Chapter Text
Felix lived a simple life. Going hunting in the morning till noon and hoping he'll get lucky enough to catch some wild animals he can either sell in the city or bring home as dinner. If no animal comes across his path, he would resort to fishing in a nearby river. The afternoon is reserved for strolling the city of Faerghus. Either selling whatever he caught -he knew some nobles that loved meat for some dish of wild game and who would pay a pretty penny for it- or trying to find an easy job he could take over and earn some coins.
In the evening he would return to the hut in the forest- hopefully with something edible- and try to clean himself up at the riverside while praying that neither Mercedes or Annette burn down their rundown but trusty wood hut when they cook whatever Felix brought home and the vegetables they had grown outside.
Well that would be a nearly ideal day.
But since living in Faerghus meant many cold and frosty winter months, that drove the animals away from their lands and crops unable to bloom for the majority of the year, they would cuddle together in the evening, with empty stomachs and hope that the next day would bring some beam of sunlight that would warm up their frozen bodies.
Yes, Faerghus was a harsh place during the colder months. People in the city got grumpy from the cold and everyone was struggling on their own to save enough food for their own families.
Since hunting during that time would come to naught, the three of them tried to find random jobs in the city. Helping to keep the streets free from snow for some houses, wash the clothes in freezing water, when the people didn't want to do it themselves in this icy coldness or anything else they could find.
Of course they weren't the only ones begging for jobs in exchange for some food. Felix knew a handful of people that were like them, living from hand to mouth, trying to survive day by day. Hoping that one day they can live in a warm house, enjoying the winter next to a warm fire place, knowing that they had enough provisions in their pantry.
Not long ago Felix wouldn't have believed that a miracle like this could happen. He believed that years on the street taught him the harsh reality. But then one of the kids that were living on the street got adopted by a noble. He believed it was Lord Lonato who took in a street kid who broke into his house one night. That truly was a miracle in Felix' eyes. If he got caught breaking into a nobles house, no doubt that they would drag him in front of the royalty and demand them to put him on the pillory on the marketplace.
So Felix bid his days, trying to find some measly jobs with the two other women that lived with him.
They were a weird trio. Or rather, he was the odd one out, like a sore thumb that just didn't fit to these girls. These two were nearly always sunshine and smiles, spraying positivity everywhere even on an empty stomach. Felix would never admit it – he'd rather die in a pitch – but he came to find comfort in their ways.
Annette's silly but endearing songs could light up his mood after a failed hunt while Mercedes' reassuring smile and motherly words could make him forget the coldness in their hut. He remembered fondly how they had met a few years ago.
Annette and Mercedes have been together for... god knows how long. They were poor, but happy to have each other.
One night – snow had fallen again – they had found Felix lying at the side of the street.
He had gotten into a fight with someone that refused to pay him for delivering a package, saying that he took too long. Felix knew that he was a decent fighter, he was light on his feet and sometimes when he had nothing better to do he would watch the royal soldiers on the training ground and memorize their movements. So he did know the one or other thing about fighting. But that day he was worn down from walking in the snow, delivering a heavy package for that guy and he wasn't quick enough to avoid the punch to his stomach and the ones that followed.
Being some kind of saints, even in their own pitiful situation, Annette and Mercedes carried Felix to their hut in the forest, lit a fire and checked him for any wounds.
It had taken Felix some days till he recovered enough to walk around again, although he was still in pain. Not wanting to be indebted to some strangers or wanting to rely on them any longer he asked what they wanted in return. Of course they didn't want anything from him and refused to take the little money he had on him which just irritated Felix even more.
Finally they came to an agreement that Felix could help them forage the forest in hope to find anything edible or some herbs they could sell to the pharmacist in the city.
But as that winter was particularly gruesome, he came back from his trip even more frozen with only some single berries that had somehow survived the cold till now to show. Annette was ecstatic to see some sweet berries and said that this was enough to repay them but for Felix that wasn't enough.
Though not wanting to bother the woman any longer he thanked them again begrudgingly and went his way.
Although as soon as the weather got warmer and animals started to rummage the forest again, Felix went out and was lucky enough to catch a deer in a makeshift trap he set. He sold the majority of the meat to some nobles and used the money to buy some other food that wouldn't go bad too fast and brought it to the hut in the forest. He had contemplated to just put the things in front of their door and leave but he was worried that wild animals would come by and eat the things before the residents of the hut would notice it so he had knocked the door and got greeted by a smiling Mercedes.
It had been exhausting to convince her to take the food and even after she took it she insisted on him staying and cooking a meal for him. And that was the first time Felix had seen someone burn the food by just boiling it.
Mercedes apologized a lot for the burned food while him and Annette ate the food anyways. Can't be picky about food when you barely have enough.
When Felix wanted to leave again, Annette had asked him to stay for a while. She told him that a stranger had been going around the hut since a few days and she was worried that he was planning to break in to harm or even abduct them. „We can't offer you any money for your protection but having a place to sleep and being able to share food should be a fair payment right?“ the girl with orange hair had said and Felix was unable to decline the request.
In the end he wasn't even sure if there really had been a man going around the hut because in the following days and weeks he had never seen that said stranger. He suspected Annette came up with a lie to make him stay because both of them pitied him for roaming the streets alone but he had gotten used to their arrangement and didn't want to complain after all the time had passed. Annette and Mercedes also never talked about him having to leave so they must have come to a silent agreement that they will work as a trio from now on.
Since then three winters had come and gone. Today had been a snowy day again.
Felix had gotten lucky and caught a rabbit that was nosing the snow, looking for grass that was buried beneath it. When he made his way back to the hut, the snow had stopped falling and the sun had come out and made the ground beneath him reflect the sun rays. The weather had gotten a bit warmer in the last few days and he spotted some birds in the sky, announcing the end of the long winter. Soon they could cast some seeds again and Felix would have more luck hunting in the forest.
But as of now, he still heard the crunching of the snow beneath his feet when he walked and every breath he exhaled left a small white puff in the air.
He was sure Annette would complain about the cold again, demanding Mercedes and Felix to sleep next to her so she wouldn't feel too cold. In the beginning Felix had refused to lie anywhere near the other two. He just didn't feel comfortable to sleep that close to other people but one morning he woke up and Annette and Mercedes were coddled up at his sides. They explained themselves by saying that he was shivering in his sleep and they didn't want him to catch a cold as they couldn't afford any medicine at the moment.
So he surrendered to his fate and didn't say anything anymore when his two companions laid out their thin blankets next to his in the following nights.
When he arrived at the hut, he saw no signs of Mercedes and Annette. Both of them probably went into the city, trying their luck to find a small job. Lately both of them had gotten lucky. The local pharmacist had allowed them to help him grind some herbs as this winter had brought many ill people and he needed every hand he could get to prepare enough medicine for everyone. The money they got had been enough to get them through the coldest nights by buying a thicker blanket for the three of them to share.
Felix decided to gut out the rabbit and went to the river side to wash it out.
He took out a dagger which he had gotten from his parents when he was still young and went to work. The dagger was the last thing he had left from his old life and it was already worn down a lot but he used stones he found at the river side to sharpen the blade and kept it usable over the years.
When he was done with the rabbit, he packed it in some cloths and put it on the snow to keep it cool while he cleaned his hands and dagger in the cool water of the river.
Felix focused on cleaning the blade, making sure to not leave any dirty spots on it so he nearly missed the red strings that flowed in the water.
He examined it and quickly came to the conclusion that these red strings were in deed blood that must have been carried here from somewhere upstream. He quickly put the dagger into his makeshift belt and walked up the river, tracking down any signs of blood. Best case, it was a wounded animal he could sell, worst case he would find a human. Alive or dead, he wasn't sure yet. Based on the amount of red that was being carried down by the stream, the thing had lost a good amount of blood. Probably not deadly but enough to weaken it.
He hurried along the river, trying not to slip on the snow and then he finally spotted the source of the blood. There was a boy draped over a tree trunk that had fallen over the river. He didn't look conscious as his upper body was hanging over the trunk and his head was hanging headfirst just a few centimeters over the water. The tips of his blonde hair were touching the surface.
Felix had two options. Just go away and hope someone else will find this person in time or carry that guy back to the hut and see if he can help him. If he decides to carry him back and the man dies under his hand, people might think he had murdered the man. If the man survived, he might give him a good reward. Judging by the thick coat the man was wearing, he was well off.
He looked around, making sure no one else was nearby. A part of him just wanted to leave and not bother with this. He had enough problems on his own and he wasn't some kind of hero or saint like Mercedes or Annette.
Thinking about these two... they would probably give him an earful if they found out that he had found a wounded person and left him floating in a river. He could already imagine their eyes looking all disapproving which made him let out a groan. He slipped out of his shoes and let himself slip into the river. Holding on to the trunk so he wouldn't fall and inched closer to the man who was still not moving one bit. 'Why am I even doing this to myself?' Felix grumbled while trying to ignore the coldness that creeped up on him through his wet clothes.
When he arrived in the middle of the river he pulled down the man and draped one of his arms over his own shoulders and made his way back to the riverside. Noticing how heavy the other was he wondered what the best way would be to bring him back to the hut. Once at the riverbank he heaved himself out of the water and then dragged the other one out. Giving himself a moment to rest he looked the other boy over. He could see that the other male had a sharp face and lips that looked too pale. Probably because he was hanging in the river for a while now.
There were a few minor cuts on his face, maybe from the branches of the tree, another wound on his right arm and one on the side of his stomach.
He had to get the man back to the hut and start a fire quickly to warm him up.
After putting on his shoes he mustered his strength and lifted the man over his shoulders and made his way back. If he was lucky, Mercedes and Annette were already back and could help the man. He didn't know a lot about wounds and how to take care of them and usually just let Mercedes do her thing when he had an accident while hunting.
The way back felt like it took a small eternity. Cold wind felt even harsher now that his clothes were wet and the man felt heavier and heavier by the second. He tried to focus on breathing and putting one leg in front of another.
Finally he saw the hut and when he opened the door he was once again greeted by no human presence. Of course his luck would forsaken him on a day like this. He tried to put down the man next to the fireplace as gently as possible and looked for some wood. They had to gather it last autumn because in the winter the wood would get covered by snow and become wet and unhandy to cindle a fire. Sadly they didn't have that much left after the long winter even though they tried to use it sparingly. Felix probably had to man up and gather some wood outside anyways and chip down the wet outer layers of the wood to get some more material for fire.
After making sure the man was still breathing, he started the fire and removed the wet clothes from the man. He took care not to irritate his wounds any more and then took their thick blanket and wrapped it around the man. He looked at the clothes of the man and even in this debauched state they were screaming high class in his face. Suddenly irritation flooded him. Why was he helping this man who probably never in his life helped anyone who was beneath his standards?
He balled the clothes together, threw them in a corner and sat down next to the man. Contemplating his next steps. He could still throw the man into the river again but honestly, that would have been stupid after he went through all the hassle to carry him back. Beside that he wasn't sure if his muscles could even lift him again as they were still aching with pain. Just letting him die in the hut wasn't going to work either as Mercedes and Annette would surely want to save him when they come back.
He lifted a blanket a bit and looked at the wounds on his stomach. At least it wasn't bleeding anymore. Blood stains on their new blanket would have been unpleasing.
He realized that his medical knowledge really wasn't of any help so he just threw another wood piece into the fire and changed his own clothes for now. The man was a lot taller than him so he couldn't find clothes that would fit the stranger. Not like he had a lot of options for clothes. One pair was wet and the other one he had was on his body now. His jacket was also still dripping water.
He seated himself next to the fire and wrapped his arms around his legs, trying to will the coldness out of his bones. It probably would had been more effective to lie down under the blanket too but Felix wasn't going to lie down next to a stranger he had just fished out of the river. Annette and Mercedes were as far as his comfort zone went.
Just then the eyes of the other flew open and two blue eyes pierced him with his stare. Felix wanted to wait a second and not do anything rash that would scare the other but even then the man jerked up and looked around wildly. 'Where am I? Who are you?' he asked. His voice was highly alarmed as he took in his surroundings.
Felix suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. 'I found you in the river and brought you here. Who I am doesn't matter. But I think I deserve an explanation why you were bleeding in a river and who you are.'.
The other man eyed him from head to toe. He was obviously trying to figure out if he should bolt for the door and make a run for it.
'Don't even think about running right now. You have a wound on your stomach and if you move to much it will rip open again. Beside that, you're pretty much naked.' Felix pointed out and watched as the man looked under the blanket, realizing he was only wearing his undergarments. His eyes darted to the corner where his clothes lied on the ground and his face quickly turned red. Then he cleared his throat and wrapped the blankets around himself.
'I'm... sorry if my words were harsh just now. I was just... confused. I was sparing with someone and fell down the cliff. I must have been lucky that I fell in a river and were found by you.'
'What kind of idiot spars in the middle of a Faerghus winter? Do you rich people have nothing better to do now?' as soon as the words left his mouth he bit his tongue slightly.
Maybe it wasn't the smartest idea to offend someone of a higher standing. If he was unlucky, he could still drag him to court and just say that he was the one who had wounded him. The court would surly believe someone who could fill their pockets with money.
But he only got a chuckle out of the man. 'Haha, yeah that wasn't one of our best ideas... Well I owe you my thanks for helping me, Sir.' he implied a bow by nodding his head.
Felix just grunted as an answer and stood up. 'How are you feeling? I only checked you once. Do you feel pain anywhere else beside your stomach and arm? Not like I can actually help you... I could get a doctor but you would have to pay him yourself.' Felix scratched the back of his head, feeling pretty useless.
'No... I do feel a bit cold though.' the stranger looked around again as if he was looking for something warmer than the blanket. 'Sorry but you probably can only scoot closer to the fire. I don't have any clothes I could give you.' Felix explained. Somehow the noble looked incredibly misplaced now. An awkward silence hung around them for a while before it was Felix' turn to clear his throat. 'I'll prepare some food for you. It should help you to heal faster... I think.' Felix said, grabbing his still damp jacket and left the hut.
Once he was outside he spotted Annette and Mercedes who were walking down the path to their home. The shorter girl was carrying some carrots and bread and started to wave with her free arm when she saw him at the door.
When they arrived Felix told them what had happened and told them to check the man inside again but also be careful. You never know with these rich people even though the stranger seemed pretty harmless.
He quickly grabbed the rabbit he had left in the snow -grateful that no bear had come and took it – and went back inside. He saw that Mercedes and Annette had introduced themselves and asked the stranger to show them his wounds.
Mercedes checked him over and took out some herbs she stored in one of the few boxes she had and started to cook some water over the fire. After Annette had hurt herself once while trying to set a trap Mercedes had made sure that they had some herbs at home to treat smaller wounds.
Soon the water started bubbling and she added the herbs and waited a few minutes before handing a cup to the stranger.
'Drink this and I think you'll be fine in a few days. You can stay here while you are hurt, if you don't mind.' her face showing the smile she always wore.
The stranger eyed the cup and then Mercedes. Probably wondering if it was poison but then he took it and emptied it in one go.
Annette gawked at him. 'Wasn't it... hot?' she asked worried.
The man took a deep breath. 'It was. I... I'm just used to having my food served in an edible temperature. It slipped my mind to let it cool first.' Annette and Felix exchanged a glance while Mercedes took back the cup. 'Maybe you should rest some more.' she only said and gestured him to lay down. 'We will prepare some food in the meantime.'
Afterwards Felix helped Annette to cook the rabbit and boil the carrots. The pharmacist had been kind enough to give them some spices so they could even put in some for their guest who seemed... to have high standards for food.
The dinner was uneventful although the stranger didn't really seem like he was full. Sharing a rabbit between four people meant that everyone got a smaller portion even though Mercedes made sure that the injured person got more than them.
They went to bed after dinner but put another wood piece into the fireplace to make sure that it wouldn't go out so soon. Mercedes hung the clothes of the stranger around the fire so they would dry over night and then the three of them cuddled together, wrapping themselves in the thinner blankets. Their thick one was still wrapped around the stranger after all.
While dozing off Felix noticed that the other male was still staring at them, confusion written over his face. And he noticed that the man hadn't even told them his name yet but then he already fell in a dreamless sleep, his body too exhausted from the day.
The next morning greeted them with warm rays of sunshine coming through the window.
Annette stretched next to him and then huddled a bit closer to Mercedes. Felix quietly removed the blanket and got up, stretching his limbs to regain some feelings in his legs and arms. His gaze wandered to the stranger who was still laying there but his eyes were open and alert, watching him.
Suddenly feeling awkward being watched like that after he just woke up he stopped stretching and walked over to the other. 'Feeling any better?'
'Yes, in fact I feel really well.' as if he needed to demonstrate it, sat up and twisted his torso a bit and circled his arms. Felix eyed the other. He might not understand a lot about medicine but he was sure wounds like that weren't supposed to heal that fast. Either the injury wasn't that deep after all or the guy was a beast in reality. Or Mercedes was a wonder pharmacist.
'Great. Then you can leave.'
'After some breakfast of course.' The blankets behind him shifted again and Mercedes stood up.
She must have been awake and listened in on them. Annette grumbled a bit but then got up as well.
They took out the bread they had gotten in the city yesterday, which was already stale and hard but it's probably all they could afford, and divided it in four.
Once again the stranger looked at the bread with an alienated stare and then started to eat it slowly.
'I'm sorry. It might seem pompously but do you always live and eat like this?' he suddenly asked. His face was contorted in some kind of sadness and disgust. Felix snorted. The irritation he felt yesterday suddenly bubbled up again.
'What do you think? That we set up this hut while you were unconscious to seem particularly poor so you would feel pity for us and give us a greater reward after you're all good to go?' Felix spat at him.
The stranger seemed perplexed. 'I'm sorry that's not what I wanted to convey. I- I truly didn't know that things were this bad...' he seemed troubled and guilty. Annette hushed Felix before he could retort anything and offered some water to the stranger.
'Please don't mind him. He's always this cranky after he woke up. But I'm glad you're feeling better today! You really have the health of a bull!' she beamed and dissipated the tense atmosphere with it.
After the breakfast the stranger put on his dried clothes and tried to offer his coat as a reward to Mercedes so they could sell it but the woman only declined and said that it's only natural to help people in need. Beside that he might get cold on his way back to his home if he left his coat with them. A knock on the door interrupted them and Annette opened it carefully.
'Excuse us, for interrupting you this early in the morning. I'm Dedue, the retainer of Prince Dimitri. We are currently looking for his majesty after he went missing yesterday. Did you happen to have seen him? If you don't know, he has blond hair and wears a black and white coat.'
Annette stared at the man – Dedue – and then let her gaze wander over her shoulder to look at the stranger in their hut. She looked at his hair and then she looked at the black and white coat draped over his shoulders. 'P... P... PRINCE?!'