All This Time

As I Am

At his command, the army fighting under the Crest of Flames marched on. Claude smirked as they easily cut through the forces who couldn't move because of the flames.

In a matter of seconds, Claude and his Teach managed to reach the general. He had a desperate look in his eyes as he was trying to retreat. Not wanting to take anymore lives, Claude was hoping to quickly put the general out of his misery and then take the rest as prisoners.

"That was a clever trap," The general admitted, a determined look on his face. "But no matter. If you wish to fight, you'll die here!"

His Teach didn't like the sound of that, and she bristled next to him. She grasped her sword tighter, recklessly charging at the general. His Teach was much faster than even the seasoned general, and she ducked under his lance. Her powerful and deadly Sword of the Creator glowed menacingly as it crashed onto the general's chest, only halted by his armor.

A giant dent was now engraved in his armor, and the general desperately tried to fight back. But with Claude constantly shooting arrows and his Teach swinging her sword, he was no match.

The general fell to the ground without another word.

"IT'S OVER!" Claude proclaimed loudly, hoping that all the forces everywhere could hear him. "Lay down your weapons and your lives will be spared!"

The Alliance soldiers burst into cheers, and the Adrestian Empire was forced to throw their weapons down. His Teach was about to absentmindedly walk off the battlefield until he pulled her aside.

"Remember when I told you I have something important to tell you?" Claude asked her, and she nodded. "Well, I haven't told you everything...but that changes today."

"I know you haven't told me everything," His Teach said smoothly, probably thinking about the sauna incident, but she didn't seem offended whatsoever. "I trusted you to tell me when it was time."

"Right...Well, now's the time," Claude laughed nervously. He took an arrow from his quiver and began twirling it absentmindedly. "I...Um...W-well.."

"You don't have to tell me."

"No, but I should," Claude insisted. He needed to do it, to get everything off of his chest. Claude had gone so long without anyone knowing who he really was. He took another deep breath, and looked at her in the eyes. "Okay. I'm not just fighting this war because I want to end Edelgard's reign. I mean, I do, but that's not all of it. I've always had grand schemes, even before she became a tyrant."

"Okay, and..?"

"...As a kid, I was discriminated against because of my color," Claude confessed, keeping his gaze on her. She showed no reaction, but that was probably because she didn't understand what he really meant...yet. "Teach...What I'm trying to say is...I'm not from around here. I'm Almyran."

Almyran.

The race associated with barbarity and hated by almost all of Fódlan's people...

That's me.

"You...You're Almyran?" Her eyes widened slightly, immediately scanning over his body. Claude kept his chin held up high; no one from Fódlan knew he was associated with such a 'barbaric' area. Despite all the effort he had gone through to hide his Almyran heritage, he was now discarding his superficiality and displaying his true self to his Teach. Even though Claude tried to keep his head up proudly, he was inwardly terrified. Anyone who had ever known he was Almyran had immediately discriminated against him...

I'm Almyran, and I'm not going to hide it from you any longer.

Even if it kills us...

"Yes. If you no longer wish to be around me, I understand..." Claude offered, not wanting her to feel guilty about leaving. He knew that her departure would tear him apart, but her happiness always came first. "But I want to close Fódlan's throat. To cut the gaps that isolates Fódlan from all the other countries, and get rid of the prejudice and discrimination that plagues all these places. I can't stand by your side if you don't know the real me. I really do understand if you hate me now, most people do once they realize-"

"Claude...Are you crazy?" His Teach grabbed his hand that was twirling an arrow, stopping him from performing his nervous habit. He froze, ending his rambling as she held his hand firmly. "I would never leave you because of how you looked. If anything, you look handsomer because you're Almyran. I never even thought about your color until you mentioned it, and I would love to help you achieve your goal. I'm going to stay with you until the end, remember?"

How lucky am I to have my Teach? Someone who wouldn't...who wouldn't discriminate against me because I'm Almyran..?

Someone who thinks I'm... handsome specifically because I'm Almyran?

"Good," Claude let a smile of relief fall onto his face. The feeling of acceptance was overwhelming, and Claude had never felt so touched before. For someone to finally not judge him...it was astounding. "I was just...I don't know. So many people lose trust once they find out I'm Almyran that I was reasonably worried, okay?"

"I can't blame you for that," She said softly, letting her other hand trail down his cheek. "...Claude von Riegan, I love you, and your skin color isn't going to change anything about that."

Wow.

Claude had to blink back tears at her statement. All his life, he'd been judged because of his Fódlan and Almyran background. Now he was standing beside someone who loved him, even though she knew about his heritage.

How could he possibly be happier?

"I love you too," Claude responded gently, a caring look in his eyes. Someone who accepts me, Almyran and all.. "Thank you, Teach."

Thank you for appreciating who I am, Almyran and all.