Chapter Text
For Hubert von Vestra, staying alive was a perilous game. After all, many of the things he did outside of his lady’s gaze were quite immoral, sometimes even illegal. However, it was all to ensure her success, and to him, it was worth it. Death hadn’t caught him yet, and he worked to keep it that way.
All that changed when he entered the Officer’s Academy.
When Hubert stepped through the threshold of the monastery, he felt the air change. Exactly what about the air changed, he could not say. But something did.
“What’s wrong, Hubert?” Edelgard asked. “You seem ill at ease.”
“I am fine, Lady Edelgard,” Hubert said. “Simply looking forward to moving your plans to the next step.”
She raised an eyebrow, but did not press the issue further. As they continued further into the monastery, the change in the air became more and more prevalent. Was it excitement from all the other students? Was it something in the monastery? Was it a new type of poison he wasn’t aware of?
He mulled over every possible cause, but he couldn’t arrive at an answer that explained it...until he stepped into the courtyard.
Damn it , he thought. That old family curse.
The Vestra family had been serving the Hresvelg family for over 1,000 years, and while Hubert would serve Edelgard faithfully now and forever, his ancestors did not all hold the same ideals.
Long ago, one Vestra abandoned their service to run away with their soulmate. That made the emperor furious , so they ordered that Vestra be found and brought back to the palace, and their soulmate be killed. Once they were found, the emperor ordered a curse to be placed on the Vestra family to ensure a situation like this would never happen again: when a Vestra met their soulmate, a death clock would begin ticking, and they would die within a month unless they could kill their soulmate and prove their loyalty. However, the previous emperor felt the punishment was too harsh, and added an extra portion to the curse: Vestras could detect where their soulmate was just by being in the same general vicinity, whereas the rest of the population found out through touch, and the clock will not begin ticking unless the soulmate has been made aware through this method. The curse caused the Vestra family to marry for convenience rather than love, but the system has kept the family bloodline running for all these years. Recent emperors have been working to undo their tyrannical ancestor’s curse, but no progress has yet been made.
Hubert thought he wouldn’t have to deal with it until well after Edelgard’s plans had been completed, but the world was cruel.
Should I bring this up with Lady Edelgard?
“Hubert,” Edelgard said. “You are uneasy again. Do not redirect the conversation this time; I want to know what is bothering you.”
And his decision was made for him.
“I fear it is the old Vestra family curse,” Hubert told her.
“Here? Now?”
“Yes.”
“Oh dear.”
The two stood in silence as more students congregated in the courtyard.
“We are going to have to figure out who this soulmate is,” Edelgard said after some time. “Once we do, you will have to avoid them at all costs.”
“An excellent plan, Lady Edelgard,” Hubert nodded. “Let us see where this sense is the strongest.”
The two walked around the courtyard, Hubert a pace behind Edelgard. The feeling ebbed and flowed in various places, but it was strongest around a tall, sandy-blonde woman chatting with a short red-head.
“Lady Edelgard,” Hubert whispered. “I suggest you speak with those two. That is where I get the feeling the most.”
“Alright,” she whispered back. “Hello, you two.” Edelgard turned towards the two women, and extended her hand. “My name is Edelgard von Hresvelg, and I am this year’s leader of the Black Eagles. Might I get your names?”
“Oh, hello!” the red-head said. “I’m Annette, and this is my best friend, Mercedes. It’s nice to meet you, Edelgard!”
“Yes, it’s very nice to meet you,” Mercedes smiled. “Who’s your friend?”
“This is Hubert von Vestra,” Edelgard gestured to Hubert, who merely stood there, arms firmly against his side, a scowl on his face.
“It’s nice to meet you, Hubert.” Mercedes held out her hand, and Hubert wanted to shake it. Oh, he wanted to shake it, but he stood firm. He would not let his death clock begin ticking down, not while he had things left to do.
“I must apologize, he’s not one for handshakes,” Edelgard jumped in. “Please forgive him. We must be off now, but it was lovely meeting you.”
“Yes; you too.”
“Bye!” Annette called after them as they walked away. Once they were across the courtyard from them, Hubert spoke.
“Mercedes,” he said. “That is who I am going to have to avoid.”
“Mercedes, hmm?” Edelgard mused. “I don’t think it will be too hard to keep you two away from each other, at least until we can reverse the curse.”
“There is no need to focus on that now, Lady Edelgard; it is the least of your concerns. Instead, let us continue making rounds. It would be especially useful for us to get to know our fellow students.”
“I agree, Hubert, but I will find a way to reverse it eventually. You have my word.”
The two resumed walking around the courtyard, talking to everyone they came across. As Edelgard handled introductions, Hubert couldn’t help sneaking glances at the woman he was to avoid.
Mercedes. Either she would be the death of him, or he would be the death of her. Hubert hoped he could avoid either outcome, but it was as he said before: the world is cruel.