for my twin who was copypasta’d into my life via tracing paper and smudgy pencils uwu eris of falkreath, professional shit-stirrer and mage distractor uwu/ @tallmatcha
MEM dear god, I love this so MUCH. What a nice surprise to wake up to. I’m so glad a Xerox machine malfunctioned and made two of us. I’m not getting emotional you’re getting emotional shuT UP—
Edit: Cancelling myself for my dumb caption. If a Xerox machine makes two copies, it’s not malfunctioning
Folks wanted to know who ‘Al’ is, so here he is: Prince Alaric! Brother to Lillie and (fraternal) twin to Camille. (And yep, absolutely taking questions on this loser if anyone’s keen!)
So what’s his deal?
Prince Alaric (or ‘Al’ to a certain Count Lucio) had always taken the duties of the throne more seriously than Camille… and it was from this disagreement a rift formed between the two, eventually cementing Camille’s decision to stay in Vesuvia. When the plague hit and things got worse well… losing someone is hard enough, but what happens when that end is met on bad terms and thousands of unspoken regrets?
He returns to Vesuvia with his sister at the invitation of the recently widowed Countess Nadia, in hopes to repair their nations’ relationship. Though it’s just as hard to return– he was, for a time, Lucio’s lover. It wasn’t quite love, not really… but hard to say, you know? How do you miss the bastard that mismanaged the disaster that took your twin’s life?
TL;DR: He’s a depressed mess, someone please give him a hug.
The teeny, tiny details on his cape! His hair! The melancholy! Alaric, you can’t be that sad AND that beautiful. That’s too damn powerful.
AND HERE THEY ALL ARE! The Valentine’s Commissions have all been completed and approved! Thank you so much to the lovely commissioners who have reached out <3
At the end of every hunt, my body aches. It’s not the kind of ache that goes away with rest, it’s like my bones are broken all over. My senses are all over the place, as though this is the first time walking in my own skin. I hate the change, I hate what it does, but when the hunt calls for me… how am I supposed to refuse. Some call this beast blood a gift, I call it a curse, though I don’t dare to say it out loud. Some things are better left unsaid.
Vilkas and Kodlak talk about keeping tempers in check, to learn to keep the blood cool even under pressure. But it’s hard. And with each new face we bring into the company, the less I want to offer them the blood.
Tilma catches me in the hallway, quietly closing the door to Kodlak’s room behind her. Her voice is hushed when she approaches me.
“You best clean yourself up before the others see you.”
“Left my pack upstairs.”
Tilma clucks her tongue and starts inspecting me, like a mother would a child. I suppose that’s what she was to us, though I wish she wouldn’t pull my arm like that. “Look at you.”
“I know.”
“What happened?”
“Don’t wanna talk about it.”
Tilma huffs. “The baths are drawn already, go. I’m going to prepare the salves for the lot of you.”
“Vilkas joined us.”
I don’t need to see Tilma’s face, I already know she’s disappointed by the sigh she gives. “Talos preserve me, him too?”
“Sorry.”
She sighs. “Nothing to be sorry for. Just… just get yourself cleaned up.”
“Does the old man know?”
“You aren’t exactly quiet when you sneak out for your hunts.”
I almost want to bury myself then and there. “The whelps…?”
“Minding their own business, I managed to distract them from asking too much by the time I caught Aela heading out back.”
“Thank you, Tilma.”
She doesn’t spare much more than a withering glare as I head into my room and slip into the tub. The water is hot, scalding almost, but with the aches in my bones the way they are, nothing else soothes them. Later, when I’m sure I’m halfway to becoming soup, Tilma’s got a bowl of mint salve to help the aches further.
“You know,” she says, as she tidies up my room. “That Svana girl came by earlier.”
I want to sit up, but the sudden movement sends a sharp pain up my back. All I manage is a whimper as I grimace back down into the water.
“She was asking if you were free earlier.” Before I can ask, Tilma’s already read my mind. “And no, I didn’t say anything. I just told her you were away on important work. Though I think she’s eager to get on with her training.”
I let out a hum.
“Will you tell her?” Tilma asks after some time.
I don’t know how to answer, so I go with, “I’m no good with secrets.”
“Small village girl like that, you know how they feel about… your condition.”
“She’ll understand. She’s got that dragon thing to deal with.”
“Don’t be so sure, Farkas.”
I know she means well, but sometimes Tilma is… well, Tilma.
“Rest up, I’ll let Kodlak know you’ll be taking a rest day tomorrow.”
“Thanks.”
When I’m alone again, I can’t help but think of her question: will Svana find out? Would she care? Would she understand? I don’t know if I’d be happy if she accepted my… curse, or if I’d be concerned that she wouldn’t mind.
I can’t think anymore. I lean back down into the water, and hope that the aches don’t carry over into the morning.
