Work Text:
Dearest Leonie,
I was delighted to hear you’ve been well after the war. I reveled in a fragrant walk yesterday, envisioning your demeanor—and brighter yet character—in the daffodils, until I could not bear it more.
I am aware I have made lofty promises before and I intend to answer for them, should you allow me. If you are available, I wish to have you at the Gloucester estate following your present assignment.
Fervently awaiting your response.
Ever your friend,
Lorenz Hellman Gloucester
“Leonie, you okay?”
Leonie hastily folds the letter and stashes it in her breast pocket. She swipes at her eyes before turning to face her companion. “Yeah, yeah, I just uh, have an errand to run.”
“Anything you can use a hand with?” The mercenary grins and winks, flexing his arms — his trademark, whether he did so consciously or not.
“Alec, please. I’ll hurl,” Leonie laughs and gives him a shove toward the exit of her camp. “I’m fine. Just make sure there’s something for me to eat when I get back.” Alec seems to accept it and gives her a short chuckle as he allows himself to be escorted out.
“Fine, just don’t do anything dangerous or dumb. That’s my job.” His teasing smirk starts to fade into something else as he stares down at her and Leonie averts her gaze.
“Oh, you won’t have to worry. I couldn’t do anything close to idiotic by your standards,” she scoffs, blocking her doorway with an outstretched arm as Alec breaches the exit.
Alec imitates being stabbed and twisting the knife while he walks backward toward the canteen, bumping into a passing mercenary in the process who shoots him a look. “See?” Leonie points her finger in mock accusation. When Alec laughs her off and jogs out of sight, Leonie lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.
Leonie turns, digging through her belongings and retrieves some parchment and a pen, cursing herself with how desperate she was to respond to his invitation with haste. It’s been some time after the war and Leonie still awaits their reunion, and whatever that entails. As a small bit of revenge, she decides to tease him with an ambiguous reply. He wouldn’t suffer too long though, it would only be a few days before they could see each other.
“Oh, what a surprise…” Lorenz grips the door beside him on reflex, his teeth gritting in a tight smile. Leonie had accepted his invitation and was at his home, and in a rush to lay eyes on her, Lorenz yanked the door open before his footman could get it. What Leonie neglected to mention in her letter, is that Leonie’s mercenary troupe often stayed with her in the village. Upon their arrival at Lorenz’s estate, he was naturally taken aback.
Then he finds Leonie’s gaze, the joy on her face, in her own element surrounded by her comrades, and it’s incomparable. Lorenz releases the door and opens his arms, in which Leonie fits herself in a strong hug. She complains about smelling like field and sweat, and pulls back shortly after, but it was always a comfort to Lorenz, which he didn’t mind saying out loud as Leonie blushed bright red.
He didn’t expect this, to say the least. But that’s fine, Lorenz had rooms to deal with guests. What he couldn’t put aside was the man with the large frame who’d been leaning an arm over Leonie when he first saw her. Alec is his name, Lorenz wouldn’t soon forget.
“I gather you all would appreciate a nice freshen up. My attendant here will show you to the proper rooms and set your baths.” Lorenz motioned for his steward to take over. “Take your time! Dinner will be prepared shortly.”
Lorenz almost skipping with glee with his objective complete, turns to Leonie who eyes him in amusement. “Right this way,” Lorenz motions, and Leonie steps into a stroll alongside him. Leonie peeks at Lorenz and smiles to herself as they walk upstairs and turn down a few halls. Lorenz finally stops in front of a closed door and Leonie raises an eyebrow. “Your room?” She questions.
Lorenz nods, and motions for Leonie to open it. She does, smirking as she leads the way. Leonie takes in the decor as Lorenz shuts the door with a click behind them. Leonie turns on her heel and Lorenz is closing the distance. His lips land on hers and a gasp escapes Leonie’s mouth that has Lorenz pulling back to right the offense he must have made.
Leonie grasps at his coat, preventing his escape. “Why are you stopping?”
“Oh,” Lorenz says dumbly, and half of the word dies on Leonie’s mouth. Lorenz’s long arms fumble for purchase on the wall behind them, caging Leonie against it in the process. Leonie moans and pulls at Lorenz’s back so all manner of space between them is filled with Lorenz. He grunts and breaks away to kiss down her neck. “I’ve missed you,” he mumbles into her skin, Leonie’s mouth dropping open when the air hits her sensitive flesh.
“Me too,” Leonie sighs around a moan as Lorenz’s pulls her skin into his mouth and sucks softly beneath her ear. “Oh Goddess, come here.” Lorenz complies, lifting his head to Leonie’s height, ready to answer to any whim she could think of in the moment.
Leonie’s first instinct is to kiss him hard and bruised but she sees the look on his face, adoration apparent and half lidded eyes and brushes their lips slightly. She stares up into his eyes unceasingly and Lorenz stills with bated breath. “I love you,” her lips move against his as she says the words and Lorenz presses in to capture her lips, his hands moving to grab her hips bruisingly. Leonie tightens her hold on his back, her hands full of the thick fabric as Lorenz makes a painting of her mouth with his tongue.
Leonie eventually releases her grip regretfully to push at his chest and free her lips. “Okay, I mean it... I really have to bathe.” She lets out quick puffs of breath as she speaks. Lorenz nods, and gives her a hips longing squeeze before stepping away.
“I’ll meet you in the dining room,” he says, breathless. He stops at the doorway with a soft chuckle, like he’s replaying something in his mind. “I love you, too,” he says before he leaves the room.
He then gives Leonie some time and space to bathe, though he almost turns back to await her in his quarters. But he could wait, they would have plenty of time. For now he sets his amorous thoughts aside, when he finds Alec wandering about his manor. “Hello there,” Lorenz steps in front of him, blocking his path.
“Hey! I was just checking out the nice digs.” The smile Alec plasters on is overly sweet and unfaltering. The competitive type, Lorenz notes.
“I think I know just the place you’d want to see next.” Lorenz motions for Alec to follow him as he leaves the hall and Alec lets out an amused breath of a chuckle before following Lorenz.
Alec keeps the smug expression on his face until Lorenz leads him to his drinking room, and pours them both a dry gin. Alec’s eyebrows raise ever so slightly when Lorenz downs his easily. He surely didn’t expect Lorenz to have it in him. Alec grabs the bottle and doubles his amount, sends Lorenz a tauntful look, and knocks it back. He coughs as it burns his throat on the way down, wondering what the fuck he just drank. Lorenz smiles, akin to the one Alec gave him in the hall, and steps aside to show him the full bar. He sets the gin bottle back in its place while Alec studies the shelves of liquor, unable to hide his awe. He’d never heard of half of these drink varieties.
“You are free to taste whatever you like. Enjoy yourself.” Lorenz pats Alec on the shoulder as he passes him to walk into the next room.
After Leonie and Lorenz are seated at the dining table, Alec walks in, face all rosy. Lorenz hides his grin in his hand as Leonie asks what was wrong with him. Alec grumbles, not giving an answer, and Leonie looks away confused.
Lorenz puts a hand over hers on top of the table and her concern about Alec dissipates, Leonie meeting his gaze with a shy smile. They’ve never had practice with public displays of affection, but Leonie thinks she’s starting to like it. Lorenz basks in their shared comfort until Alec takes a seat at Leonie’s right, of course, and now he wishes anyone else had filled the seat before he got there.
But they get through dinner just fine, and Lorenz enjoys the way Leonie acts around her companions. The easy way the mercenaries laugh with no concern for mannerisms was something to be admired. Lorenz watches in amusement, dismissing Leonie’s apologies for their behavior.
Alec, being himself, whispers some joke they seemed to share, and his blood boils when Leonie laughs back. It was clear as day to Lorenz that Alec was fond of her, and when Alec meets his eyes, Lorenz knows he means to stay around to see his dream come to fruition. Clearly, he wasn’t aware of the nature of Lorenz and Leonie’s relationship, so Lorenz planned to make that unmistakable.
While lost in this reverie, Leonie notices Lorenz sitting quieter than usual. Thinking he feels left out, she leans her head behind Lorenz’s jaw and sneaks a quick peck there. Lorenz blinks and looks over, but Leonie moved so quickly, you wouldn’t think it even happened. Leonie hides a smile when she takes a drink, and Lorenz knows he didn’t imagine it. Perhaps this wouldn’t take much work at all, he thinks.
After dinner, Lorenz suggests they all migrate to the parlor for some games. He leads his company over while explaining Blindman’s Bluff, the game they were to play. Being the guest of honor, the mercenary group all nominate Leonie as the ‘Blindwoman’.
“What? If I’m so important I should get to choose!” She shouts over their chatter.
While they argue, Lorenz gets comfortable, stripping his outer layer down to his waistcoat and white collared shirt. He looks up after adjusting his sleeves and finds Leonie averting her gaze, face reddened.
“It seems the majority has made their decision. Forgive me, Leonie,” Lorenz apologizes, as he removes the puff tie from his neck. Leonie’s mouth goes dry as he approaches her slowly, eyes on his hands undoing the silk neckwear, until it’s wrapped gently over her eyes and tied.
Lorenz’s voice hits her sensitive ears in the dark, “I will spin you now.”
Leonie feels his hands on her shoulders and she’s turned a few times, the weight of his hands gone as he dashes away. Leonie sighs and puts her arms out, stumbling around the room. “If I grab any of you, you’re dead,” she threatens with no bite. Everyone stays silent and frozen in their spots as Leonie walks, feeling the air for any surface.
Leonie nearly walks into a wall, and Lorenz offers, “Wrong way, dear!” Leonie perks up and heads in the direction of his voice, a small smile on her lips. Lorenz intends to let her catch him as a reward for her effort, but Alec steps out into her path a foot away from her, and Leonie’s fingers bump into his arm. “A prisoner!” She exclaims in pride. She feels up the arm, and it’s rather muscular, Lorenz hates to admit.
To Lorenz’s surprise, Leonie sucks her teeth and guesses her captive correctly, “Alec. That was too easy.” Leonie unties the blindfold and hands it to Alec, walking away to take a place near Lorenz so Alec can take his turn.
“Hey, you’re supposed to do this part,” Alec says, even though he’s already tying the blindfold himself.
“Yeah but you’re good at doing things to yourself, aren’t you,” Leonie jokes and Alec smirks under the tie.
Alec heads in Leonie’s direction, and she parries and dodges much like she would in a fight until she’s backed into a corner. “I know you’re there,” he says, confident that the outcome will be in his favor. He steps closer and there’s almost no way for Leonie to avoid touching him. Lorenz watches, his hands clenching as they dance around each other, envisioning all the reasons why Leonie knew Alec by a touch. Leonie gets Alec to grab someone else from their troupe and the tone of their laughter over the trick gives their identity away. They play for a few more rounds, but Lorenz is internalizing and doesn’t keep up with much.
After their entertainment, Lorenz tasks an escort with locating sleeping arrangements, which he makes sure are far from his own room, Alec’s in particular. Leonie catches up with Lorenz and her smile melts his stormy disposition. “Will you join me for tea?” Lorenz says softly, a hand at her cheek briefly.
“Of course,” she answers, taking hold of the hand Lorenz pulls back and squeezing before letting it drop to his side.
Lorenz leads her to his quarters and they sit at a small table, a tea placement for two already there. Leonie smiles to herself, knowing that he had prepared for this ahead of time. Lorenz pushes his intrusive thoughts back for now, opting to spend the moment fully present with Leonie. After all, he knows she loves him back.
Lorenz stares at her for a moment, thinking just that, that she’s all he could want in the world, that — “You are so beautiful,” he says, and sighs like it’s something that puzzles him as he leans on his hand. He notices their teacups are empty and hastily stands to lean over the table and pour her tea then his own, having to look away only briefly to do so. Leonie watches the desperate way he tries to keep his eyes trained on her and laughs.
“Oh, I really missed you,” she says as her giggles die down. “There’s really no one like you.” Leonie smiles and lifts her tea to her lips.
“I feel much the same,” he pauses to take his own sip. His eyes soften as he lowers his cup. “This feeling is certainly worth the wait,” Lorenz muses.
Leonie nods in agreement. “When we talk like this… I-it’s embarrassing and sometimes I want to hide my face or something, but… then I remember everything we’ve been through. And I’m glad we can.”
Lorenz slides a hand over the table and Leonie reaches for it. She gasps when she picks his hand up in hers, and Lorenz follows her gaze to the back of his hand. It’s the remnant of the wound he received back during the war —they both remember the day it happened very well.
“It’s still here…” Leonie says in awe, brushing her fingers over the skin. “I mean it’s a scar so of course it is, I just…”
“Brings back memories?” Lorenz offers. Leonie nods. Maybe they’re both seeing the same thing as they stare across at each other. The loss, the tears, cold nights, warm nights, the first kiss, the next, a promise.
Leonie starts to stand, still holding his hand in her grasp. “Can we...?”
Lorenz stands silently and follows her lead. Leonie pulls him to the bed, and she lets go of his hand, settling on the sheets. She curls onto her side and Lorenz joins her, offering his hand again when he settles facing her, and she takes it without hesitation. Leonie doesn’t say —doesn’t know—what she wants, but it feels right. Lorenz strokes her cheek and leans in to kiss her, and it feels right.
When Lorenz wakes Leonie isn’t there, but it mustn't have been too long since she moved, as the sheets are still warm. The thought of her laughter and gentle touch from the night before runs in a constant loop in his mind as he washes up and dresses for the day. Before he leaves his quarters, he pockets something from his armoire.
Lorenz isn’t met by any chatter in the halls, and he doesn’t see that familiar flash of orange until, by chance, he glances out the window overlooking the flower garden. He approaches the window and his stomach sinks. Alec is there too, too close as usual, but Leonie’s hand is in his and she isn’t pulling away or brushing him off, or something. Anything but this.
Lorenz backs away from the window and worries over the night before, coming up short for explanations as to what went wrong. There could be something he was missing, maybe he read it wrong, but when he peeks back out the window the pair were already gone. There was something he was reading wrong.
Lorenz finds his housekeeper and requests that she handle preparations for their guests’ breakfast. He can’t bring himself to join them, or see them, just yet.
When Lorenz finally makes his way to the sitting room, the tension is palpable. Leonie is leaning in an armchair, head in her hand and gaze far off. Alec passes Lorenz with the iciest glare and the resentful grunt that escapes Alec’s lips makes Leonie’s eyes shift directly onto Lorenz. She raises hastily and walks straight to him. Lorenz can see Alec staring at them in his periphery, but Leonie doesn’t spare him a glance. Lorenz’s can’t find it in him to look away from her large eyes peering up at him, noting that her posture has shrunk her more than ever before. She looks delicate, vulnerable… upset?
“Can I talk to you?” She says. The door slams behind her somewhere and Leonie jumps.
“Leonie, I’ll be outside. To keep an eye on him,” another mercenary says.
“Thanks, Felix,” she replies without looking away from Lorenz. Lorenz can hardly breathe, because her expression says it's something serious and he’s not sure he wants to know what she’s going to say.
“Please?” Leonie says, because it's been a good twenty seconds and Lorenz hasn’t done anything but stare, wide-eyed.
Lorenz nods, stepping aside and letting her pass into the next room. Lorenz closes the door behind them and waits for Leonie’s next move. Leonie paces for a second, before choosing to drop onto a divan. Lorenz sits next to her, posture rigid and silently absorbing her every feature. If this is the last time he does, he’d like to make it a vivid memory.
“The others want to leave soon. Like as soon as I give the okay.” Leonie keeps her head down, bangs falling over her eyes. “And I’m sorry, I’m probably acting really strange, it’s just… something odd happened this morning.” Leonie peeks over at Lorenz, worrying her lip. He nods for her to continue. “It’s about Alec.” Lorenz’s gaze visibly darkens, but Leonie’s looking forward when she continues. “He’s such an ass, and I could go on all day, but the gist is he wants me, and is obviously, very threatened by you,” Leonie lets out a humorless chuckle.
Lorenz’s eyes shift back and forth in disbelief. Then this morning, did he confess his feelings? And if Leonie is reacting this way she must have…
“And he did not take it well when I told him about us, I can’t —”
“Leonie,” Lorenz interrupts, then pauses, “If I may?” Leonie nods for him to continue.
“There is a reason I requested your presence here. And though I’ve missed you, that is not the reason. I made you a promise, and I think it’s time I follow through with it. And since you’ve brought up the topic of your departure,” Lorenz sucks in a breath, and moves from the sofa to settle onto the floor below Leonie, reaching up to hold her hands. Leonie meets his touch, curling her fingers beneath his. She crinkles her brow when she feels something cold drop onto her hand, and Lorenz moves his hand aside, peering up at her. Leonie gasps and pulls the item toward her face to look at it closely. In her hand is a ring, in the center a ruby stone circled by smaller white diamonds.
Lorenz clears his throat, and Leonie looks over to see he’s moved onto his knee, their other hands still touching. “Can I convince you to stay? At least for a while longer…”
Leonie's hand slides out of his grasp, and in the time Lorenz takes to look down to his empty hand, Leonie’s is already sliding back into his. The difference being, the ring now sits on her finger.
Lorenz snaps his head up and Leonie’s hand grazes his cheek, sliding into his hair. Lorenz feels Leonie’s lips on his, and his mind is barely catching up so he pulls back to take her hand away and make sure. Lorenz gets a glimpse of her tear stained face as she pops into his line of vision. “It’s a yes, Lorenz,” she interjects his bewilderment, grabbing him by the face to pull him back into her. This time, Lorenz kisses her back.
Eventually, Leonie leaves the room, only to send her troupe away, explaining that she’ll be staying for a while.
My dear Lorenz,
I’ll never understand how you can write me this way so casually. It’s embarrassing. I’ll be home soon, love.
Your everlasting wife,
-L
Lorenz holds the letter in his hand, rereading it for the third night in a row. Lorenz figures that Leonie must have sent the letter on her stop in Sauin Village, to visit and provide some finances before heading home to the Gloucester estate. His wife, ever the diligent one, spends time traveling as one of the leaders responsible for increasing communications between citizens of different beliefs and backgrounds under Claude’s rule. Unification wasn’t always the prettiest road to walk down, but they believed in Claude’s ideals. Claude and his team of leaders have also begun to spread out more east to reach farther regions, but they’d take it in waves, giving everyone time to spend with their families.
Lorenz, being the head of his estate, stays in place to run his household, and care for his children. And small children are certainly a handful, moments spent like this, alone in his quarters, were few and far between.
“Father, father! Rosie pulled my hair!” Like clockwork, his youngest daughter barrels through the door, running up to Lorenz in tears.
“Leona, my dear, do not cry...” Lorenz picks Leona up and onto his lap, smoothing her orange hair and consoling her, a bad habit of his that only reinforced her whiny behavior. “Now now, tell father what happened. What did Rose do?”
Leona chokes on a sob, and opens her mouth to speak. Before anything comes out, they hear a girlish shriek coming from downstairs. It's the sound of Rose’s laughter, they realize.
“Ah, mother must be home!” Lorenz stands, picking Leona up to carry her on his waist. “How about we forget all about it and go and see mother, hmm? Will that make it better?” Leona nods and wipes at her eyes, earning a chuckle and a firm kiss to the hair from Lorenz.
Lorenz walks her through the halls and downstairs when they reach the living room and find Leonie, her coat tossed aside and Rose laughing on the floor while she’s being tickled.
“Father, let me down! I want to get her too!” Leona complains from his side. Lorenz smiles and places her on the ground, and she runs over, intending to pile onto Rose, and earns the onslaught of her mother alongside her sister.
Lorenz folds his arms and watches the trio, captivated by his love for the small family. His own, he tells himself with a smile. Finished with her teasing, Leonie picks them both up onto her hips and walks up to Lorenz. “Time to give father some love,” she says, lifting the pair up to their father, and all three of them cover Lorenz’s face in kisses. “I missed you very much,” Leonie says when they pull away, as she lets her daughters back onto the floor.
“And we missed you,” Lorenz replies, leaning in to kiss Leonie.
“Mother, let’s play some more!” Rose interrupts, pulling at her mother’s hand. Leonie pulls out of her grasp and ruffles her purple tresses playfully. “Yeah!” Leona cheers, hugging Leonie's leg, putting all her weight onto her mother in the process.
Lorenz laughs when Leonie’s widened eyes meet his, knowing there were no bounds to their daughters’ energy levels. “Dear, I think your mother needs to relax. How about we run a bath for her?”
“Okay, let’s go!” The two race away, and Lorenz yells after them, “Find Anna beforehand girls, do not attempt to run the bath by yourselves!”
Leonie chuckles from behind him, sliding her hands over his chest. “Thanks for saving me, sweetheart,” she breathes at Lorenz’s ear. “But I think it’s you that needs a break.”
Lorenz looks down at his wife’s hands, admiring the ring on her finger before turning in her grasp. Leonie wraps her arms tighter around him, pulling him in to kiss him breathless. Lorenz eventually gets a moment to catch his breath.
“All three of you will be the death of me.”