Golden Eagle (Claude x Reader)

I Will Always Love You

She smiled as Bernadetta tightened her dress. This day felt frozen. For the first time in a while, she got the feeling something was wrong again.

"A-Are you okay, Y/N?" Bernadetta asked.

"Of course. Today's the happiest day of my life, so shouldn't I feel happy?" Y/N said, looking at herself in the mirror

"Is it the dress? Hubert got you a second one in case. I knew he shouldn't have let me pick which one to let you try first!!"

"No, I love the dress. Everything today is beautiful!!" She sighed. "Just,,, I don't know. Something feels wrong."

"Perhaps it is cold feet that trouble you?" Lorenz asked, opening the door.

"Lorenz!" Bernadetta And Y/N both exclaimed at the same.

"What? I couldn't not do your hair on your special day. We were both in the same class together, were we not?" He asked, taking her hair in his hands as she sat down in front of the mirror. "This will hopefully be everything you desire."

Bernadetta smiled at Lorenz worked on her friend's hair. He was pretty good at it, putting it back into a beautiful bun.

Y/N looked at it, as Lorenz placed her veil on her head. "Pleased?"

"Very! Thank you Lorenz."

"Of course." He smiled.

The door opened again, and a little two year old ran in. "Mommy! Mommy!"

"Sherbet!" She got down from her chair, going down on her knee to hug her daughter.

"Sorry, Hubert asked me to watch her, but she kept asking for you." Ferdinand came in behind her, sighing. "I don't know how you do it. Taking care of her is like being on the front lines."

Y/N laughed. "She's usually quieter than this. She get into the candy, Uncle Aegir?" She fixed her daughter's dress, Bernadetta standing by and laughing.

"Bernie, why don't you help Ferdinand with Sherbet? She loves both of you."

"But mommy!! I wan-wanna stay with mommy!!" Sherbet whined.

"Sherbet, Uncle Aegir and Auntie Bernie will take you to get more chocolate~" Ferdinand sang, getting the little girl's attention.

"Choco!!" Sherbet yelled, running up to Ferdinand who picked her up.

Bernadetta and Ferdinand went to leave. "Will you be okay alone?" Bernadetta asked, pausing while holding the door open.

"Of course. Now, go take care of Sherbet for me." She smiled. The three left, and Y/N was alone.

She looked in her bag. Packed inside was a Golden Wire Bracelet. Almost unnoticeable.

It had a shiny back Deer charm hanging from it. It had been a birthday gift from Claude. Even on a day like today, he still crossed her mind.

Did she... love him?

Ugh. The thought was too much. She had a child with him, an accident truly. The baby she had with Hubert had purpose. She loved Hubert,

Right?

Cold feet, supposedly came around on your special day. A common symptom of love. But, Sothis, what she wouldn't do to see Claude and Amara.

—

"Thank you for inviting me to tea, Lady Riegan." Claude said. He sat in a little tea party of small plastic cups and stuffed animals, in chairs far too small for him.

"I am always excited to have my papa at tea!!" She exclaimed, "pouring him a cup".

"Did I ever tell you about your mama?" He asked, taking a fake sip.

"No..." She said. "Well, only a little. And you showed me that painting of her that Uncle Ignatz did when you were in the same class."

"Well, your mama is getting married today!!"

"To you??" She tilted her head.

"No, not to me silly girl. Mama loves someone else."

"No she doesn't!! Mama loves you!! Mama and Papa love each other, always and forever!!" She exclaimed, getting a bit angry and standing up.

Claude stood up, pulling her close. "Mama loves that man Hubert, from the Empire."

"You mean the scary man?"

He laughed. "Yes, the scary man."

"Do you love Mama, Papa?" She asked, looking up at him.

Claude paused. "Amara, I will Always Love Mama. Now, why don't we go outside?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips.

"Outside!!" She exclaimed, running out the door.

Claude stood there a moment before running out with her.

—

The walk down the Aisle was longer than it had seemed at rehearsal, or at least, it had felt that way. Finally, Y/N was going to marry Hubert. 

 Still, cold feet stayed with her to her very core. Was she doing this for herself, or for Edelgard? Did Hubert truly love her, or did he have feelings for Edelgard? Why did Edelgard support their union so much? Was this a political wedding?

 Did she love the man she was going to marry?

 Hubert looked at her as she stepped up next to her bridesmaids. Her best maid, Edelgard, smiled brightly at the two. Hubert took a breath in. "On the day that I met you, you were running. You ran from my father and I, and I was ultimately the one to catch you. I thought of you as a degenerate, nothing more than a street rat meant to be caught in a trap set by my father and I."

 "When I found out you would take a place with me, at the side of Lady Edelgard, I was concerned. You were powerful, and I thought that I would have to watch over you, and perhaps eventually stop some fiendish act you might display. But, as I watched you, and got to know you, I realized that that would not come to pass. You and I... No. You showed devotion that I had never seen."

 "I did not mean to devote myself to you. In fact, when we were young, I believed that I would be the one to take the challenge of killing you. Yet, I find myself awed and stunned by the very sight of you. You have become my world."

 "I will Always Love You, Y/N."

 The two said their I Do's with no hesitation. The wedding was beautiful. Y/N and Hubert danced, and Sherbet even danced on her fathers feet. 

 Y/N took a break outside, only to be met with Lorenz. "Oh, Lorenz, hello."

 "Ah, Y/N." He frowned.

 "What's wrong?"

 "You would wear that bracelet? On your wedding day?" He sighed, looking around. "Tell me Y/N, do you truly love Hubert? Or, is it that you love the man who gave you that bracelet? Your own enemy?"

 She looked away. "I-I..." She hesitated, but the words came out of her mouth on their own, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "I will always love him."

'Till the end of time
These are ties that bind 
'Till the sun don't shine
You will still be mine...

Mine.