#{ eagle’s scherzo mocks my fate 🎶 verse 🎶 }

[macuilsung]

not from a starter call but I had to continue this @nobilismare​!

“I... don’t know if I should feel embarrassed, offended, flattered, or impressed.” One thing was for certain though: Ferdinand did technically keep his promise. So, with a laboured sigh and the bridge of his nose pinched between his fingers, Forwin accepted he ought to have been a little more thorough with his terms over that little commission.

Lessons for the future, he supposed... that, and to be mindful of how Aegir younger comes undone when Hresvelg is in the picture.

“I’m not mad,” the Abyssian stressed, with a waving hand to further dismiss any lingering worries the young noble possibly held on to. “But... I have to say, you seem to care a lot about what Edelgard in particular thinks of you.”

“...is this a crush?”

[macuilsung]

starter for @armatization​​​

Any moment now.

Under different circumstances, Forwin would simply content himself to honing his craft through the night, what with having the grandeur and acoustics of the cathedral all to himself. There would be no reason to anticipate any interruptions cutting into his alone time with his lute given the late hour, save for the odd lurker investigating rumours of a ghost.

At least, he never counted on repeated encounters for his private practices aboveground, this time with the lurker in question being a returning face. While there was little he could do to shake off this lingering guilt in his unintended game of deception, the ethereal-posing “Elffin” was nonetheless happy to greet his new and otherwise reclusive friend with a smile—and she brought her instrument, just like she said she would!

He had almost given up the ghost and tried to keep his expression as serene as can be, but how could Forwin not show a little excitement? It had been a long time since he last played an honest-to-goodness duet!

“I see you brought your horn with you tonight! Did you bring sheet music as well-?”

[macuilsung]

@armatization​:

"Ah, Forwin, here you are." Linhardt was smiling, but his smile was far from innocent.

"I seem to be having... issues sneaking down in the Abyssian library. Your dear leader doesn't seem fond of us surface-dwellers without official business. However, I was hoping that you could help me create official business."

‘Uh-oh.’

That was Forwin’s only thought when an unusually awake Linhardt approached him, mischief gleaming from his otherwise unassuming simper. He supposed he should have seen this coming since he first found the other nose-deep in the books downstairs, hooked on the whiffs of forbidden knowledge...

At least he knew Linhardt well enough to understand this was merely to satiate his own curiosity than to undermine the Church of Seiros, but he doubted Yuri would take him at his word. The leader of the pack never was one to put stock in any odd stranger after all, especially with the wellbeing of Abyss always on his mind.

“What... kind of official business though?” Forwin was almost afraid to ask as he set his lute on his lap, all while he had an inkling of a feeling the heir of Hevring already thought of a plan. “I-it’s not like I can just snap my fingers and make it so.”

[macuilsung]

@nobilismare​ liked this post for a little starter, as a treat! { 1/5 – Open! }

“Aren’t you worried all your... extolling of the virtues of nobility might be having the opposite effect towards most people?” Having long grown disillusioned towards said “virtues” himself, even its mere mentioning left a sour taste on his tongue. Forwin could see the scion of House Aegir only ever meant well however, and, Goddess willing, the lutist hoped Ferdinand would never go on to become like his father.

But for now...

“I don’t know, just... thinking aloud as a commoner,” which he truly wasn’t, “and an outside observer,” which he wasn’t either.

[macuilsung]

2/5 starter for @perltaucher​​ (Linhardt)​!

“I guess academic pressure is already settling in...” Hasn’t it only been a couple of moons since the Academy started?

The speaker kept his remark to a hush, but it was neither out of respect for following the rules of the library or not to disturb the sleeping student could be anyone’s guess. It was due to the fact that the aforementioned narcoleptic was the heir of Hevring... Why did Byleth have to choose the one class full of Adrestian nobles?

Still, so long as Forwin treaded lightly, he felt he should not be so easily recognized... yet his very next step caused the wood under his feet to creak and groan, thus waking Linhardt. Oops.

“Ah... uh, good morning?”

[macuilsung]

@nobilismare​ said via SEND ❤️ AND MY MUSE WILL LIST SOMETHING THEY LIKE ABOUT YOUR MUSE (closed!):

❤️ I mean, the list is endless so you know... ;)

“So would you want me to start with your humility then?” He couldn’t help but rib the young noble after hearing such a bluntly asked question, let alone bother keeping a grin down. But, as the lutist turned to eye the Black Eagle’s expression... he could tell that Ferdinand was actually being serious.

Was this some sort of... self-evaluation? To see what others think of the next Duke Aegir as he currently stands?

“Well, Ferdinand... you’re probably one of the most earnest people I know. Earnest to a fault, even,” Forwin began, figuring this would at least kept his mind busy while he pulled up whole handfuls of weeds alongside the other. “You commit yourself fully towards everything you set your mind on, and aren’t satisfied with just doing things partway. Nobles, at least from how they’re perceived by us lower folk... are content to just sit at the top and reap whatever benefits they inherited with their fancy titles, but I don’t get that impression from you. You want to do the job.”

There came a grunt as the Abyssian managed to uproot a heftier bit of green, but thankfully there wasn’t a whole lot left to elaborate on.

“So long as you continue to take pride in others, stay empathetic towards them, and not... well, lose yourself in your work...”

‘At the cost of everything else,’ Forwin almost added, but instead fell quiet as his mind started to wander back at the thought. Quickly, before he would let this uncomfortable pause drag on any longer, he made to pull at another weed, just as he pulled himself back from the past to his present surroundings.

“...then I think you’ll do all right as Prime Minister and Duke.”

[macuilsung]

@nobilismare​​ said via some one word prompts (open!):

Secrets : my muse sharing/confiding their deepest, darkest secret with your muse. spill the beans-

“L-listen, about the other day, I...”

Forwin planned to return to Abyss immediately after today’s lesson, quickly and quietly without causing much of a fuss with the Eagles or running into any obstacles. But when Ferdinand made a point of keeping him company after the fact, with a concerned look as to whether he caused the lutist discomfort during their last conversation, that was not in the cards at present. For what it was worth, however, the Abyssian reasoned it was kind of Ferdinand to realize that... even though a few days already passed since.

But Forwin knew he was not wholly blameless in this mess either either, projecting onto the nobleman the way he did. He don’t know why he pushed the topic and made such judgement calls on the Aegir family, gaining nothing but a sharp stake of jealousy driving itself into his heart to the point of upset, for something that wasn’t the other’s fault to begin with.

Forwin Tyrell... no, Wyndell von Gerth envied Ferdinand von Aegir. That was the simple truth of the matter, and he hated himself for feeling that way. Hoping their upbringings would overlap so strongly in similarity, as the sons of Adrestia’s dukes... only to come up short. Such a stupid thing.

“I just didn’t have the best relationship with my father. Commoner troubles, really, but... wanting to take that out on you wasn’t fair of me. I’m sorry, Ferdinand.” That was all he wanted to say, finishing with an apologetic bow of his head. The absolute last thing Forwin wanted to risk was this peace he finally scrounged for himself, so sharing more than that was off the table.

What he said next, however, slipped out with no conscious intent on doing so.

“...I ran away from home to get away from that.”

[macuilsung]

“Admitting things to yourself isn’t always an awful experience.”

via Reluctant Realizations Starters (open!):

“I suppose, but...”

This sharp twang he felt in his chest, not unlike the sudden and unwelcome snap of a lutestring, left the wallflower feeling notably more morose than usual. Yes, Forwin was well aware that this was a problem of his own making, but that did not make it hurt any less. No, his newfound awareness only made it worse.

It was one thing that he felt envious towards the nobleman for his upbringing. Though there still remained some pangs of jealousy weighing on his mind, the lutist was conscientious enough not to hold it personally against the young noble. Those were issues of the past that he had no real control over and can never change.

No, this new problem on the other hand was something staked well in the present, in the form of an opera star who hopes to secure a safe future for herself. It’s something he cannot provide as Forwin from Abyss, yearning for something more than friendship while she seeks security, but very well could if he revealed himself to everyone as Wyndell from Gerth... but that would mean returning to Roland and all the pains that came with it. Therein lies his dilemma of the heart, stuck between two extremes of selfishness, and it made his chest ache like nothing else.

So how is it that he finds himself relying more on Ferdinand for counsel lately?

“...Ferdinand, how do you cope when you want something you know you can’t have?” There was only so much the self-conscious musician was willing to admit out loud right now, so vague wording is the best the Aegir scion will get at this time.

[macuilsung]

@blairscorned​​ ominously sent:

Don't mind Hubert. He's just laughing. Menacingly.

Unfortunately, Forwin is minding. A lot. Menacing laughter is one thing, but Hubert’s menacing laughter—especially when one doesn’t know why Edelgard’s aide is laughing in the first place—is flat-out unnerving.

There was no way the Abyssian could focus on songwriting with such a dark aura gleefully hovering close by. Slowly did the notebook on his lap come to a close under his anxious palm...

“So, uh... W-what has you in such a good mood, Hubert...?” At least Forwin assumed it was a good mood, but dammit if he wasn’t sure-

[macuilsung]

@vicious-vestra​ sent via Reluctant Realization Starters (open!):

“Admitting things to yourself isn’t always a god awful experience.” From a remarkably self-aware Helen, mayhaps?

“That’s... surprisingly forthcoming from you, I have to admit.” Friendly might have been too on-the-nose to Helen’s tastes, he felt, but whatever the case, sympathy was the last thing the lutist expected Edelgard’s right-hand  and shadow to express. The surprise in itself was enough to alleviate some of his more immediate worries, but beggars wouldn’t be choosers here; even a passing attempt at comfort on her part was welcome right now.

Now, however, it was a question of whether to be Forwin or Wyndell. But first, he thought to distract himself with the words she spoke, if only to focus on anything aside from his own personal dilemma.

“...are you speaking from experience?”