"That armor suits you."
Charlotte side-eyed her comrade, Benny, before plopping down onto a tree stump, sitting before an evening campfire. They were on guard duty that night, and Benny had been polishing his lance. He was a man of few words, but Charlotte has long gotten used to it. He has been one of her only friends since she joined the border guards.
"Thanks," she said, dryly. The new set of armor was a lot more fabric and steel than she was used to, it would probably take a bit more time for her to adjust. Benny himself had gotten a new set of steel armor. "Who knew this whole war thing would get us promoted, huh?"
Benny only gave a small grunt-his own idea of a response. Charlotte was used to it. "Bigger pay, new armor-all that would be good if only we weren't recklessly charging into Hoshidan territory on the front lines."
"But that's why we got paid more," Benny said. Charlotte understood. If they hadn't joined in when Corrin asked for their help, they would still be on border duty, with the same old salary. The stakes were higher, but with her salary increase, she couldn't complain much about the pay.
Moreso now with her parents being provided for, Charlotte thought. She hasn't had this much spending money before, and wasn't too used to it. Sure, there were a hundred things she wanted to buy from her personal list... but it still felt odd.
Prince Leo's servant came to us and gave us gold, saying that we'll be provided with a monthly pension for all your hard work in the army...
Hard work in the army, my ass, Charlotte thought. If she'd actually taken the battlefield as seriously as she could, maybe she wouldn't feel so unease with everything. She knew she could do better, but she always held back, not wanting to scare off men.
"Benny... do you think I even deserve this?" she asked him, breaking the silence.
"The promotion?" he asked, and was met with a nod. "Of course... You work hard. If not on the battlefield, then off of it. Though you could take it a little more... seriously."
"Ugh." Charlotte groaned, and then gave him a little punch to his forearm, which Benny barely felt, what with his armor. "I have a lot more money than I'm used to right now, and something in it just doesn't feel right! Like... Like something's wrong!"
This was everything she had hoped for. Someone else providing for her, her family set for life, a life where she no longer had to worry about them. She didn't even have to marry into wealth to do it-just fulfilling an odd agreement with the second prince of Nohr was sufficient. It was a good exchange. Everything ended up to her benefit. Even if Leo eventually stopped caring for her parents, she would be completely fine, as the salary boon she'd been given was adequate, and she would be able to save.
Benny was quiet, not knowing exactly what to say. "...I thought this was what you wanted," he finally said. He knew Charlotte long and well enough to know about her agendas, and she frequently rambled on to him about money and rich men, far too many times.
Charlotte sighed. "...I guess that was what I thought, too."
They were quiet for a while, Benny not even making a move to confirm if he'd heard her or not. Charlotte let her own thoughts wander. The odd sense of emptiness from getting everything to her advantage was new to her. In past circumstances, she would be over the moon, conquering men and bending them to do what she wanted and shower her with gold and gifts. She was even proud of the fact and showed it off when she could. But this time...
"...Maybe it's because you don't hate your benefactor this time," Benny said, breaking the silence.
"...Hate, huh," Charlotte said, almost a whisper.
"...You always said they were idiots."
"Because they were!" Charlotte said, with a chuckle. She never thought highly of any of the men she'd been with. Perhaps deep down, Benny was right-she hated them. She saw them as conquests the same way some men saw her as one, and then promptly moved on to the next man after she grew tired of one. They were idiots all the same to her, falling for the mask.
"...Well, this time, he isn't one," was all that Benny said, referring to Leo. "It seems you... actually want to be worthy of his attention."
"W-What? Where'd the heck you get that from?!" Charlotte said, growing flustered, heat rising from her cheeks. She fidgeted with her clothes, growing somewhat uneasy.
Benny only gave her a smile, and said nothing more. Charlotte would fall into silence too, and then realize perhaps he was right.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Every morning, Odin and Niles checked in at Leo's tent at sunrise. They were battle retainers, Leo insisted, not butlers or maids, but they still insisted in carrying tea or coffee to him every morning. Besides, Niles would say, if we didn't check on you in the mornings you're bound to wear your nightgown to battle, milord. Leo had given him a defeated groan.
But he did enjoy the company of his retainers, like he did that day. Niles was maintaining Leo's armor and battle gear, while Odin pored over a stack of papers-mail and missives sent to Leo.
"Oh," Odin said, out of the blue. "Milord. You have a letter from the she-devi-I mean, your mother."
Leo raised his brow, occupied with an unruly chunk of hair that never seemed to stay in place under his headband. "Oh, good gods," he said. "I wonder what it is this time."
"Hmm, she is asking when you'd come over for tea, milord."
Leo groaned. "Tea. How mundane. Tea invites while I'm in war."
Odin, coincidentally, had been drinking tea. And as he read onward, he choked on his tea, sending himself into a coughing fit.
"You ok there? I told you not to swallow too soon," Niles said, with a salacious grin, not looking the least bit concerned.
Odin wheezed for air, while shooting Niles a dirty look. Leo chuckled. His retainers could be amusing. "Odin, are you alright?" he asked.
"Your mother-" Odin said, "-she asks when the wedding is."
"What wedding?" Leo asked, expression shifting to pure confusion. He went over to Odin, grabbing the piece of parchment from his hand. He skimmed through his mother's perfect cursive and then found it.
You are surely getting married to Charlotte, aren't you? When is the wedding? Is after the war a good time? You do love her, do you not?
Leo knotted his brows, staring at the letter. He couldn't figure if his mother was genuinely excited at the prospect of him finding a woman, or if it was her form of provocation-mocking him for the lie he said that day.
You do love her, do you not?
"Well, that was straightforward," Niles remarked. "Your mother hasn't changed, milord. But least now you have her constant nagging to find a woman out of the way..."
"Niles, you dimwit," Odin said, "Now the problem is, she might nag Lord Leo to get married for real."
Get married to Charlotte for real. Leo couldn't help but imagine it.
Charlotte has always gone around proving and showing she was a competent housewife. Doing traditionally female things-she'd confessed she genuinely liked them as well, preferring them to battle. While she would say she acted that way purely to hook in a man, there was also an undeniable joy he would see on her face when she made the perfect meal, or mended clothes like new. Living with her likely wouldn't be so bad. He'd have someone on his arm to all those annoying social gatherings. Maybe she'd make him those fancy boxed lunches every day, and he'd have someone to hold onto every night. She no doubt would be an excellent wife.
"...It wouldn't be so bad," Leo found himself saying.
"Uhh, what happened to, 'she's a gold digging woman like every other woman I've met'?" Odin asked, sounding perplexed.
"What happened? Love happened," Niles answered, elbowing his fellow retainer. "You're the dimwit, Odin. You really think Lord Leo the sort to favor a woman he doesn't have feelings for?"
"Love, huh..." Leo said, as if to the air. Is that what it is? His feelings for Charlotte did change. From not wanting to have much to do with her, it changed to something more. Into wanting to make sure she was safe, cared for, and had nothing to worry about. Into wanting to make sure she had a wealth of opportunities and favor on her side. Into flashes of annoyance when he would see her a little too close to other men. Into silly daydreams of him actually marrying her.
"That goofy smile on your face says everything, milord," Niles said, sniggering.
Leo snapped out of his daze, clearing his throat, trying to shift his features back to the cold, practiced scowl he often did-the mask that the second prince of Nohr wore. "I-I was not smiling like an idiot," Leo said, a weak denial.
Odin beamed, breaking into his own idiotic grin. "M-Milord! What a joyful day it is! This marks the day our liege has known love... I propose you confess! Under the stars or after a romantic dinner...!"
The thought already made Leo blush. "That's a little... You're a little too excited on my behalf," Leo said. "...I'm not quite sure she feels the same."
"Milord... It's Charlotte," Niles said, as if that answered the question.
"This is Charlotte we're talking about!" Odin said, echoing Niles' statement. "The same woman who screams, 'wooohh, money!' while swinging her axe on the battlefield?"
Leo managed a chuckle. "Pfft. When exactly did you hear that?"
"The other day," Odin said. "Scared the life out of me, I swear. But that begs the question... What if she only likes you back for your money, then? Can you live with it, milord?"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
What if she only likes you back for your money, then?
Of course, he fit right into Charlotte's category of the ideal man-rich, and noble. Royalty, no less. Someone who can help her and her family out of poverty. He'd fulfill all her dreams in one fell swoop.
But his standing, his privilege-it was part of who he was. He had been born into it, and there was nothing much he could do about that. A lot of people "like him" solely for these things he had been born into, so Leo did his best to turn them away by acting cold, or even cruel. He had notoriously turned down many women impolitely.
How ironic of him to end up liking a woman who valued those very things-money and standing. Niles and Odin were right. This was Charlotte. She would be probably be over the moon with joy if he confessed his feelings for her.
But he also wondered... Would it really be possible for her to like him for, well, himself?
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
A/N: This chapter takes notes from the Charlotte x Leo S-Support. I always liked the way Charlotte grows a conscience there, and grows self-aware of how bad she is, because she doesn't want to hurt Leo. It was so sweet.
I have much love for Charlotte's others supports, and find her with Benny to be quite touching as well! Regardless if they marry or not, I think he's one of Charlotte's few friends.
Please review! 3