Honorary Golden Deer

Left behind for Fhirdiad

Claude had been dismissed back to the infirmary after Seteth's reprimand was blissfully interrupted by Byleth's arrival. The professor had no doubt been alerted by a passing guard of the raised voices within the Archbishop's second-in-command's office and deemed the abnormality worth investigating. His knock had been drowned by the argument inside and Linhardt rose a brow in question when Seteth suddenly ceased his fluent dialogue. The accused- after having stood at attention for the past ten minutes- looked over their shoulders to find Byleth comprehending the state of Seteth's space.

"Teach." Claude beamed and winced slightly at the pull of the abrasions on his cheeks. Linhardt didn't miss the master tactician slip the book- he had excitedly informed them about not long ago- beneath his sash after Byleth glanced over him, twisting his concern look into an angered glare as he turned his attention to Seteth.

"What is going on here?" Byleth asked and approached. Dedue and Dimitri shuffled lightly to the side to allow the professor to stand before them at Seteth's side. Linhardt sighed quietly and folded his arms as the arguing swiftly started up again, with the professor's added vocals. It wasn't long before Claude took a step forward to try to ease the squabble as Dimitri began to tense, and Dedue attempted to soothe his monarch's mind. The Alliance leader stumbled over a small stack of discarded books and inhaled sharply as he fell to his knees. The arguing ceased once more as Linhardt moved around the Faerghus men and crouched by Claude's side.

"Perhaps before we descend back into this circling dispute, Claude may be dismissed to recover from the injuries he obtained?" Linhardt glared at them all and helped the archer return to his feet. Byleth and Seteth shared an equally guilty gaze before apologising for their appalling conduct.

"Would you take him back to the infirmary?" Byleth asked Linhardt and placed his hand on the warlock's lower back. Linhardt nodded and smiled softly at the professor before guiding Claude out the door. As they neared the infirmary, the warlock noticed the archer was smirking at him weakly.

"If you think no one saw you swindle that book at your waist, then you are sorely mistaken," Linhardt said and narrowed his brow slightly when Claude's look of glee didn't falter.

"Oh, that?" Claude scrunched his face up in indifference. "As long as Seteth didn't see me thieving from his collection, then we're soaring."

Linhardt didn't reply and allowed the alliance leader to untangle from him and set himself back onto the infirmary bed. Once Claude deemed himself comfortable and fished the forbidden literature from under his sash, Linhardt moved towards him and sat by his side.

"You never allowed Professor Manuela to heal your wounds, did you?" Linhardt pressed his fingers to the small laceration on the archer's forehead. Claude flinched slightly but didn't move away from the warlock's touch. Linhardt managed to reach the man's neck before his wrist was sharply seized. Linhardt slowly pulled his hand away from Claude's warm grip and found himself lured by the archer's gaze.

"I know you feel responsible for what happened to me-" Claude started, and Linhardt hitched his breath at the accusation. "-But, please do not baby me. The wounds will heal, there is no need to waste your magic."

"Waste?" Linhardt blinked in surprise. To think a leader, an appointed monarch, would deem himself undeserving of his subjects' help.

"Marianne has already healed the worst of my injuries- at her insistence," Claude assured him and turned his attention back to the book in his lap. "I don't blame you for what Caspar did."

"I-" Linhardt started before he averted his gaze and sighed. He supposed a rather significant part of him deemed him responsible for Caspar's actions at Fort Merceus. The sense of guilt laid on his heart as he gazed at another bruise on Claude's jaw. "-His actions were driven by the lies of my demise. I should have warned you beforehand of Caspar's emotional drive."