#felix hugo fraldarius x shez

[feel-ix]

Acquiesce (15)

Felix Hugo Fraldarius x F! Shez

The strongest warriors among the Blue Lions went to take care of Solon, except for a select few that were tasked with taking care of other parts of the battlefield and expediting orders. This left a small hole in communication, and any updates around the battlefield were relayed as messages from soldier to soldier until it reached a general or commander. Any word could travel past 100 soldiers before it reached its destination, and even if that was swift it still left the chance the message got mumbled and misheard as soldiers hurriedly told one another before running back into battle.

As Sylvain waited any news on the battle with Solon at the stronghold gates, he supposed he should be glad any messages were getting to him at all. After all any soldier carrying a message could perish in battle, and the steady albeit slow stream of hurried words he received must mean the Kingdom army must be at advantage this battle. Still, this was war, and anything could change the flow of battle in the time a message would reach the other commanders in the battlefield.

Most enemies cluttered in masses to try and find Solon, hoping to get a chance to harm Dimitri and other prominent fighters among the chaos and crowds in battle. Sylvain had only seen a handful of enemies try and sneak into the stronghold either to steal supplies or attempt to blend into the crowd despite there not being any soldiers there besides the redhead and the still unconscious Shez. The knight paced around the gates and glanced at the commander every once in a while. Just when he was about to stretch out of boredom, a soldier came running to relay an update. Solon was running out of mages to summon and King Dimitri would surely strike him down once and for all soon, all generals had to be ready to leave the battlefield after that.

Sylvain thanked the soldier and turned around to secure the stronghold when he noticed the once unconscious Shez was slowly rousing from the makeshift bed they left her in.

Well- slowly at first like a normal person would wake- but then jerked forward as if something or someone overtook her. The commander grunted in that unfamiliar voice again and Sylvain hesitantly reached for his lance. Shez looked possessed, a mix of violent movements immediately contradicted by sitting back down and balling her hands into fists.

The young Gautier cautiously approached her, lance still in hand, when she stood and turned to face him.

"Shez?"

Sylvain was beginning to understand the deep confusion his friends wore on their faces earlier. The commander seemed like a totally different person yet the look of recognition in her eyes and the helplessness in her face almost made him put his weapon away. He couldn't hurt a friend.

Whatever force had overtaken the commander had finally won, her eyes now cold and almost sinister. Shez broke away form her restraints and Sylvain saw some of the gashes on her limbs heal right in front of his eyes. He didn't even know if it would be worth trying to reason with her in this state.

Shez summoned her sword, pushed Sylvain with a burst of power, and teleported away to who knows where.

Across the camp, after defeating hordes upon hordes of dark mages and other enemies, Dimitri readied for his final blow. The fight with Solon had been very tiring and only adrenaline and hatred for Those Who Slither in the Dark kept him going. The young king mustered strength and jumped in the air with Areadbhar in hand, when he saw Solon disappear before his lance even landed on the ground. That coward teleported away.

Dimitri gave orders for all soldiers to fall back and search for Solon before wiping some sweat off his brow and continuing his pursuit to end that vile creature.

Felix and Dedue listened to his orders and acted immediately, each going separate ways to inform all generals themselves.

When Felix made it to the main stronghold to inform Sylvain, he immediately noticed the worried furrow and startled eyes on the knight's face. Sylvain saw Felix glance at him, then at the spot he left Shez in before the young duke's eyebrows raised and his eyes filled with something akin to surprise.

Felix felt his stomach drop. He didn't have a good feeling about this.

[rorah]

FE warriors 3 hopes is undervalued, It gave us DANCER BYLETH 💃 (and I think it gets a pass solely for it, lol ok kidding but still undervalued, but that's another post)

The king won't admit he has a crush on the skillful mercenary, of course he doesn't know he's capable of such things. Fortunately, he has someone like Sylvain on his team 😊...

Love illustrated stories where you don't need words to know what's happening and it's free to interpretation 🫶

[asperrusual]

3H x Tumblr

[damnilovefaerghus]

Felix is getting kinda tired of you guys' shit

[multi-fandom-imagine]

You Two Should Just Fuck Already || Felix Hugo Fraldarius ||

A/n: Fuck it, I’m going it.So enjoy my shitty drabble with Felix and Shez { name changed to Firiel }

Pairings: Felix x Shez { Firiel } Byleth x Dimitri.

Byleth has always been a blunt woman, she always said what’s on her mind but when it came to this particular group she’s decided to keep her mouth closed on certain matters.She was new one the group after all and it was thanks to the purple haired merc that she still had her head attached to her shoulders.

But this, this was just getting out of hand and she had to do something about this matter. She was getting annoyed by the young woman and Duke dancing around each other’s feelings that or relive some tension they were so obviously carrying towards one another.

She couldn’t be the only one that saw how the two would glance at each other, how they would often spar with one or the slight brushes of fingers. It was infuriating and she felt like she was insane. Gritting her teeth she slammed her hands down on the table, if no one was going to do anything then she would have too. “This needs to stop!” Everyone in the mess all seemed to turn to face her.

“Uh you okay Byleth?” Firiel let out a nervous laugh rubbing the back of her neck.

”You two just need to fuck! Just fuck and get it over with. I feel like I’m going insane watching you both dancing around your feelings.”

”What?!” Firiel could have sworn her voice went up ten octaves and Felix’s cheeks turned a bright pink, his eyes moving to his lap.Though the young woman stormed off before she could even reply.

Letting out a sigh, Dimitri pinched the bridge of his nose then forced a smile. “I’ll go speak with her.”

Then he was gone too, Felix seemed to focus his anywhere but the young woman as Sylvain let out a snort. “I mean she’s not wrong.”

“SYLVAIN!”

“OWE! What did I do?”

|~|

Firiel nervously chewed her bottom lip, her fingers playing with the strands of her purple hair, she never thought she was that obvious about her feelings, maybe Felix wasn’t the only one that could read her.Now she was starting to wish that Byleth never joined them.

”Firiel!Can we talk?”

Out of everyone, why did it have to be him! Sinking her teeth into her lip she slowly turned her body giving the man a tightropes smile. “Sure! Haha hope it’s nothing to bad.”

|~|

Wrinkling her nose Byleth glanced at Dimitri, she was starting to feel guilty on her outburst. “I will apologize later but.” Stopping in her tracks her hand quickly clenched around his as she tugged him back.

The couples eyes landing on two figures slipping out of a room. Clothes disheveled and hair a mess. Felix giving Firiel a small kiss to her head as they walked off holding hands.

Blinking a few times, Byleth glanced up at Dimitri giving him a pleased smile as Dimitri let out a sigh, he knew he was never going to hear the end of this.

“At least he’ll be less tense on the battle field.”

[ilxiu]

The idea of Rodrigue setting Felix up with Shez mid war lives rent free in my head

[methinkethashipeth]

So I’m a pretty big fan of Felix x Bernadetta

But I gotta admit, Felix and F!Shez is kinda cute… just their shared desire to get stronger and how Felix would decide to become a mercenary in one of his endings in FE3H. They just fit together very well, both personality wise and teaming up wise

If I can’t recruit Bernie into Azure Gleam I guess I’ll go with Shelix XD

[melodiaemfrp]

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13 SENTINELS: AEGIS RIM

Shu Amiguchi (Laur)

A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX

Misaka Worst (Maki)

AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES

NIRVANA INITIATIVE

Mizuki Date (Elyse)

ARKNIGHTS

Dusk (Hika)*

Ifrit (Azazel)*

BLEACH

Bambietta Basterbine (Maki)

BUNGOU STRAY DOGS

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Flora)

BEAST

Atsushi Nakajima (Juno)

CODE VEIN

Hyejin Kim (PC) (Nenphy)

CRASH FEVER

Einstein (Jay/Julian)

DC COMICS

BATMAN

Pamela Isley (Fae)

YOUNG JUSTICE

Conner Kent (Fae)

DELTARUNE

Spamton G. Spamton (Benito)

DRAGON BALL

Kaki (OC) (Ana)*

HEROES

Future Trunks Briefs (Xeno) (Hikari)

ELSWORD

Add (Dominator) (Vaal)

Ainchase Ishmael (Bluhen) (Jaden)

Ainchase Ishmael (Herrscher) (Jaden)

Aisha Landar (Metamorphy) (Riku)

Noah Ebalon (Celestia) (Jaden)

ENSEMBLE STARS!

Kaname Tojo (Sammy)

Keito Hasumi (Hyu)

Kuro Kiryu (Corvo)

Mika Kagehira (Sammy)

FATE

GRAND ORDER

Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova (Caster) (Alice)

FINAL FANTASY

XIV

Little Coeurl (WOL WAR) (Noct)

Thancred Waters (Vaal)

XV

Prompto Argentum (Tom)*

FIRE EMBLEM

THREE HOUSES

Felix Hugo Fraldarius (Meki)

THREE HOPES

Shez (Grimm)

GENSHIN IMPACT

Itto Arataki (Lucien)

Kaedehara Kazuha (Capy)

Scaramouche (Riku)

Xiao (Noct)

Zhongli (Morax/Rex Lapis) (Lucien)

GUILD WARS 2

Bedveri (OC) (Birb)

Lightbringer RamJack “Jack” Silver (OC) (Kite)

Rhy’lua (OC) (Lavi)

HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE

Howl Jenkins Pendragon (Howell Jenkins) (Bram)

JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE

VENTO AUREO

Bruno Buccellati (Cyan)

Leone Abbacchio (Tom)*

JUJUTSU KAISEN

Suguru Geto (Kenjaku) (Bram)

KAMEN RIDER

Hitomi Hanamura (OC) (Bedi)

BUILD

Banjou Ryuuga (Lottie/ Vivi)*

Sento Kiryu (Jun)*

DRIVE

Gou Shijima (Isu)

KITAI SENTAI ZENKAIGER

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS

Jinx (Powder) (Eris)

MEDAKA BOX

Kumagawa Misogi (Eve)

MEGA MAN 

Blues ( Protoman|Breakman ) (Zan)

X

Lumine (Mia)

ZERO

Zero (Hikari)*

NARUTO

Itachi Uchiha (Jun)

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS

Estelle VaRossa (Hikari)*

Grayson Grimm (Benito)

Jari (Oz)

Kendal Clarke (Thrall)

Lily (Jaden)

Meisarea Dannalar (Thrall)

Nakuri (D’mi)

Rovaniemi, Lapland (KB)*

Rue Gabriel (KB)

Sloane Thomas (Fae)

Tenoch de la Paz “TEN” (Benito)

The Calid Saint (KB)

Valentin Florescu (Thrall)

Winry Merchfyw (Bram)

PERSONA

3

Minato Arisato (Athiel)

5

Goro Akechi (Flora)*

Takuto Maruki (Bram)

POKEMON

BLACK/WHITE

Natural Harmonia Gropius (Birb)

PROJECT MOON WORKS

LIBRARY OF RUINA

Edelweiss Sturm (OC) (Fris)*

LOBOTOMY CORPORATION

Tiphereth B (Juno)

WONDERLAB

Taii (Fris)

PROJECT SEKAI

Emu Otori (Athiel)

Hatsune Miku (Mikey)

Shizuku Hinomori (Eris)

PROMISE OF WIZARD

Mithra (Corvo)

Murr Hart (Corbinian)

Oz (Athiel)

Rutile Flores (Jaden)

RAGING LOOP

Haruaki Fusaishi (Doc)

ROOT DOUBLE: BEFORE CRIME * AFTER DAYS

Watase Kasasagi (Doc)

SPLATOON

Shiver (Fris)

STREET FIGHTER

Ryu (Hikari)

SUPER SENTAI

KAITOU SENTAI LUPINRANGER VS KEISATSU SENTAI PATRANGER

Yano Kairi (Jun)

KITAI SENTAI ZENKAIGER

Stacey (Lottie/Vivi)*

TALES OF SERIES

SYMPHONIA

Zelos Wilder (Grimm)

THE GARDEN OF SINNERS

Ryougi Shiki (Eve)

THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU

Daisukenojo “Beat” Bito (Cecil)

NEO

Hazuki Mikagi (Cecil)

TOUKEN RANBU

Nikkari Aoe (Athiel)

TRIGUN

Nicholas D. Wolfwood (Kite)

TSUKIHIME

Aoko Aozaki (Texas)

TWISTED WONDERLAND

Cater Diamond (Raine)

WITCH HAT ATELIER

Qifrey (Avery)

YAKUZA/LIKE A DRAGON

Goro Majima (Eris)

JUDGEMENT

Takayuki Yagami (Hikari)

YU-GI-OH! DUEL MONSTERS

Yugi Mutou (Hikari)

ZAREGOTO

Ii (Eve)

[feel-ix]

Acquiesce (13)

Felix Hugo Fraldarius x F! Shez

Felix could not remember the trip to the battlefield. Shez and Byleth were ahead one of the paths from camp scouting the area when the fight broke out. All the Blue Lions rushed to the site and while Felix's memory was hazy, Sylvain witnessed the swordsman's horse slightly ahead of the king's the whole way, shoulders and neck tense in a way unnatural for him.

The rest of the army was quiet, unnerved by the possibility of their friendly commander becoming one of the enemies they had been fighting for many moons.

The battlefield was worse than anyone could have imagined. The rumors were true: Shez was engaged in combat with Byleth murmuring in a voice unfamiliar to everyone, as if possessed; Claude and the Alliance army were also fighting, and there were supposed sightings of the Emperor. The kingdom army was forced to divide more than usual, with most of the army fighting and ensuring ground against the many enemies, a dedicated unit to track down Emperor Edelgard, and only leaving King Dimitri and Felix to put a stop to Shez in her rampage.

The commander was locked in a stronghold, Dimitri and Felix rushed there to fight the enemies blocking the entrance while an army engineer tried to pry the gates open. Both fighters could not help but to glance at the gates while engaged in battle to intervene the commander at the first opportunity they had. Felix knew that Dimitri's first choice would never be to harm, let alone kill, an ally and friend, he knew this. But knowing that did nothing to stop the nagging feeling of dread crawling on Felix's neck- the king preferred to use lances, which already placed him in advantage against the mercenary swordswoman that was their commander, but this unfamiliar feeling also made Felix recall every time he witnessed Dimitri lose control of the almost inhuman strength his Crest gave him, as a child breaking swords, as a teen crushing training dummies, and in battle as a boar killing enemies with his bare hands. The young Fraldarius felt a bit cold thinking Dimitri could be the end of the commander. If they were going to stop Shez, Felix should do it himself, just in case.

The gates opened just as Dimitri and Felix finished off their opponents, both of them ran into the stronghold as fast as they could.

Inside, Byleth barely dodged a downward swing from Shez and quickly glanced at the fighters coming to their rescue. Felix ran and intercepted the next blow with his sword as Byleth fell back behind Dimitri. Shez's attack was so strong, Felix felt the force reverberate through his sword all the way into his bones- it was almost inhuman.

The commander's face was like nothing he'd ever seen, eyes void of any feeling while the rest of her body radiated anger and power. The next attack was equally as strong and Shez looked bothered that someone had dared to interfere between her and Byleth. Dimitri readied his stance with Areadbhar in hand, and the commander only lifted her swords off of Felix's to parry the king's attack. Dimitri pulled his weapon back and thrust forward again, managing to give Shez a shallow gash on her side- nothing that would bleed significantly but would hopefully limit her movements. Felix took advantage of this and ran to the commander from the other side, he managed another gash on her left arm.

Shez was infuriated. She closed her eyes and the red aura around her seemingly pulsated and grew larger. The commander dodged two more attacks and rushed to Byleth, Felix and Dimitri turned around to engage in battle again, but as soon as they made eye contact with the commander, she disappeared along with Byleth.

The stronghold was left empty while the sounds of battle could be heard beyond its walls. Both men looked at each other in surprise and worry. The only other person they had seen vanish like that before was Tomas back in their academy days, and as much as they hoped their mercenary friend was not like Those Who Slither in the Dark, her trick just now was too reminiscent of their tactics for comfort.

Brief seconds passed between them, the distant clashing of weapons and cries coming back to full focus. The sound of battle heightened suddenly Northeast: Shez must have teleported there.

Felix and Dimitri looked at each other once more before running towards the next stronghold.

Their next encounter with Shez was about the same as the first. They knew what strength to expect this time but the only damage they managed to do were but mere gashes and scratches. And this happened over and over again...

It was at the fourth stronghold that the small wounds were finally wearing Shez down. Pain in her arms legs and torso finally slowing her movements and delaying her reaction time.

Felix saw the opportunity and ran ahead of Dimitri and Byleth, parrying a weak blow from the commander before readying his stance once more. Never in the years he'd known the commander had he seen her look so exhausted, something deep inside nagged at him for being the reason of his friend's state.

Once Felix thought he could and would fight against his closest friends, against his family, and see to it that he survived. Now he wasn't so sure.

The young Duke scanned his opponent closely, ready to react to any move. Seemingly all at once, Shez's magic sword vanished, she looked at Felix as if she recognized him, and then collapsed.

Felix stepped forward to catch her.

[feel-ix]

Acquiesce (12)

Felix Hugo Fraldarius x F! Shez

Ever since the Ashen Demon and Jeralt were recruited into the kingdom army, Felix has seen less from his usual training partner. Even in the rare instances where they both had training together, he noticed she was more distracted than usual- seemingly in a never ending conversation inside her head. He was not the only one that noticed the recent change in the commander, Sylvain and Rodrigue and many of the Blue Lions noticed it too. Most assumed Shez was acting that way because of her history with Byleth and how she lost her entire mercenary company to the Ashen Demon years ago, but Shez mentioned she held no grudge before. Did she lie then? Perhaps she just needed some time to make peace with the fact the same people that killed her friends were now a part of the Kingdom army. And that's what most tried to do: give her some time alone. Surely after a couple of days she would be back talking to everyone at camp and practicing relentlessly in a corner of the training grounds with Felix, nothing to worry about.

But Sylvain and Rodrigue knew better than to treat it as something that would go away. The commander being down was one thing, but Felix? Normally Felix would be more than excited to have the opportunity to practice with a strong fighter like Byleth, even more with a legendary warrior like Jeralt the Blade Breaker. He would pester them and practice until his muscles gave out. That's why the young Gautier and the former duke Fraldarius exchanged worried looks during the training session, the commander was assigned as Felix's partner that week. Shez left as soon as they ran their basic routine, Felix stared for a minute as she walked away before picking up his training sword and going to a corner to practice alone- swinging his sword in sharp and calculated movements but his face almost looked dejected.

More days passed and another big mission was upon the kingdom army. The battle was a success, Shez fought well with Byleth and Felix and many in the army thought the commander had finally returned to normal. The Blue Lions conferred after the battle to plan the next move when a messenger came to interrupt. The Commander and the Ashen Demon were allegedly in combat, the messenger reported the commander was almost a completely different person.

Shocked murmurs filled the room almost immediately, almost everyone was shocked Shez would turn her blade against an ally. Everyone except... the king.

"Ah... We should be off. The situation is one we must attend to ourselves," Dimitri stepped forward while the room quieted, unnerved by his lack of reaction.

A second passed, and Felix could not help the biting tone in his next words, "You almost make it sound like you expected this."

Dimitri did not react neither at the tone not the piercing gaze of the young Duke, simply taking a small breath in before redirecting his attention to the whole room. "Our mercenary friend feared a time would come when she turn her blade on us. She's worried for many moons now that one day she may end up like Cornelia or Myson. Losing control, transforming, and attacking her friends, that is. I promised I would put her down if such events came to pass."

The murmurs filled the room once more and Felix did not know what to do with himself more than stand there in impotent helplessness. The realization that the commander he's spent countless hours with training and traveling had this fear all along and his failure to notice it and prevent it. Maybe this was why Shez got lost in her head so often. Felix felt a wave of emotions wash over him: rage, frustration, helplessness, and fear. She might die at the boar's hands if the Ashen Demon has not already done so.

Words failed him to articulate even the simplest words as Dimitri walked on with urgency out of the room and towards the stables. Felix was no stranger to killing and battle, but the thought of putting an end to Shez's life made his chest feel hollow in ways he hasn't felt in years. And while he could not say it, deep down he hoped there was a way to not kill his friend.

[feel-ix]

Acquiesce (14)

Felix Hugo Fraldarius x F! Shez

Felix, Dimitri, and Dedue were quick to capture Shez and ensure Byleth was safe. The latter walker away with Mercedes to treat some wounds while Dedue carried the now unconscious commander back to the main stronghold with Felix walking behind him as protection. Although the young duke was in battle mode, he could not help but glance at the unmoving Shez every once in a while.

Sylvain was defending the main stronghold, and immediately called for some space to be cleared when he saw his allies approach. Shez's arms and legs were full of gashes and some of them bled, but not enough to cause too much concern. Some soldiers tied her hands with some rope once her condition was deemed stable, they would treat her properly in the medic's tent once they got to camp but not before a detailed interrogation with the king.

Dimitri stared at his mercenary friend with a forlorn look. Never in the two years that Shez spent in close proximity to him as his personal guard and trusted commander did he imagine she would end up at the clutches of Those Who Slither in The Dark- those responsible for the Tragedy of Duscur. This situation would unboundedly create some discomfort among the troops, he only hoped it could be cleared up with haste.

Next to him, Felix also stared at the commander. His outer expression was mostly neutral, maybe a little annoyed, but his eyes were shrouded with confusion and a deep underlying sadness. Felix knew Shez's fighting better than anyone in the camp, they probably have fought one another hundreds of times- and it was because of this that he found his friend's behavior so concerning. Regardless of the strange voice that came out of the commander, her movements were more erratic and unpredictable than they have ever been. One second she was exerting a lot of power, throwing herself into battle with aggression unfamiliar to her, and the next second her body contorted inwards avoiding harm. Some of her moves and style were what Felix was used to but some were as if it was a different person altogether.

While him and Dimitri were fighting her, her eyes were vengeful and filled with bloodlust, but the last look she shot at Felix- the look of clarity and recognition before she lost consciousness replayed in Felix's mind. There had to be something larger at play here. The young Duke had stepped forward to catch Shez, and he now noticed the lingering blood stains on his blue sleeves from when he briefly embraced her before Deude lifted her away. Her body was limp but warm, and at that moment he felt some relief he did not see the commander die at his or the boar's hands.

The sounds of battle came back to focus when a soldier came running into the stronghold, stepping in front of Shez, and giving a rushed and panicked bow in front of Dimitri.

"My King!" the soldier panted the words before inhaling once more, "Solon is here."

Dimitri immediately grabbed Areadbhar before making a decisive stride out of the stronghold. Felix followed immediately behind with the Aegis shield in tow, and Dedue also followed with a fresh pair of gauntlets.

Sylvain watched as they left, and did not miss the tension on their shoulders. He looked back at the still unconscious Shez and frowned sadly. Both Dimitri and Felix as well as many others in the camp relied on the commander, he could not fathom the effect of losing her would have on the camp, the army, the king's reputation, and Felix.

The young Gautier straightened up before returning to the gates of the stronghold, if he was in charge of protecting the main stronghold of the Faerghus army, he would deploy all soldiers under his command to ensure they came out victorious of this battle, even if that left him protecting his post alone.

[asperrusual]

3h x The Onion

[feel-ix]

Acquiesce (5)

Felix Hugo Fraldarius x F!Shez

Shez and Felix were sparring again. The usual crowd of soldiers gathered around the training grounds to see them, it seemed today's bets were favoring the Commander and not Duke Fraldarius- though the difference would be only a handful of people. Loud cheers could be heard every time Shez parried an oncoming attack or successfully knocked Felix back a couple of steps. Both fighters were on their best condition today, it was really the perfect day to spar with some clouds protecting them from the sun and the exhaustion it brought.

Sylvain happened to be passing by and joined the back of the crowd. He's seldom seen Felix lose a match since his adolescent years, but it was always interesting to see how he reacted to the unfamiliar taste of defeat. Sometimes he found motivation from losing, specially against an older or a more experienced fighter. But sometimes- at least based on personal experience- when Felix lost against someone he considered a friend or an equal, he never quite knew how to lose. Last time Sylvain could remember winning a match against the brooding swordsman, he could only enjoy his victory briefly before Felix scoffed and went on his way with annoyance clear on his face. Back then, Sylvain thought Felix spoiled his win, and was being childish in his reaction. But as he became more mature, he could understand that Felix's reaction only meant he thought he couldn't not protect the few he cares about in a real battle. His childhood best friend was quite sensitive behind that sarcastic and quick witted exterior. Sylvain was curious to see which reaction he would see should Felix lose the match, maybe it could be indicative of how he sees the Commander.

The climax of the match was approaching. Both fighters were at a decent distance from one another, ready to run to gain momentum and land the decisive blow. Instead of getting quieter, the crowd grew louder with excited murmurs when Shez and Felix readied their stances. Sylvain would have missed the action if he had blinked, the pair rushed to collide and all at once the fight was over.

Shez let out a breath she'd been holding, both wooden swords still in her hands as she looked back with a small smirk on her face. Behind her, Felix stood in his battle stance with his hands gripping nothing and his sword somewhere between on the ground. The crowd cheered loudly, some people grimacing as they passed bags of coin amongst each other.

It only took one look from Felix for the crowd to almost immediately disperse and for Sylvain to go further back to stay unnoticed by the swordsman. Felix straightened himself before turning to Shez and picking up his wooden sword with a pensive expression, somewhat reflecting on their match and contemplating what action lead to his defeat.

Sylvain kept on looking from a distance, intently looking at Felix's face from his hiding spot. The brooding swordsman broke put of his reflection as he looked at Shez, seemingly finding that trivial moment on battle he could learn from.

"It was a narrow victory, I almost had you," his voice was playful, though his face didn't show it as much. Felix's brow was slightly furrowed as if annoyed as the pair walked towards the weapons bin to leave their practice swords.

"Yeah, right Felix! I got you good this time, you can admit it!" Shez replied to him immediately, cheerful voice and eyes full of glee as she basked in the chance to tease her opponent.

"Hmph."

Sylvain didn't know what to think, was Felix upset or happy? He's never known the swordsman to be indecisive with how he sees people- he either liked someone or not. Before Sylvain could elaborate on his thoughts, he was interrupted by a small hiss of pain from the Commander.

"Ow!" Shez raised her hand to her face right after leaving her old, busted swords in the pile. She grabbed her injured hand with the other one and started making upward strokes with her thumb on her palm. She had a splinter stuck to her hand.

Felix watched for a few seconds as she attempted to push the splinter out of her palm but as soon as she released pressure to pull it, it went back in. After a few more futile pushes, Shez brought her hand towards her face. Was she really going to pull it with her teeth?

Her training partner grabbed her hand before she could even begin to open her mouth with a firm grip, but gentle all the same- almost as if handling a cat or small animal. His left hand held the injured hand, making the same pressure on her palm to expose the wooden splinter. Felix was not much taller than Shez, but his hands were larger than hers. Long, thick fingers and a steady palm, though skin from years of dedicated practice and training, still somehow smooth to the touch. He had never thought much about the physical differences between himself and his sparring partner till just then. This awareness heightened by seeing how easily his hand wrapped around hers, smaller palms, tough skin on the pads of her fingers and the occasional scar or two, but still overall... softer.

The young Duke Fraldarius quickly used his right hand to pull the splinter that started all this, not bothering- not daring- to look up at Shez in the meanwhile. Truthfully, this brief contact between the pair did not last more than a couple of seconds, but it felt longer. Shez and Sylvain, although unable to see each other, wore similar expressions of surprise on their faces not knowing how to react to the unfamiliar behavior from the young Duke.

Once the splinter was fully removed from Shez's palm, Felix applied some pressure on the area to make sure there were no bits of wood left and dropped her hand still looking downward.

Felix turned away quickly as he flicked the splinter to the ground before trying to move on from the moment. "You should be more careful," he faced Shez with a serious expression, borderline annoyed. "It would do no one good if you could not fight because of a hand injury."

Shez still didn't know how to react, the contrast of actions and tone stalling her reaction. She looked at his face as she replied, "Right. Thank you, Felix." He held her gaze briefly before looking away. The commander decided to excuse herself to not make this moment more uncomfortable for both parties, "I'll... go to the infirmary to have this cleaned... See you later."

Sylvain observed as she made her escape out the training grounds from his hiding spot. Felix looked down again before casting his gaze to the pile of training swords, most of them with dents and signs of overuse. He remembered how Shez's hands were also red from using these swords last time they sparred and felt he needed to do something to prevent this in the future, but he was unsure what. Felix straightened himself and made his way out of the training grounds not even noticing Sylvain on his way out.

Sylvain was planning to ask Felix about the commander to see if his plan could continue in motion, but the brief interaction today told him all he needed to know.

[feel-ix]

Acquiesce (1)

Felix Hugo Fraldarius x F!Shez

Sylvain and Rodrigue try to set them up

Dimitri, Dedue and Rodrigue had just come back to base camp. Their time in the kingdom was tiring and the last battle would have ended badly had Felix and the commander not come bursting in to their rescue. Rodrigue did not get a proper chance to thank Felix for his help more than the quick words they exchanged in battle, and any further attempt since had the younger male avoiding any vulnerability with his father like the plague. The former duke Fraldarius was seemingly left with no other choice but to hunt his son down in camp, at least it would make for a nice stroll even if he didn't find him. He was passing by the mess hall when he heard a much too familiar voice:

"Huh, you made this? Pretty good"

When Rodrigue peeked into the mess hall, Felix and Shez were sitting on opposite sides of a table. Both of them had plates in front of them and while he could not see the commander's face, he could see his son smil- wait. Smiling? Shez said something gesturing to the food and Felix even leaned in with a nod, no scowl present on his face. Rodrigue stood there, body half hidden by the door and once the young Duke Fraldarius caught a glimpse of his father, his usual frown came back. Noticing the change in her dining partner, the commander looked behind her and invited the former duke to eat with them. Rodrigue saw Felix on the verge of rolling his eyes at the commander's suggestion, so he excused himself with a polite "Perhaps next time," accompanied with a smile and a quick nod goodbye.

It was not a common sight to see Felix smile so carelessly. He already had a brooding attitude since before his short time in the Officer's Academy and stepping up to the role of Duke at such a young age did nothing but forge that serious exterior. Rodrigue almost felt guilty. After all, he got to enjoy his time in the Academy in a time of peace, got to enjoy carefree days and grow at his own pace while having fun with his closest friends. Even after the academy, he had years to prepare himself to become the next Duke Fraldarius, he had the time to pursue other activities when he was not training to become a duke: whether they be mischief, learning magic, or even pursuing romantic endeavors.

But Felix? He was forced to go from teen that was sent on missions by the Officer's Academy, to a very young adult who suddenly had to manage land, the people living in it, not to mention the training he had to keep up with, as well as keeping up with politics, helping the young king in multiple affairs, including multiple missions around the kingdom. Truly, Felix did not have the luxury of pursuing other interests. Not when he was being pulled in 10 different directions all at once, no wonder he had no choice but to harden his exterior.

Rodrigue was, without a doubt, immensely proud of his son- of his capabilities and accomplishments. Still, the part of him wished that his son had more people on who he could rely on. Friends. Felix's friendships are those he made over a decade ago with people he bonded with as a child, and since then? He's kept everyone at an arm's length, even driving a wedge on former relationships. Currently, the only friend Rodrigue could think of that had not been pushed away by Felix's attitude would be Sylvain- and even he got rejected at times. Were it not for Sylvain's determination and persistence, surely Felix would have created some distance in their friendship.

But today, seeing Felix smile and talk to Shez without that edge to his voice relieved Rodrigue a bit. Truth be told, he only knew few things of the commander. That being that she is a former mercenary, that the entire camp trusts her, that she has exceptional fighting abilities, and lastly- as recently told by His Majesty- that she works well with Felix. Dimitri seemed quite confident to have left the young Duke Fraldarius in charge in his absence, assured that he had a reliable ally to aid him in battle.

A small smile formed on the former duke's face as he reflected on this. Hopefully Felix had found a friend in the commander. Rodrigue certainly wished so.

[feel-ix]

Acquiesce (11)

Felix Hugo Fraldarius x F!Shez

Felix is tired and Shez tries to help

Shez was worried. The blue lions just finished their war council and many were making their way to eat or attend other responsibilities. Everyone, from camp staff to the highest ranking generals, was incredibly busy as of late; everyone was putting double the effort and double the work towards their shared goal now that the kingdom army was at an advantage in the war, but no one was busier than the people who also had to manage land or politics at the same time. Which brings the focus on what made Shez worried in the first place: Felix.

Even though it had been two years since Felix was made into Duke Fraldarius by King Dimitri, it did not mean the responsibilities that came with the title diminished or got any easier. Felix looked tired, he was tired, if his appearance in the last council meeting was anything to go by. His skin was pale, contrasting with the sunken dark circles under his eyes caused by exhaustion and long nights tending to documents after training and long battles- that was one of the most obvious signs. But people who knew Felix a little deeper than that could notice the straps on his uniform were a bit loose, the slight angle of the clasp closing his cloak, the off center alignment of the opening of his undershirt. Felix did not necessarily care for such uniforms, but he always made sure his appearance as a duke was immaculate, lest someone judge his capabilities based on appearance alone.

Shez waited for Felix outside the council room at the center of camp, him and Dimitri had yet to come out.

After a few moments she heard a "get off my back, boar," from a very familiar voice and Dimitri came out soon after, shooting Shez a glance with knowing eyes. He noticed Felix's exhaustion too.

Once Dimitri was out of sight, Felix came out of the building. Shez knew that he was not the type to ask for help, preferring instead to do everything alone unless absolutely necessary, so she would have to try and help her friend in a non-intrusive manner.

"Hey Felix, I was wondering if you wanted to survey the nearby area with me later." There. Putting it as work could lure him in.

The swordsman contemplated the offer for a few seconds. An expedition. A break. His brief hopeful stance to take a break was immediately contradicted in by the many things he had to get done that day, as if his mind was constantly running a schedule regardless if he was working or not. He knew anyone would agree to go on an expedition with the commander, so he could probably go back to his duties but... How many more chances will he have to do this with Shez before the war came to an end and she traveled around as a mercenary? How long did he have to enjoy a training partner that honed his skill so easily before he would be too busy to pick up a blade as a duke, let alone spar with a friend? Felix agreed to meet by the stables at the usual time before walking away.

...

"With how hectic life's been lately, these trips with you are a good chance to catch my breath." Despite Felix's earlier hesitation, he could finally admit he was looking forward to this expedition with a small smile gracing his lips and a gentle hand holding the reins to his horse. Shez mentioned they would be going to a field while double checking her map before finally folding it back into a neat square and departing camp.

Although they were in new territory, the travel to the field felt very familiar for both warriors, it reminded them of their trip to the north a couple of moons ago. It did not take long to reach their destination. The field was vast and empty, full of grass as the eye could see with the small exception of a patch of dirt that was surely used to grow crops. By the looks of it, this area was left to rest the land and let it become fertile again, the farmers who lived here likely moved to another area to grow their produce, leaving behind nothing but a small cabin barely visible from where Shez stood. Felix left the horses in a spot where they could eat while they scouted the area before catching up to the commander.

As far as scouting went, this was underwhelming. Shez and Felix walked a mile in every direction possible only to be met with vast fields and the occasional tree, even the roads nearby were losing the indentations made by carts and horses at least a season ago, and there certainly was not a place in sight where the Empire or the mages could make into a base. The pair of warriors could easily turn back to camp and continue with their day, but it really would be a shame to waste such a nice day.

Shez laid out the blanket she brought on a patch of grass she hastily flattened with her boots while Felix brought over the snacks she stored in her bag, a process both of them got familiar with in their previous expeditions.

Before long, both of them were sitting comfortably on the blanket, the flattened grass underneath serving as cushioning to what otherwise would be hard ground. They talked about the usual things: weapons, fighting styles, their likes and dislikes- anything Shez knew would fit within Felix's interests and not remind him of his responsibilities at camp, she wanted to do something nice for her friend after all. The tea was warm, the snacks were tasty, the conversation was engaging and it was all wrapped nicely with a bow with the partly cloudy weather that protected them from the full fury of the sun's rays. Felix could feel himself relax and unwind as time passed and the pair reached a stop on the conversation. He could appreciate the comfortable silences he could enjoy with the commander, she never tried to force chit chat to fill the gaps and could simply admire and enjoy her surroundings.

Shez turned to look at Felix to find him nodding off to sleep, one arm resting on his raised knee supporting his head. Part of her thought about calling his attention and waking him, but the circles under his eyes stopped her. After short deliberation, the commander opted to quietly turn away in case he woke up on his own accord- he would simply be embarrassed and turn away angrily with the tips of his ears dusted a soft pink she's gotten to see once or twice. As tempting as that sounded, she also knew that if that happened, he would never let his guard down like that around her, or at least for a long time. She could hear Arval let out an amused hum in her head, the entity never expressed much towards the swordsman other than they thought it was good Shez practiced with him in her quest to become stronger to defeat the Ashen Demon, but otherwise didn't say much and simply observed everything with that smug smile of theirs.

The sounds of wind gently rustling the tall grasses and distant birdsong encapsulated the moment where it was difficult to tell the time of day, both warriors simply existed in that instant and little else- no one around but nature around them as if they were the only two people in the world. Shez wouldn't have known she was falling asleep were it not for her head slipping from its perch on her arm that woke her from a haze, she couldn't have been asleep for more than a couple of minutes but it was hard to tell, it could have been much longer. When she turned to check on her expedition partner, Felix was laying down on his side on the blanket using his arm as a pillow as his chest moved slowly with the slow, deep breaths he took as he slept peacefully. He must have been exhausted.

This was not the first time the commander had seen Felix asleep, they kept watch on each other months ago when they traveled up north and there was a possibility mages could target them, but this was different. Sure, Felix was tired, but he would never fall sleep in front of someone- be vulnerable in front of someone unless he trusted them. And unlike their trip, there was no reason why Shez should keep guard as he slept: there was no danger, no need- part of her warmed at the thought of Felix feeling comfortable enough around her to let his guard down like that. He looked a little tense even while sleeping last time, but now? Some loose strands of hair framed his face, handsome features relaxed and serene as his pupils moved beneath his eyelids in deep sleep. Who could ever guess those eyes could turn into sharp daggers when staring down opponents? Arval let out another amused hum and Shez took it as a cue to look away from her expedition partner, she would wake him in an hour, before Dimitri decided to come look for them himself.

...

Approximately 40 minutes later, Felix woke up. His eyes opened softly and his right arm was sore from supporting his head, he took in his surroundings slowly before landing on a familiar hand in front of him. Shez was still sitting next to him resting her body weight on her hands behind her, her head was leaned back as she closed her eyes- seemingly concentrated on something that kept her oblivious to the presence next to her no longer sleeping.

Felix was still in somewhat of a haze, part of him was warm and wanted to jolt out of embarrassment of falling asleep in the middle of the expedition, another part reigned in his impulse and told him to stay still and pretend to slumber until an opportunity to stand presented itself, then he could pretend nothing ever happened. His gaze shifted back in front of him. Shez's hand was a little less than a finger's width slimmer than his own with long and dexterous fingers proportionate to her palm. It was strange seeing them like this- nails trimmed and clean, not covered in dirt or sand or blood like when they trained or after a battle; there were a few cuts and scratches from the last mission but even those looked partially closed, likely healed by magic. Felix would have to carve the hilt of the sword just thick enough for her hand to wrap around, with indentations not too wide so her fingers could naturally rest there without discomfort while fighting.

Shez moved her head to look at the distance before standing up, "We should probably head back to camp soon," her voice was clear and at normal speaking volume. How long did she know Felix was awake? "Before Dimitri comes looking for us."

Whatever resolve Felix had to pretend to sleep and avoid embarrassment crumbled at that. Full warmth returned to his cheeks and ears that showed through his skin, he was just glad the commander hadn't turned towards him yet. He stood up and stretched slightly, the grass under the blanket padded the ground a bit, but it was no replacement for a bad. Nevertheless, he felt refreshed and much better than before. Felix did not remember falling asleep, and never would he put himself in a vulnerable position out in the open; neither did he know what made Shez an exception to that, but deep down-even if he would never admit it- he knew he trusted her, he was comfortable around her, he felt safe. Safe from judgment and expectations surrounding his title, safe from expectations as a person- he could do anything around the commander and she would simply accept it as part of him: Felix Hugo Fraldarius, nothing more and nothing less.

The pink blush lingered on his cheeks and he couldn't bring himself to look directly at Shez, but as they packed up the last of their supplies in the horse bags in relative silence, he wanted to know what she was thinking. Still, Shez was merciful enough to not bring it up and pretend it never happened, that moment-however long it was- would only exist between the two of them from there on, and they were both content with that.

[feel-ix]

Acquiesce (6)

Felix Hugo Fraldarius x F!Shez

Felix is called to Fraldarius lands to deal with a problem

"...and that concludes with our plans to move further South into the Empire," Dimitri sat in the middle of the war council table, all his allies surrounded him as they received new information and orders for the upcoming weeks. "Now, we've been informed of rumors of a coup organizing in Fraldarius territory."

Felix and Rodrigue, both already aware of this, straightened their posture a little at the mention of their lands. Even though Felix's mother and uncle were managing the lands while he was at the front lines for the war, he sometimes needed to make a trip up north to re-establish his position as the current Duke Fraldarius. Usually, smaller issues would be resolved with Rodrigue making an appearance, but a coup so close to the kingdom capital required for Felix to go and quell it, as well as give a firm reminder of the new regime to anyone who might think of opposing the new king.

"Felix will go deal with it," Dimitri continued while looking at everyone at the table, "Shez, you'll be going with him."

The young woman in question looked a bit surprised but looked at Dimitri and nodded regardless. Felix on the other hand could not hide his discontent with the king's decision. What was he thinking? He didn't need an escort to his own land, he was more than capable of defending himself. And sending two of the most skilled warriors away from the front lines? What a foolish idea! What if something happened?

Dimitri looked straight at Felix before the swordsman could even muster a word, "I know what you're thinking, Felix. But you must take into consideration that many of our messengers have been attacked by dark mages, and many of them do not return. I trust you two will have each other's backs, should anything happen."

The current Duke Fraldarius could not dispute that, so he simply acquiesced and bowed slightly. Besides, almost directly across from

him, his father was giving him a stern look and he would rather give in to his king's orders than hear a lecture from his old man.

Rodrigue partially agreed with Felix. Sure, an escort in this situation was a good idea, but it could be anyone else in the army- someone less essential to run the camp perhaps. For a moment he contemplated if Dimitri was somehow roped into one of Sylvain's plans, but the young king did not seem the type, or at least even if he was part of it, Rodrigue didn't think he would use a coup as an effort to bring the pair together. For a moment, Rodrigue forgot whose son Sylvain was. He looked at the heir to house Gautier next to Felix, and the knight met his gaze with a subtle wink. Of course. Dimitri was not part of the plan, but surely Sylvain talked his ear off enough about the sparring matches he's seen for Dimitri to think it would be a good idea to send the two together in this mission. And while Rodrigue did not condone manipulating the king, he could respect the dedication and execution Sylvain managed to pursue his own plan.

Once the war council concluded, Shez and Felix made plans to leave camp the next day at dawn, the journey up to Fraldarius lands was 2 full days away by horseback.

The next morning, Dimitri and Rodrigue met the travelers to wish them a safe journey. The blue hues caused by the sun beginning to rise were accompanied by a light, cold morning breeze. Even in warmer Empire lands, the cool air was crisp to breathe, and the early hour provided silence and serenity not known to the battle frontlines.

About an hour into their journey, Felix reconsidered his initial opposition to his escort. Had someone else been chosen, he might have been subject to attempts of idle chatter and other social discomfort. Shez did not pry on other people's matters if they did not share them with her, perhaps partly caused by having a mysterious past of her own and powers with unknown origins. Felix could appreciate that she did not want to make conversation so early in the morning and instead relied on non-verbal cues to communicate with him on which paths they should take next.

Hours into their journey, the pair found themselves traveling through some abandoned ruins of what looked like soldier posts, clearly inhabited long ago. Moss and other greenery was growing in the cracks and bricks of many of the buildings, nature taking back the man-made structures. Shez was done relishing on the nature and landscapes around her when the sun was a few hours away from sundown. The steady rhythm of the horses' hooves against the dirt path proved to be a meditative and relaxing sound that allowed her to feel unburdened by her many responsibilities and worries, but there were only so many times she could gawk at the sky and fields before her mind sought other forms of entertainment. A couple of paces ahead of her, Felix rode his horse with a calm expression on his face, she could see most of his side profile.

Rodrigue loved to boast about his son, as many loving parents do, specially during the last couple of expeditions with Shez. He started first with talking about his prowess with the sword, and what she thought of it since they often trained together. Then he moved on from physical skills to mental ones, complimenting how well he manages the title of duke at such a young age, and how his responsibilities as duke never interfere with providing useful insight in missions with the king. And lately, Rodrigue started making other comments along the lines of "Felix is a rather handsome young man, don't you think?" and then turning into a joke after a beat of silence, "I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Shez contemplated that thought for a moment. She's never thought of her comrades in that way, but she supposed that despite Felix's attitude, he was rather handsome- striking eyes, good physique, a good-looking profile. Shez suddenly felt silly and embarrassed at thinking that without realizing she had been looking at Felix all the while. Being a bit behind him gave her some advantage, thankfully. She could say she was trying to see past him, should he ask. Shez physically shook her head to snap herself out of this topic and ushered her horse forward so her mind didn't have the excuse to wander thinking about the young duke again as Arval chuckled.

Felix noticed his partner moving forward, now she was a bit ahead of him, looking ahead but her gaze felt empty. There she goes again, thought Felix. He's noticed the commander got easily distracted in battle and in practice, as if something or someone were talking to her. He could not pinpoint which though, it simply felt like she let her mind wander and became entangled in her thoughts. Felix wished she didn't do that, one distraction in battle could mean a certain end and Shez was equally as important as him in the army, not to mention he would lose a very capable sparring partner. Shez suddenly turned around to the side as if someone had called out her name, and before Felix knew it, she had pulled him off his horse and into the ground. Shez summoned her sword in an instant, and Felix saw a ball of dark magic go off into the air from where she was covering him. The gremory that attacked them was defeated and on the floor within seconds, and Shez turned around to look at Felix just now understanding what happened.

Felix felt like a hypocrite, he was just judging how easily distracted his companion was, only for him to do the same when danger was nearby- he was embarrassed. Shez's sword vanished and she stood in front of Felix with her open palm and arm extended to pull him up, some red hue from her powers lingered in the air near her hand and the young duke was disoriented enough to simply see the traces of her power fade away before he reached out for her hand and finally stood up. He was at a loss of what to say but Shez beat him to it before his embarrassment made him say something harsh.

"Sorry about that," Shez let go of his hand once he had stable footing, "that was a close one."

Felix regained composure of himself, now resting both his gloved hands against his sides.

"Thank you," a short but sincere statement. He made eye contact with her before looking away to see their horses had ran ahead because of the shock of being attacked. Felix cleared his throat and continued talking with the usual bite in his voice, "Come on, we should catch them now before they run off again."

The commander simply nodded and the pair continued to the nearest town.

Considering the poorly executed attack by Those Who Slither in the Dark earlier that day, Shez and Felix decided to rent a room at an inn so their horses could rest as they took turns keeping guard in case of another attack. Felix volunteered to take the first turn ensuring their safety and was met with little resistance from the former mercenary as long as he "didn't try to do it by himself" and promised to wake the commander when it was her turn.

Felix sat at the nearby desk next to the bed with only candlelight lighting the room, he was writing a short report of that day's happenings and attack as well as some updates on roads and towns for Dimitri. Shez turned in her sleep on the bed next to him, he looked her briefly before his gaze stopped at her hand. The same hand that wielded her special sword, the same hand she offered to him earlier. Even with the dim light in the room, he could clearly see the scars from battle along her palms and fingers, he was pretty sure he could see a faint mark from where he removed the splinter just a few days ago. He felt a bit uncomfortable again, like he should do something about it. Being in battle was already dangerous, but battle weapons were wrapped or customized for comfort and they did not actively hurt their wielder's hands as they were used. Maybe she could get gloves? But would that prevent her from using her powers? Would it affect her fighting style? Then again, most of the damage could come from the old practice swords at camp, everyone used those so customization was out of the question. He couldn't suggest replacing them either, kingdom money and resources were scarce and most carpenters were commissioned to built new housing for people escaping to the kingdom.

Felix was broken out of his thoughts by Shez shifting again, this time moving her arm to rest by her stomach. He redirected his attention to his letter, then to his own ungloved hand resting by the inkwell. He should take care of that issue once they got back to camp, it wouldn't do anyone good if his sparring partner was unable to practice, after all.