. "She's not that fragile."

He swallowed, and then, as gently as he could, cupped the baby's cheek. "By the saints," he whispered.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" asked Annette.

"She takes after you," said Felix.

"I think she looks more like you," said Annette. "It's a little hard to see, but her hair is black."

Felix shook his head. "That's not what I meant. You're easily the more beautiful of the two of us, and that beauty already shines through in our daughter."

"You sell yourself short, Felix," Annette said gently. "You're plenty beautiful, too."

Felix blushed, as he always did when Annette complimented him. He wondered if he'd ever get used to it. "Well, our daughter will be getting the best of both worlds. She'll be the loveliest, deadliest woman in Fódlan."

"Oh, Felix," Annette moaned. "You're already excited to train her, aren't you? She can't even crawl yet."

"I learned how to swing a sword before I learned to write my own name," Felix reminded her.

"That doesn't mean our daughter has to do the same," said Annette.

"I suppose, but considering how many suitors are going to come calling for her, being able to fight them off will serve her well."

"Oh, Felix… You never change."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Lena quickly answered it, and as Felix expected, Rodrigue had come at last. Lena beckoned him to come in, but Rodrigue told her to wait a moment.

"I have a guest with me," he said. "Will you allow him in as well?"

"Of course, Your Grace," said Lena. "Who is your guest?"

Rodrigue entered the room and stepped aside, and sure enough, Sir Gilbert emerged from the hallway. He looked uneasy—as he should, considering how he’d treated Annette for all of these years. Felix would have been tempted to chase him out if he hadn’t gone through so much trouble to bring the man here.

Annette’s eyes were as wide as dinner plates. “F-Father?”

"About time you showed your face here, old man," Felix growled.

"Felix," Rodrigue said sternly.

Sir Gilbert looked at Annette, and then at the infant in her arms. His eyes widened considerably. "Is that…?"

Annette inhaled sharply as she snapped out of her stunned stupor. "Y-yes, Father. This is your granddaughter. Yours and Lord Rodrigue's."

Sir Gilbert approached the bed slowly. Rodrigue stayed by his side, presumably for moral support. Once they got close enough, Annette held the baby out for them so they could get a better look.

"By the saints," Sir Gilbert whispered. He sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

“She’s lovely,” said Rodrigue. “And under your care, I’m sure she will blossom into a fine young lady.”

“Thank you,” Annette said to Rodrigue before turning back to Sir Gilbert. “Father… I won’t ask you for your reasons, but I am glad you’re here. It means more to me than you can imagine.”

Sir Gilbert nodded almost imperceptibly. "I do not deserve to be here. Nonetheless, I am grateful to be able to see this child."

"I don't care about what you think you deserve," said Annette. "No matter what happens, we're still a family. And since you're here, at least part of you had to have realized that."

She continued to speak with both Rodrigue and Sir Gilbert for a while, but eventually, Lena shooed the men out of the room so Annette could rest. Felix was allowed to stay, but only because Annette requested it. After Lena helped Annette feed the baby, Annette turned toward Felix.

"All right, what did you do?"

Felix wasn't surprised that she figured out that he had been involved in this. After all, she was the sharpest person he knew other than Sylvain. Guiltily, he confessed his plan, admitting that he hadn't told her anything because of her condition and because he hadn't been certain that it would work.

"Felix," Annette said tiredly. "You didn't have to do that for my sake."

"I know," he replied. "But I know how much this means to you. Even though I despise what your old man has done, and I don't always get along with the boar… If it meant seeing you happy, I had to try."

"Oh, Felix. I couldn't have asked for a sweeter husband."

He blushed and averted his eyes. It was ridiculous that he still got so flustered over something so small, but he couldn't help himself. In spite of everything, his heart was as soft as ever. It was why Annette matched him so well—she was outwardly sweet but secretly brave and fierce, while he was the opposite. And now their union had produced a new life for them to love and protect.

"By the way, have you decided on a name for her yet?" he asked.

She frowned at him. "You're not leaving the decision entirely to me, are you?"

"Of course not. But… I honestly don't know what to call her. Names have never been my strong suit."

"That makes sense. You've always been better at actions than words," said Annette. "Well, as it happens, I do have a name in mind."

"Oh? What is it?"

She smiled. "How does Victoria sound?"

Felix looked at her in surprise. "Are you naming her after your old alias?"

"What? Do you not like it?"

"Th-that's not what I meant!" he said quickly. "I think it's a good name! I was just surprised you chose it."

"It was a name I used during one of the most important parts of my life, and the name that led me to you," she explained. "Not only that, Sir Victor was a lot like you in the old stories—temperamental, but still kind. I can think of no more fitting name for our daughter."

"Well, when you put it that way, I see no reason to object," said Felix. "Victoria is a lovely name. It suits her well."

He looked at the newly named baby Victoria, who had fallen asleep, and smiled. He still could scarcely believe that he and Annette had been blessed with a child, especially now that she had been born without complications. Of course, he knew that this was just the start of a new journey for them, and that meant facing new challenges. He wanted to be a father that Victoria could be proud of—he vowed to not repeat the mistakes Rodrigue and Sir Gilbert had made. He knew he still might stumble along the way, but he trusted that Annette would set him right, like she always did.

And to think that all it resulted from him deciding to train a clumsy young squire just under a year ago. A chance encounter that changed the entire course of his life—and Annette's as well. He never thought he'd be happily married and with a child, but here he was. And now he had many more years of happiness to look forward to.

Victoria slept on, unaware of any of this. When she grew up, she would have much to be proud of. Felix lightly kissed her forehead, and then he kissed Annette, his heart feeling light and warm. The future was looking brighter than ever.