#support ✧ indevouement.

[valflaame]

jakob casts a glance around, cloth folded over right arm and stood dutifully in place. the hallway is quiet, just the two of them. good. he speaks quietly. "lord leo and lord camilla will be beside me at this table. they are nohrian royalty. in fact, lady camilla is next in line for the crown were anything to befall king xander," which is to say, it is unlikely. but it pays to tell him, to make him aware of the importance of the fact. "they are not my lords nor lady. i respond only to my liege, but i've still taken an oath to the nohrian royal family as is . . ."

a pause. "that isn't to say, i have not had my disagreements with some royalty. because i have." oh, camilla.

back on topic. "nohrians prize being stern or a stalwart leader. we enjoy brutality, coldness and the dark. lord leo is the bookish type, perhaps you ought to ask him about brynhildr if you desire to form some decent relations between my kingdom and yours... lady camilla is generally talkative and you'll find no issue in speaking to her."

at that, he turns his head back to the table. "i'm only telling you this as your.. friend," and even the words come out a bit difficult. "because i had thought you'd see it as important to form some relationship with foreign royalty."

jakob waits a moment, before looking away. it still felt weird to directly call someone that. he takes a step back with a curt bow, before heading back to the light of the hallway. "or don't talk to them. i don't care," jakob is always quick to seal over brief acts of kindness with that blunt edge of his. "it's no bother to me."

at that, he leaves.

Arvis is not surprised that Jakob tells him of the internal politics of Nohr. That he offers suggestions. That he speaks with Arvis plainly, no frills attached. He's warning him, in part, but giving him opportunities to expand his reach.

Jakob is honest. It's refreshing.

"Thank you," he says, and feels his brows furrow as Jakob calls him 'friend'. He supposes they are now, aren't they? He cares about him -- more than others he's met, and certainly more than he cares to admit. It feels nice to have someone like that.

Deirdre would be so pleased if she knew.

"I will take your words to heart. It is good to interact with foreign royalty; it makes it easier when one has powerful allies, does it not?"

A pause. He looks at Jakob's outfit, how he stands with all the formalities befitting of a servant of Lord Corrin. Arvis frowns, just a slight imperceptible thing as he reaches out and adjusts the broach that holds up his friend's cravat. "Slightly askew," he says, teasing. Light. Almost boyish. "Consider my watching out for you an apology for the sub-par tea I've brought. I've heard you were bringing a Nohrian blend, I cannot wait to try."

He lets him go, motions for him to lead. "After you."

[cremisii]

so much for ' getting to know his students ', hubert gives him the impression he far prefers the reason of magic rather than the faith.

jakob digs his fork into the slice of cake, and takes a bite. the company is a strange one, he feels as if he should not be sitting here. alas, he has already sat down - and it was commonplace for professors to eat with those of their house.

"lady edelgard seems impressive," jakob sets the cutlery down. "i look forward to her walking in the footsteps of lord corrin. perhaps she'll come to emulate his success?"

it is a passive comment. he knows hubert will dislike it.

jakob sips his tea. so long as one understands the pecking order, he does not mind. "which is beyond achievable . . . so, i'm looking forward to seeing her aim for it."

The professors assigned to the Black Eagles House are varied in skill and talent. He has not yet had the misfortune of class with Professor Jakob, and as he opens his mouth to speak Hubert finds that he will not seek out his expertise on any subject.

His muscles tense. A passive aggressive remark on his own skills is something he can ignore, however a comment of this magnitude aimed at Lady Edelgard should not be left unchallenged.

A soft huff -- almost a chuckle -- escapes his lips. "Lady Edelgard needs no one to follow," he says, and looks up at the professor with narrowed eyes. "She can design her own path and carve out her place within this world. She has no equal, and does not need someone else to emulate."

He places his fork down on his napkin. "A shame that this obscure figure you speak of -- Lord Corrin -- needed someone else to design his path for him. Perhaps if he'd had a better hands to guide and support him, he would have been more of a visionary. A failing, perhaps, on his most trusted confidantes."

[anruraiocht]

@indevouement asked:

[toawitchesaccord] from across the room, come the reveal of the votes, he stares at her. a really pointed stare, for at least a minute, before he speaks. "well," jakob shrugs, masking frustration in his voice. "quite the noblewoman with a two-timing tendency, are we?"

he shakes his head, sardonic smile donning his features. "admirable," he adds. "aristocracy who lie and scheme are rather popular in nohr. you'd do well in my home country."

The second shackle latches onto the first, alerting everyone gathered to Miranda's decision. Chief among them is the very person that she had betrayed, his gaze burning into her back. He had been more than willing to ally and yet she had pulled the rug out from under his feet.

All for the difference of a single candy.

It's a hollow victory, one that she can't even bring herself to celebrate. They're tied now, but no smile rises to her face. Why? Why isn't she happy? Miranda can't smile, but Jakob can. Isn't that unfair? He's not happy, either, so why can he smile and she can't?

"My father was unfailingly kind and he paid for that with his life," she shoots back, hands clenched. "If I do not want to be betrayed, then I must betray first. I cannot allow even the slightest risk."

She turns her head away.

"I intend to win again Prince Leif no matter what it takes. You may curse me if you like. I won't ask you to understand."

[icedflora]

so the three of them had all been reunited again . . . what a pleasant surprise.

he stands in her doorstep , broom in-hand. uniform creases smoothed, no, ironed -- the brooch on his neck shined, clawed fingers clasped on wooden hilt and pressed against his heart. to his credit, for a man who despised mornings with every fiber of his being, he did well to make himself presentable. almost as if he did not let out an agonizing groan the moment his eyes opened and he realized, no, he did not have an extra five minutes.

the sun has not risen, but he has, with ample time to spare. as he always did, begrudgingly, though jakobs features did well to betray it. "good morning, flora, pardon my intrusion. i'm well aware it is only 4 o'clock, am, contrary to my typical 4.30." a curt nod, and he leans the broomstick against the door. did he really mean pardon? that was up to her to decide. "but i have opted to stick to my nohrian sleeping schedule of early wakefulness, and this is my only free time this morning."

eyes scan hers for signs of sleepiness. whatever he saw, he appeared content with it ( for she had either been awake by now , or at the very least , he was met with a response in the dead of morning ). "regardless . . . yes, welcome to the monastery. i'd expect felicia to be beside herself with enthusiasm," and almost on cue, it seems as if his free time was up. shuffling through the bag on his shoulder, he presents to flora a list of monastery documents. maps, his own class times, the upcoming menu. "this will certainly assist you in getting your bearings. i would hope you've been up before this hour to get ahead of things, however? surely."

on that, he turns on his heel and he shakes his head. "i've spent far too long here. i've fallen behind on schedule . . . i need to arrive to the morning markets far before anyone else."

jakob presents her a curt bow, a fleeting look of displeasure on his face. oh, he was going to have to stand in line now for an extra five minutes. disgusting. "goodbye, flora."

he takes the broom, and he leaves, closing the door as he goes.

Despite Flora's put-together presentation upon greeting her early-morning visitor, the long journey to the Monastery exhausted the former maid. The crisp knock at her door roused her from her much-needed sleep, but her years of servitude trained her body to rise quickly when summoned. Flora took exactly fourteen seconds to draw herself out of bed, smooth her hair, and pull on a dress over her nightclothes. Opening the door, though, she finds herself frozen as she stares up at Jakob: a former colleague, a dutiful butler, and the former object of youthful hopeless dreams. They were fleeting hopes of a naive girl, and life has wisened Flora up to useless dreams of a future that cannot exist in the same realm as duty and destiny.

"Ah, good morning, Jakob," Flora manages to greet him before he thrusts papers into her hands, which she accepts with a slight nod, her gray gaze flitting over the documents. Nearby, crickets chirp in accompaniment with Jakob's early-morning rambling. She nods her head again and smiles. despite the lie on her tongue "Yes, I was already up thinking about what tea to drink this morning." She chuckles behind her hand politely at his expression as he frets over his delayed arrival at the market. Some things never change, it appears.

"I hope the market trip is fruitful despite your delays!" she calls after him as he makes his departure. "Thank you for the documents!" The words are barely spoken before the door shuts and Flora heaves a sigh, setting the papers aside on her bedside table to crawl back under the covers for some much-needed slumber. She will be a proper student when the sun rises.

[duskofendflame]

jakob was worried. in fact, he hadn't so much as slept a wink the night prior. despite this, he managed to peel himself from his bed with ambition - he simply had to prove to corrin he was one of the finest retainers there is. that, corrin needn't worry about a thing as long as jakob was present.

"lord corrin !" jakob speaks with happiness, a genuine smile on his face. hands straighten cravat, and he is well-aware his braid is impeccable. it was 6:00 am in the morning. "i have tended to the gardens around and about your dormitory, washed your clothes and dried them, tidied your room and living area as you slept, straightened your daytime clothes and scented them with lavender,"

he has been going since 3:00 am.

"prepared a nighttime dessert for you - it is still setting. steeped your tea the exact amount as you desire, set about your task list for the day, pre-graded your papers - ah, but i did it in pencil, so you can correct them. i did them kindly, as you insist, but it should save you time."

maybe even 2:00 am?

"oh, and your breakfast. here," he walks out the door, before pushing in a tray with a rather excessive and impressive array of foods. his eye twitches. if this wasn't enough to show corrin that he could butler far better than dwyer, then what would . . . ? "whatever you don't finish, i will gladly hand to others to ensure none go to waste. all of it is fresh, homemade and using only the finest of ingredients."

he sets the tray onto the side table, and bows. "if there is anything else you desire, simply let me know."

as he faces the floor, his eye twitches again. there has to be more that he can do. there has to be. "on that note, i've since returned from lilium. it was fine. i brought you souvenirs from the journey, of course."

"Jakob! You don't have to do all of that, you just got back!" Corrin grasps his butler's shoulders, trying to guide him into sitting down. The poor man looks tired, wearing himself thin all over Corrin. Corrin kneels before his friend, grasping his hands in his own.

"You don't need to trim the gardens, that's the job of someone at the academy already, let them do it," He sighs, looking up at Jakob mournfully, "you don't need to clean up and tidy after me all the time here. Tea is appreciated, but you don't always need to brew it for me if it keeps you up. You don't need to grade my papers for me, I rather enjoy doing them myself."

He was pushing himself too far, and Corrin did not want to see his dear friend break. They were master and servant; but were they not also friends, close as brothers even?

"Jakob... rest, please. I don't know what happened while you were gone; are you trying to overcompensate for something? You can confide in me, my friend," Corrin stands again, placing a gentle hand on the other man's cheek, "And I desire you to rest for once. Please."

[princessmacedon]

{ OOC: housekeeping!

it's been a while since i did one of these and i have a great big mess to clean up ASDFDSD so! threads below the cut, and if i missed something please let me know!

UPDATED:

per suggestion of the newsletter, mun pages ( 🐦 ) ( 🐈‍⬛ ) now have guidelines

both maria and katarina's supports pages have been brought up to date!

threads + thread tracker nonsense below!!

here's my thread tracker! currently, it should contain all of my active threads, excepting those from the ethereal ball and as always, please don't feel as though you need to rush! (especially those of you whose threads i just replied to while fixing my shit AHSDHSDFHSD) this is for my organizational sake HAHA ; i'm glad to continue any and all threads, but if you're not feeling one anymore that's fine too >vo)v

MARIA

Waiting on me:

something old, something new -- @ventusanimae

spirit of healing -- @ashenprofessor

what my cover shows -- @knighteclipsed

all things precious -- @reddragonprincess

red riding hood's basket -- @justices-blade

wondrous tails -- @carefreemonk

with those who favor fire -- @arcelerity

objects in mirror -- @raikuroji

three lions walk out of a field (BOEL) -- @pirrhyc @sharpscion

paperwork perils -- @magictome

land and heavens near -- @lycianlynx

solace in the abyss -- @justices-blade

Waiting on partner:

an end to the song -- @arcstral

sun's shine -- @lycianlynx

shadows in the moonlight -- @hresvelged

birds chasing cats -- @aubins

not dead yet -- @alliberacio

from winter's close emerging -- @hermidetta

i do believe in fairies! -- @nagaficat

KATARINA

Waiting on me:

seeds of hope -- @arcaeda

a blanket of white, unbroken -- @knighteclipsed

a mystery in monochrome -- @gentlenekomata

the road that we walk -- @unsungblade

a day in (un)kingly shoes -- @arcstral

Waiting on partner:

uprooting wallflowers -- @unsungblade

a fleeting fata morgana -- @nabataprophet

cat cat kitty cat -- @unsungblade

cooking by the book -- @amitieos

sham of a prince -- @hosannan

gallowed halls -- @princepsumbra

a night and day we'll never see -- @ulircursed

the mega bonk technique -- @sharpscion

the name of a villain -- @indevouement

TBD:

penpal randomizer -- @gauldheri

ETHEREAL BALL INTERACTIONS

with @cursedbluebird : i'm planning on tacking on an extra reply and have it fade to black if that's alright? :o marianne is so sweet though, thank you for sending her my way!! <3 <3

with @pirrhyc : while i do love lobbing the hot potato around ASDFSDFSDG i think i'll call it there?! but i really enjoyed their little exchange!! :pleading: :boom:

with @frauleindermorgen : i'm definitely down to make this into a mini thread :] unless i misunderstood aDSDDSFHF

ALL MASKS: maria was mask 22! if you'd like to play out the rest of a masquerade thread, i'm down! ^^)7

as always, if you need to contact me for anything, feel free to do so through here or discord!

[valflaame]

"have you heard?" is how jakob breaks the silence in the silence of their office. in the midst of sifting through papers or the scratching of pens on student work, it appeared neither were ones for in-depth conversations. factually spoken, jakob lacked any desire to become 'buddy buddy' with his coworkers -- but this was of necessity. "on the rumor spreading about."

a pause, a sip of tea, a savoring of the taste. could anyone blame him? the climate of fodlan differed greatly from nohr, it was in his best interests to mend the occasional sore throat that came and went. tea healed most wounds, if not all, bar the ones that sliced into viscera. "that you and i are apparently impossible to achieve an A-grade from."

which... to an extent, was true. jakob was a critical marker, excessively so, oftentimes removing rather important marks for trivial mistakes some may turn a blind eye to. "i had even heard as much as other students saying 'good luck' at the notion of someone having us as an instructor."

mind, he doesn't seem bothered by this, at all. what use was it to heed mind to students who couldn't handle the guidance of a firm figure? "i'd be rather curious to hear your approach to teaching."

He looks up from his papers, a slight frown on his face. It was quiet before, and he wasn't necessarily bothered by the lack of chattering.

Yet it is still important to get to know your colleagues, so he will engage. He sips his coffee and cannot help that his expression shifts into one of an amused smile.

"Are we?" he asks. Ah, good to have another professor who understands that these students should not have everything handed to them. He wonders if their philosophy in education is similar.

"They aren't going to learn if they do not have someone pushing them," he adds. "Every single student has room for improvement. I will not tolerate laziness or lack of critical thinking in my presence."

He smiles a little more openly, shifting into the more charismatic version of himself that many are more open to. Extending a hand he offers his name.

"Lord Arvis of Grannvale. And what should I call you?"

[valflaame]

there was a problem. quite a serious one, actually.

"lord arvis," jakob appears, at his door this time, contrary to their usual staffroom meetings. it was ill-mannered of him to wade his way through nobility halls, he is quite aware, but a pressing matter forces his hand. "is lady deirdre present?"

from the way in which he acts, one may think something dire had befallen her. the way in how jakob instinctively peeks over arvis' shoulder, before steadying his gaze onto him -- mild confusion lingering on his expression. "earlier today, whilst passing by felicias classroom, i could have sworn i saw her in tears as lady deirdre exited."

was this one of the skeletons in deirdres closet? did their wives have an argument? this was not good. felicia was one for a sharp tongue, when pressed too far. she was snappy at best and at her worst . . . well, ( " — i'm gonna break you ! ", yes, he has heard her say that before in the heat of battle before. . . ah, breaking someone ).

"i had tried to enter the classroom, yet a student of mine had immediately tripped and bent their ankle into an unsightly shape," jakob frowns. "and made direct eye contact with me as he did so. i was unable to see to my wife given that."

but the conundrum! he was busy, as was felicia! jakob hadn't found her anywhere just yet. and perhaps felicia knew that jakob was fond of arvis and deirdre and did not want to impede on his budding & minimal relationships.

"have our wives found themselves in a disagreement ? i presumed you might know a thing or two, before i find felicia myself." a pause. did he even tell arvis he was married before? well, now he knows.

Arvis does not expect to see Jakob here. He's surprised, since they usually meet in a more neutral environment; this does not mean that his colleague is unwelcome, however.

He tilts his head and frowns, brows furrowing at the mention of his wife. Jakob looks quite perturbed. Has Deirdre gotten herself into another altercation? Is she all right?

"My wife was crying?" Arvis asks. He straightens up as his expression becomes much more stern. This is serious indeed. He hasn't heard of anything of the sort lately, and Deirdre may very well try to hide ugly truths from Arvis from time to time but he is just as talented at discovering them.

He hopes this is not a case of obscured information, an attempt on his wife's behalf to keep him from worrying. This does quite the opposite.

He grabs his coat and flings it over his shoulders. It's an action which has the purpose more to convey urgency rather than to provide his body any warmth.

"I haven't heard anything. We should find both your wife and mine as soon as possible. I do not want either of them to be... upset."

Of course he is more concerned about Deirdre, given her history of losing her friendships so quickly and without warning. But Jakob is his friend, and therefore he cares about his wife as well.

Even if this is the first time he's learned he's married.

"Let us go."

[valflaame]

on his desk is a simple letter. neat, proper, waxen sealed with the appropriate honorifics donning the back in fine purple cursive -- 'lord arvis', as the standing of emperor was still unknown to jakob. it reads,

'lord arvis,

i humbly accept your invitation to tend to the incidents in your home, jugdral. whilst i would have insisted on accompanying my liege regardless of your request, i will see to it that your faith in me is not misplaced.

in my absence, i kindly ask you ensure that my son, dwyer, is put into group work for his reason classes. i've not seen his teamwork skills in some time. he will despise you for it, but pay that no mind.

yours sincerely,

jakob'

Arvis holds the letter in his hands and carefully opens the seal. He reads it once, then again. He exhales -- though he only has known Jakob for a short amount of time, he has to believe he can trust him. He hasn't many friends in the monastery (yet, is probably what Deirdre would say), and because of that he does not have many options on who to ask for assistance. This is a large undertaking, there is no doubt about that. Arvis believes, whether against his better judgement or not, that Jakob is capable of reporting his findings.

He tells himself that, anyway. To not go on this mission is hard for him; his home is under attack, and his people are suffering. For all that they can say about Arvis -- 'traitor', 'killer', 'murderer' -- he cares so much about the future of his people that it hurts. Anything for them, anything to bring peace and prosperity to the land. To usher in a better future. To ensure there are no tyrannical dukedoms. To stop the abuse of power, to bring together all the people under the banner of one common name; to stop what had been done to Isaach, to Agustria, to give life and agency back to the people who had lost their homes to banditry and overzealous kings. To return to the average citizen: freedom. To give to those who would rule: restraint. Anything -- there is nothing that Arvis would not do to bring forward his ideal world.

Except Deirdre asked him not to go, so he didn't.

He puts the letter down. Folds it in half. Tucks it into the drawer. The weight of the world weighs heavy on his shoulders, and it's a burden he alone is meant to bear. It means nothing, the words of those who would hurt him or his wife. It matters not if history writes him as a deceptive snake; he will also be remembered as the man who did what was necessary. The moment he was born of an authoritarian duke, bathed in the fires of Velthomer, and forced to watch the abuse suffered by his mother from his father's palm... he has known that he would be despised and hated. What defines him is he is making something of it.

He wishes he could be there to fix his empire that he loves so, so much. But he can't. He needs to put his wife first.

He just hopes that Jakob is capable and strong enough for the task.

[icedflora]

VeggieTales Got Murdered and God Wants Justice || Jakob & Flora

@indevouement

One of the largest farms in the Adrestian countryside has recently been ravaged, ruining an entire season’s potential yields. Signs of crops being trampled and rows of plants being burnt to no more than lines of ash suggest sabotage, and so the farmers are pointing fingers at anyone and everyone that could potentially fit the bill of saboteur. If you can’t fix the problem, the farmhands are demanding you at least find the culprit or they’ll find them themselves, but with their pitchforks at the ready. Can their sense of ‘justice’ truly be relied upon right now?

It surprises Flora when she receives a letter of notice that she is being sent on a mission on behalf of Garreg Mach and the Church of Sieros. The signature from the Archbishop at the bottom makes the request feel less like an ask and more like a demand, a sense of duty to fulfill. It leaves a somewhat bitter taste on her tongue reminiscent of times spent being ordered to do things by another person in power. Regardless, Flora packs her bag and heads for the horse stalls to meet with her partner for the mission. 

It should not surprise her to see Jakob arrive with his own bag, ready to take on the mission assigned to them. Flora grabs the reigns of the horse she’ll be using for the trip and leads it out of the stall just in time to spot Jakob approaching. She smiles politely and nods her head in greeting. “Good morning, Jakob. It seems we have quite the task set out for us, and out in the farming regions, no less. How do you feel about it?” She is making light conversation, though she feels that it will only be met with the same Jakob she’s known for so long. He is a no-nonsense sort of man, after all. No time to dilly-dally with chatter when there is a task at hand.