locked to failnot

[darkseal]

[The Officer's Academy is a very interesting place. In some ways, it's more or less what Hubert was expecting, given what his father's said of his experiences here, but it's the people that really make the Academy so fascinating.

There are other nobles present in the Golden Deer class, though their house also has several commoners. Both are treated the same by teachers and faculty alike, which is a bit surprising, given the rest of Fódlan. In some ways, it feels like the monastery is completely removed from the rest of the world, existing separate from the Alliance, the Kingdom, and the Empire entirely.

But it wouldn't do to forget their places in the world - most of the students here seem very aware of that. That does seem to be why Claude is here, after all - and where Claude goes, Hubert follows. That is the duty of the next head of House Vestra, and it is one he wears with pride.

Admittedly, there's quite a lot he doesn't know about Claude. They've known each other for a little while now, and reached the point where they get along well enough, but Hubert isn't stupid enough to believe Claude fully trusts him and he's certain Claude recognizes that he feels the same way. They remain cautious, but as long as Claude remains next in line as leader of the Alliance, Hubert remains his to command.

Not that that's his primary concern today; it's one of their free days, and Claude seems to have vanished. Even Hilda doesn't know where he's run off to, which leads Hubert in the direction of the library. It's certainly one place Hilda wouldn't bother to look for their house leader, anyway.

So he isn't surprised at all to find Claude here, and it looks like he's currently occupied.]

...You seem to be enjoying yourself.

[There isn't really a need for Hubert to announce his presence - it's not like he was trying to hide it, after all - but he does so anyway as he studies the books Claude's picked out.]

Comments

[darkseal]

[Claude's question is hardly an unfamiliar one - it's been drilled in his head every day since he was old enough to start learning all the duties of House Vestra. It's certainly the sort of thing that most people would find confusing, perhaps. Concerning, possibly. But for House Vestra - and Hubert - it isn't anything he needs to really consider.]

Of course. House Vestra exists to serve the leader of the Alliance, regardless of what decisions they may make.

[It isn't the nice sort of loyalty born of trust and dedication; it's the sort of thing most people find baffling. A loyalty born of duty rather than devotion isn't something that Hubert expects everyone to get, but that's perfectly fine by him. His stance on it isn't changing. This is what he was taught and who he is, and as such, his loyalty remains Claude's. That doesn't mean he'll turn a blind eye to just what Claude is up to - but it is his business to remain knowledgeable about what his charge is up to.

So it's complicated, but as far as he's concerned, it makes perfect sense.]

[failnot]

[ just like that, huh. it was that easy? claude had more questions, of course, curiosities that wouldn't go satiated unless said questions were spoken out loud. but there's a certainty to hubert's answer that has claude holding his tongue for now, lashes dipping a bit in consideration as he watches for the usual cues of hubris (and/)or lies.

he finds none. naturally. which could be because: one, hubert wasn't lying (most likely), or two, hubert was so good at lying that not even a fellow liar like claude could pick up on it (likely, but not as much). it didn't particularly change claude's plan of addressing this little boon and hiccup, how and where he planned on setting hubert into his plans. ]

Not my usual style of loyalty, but hey, if it works for you and the Alliance, who am I to judge?

[ he tried not to judge, period. especially not at a juncture like this, where he hardly had all the pieces. but even if he might choose to curb his tongue in certain matters (certain questions), that didn't mean that claude couldn't pick hubert's brain in other ways. he was here to serve the eventual leader of the alliance, right? which also meant helping with his education, as this library was. so, ]

Still, it does make a guy curious. How did House Vestra end up swearing fealty to the leader of the Alliance? The Alliance hierarchy might be centralized now, but doesn't leadership still change hands once in a while?