Fandom ❀ 𝓘𝓽 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓯𝓲𝓮𝓵𝓭..... ❀ [ 1x1 w/ WhisperingWisps & TruPolymorph ]

[TruPolymorph]

The battle at Garegg Mach had been many things; a surprise, a betrayal, and most of all - a loss for all of those allied with the church. The next five years hadn't necessarily been better either. Ignatz had returned to his home with his family only to be conscripted by the Leicester Alliance within less than a week. He went from Knight In Training, to Knight with so little as a letter addressed to his name, and with that so much more responsibility than he'd ever held. Guarding supply deliveries, fighting in border skirmishes, bandaging wounds for both allies and enemies...Some of which were so familiar it hurt to look at their faces.

But he never forgot the agreement they all made to return on the day of the anticipated ball. With Claude leading the alliance and Lorenz's family trying to maintain peace along the border it would be a lie to say he expected them to show up. Still, his heart lurched in his chest at the sight of the familiar men from his past and how they had grown. The only one he'd managed to keep in touch with was Raphael and that was due to both their similar stations and opposite skillsets putting them on the same jobs. They'd even arrived here together! Try as he might to focus on the conversation at hand, however, brown eyes kept drifting to violet and his fingers itched to reach out or put pen to paper. Something, to prove this moment was still real.

The end of the discussion came much sooner than he'd expected and was that it? Was this all the peace he would get? Expression dropping he almost missed the verdict of their meeting.

They would stay in Garegg Mach and plan a counter-attack and effective immediately, Ignatz was stationed here instead of on the roads. A mumbled yes sir ( he'd be teased for later ) couldn't disguise his excitement and when they broke apart for the night he found himself alone and for once? He didn't mind it. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the hall where once the choir had filled it with song. Absently his hand gripped at the clasp that held his green cape and he bowed his head, smiling despite the disparity of the situation. "Goddess, I can't believe this is real," he said to the room; not bothered by who might hear it. After all, they were all his friends.

 

[WanderingWisps]

The moon hung high above the twinkling sky of Garreg Mach Monastery; a beautiful sight in juxtapose of the crumbled walls and damage, a reminder of the ugliness of battle five years ago. Nothing could of quite prepare Lorenz for the next years following after the battle of Garreg Mach. Fodlan erupting into a fractured and chaotic place for them all now. What would the continent of Fodlan even look like once this devastating war was over? Would Fearghus or the Alliance make it out of this to be able to pick up those fractured pieces? His connection abruptly with little to no contact with his former classmates whom he had called his friends during his time at the academy. No graduations amongst his classmates. No celebrations or pageantries afterwards. Just the harsh reality gripping his heart that he would have to return back to Gloucester territory and prepare for war.

However, all with the exception of his only contact being Claude. The former golden deer house leader leading the alliance and House Gloucester keeping things at bay. Lorenz making partial use of his time, spending half of the decade reading up on politics and avoiding his father despite the Gloucester family governing affairs. Tension between the Count and the Leicester leader growing through the years, over Claude's tactics and movements.

Despite his duties as a noble of House Gloucester, he wouldn't of dreamt to break his agreement to come to the monastery during what would be the Millenium Festival. After all, what sort of noble would he be if he were to break such a promise to his companions? Lorenz knew that he had been quite, well, arrogant to put it lightly now that he had self reflected over the years. There was so much that he wanted to share with everyone. He wondered how much the others had grown and changed themselves aside from appearances.

Regardless of this, his chest tightened at the way those five years had treated all his former classmates. Lorenz could say for certainty that the years had been harsh and devasting alone. For a moment as they stood amongst one another, Lorenz could of sworn he felt eyes on him during their small conversation but it could of simply been his imagination. Lorenz strolled through the monastery, old bitter-sweet memories of simpler times coming to mind as he explored. Eventually coming to a stop at the stone bridge outside that led to the Cathedral. He rested his hands on the edge as he looked at the shimmering stars off in the distance as cool winter air brushed softly through his violet locks. For the first time in awhile, Lorenz felt himself at peace after so long.