Chapter 4: Can You Hear Me Longing For You, Forever?

Summary: The light grows darker down the road, but the genuine love between Duke Aegir and the Bear of Varley shines in a broken world. Are these the people that make Fódlan worthy of salvation?

Duke Aegir was well-loved in his lands and beyond, but here, in her home, it was the Bear of Varley who was truly the beloved one who gathered the crowds, an occurrence that was still new and raw for Bernadetta.

At the foothills of Varley, she and her betrothed rode with their retinue in a lush carriage to find a well-wishing crowd had gathered to greet their returning lady. Bernadetta flushed red as a tomato, bowing her head and vacillating between fear and embarrassment as she found herself out in the open in an unfamiliar situation.

"It's alright, Bernie." Ferdinand reached out and held her hand as they dismounted from the carriage. With her lover's hand on hers, she summoned the courage to wave to the gathered people.

"Thank you!" She called, her voice a little weaker than she would have liked. "I-I am grateful for your well-wishes and, er, wish you all the best in return!"

The crowd lovingly greeted her before dispersing, allowing the caravan to continue up to the castle. Bernadetta held Ferdinand's hand and the two entered the grounds, then up to the staircase into the keep.

There were old memories here. Memories of an abusive father, of beatings, broken heels and a lost friend. Her father was gone, exiled by the new queen for what he had done to the small woman, but memories left slower than men.

Her younger brother, Frederick, had assumed the throne of Varley. Bernadetta was loved here, it was true, but it had been agreed that she was hardly the best candidate even before traveling constantly with Ferdinand and his court.

They were brought to the great hall, a servant assuring the young lady that her brother was running late but fully intent on greeting them and their men. Bernadetta thanked her and sat near the head of the table.

"You're shaking." Ferdinand noted, squeezing her hand.

She shook her head. "Just some… old, dumb memories. This place hasn't been very kind to me, Ferdie."

He nodded. "Would you rather I have them take your dinner up to your room? I'm sure your brother would be just as happy to meet you there."

"No." She shook her head. "Thank you, but I… I need to make an effort." She smiled sweetly at him and stroked his cheek. "Can't hide behind my stuffies all the time, can I?"

He chuckled and smiled at her. Moments later the door opened and her younger brother entered with his entourage.

"Bernie!" He smiled and ran over to her, hugging her tight. "I'm so glad to see you, it's been too long."

"Hi Fredei." She smiled warmly, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm glad to see you too."

He released her. "Oh, I keep wanting to go up to Aegir to see you two." He turned his attention to Ferdinand. "Have things been well?"

Ferdinand nodded. "Very well, we just returned from seeing the queen at the Monestary."

"The queen!" He laughed, going over to his seat. "I swear that you two make me feel inferior as a lord, being the queen's confidants and all."

"Nonsense." Ferdinand put on a bold face. "Connections come through experience, and being a lord is about more than those anyway. With the proper advisors and skillset, you'll make a fine lord indeed."

"Thank you." He bowed his head. "Father didn't do a great job raising us, but… sometimes I still wish he was around to teach me some of these things. Perhaps he'll come back some day."

Not likely, Ferdinand reflected. The queen had given him mercy when she exiled him, and the day he stepped into Almyra, he had found Claude a far less forgiving host.

The servants brought by glass tanks of ale and plates of herb-crusted lamb and duck that had been roasted until there were flecks of black char at the very edges. The two accepted them with their thanks and tore in. The ale was a dark brown and nutty, the way that Ferdinand enjoyed his the most, although when she realized how much she had missed the taste of home, Bernadetta enjoyed hers perhaps too much.

Frederick made small talk with his sister as they enjoyed their meals and soon the duck was gone as well as the ale, and the group was on the last morsels of lamb when he turned his attention to Ferdinand.

"My lord, I have to ask: House Aegir has been made the rulers of the south since the war ended… do you intend to keep it that way forever?"

Ferdinand thought a moment. "I believe the queen intends to keep it that way." He chuckled good-naturedly. "Some might look down on us for some perceived treachery, but my father was hardly given a trial or even a second-look before his execution by the mad empress. It only made sense to join the other side after such cruelty, and I suppose now we're in charge of keeping the queen's peace."

"Of course." He nodded. "I didn't mean to imply otherwise." He cleared his throat. "I just, er, have never been entirely certain how to treat you, ser. You are now to be both my liege lord and brother."

The auburn-haired man laughed at that. "Ah, Frederick. You needn't give me any special treatment, really. I suppose I'm destined to be in charge of the south, but I am hardly someone to put on a pedestal. Treat me as your own."

"Very well, Ferdinand." He smiled. "How was your meal? The lamb was a little tougher than I would like."

"It is early in the season." Ferdinand offered. "But it was lovely, all in all." By now, a sleepy and half-drunk Bernadetta was clinging onto her beloved's arm. She looked up at him sleepily and fluttered her eyebrows. "It does look like Bernie needs a nap."

"Ferdie needs a nap too." She teased with the world's smallest slur in her voice. "Dinner was too good, it's not fair that duck tastes so good."

"Well, you have your run of the castle." Frederick offered them. "You'll just be staying in Bernie's old room."

Bernadetta stood and stretched. "Mm, sounds good." She blinked heavily. "Come on, Ferdie."

He stood with her and the pair made their way for her frankly lavish room. It was no wonder she spent so much time here, he thought, for she had lovely bedding and fine sheets and clothes here.

Bernadetta undressed from her finery even as she swayed gently where she stood, finding her footing uncertain. She glanced around, realizing their clothes had not been brought up yet.

"I- ugh. Ferdie, we don't have our sleep clothes." Her voice still had a small slur that was so adorable that Ferdinand couldn't help but chuckle.

"I suppose we'll have to sleep naked." He offered with a smile.

"You'll have ot keep me warm." She teased back, meeting his gaze. The short woman approached him and stood on the tips of her toes to kiss him.

Their kiss quickly turned to something more, Bernadetta intensifying it and placing her hands on her fiancée's cheeks, turning her mouth just to the side until-

Ferdinand picked up on the signal and picked the smaller woman up, hauling her onto the bed and placing her at its side. He didn't hesitate to sink before her and press his eager mouth to her nethers, tongue sliding between needy folds.

Bernadetta yelped and bit the back of her hand as it grew into a long, sweet moan. Her small, muscular thighs wrapped around his neck as she accepted him closer, whining and moaning as he skillfully put his mouth to use.

"Ferdie…" She whimpered, hands on his long hair as she held him close. "Oh, goddess, Ferdie…"

He smiled warmly up at her, his hands holding her waist still as he pleased her, giving it all effort possible to make his bride-to-be as happy as possible, taking every last drop that she offered him, finding every last sensitive piece of her.

"Please…" Her voice trailed off and, for just a moment, Ferdinand thought to be playful. He pulled his mouth away and kissed her thigh instead. "F-ferdie, don't stop…"

"How much do you love me?" He teased.

"Ferdie!"

"How much?"

She whimpered. "S-so much. I adore you. Please…"

He relented and dug back in, the tip of his tongue lovingly lavishing the most sensitive piece of her, his fingers pumping her full until she gave in and screamed, her thighs tightening around his head until she collapsed back.

Satisfied, Ferdinand stood and undressed himself as he had still been in his regalia, then joined her in the sweet, soft bed. His fiancée sleepily curled around his strong chest, cooing when he wrapped an arm around her.

"I love you, Ferdie." She mumbled, and he kissed her forehead.

"And I, you. Now rest."

She drifted off into sleep, but it did not so easily grasp the Duke. He laid awake a while longer, alone with his thoughts. In some ways, it had been difficult to see Dorothea, to remember those impassioned nights after the fall of Garreg Mach, to remember the woman he had lost innocence with.

That was a long time ago, he thought. In another life. He had made his peace with the songstress when he had been there, squared them up, ended the service of a bee so that he may fly for his own colony.

Fódlan was healing, he reflected. Perhaps with the firm but gentle hand of its three queens and the insightful guidance of him and his own bride, it would one day be whole.

Sleep did not claim him that night, but such a thing did not bother him. He gently pulled Bernie off of him, cleaned himself, dressed, and waited to greet his fiancée with a cup of coffee and a smile, the red dawn of a new day shining down on them.