[ There it is - the surprise he'd been waiting for, when he finally looks up entirely too casually it's difficult to not feel a bit of pride. Somewhat misplaced pride given this was hardly an active scheme and merely a fact belatedly coming to light, but if every reaction could be like this one: well. Maybe then he wouldn't have had to wait. ]
Well, succession's not quite that simple in Almyra. I have siblings, and my father could choose any of us he finds worthy or none of us if he feels like it. I was on my way to find out what his thoughts on that might've been before ending up here.
[ Something he can't do much about now, needless to say, though it registers with Claude almost as soon as the words are out of his mouth that this is yet another thing they share. Where it differs, though: that Petra will find him in Almyra as his best guess for his destination after departing, but his own reaching out to Brigid might not be so simple. But. Claude's spent enough time dwelling on that lately to where he doesn't want it to take up more space now, so what better way to draw out his supposed contemplation of Petra's question than by taking some time to chew it and (more literally) his own piece of fruit over? ]
I'll consider it just as long as you don't require any tree climbing contests as part of any treaties since I really did mean it about not growing up with tall trees.
[ The smile fades from his face since despite his teasing it still brushes up against another topic he's been dragging his feet on bringing up. To the point where, if Claude allows it, he's aware he'll keep up the avoidance. So much for not letting other things crowd in. ]
Pretend I have a much better segue here, but I learned something recently I need to tell you. The last weekend I was in Nocwich I met someone in Thorne who knew Edelgard and Teach when they were here and also in Thorne. [ This time Claude doesn't let himself fidget, instead studying Petra carefully. ] I haven't told the others yet because I wanted you to know first.
<3
Well, succession's not quite that simple in Almyra. I have siblings, and my father could choose any of us he finds worthy or none of us if he feels like it. I was on my way to find out what his thoughts on that might've been before ending up here.
[ Something he can't do much about now, needless to say, though it registers with Claude almost as soon as the words are out of his mouth that this is yet another thing they share. Where it differs, though: that Petra will find him in Almyra as his best guess for his destination after departing, but his own reaching out to Brigid might not be so simple. But. Claude's spent enough time dwelling on that lately to where he doesn't want it to take up more space now, so what better way to draw out his supposed contemplation of Petra's question than by taking some time to chew it and (more literally) his own piece of fruit over? ]
I'll consider it just as long as you don't require any tree climbing contests as part of any treaties since I really did mean it about not growing up with tall trees.
[ The smile fades from his face since despite his teasing it still brushes up against another topic he's been dragging his feet on bringing up. To the point where, if Claude allows it, he's aware he'll keep up the avoidance. So much for not letting other things crowd in. ]
Pretend I have a much better segue here, but I learned something recently I need to tell you. The last weekend I was in Nocwich I met someone in Thorne who knew Edelgard and Teach when they were here and also in Thorne. [ This time Claude doesn't let himself fidget, instead studying Petra carefully. ] I haven't told the others yet because I wanted you to know first.