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halcyon days
[So, things were going fine- they were planning to counter this strange contest Esme had dropped in their laps. Kingslayer was willing, at least little, to talk to him again. He had recently been cleaned up by Ruin so no longer looked (or smelled) quite so feral. Lion was doing okay.
Lion is no longer doing okay. And can be found pacing the Executor House like his namesake. Occasionally stopping to write frantically on a piece of paper on the dining room table but never sitting down for long.
If anyone pauses to read it he won't stop them: it's three lists of names, each under an animal-based title: Blue Lions, Black Eagels, Golden Deer. Next to the Lions list, he has an arrow- Source of my name???? and more arrows pointed to the House Leader slot of both the Lions (`me`) and the Eagles ('other House Leader, can't remember them. Why? I can remember Claude but not them...`) and at the end of the Lions list (`4 others here, but can't remember them??? One was a retainer to me I think? And the other three are in a lot of memories- we were close???`)
And above all the lists, underlined and circled: Professor Byleth Eisner
He's having a bad time]
Lion is no longer doing okay. And can be found pacing the Executor House like his namesake. Occasionally stopping to write frantically on a piece of paper on the dining room table but never sitting down for long.
If anyone pauses to read it he won't stop them: it's three lists of names, each under an animal-based title: Blue Lions, Black Eagels, Golden Deer. Next to the Lions list, he has an arrow- Source of my name???? and more arrows pointed to the House Leader slot of both the Lions (`me`) and the Eagles ('other House Leader, can't remember them. Why? I can remember Claude but not them...`) and at the end of the Lions list (`4 others here, but can't remember them??? One was a retainer to me I think? And the other three are in a lot of memories- we were close???`)
And above all the lists, underlined and circled: Professor Byleth Eisner
He's having a bad time]
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But...we have wandered away from the topic. Tell me of the school. Of the students! Your friends, hm? Rivals? Crushes, perhaps?
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[The conversation was making him feel uncomfortable anyway- somewhere between defensive and be-grieved, and he's happy to drop it]
I hope you're not hoping for any, hm what word did they use here... tea? Because I was in fact a very well behaved student.
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But I can assure you, none here would be surprised to learn that you were a model student. Royalty, after all. Leading by example.
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Are you saying you can't picture me misbehaving?
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[fight him, very well-behaved student]
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I did a few things I shouldn't have done! Such as being out after cerfew- but you are correct... as a prince I couldn't really risk any, hm, hijinks.
[His tone darkens slightly, and he looks away]
And I had other business on my mind. School for me was not the same as it was for others my age.
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[Business, however, seems like a less pleasant topic. Don't mind if Chiron just...yoinks the paper away to read some names.] Hm hm hm, was there really only one teacher for three class houses?
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[Oh now he's turning MORE pink]
O-oh, no of course not. The Professor was my class's teacher specifically. Manuela and Hanneman were the teachers of the Eagels and Deer specifically.
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Do not speak to me like I'm a child, Chiron. Even as a jest.
[he ruins it by looking away sheepishly though]
In hindsight though... my feelings for the Professor were probably not completely innocent. But I wasn't the only one: they were VERY popular.
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Chiron hands the list back over with a nod.] Not, I think, a most uncommon thing. They must have been quite special.
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They really were. Not only a skilled fighter, but kind, wise, and a master tactician.
... and I suppose very nice to look at.
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If it was I don't remember the other shoe dropping. They weren't perfect though- I've seen them fall apart with grief like any other mortal.
But maybe my memories ARE a little rose-tinted.
[Rose colored like his face right now]
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I am certain my beloved fell short of perfect, but in love, the imperfections are also perfect. And I wouldn't have it another way.
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[He smiles warmly at Chiron. He's not sure if he was IN love with Byleth or if it was just a childish crush. Likely the latter. But it's warm and good regardless]
I wonder if I ever had that kind of love in my life. I hope so.
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[He hopes...Aera was a queen beside him. But it's not a very large hope.]
But there are other kinds of love, too. I imagine you had the love of friends as well.
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I do remember quite a few friends from school now but... I wonder if I was especially close to these missing names. They are always around in my important memories, but anytime we are alone the edges blur to the point of nonsense.
Though thinking I may have become a companion to the leader of the Black Eagles certainly bodes well for the future of the country. They would likely be a high ranking noble of our most powerful neighbor.
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Still. You're a charming and handsome and charismatic lad even now. I can scarcely imagine people not wanting to befriend you.
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