April 6th, 1502 AD
What happened last night was another interesting experience for the princess residing in the Northern Fortress.
The boy who invaded her castle was suddenly appointed to her tutor by her father, the king! Perhaps he saw something in him that she didn't. Actually no, she can't say that. Because that introduction was the first time she saw him. And from what she saw… he looked, okay? Nothing too weird like Father's right hand man, Iago, but he didn't look too friendly. As they continued the party, their father overlooking them like a stone statue all the while, Corrin noticed this August person in the corner. Nibbling away at his plate of food whilst he sat near the window. A blank expression as he saw dusk roll over them.
And today, he's just been hulled up in the study room. Sometimes moving out for more personal reasons in which she could assume. But there was not much interaction between her and her new tutor. Corrin furrowed her brows in thought as she stared into the floorboards. Gunter has been covering her basic education but apparently she was to move to more advanced levels with a boy that was older than her by only a couple of years. It seemed too strange to comprehend.
"Are you alright, Little Princess?" Xander's voice brought the girl back to reality, a wooden blade in each hand. Right… It was time for a sparring evaluation.
"Yeah, I just don't understand that August guy…" Corrin admitted, taking one of the swords from his hands. The two walked towards the rooftop where they would always spar. Corrin sighed as her feet grazed against the cold steps. "I don't understand why father would hire someone on a whim. After he broke into the fortress…"
"Well, Father did share some of his notes with me." Xander admitted, his finger rubbing against his chin. "They were… surprising, I wouldn't have guessed a man at the age of sixteen would be able to write that much and in the span of two years. Truly a mystery."
"Maybe he's writing a novel in my study room!" Corrin huffed, Xander gave a short laugh. "I can't necessarily speak on his intelligence, because I sure haven't seen it!"
"Let's push that topic aside for now." The two reached the small arena, both combatants readied their positions as they moved to opposite sides of the circle. "And let's see how much you've improved since I last visited."
Corrin readied herself, taking her stance. Letting all other thoughts fade as she gripped her blade in front of her.
Of all the things that would happen when he began his journey into Nohr, August did not expect to get a job. Well not so much as a job, more so as community service. Until Corrin Arya of Nohr were to leave this fortress and join the Nohrian court, would he leave this place. On the bright side, he could still continue his research. He had a heavy restriction, yes, but he could still manage.
Currently, the newest teacher was sketching out a lesson plan. His cloak draped from his shoulders and the ends cushioned his seat as he did. According to Gunter, the girl knows basic Nohrian History and knows deeply about etiquette. So the subjects he should cover are foreign affairs, laws and systems, possibly battle tactics for future wars, and maybe delve more into history.
He also needed to brush up on the current politics of Nohr, as he mostly glossed over it. Political discourse caused him to steer away from such. So tactics and history were first on the list. Just needed to add‒
"Hello…" A shaky voice entered the room. Turning his head, he saw the pink haired maid. Felicia Eisward, younger twin to Flora. Members of the ice tribe, how they came to the Northern Fortress was uncertain. "I brought you sandwiches, but if I may, Jakob has prepared a stew! So if you like that instead‒"
"No, no! Sandwiches are fine." August interjected, apparently she was quite clumsy according to Gunter. If she brought a liquid based meal into here then that would be most unfortunate. "Thank you, Miss Felicia."
"Just Felicia is fine…" She smiled as she set down the silver tray onto the desk.
"Well then 'Just Felicia', I would like to say my appreciation for the care you've given me." Sure, it was a terrible joke but at least it got a bit of a laugh from the maid.
August turned back to sketching up the guide, his quill pen scripting with a quick movement of the hand. With how much practice he's gotten, August would be confident in saying he was quite the penmanship. As… arbitrary as that sounded. Anyway, August noticed a pair of eyes overlooking his work. He stopped to turn to Felicia, who shrunk underneath his sight.
"O-Oh! Gods… Sorry! I didn't mean to pry!" She scurried off, red-faced, much to August's surprise. In her rush out the door, Felicia nearly bumped into the butler with a tray of tea cups balanced on one hand and a carafe in the other.
Jakob Gareth was a young man of talent‒ in butlering. However, his personality was not one of a saint. As Gunter informed them of their little home, describing each of their residents. The old man claimed that in order to converse with Jakob, one would need a great deal of patience. May this be August's test.
"Hrm… If it isn't our newest member to our humble abode, perhaps you would like some tea?" Well, that was surprising, August thought. Maybe Gunter was just being hyperbolic.
"Yeah, actually. My throat is a little‒"
"But I can't necessarily do such a thing, you might steal it or break it out of spite. Am I correct?" And there it was. The butler looked to August with a sharp glare that looked like he was trying to burn a hole in his head.
August sighed, "No, no you are not… 'Sides, why would I steal and or break a teacup?" August retorted, causing the butler to glance to the side. "There's no way to hide one, and breaking it in here would be a bit of a pain to deal with while I'm working. Completely illogical."
"Let me put it bluntly. I do not trust you. Not with Lady Corrin or even her study room."
"Why…?" August slowly raised a brow as he drawled.
"Hmph! I refuse to believe that someone hired by King Garon himself would be stupid enough to break into someone else's home for a nap!"
"I WAS TIRED‒" August coughed, letting himself calm down. Just had to take the wound to his pride and move on. "I… wasn't thinking straight at the time. But I can say that all I've been doing is working on your Lady's studies, nothing else. Nothing nefarious or evil, as you believe it to be. You can see it on the desk‒ ink is still wet so don't touch it."
"No need," Jakob sighed, turning himself with tea in hand. He gave one last glance to the tutor, "If I do see Lady Corrin hurt by you, expect nothing but comeuppance."
August gave a quiet snort at that, waving off the butler with weak energy before going back to his work. First impression, not so great. But whatever, making friends is not a priority here. Especially with a simpleton such as the butler.
August continued to work until his hand cramped. His body became sore from the time he spent in that seat. And once he stopped to look out the window, did he notice how the sun was however the horizon in an orange glow. He looked at his progress, finding it to be fifteen pages that would cover the next few months or so. Maybe he should take a break.
But before any break taking can begin, the door to the study room began to open. With a heavy sigh, August turned his head‒ expecting it to be one of Corrin's peons. He did not expect to see the princess herself walk in. She looked tired, her hair was wet and her skin was clear. Most likely because she took a bath after a sparring session with her brother. The previous screaming of 'Hyah!' told him so.
"H-Hi." The girl greeted with a bit of hesitation in her voice. "You're my new tutor, aren't you?"
"Mhm. That's what your father assigned me to, lest I rot in a cell." August shrugged, as he leaned back in his wooden chair. "But forget I said that, what is it you need Milady. Er… Mi-student?"
"Just… Corrin is fine," She cringed, biting her lip and twirling a lock of her silver hair. The princess looked away under the eyes of the boy in front of her. Gods, this was difficult. "So, what can I expect?"
"Hm? Oh, you mean the lessons." August turned to the book laid out in front of him, the ink already dried. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to share a bit. August turned to the princess with the lesson plans leveled on his lap. "We'll be covering history for a week or two, then basics of battle tactics will be taught for a month or so with a bit of the…"
August stopped when he noticed the princess absentmindedly nodding along. Her ruby red eyes examined him as he read from his book. Which he closed with a hefty sigh. Her tutor looked at her, eyes serious and spoke in a low voice. "You were curious about me, am I correct?"
"Yes, I am." Corrin looked August in the eyes, "Look at it from my perspective. A boy comes in and breaks into my home, is put into my study room, is hired by my father to serve as my tutor, and I'm here unaware of it all until the last second. It's all a bit vexing..."
"I understand your point," August admitted, "It has been a strange two days for me as well."
"But isn't it your fault you're in here?"
"...I see tact is not in your skillset, princess." August sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Sorry," Corrin mumbled out an apology as she took a seat against the corner. She patted the spot next to her, motioning for August to sit beside her. Which he did, though not with much energy. The princess hugged her knees as her head slowly drifted to them. "I can see why you're so grumpy, being trapped in here…"
August wanted to respond to the 'grumpy' comment but held his tongue seeing the girl like this. Corrin continued, her voice still low and solemn. "I guess I'm just not used to the Fortress… Hey, you traveled a lot right?"
"Yeah, for the last two years, I've been in the east."
"Wow, I've never even left these walls. Let alone the east!" Corrin brought her hands together and smiled a toothy grin. Revealing sharp incisors amongst her pearly whites. She leaned in, red pupils mirrored silver. August leaned back at the close proximity he was with the princess, so close that his nose was hit with the smell from her shampoo. He fought back the urge to crease his face and bit down the flush of heat.
Unfortunately, his discomfort went over the girl's head. "What's it like? Traveling from place to place?"
August gently pushed the girl backwards by the arm before he began to speak. "It's… been interesting. I didn't really get the chance to stay in one place. When I collected enough research, I just moved on. If I wanted to cover the whole east, then I had to be at least efficient. Besides, smelling the roses was never really my kind of lane, y'know?"
"Hrm, I get that…" The girl leaned her head against the wall, "I just can't help feeling jealous, what I wouldn't give to see what was outside the fortress."
August shrugged, leaning his head back as well. "You just gotta be patient, your time will come. 'Sides, it isn't all that glamorous."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, being out there. All alone, fending for your‒ Forget I said anything…" August stood up and stretched his legs. He looked over to the princess, "It is getting quite late, I think I'm going to head to bed. I think you should too, Lady Corrin."
The princess slowly nodded, unsure of whether to press August further on what he was about to say. She stood up, brushing the wrinkles off the hem of her dress, and waved her tutor off. "Good night, August. I'm… kinda excited to see what you have for me."
Her tutor stood in the doorway, taking a pause. Unable to respond to that for some reason. Instead, he simply nodded along before moving out. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad, saying here. He had a constant roof over his head, food, and he could still continue his work. He just had a bit of a job on the side.