【 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 】

˜”*°• 𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩, 𝙤𝙝 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩... •°*”˜

[alcrystallize]

i wanna see you be brave

[alcrystallize]

⌜ @maligknightsthorns ⌟ ⌜ +1 gauntlets prompt ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – brodia or fódlan, in his princely heart did alcryst know and instinctively feel that he must do everything within his power to provide aid to those in need - and the citizens just beyond the monastery were no exception. helping people was important to him - not only as a responsibility or duty, but because he cared about their welfare and wished for them to be safe and able to live their own lives. when the opportunity arose for students and faculty alike to travel to the village and support, he rose to the occasion - volunteering as tribute for whatever lie ahead. he initially thought he was traveling alone, but he supposed it made sense to have a partner whose back you watch and your back they watch. she was beautiful, indeed, but nonetheless intimidating by position and power by themselves - he easily lost himself in her shadow of influence.

"councilor camilla!" alcryst straightened his posture and bowed forward politely - holding his bow in one hand with the other across his chest. "i'm sorry that you were assigned to patrol with someone of my low ranking, but i promise that i will not interfere or get in your way. please let me know how i can be of service to you." having already started on his way out of the monastery, he screeched to a halt and swiveled around on his heel to face her once again - awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

"my name is alcryst, by the way. blue lions student. i-i'll stay in front and be on guard, so you can stay safe behind me… is that okay? your safety is much more imperative than my own, anyway." ⌟

[alcrystallize]

pop lock and throw it

[alcrystallize]

⌜ @lionheartedsunflower ⌟ ⌜ +1 axe prompt ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – one thing led to another, and before alcryst knew it, the flow of the crowd he was practically drowning in rushed down the mountainside to a secluded area with a roaring bonfire that envied the livelihood of the party. he would have thought that the procession of the ethereal ball would exhaust all attendants, but perhaps it was not as rambunctious as he believed it to be - given that he was not even present to bear witness to it firsthand. the party scene - with the exception of royal balls held in the castle - was not up his alley, so the fact that he was here, to begin with, was bizarre. like a fish out of water, he wandered around the area for anyone that resembled familiarity to him - the last thing he wished for was to be the reason the party dies, and everyone marks him as the one to never invite. or tell. or even acknowledge. again.

"oof, my apologies--" alcryst stammered through an awkward apology to the person he had accidentally bumped into, until the familiarity he was seeking came true - and in the form of lady nordion, no less. "professor nordion! w-what a surprise it is to see you here. were you at the ethereal ball before this? i'm not too certain how i ended up down here, but…" oh, how that could have been left to more interpretation than necessary. "i'm sorry!" he gasped, covering his face from embarrassment. "that's not to imply i'm intoxicated or anything like that! i would never!"

honestly, at this point, part of him wishes he was in order to forget this entire interaction. ⌟

[alcrystallize]

scared spice and scary spice

[alcrystallize]

⌜ @nelithic ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – wintertime in fódlan is not for the weak, though alcryst was able to withstand the icy elements given his experience traversing through elusia back home; nevertheless, he could not relent to that comfort and forget to rely on his instincts - especially when competent collaboration across the task force was necessary for success. by the grace of the goddess, he managed to pull his weight - despite his inferiority complex casting a looming shadow of doubt over himself - and complete the mission with minimal injuries. of those working alongside him, he was getting along well with someone named nel who - had he been on the opposing side - would be a mighty foe to fight against; fortunately, that was not the case - as he admired her strength and teamwork toward their shared goal during their time together. much to his surprise, the two had found themselves traveling to a simple retreat seeking warmth and food to restore their energy - and the invitation was one he appreciated very much, since friends - or, rather, potential allies - were far and few in between for alcryst.

"i am afraid i will not be very entertaining company to have, but i thank you for having me in spite of that, nel." his teeth chattered in the midst of the speech as he craved a the fire illuminated from behind the windows on the outside of the building emerging into view. "if there is anyone else you see here that you would prefer to talk to or sit with, please feel free. my presence is not enlightening as others' are…" the hint of energy he glimpsed from the doorway paled in comparison to that within his possession. a quiet evening may not lie ahead for him, but no matter - especially as the alluring scent of cooked meat was irresistible for the prince to turn away from.

"oh, that smells absolutely splendid. after you, nel." he held open the door, gesturing for her to enter inside and bear witness firsthand to what all of the ruckus would be about. ⌟

[areadboar]

Perplexed by the change which overcame the student before him, Dimitri was uncertain how to respond when the blue-haired man bowed to him. “I am he, but prefer not to use such a title. It’s rather wordy don’t you think? Simply calling me Dimitri is fine, we’re both from royal houses and viewed as equal in status by those who care for such frivolities” Personally, Dimitri disliked the idea of the current social hierarchy were people were elevated due to the circumstance of their birth rather than skill. He would like nothing more than to do away with it but it would take time. For now best he could do was to not let it fester within his own house as a way to prepare the future generation for a more open mindset. 

“You’re not imposing at all. I was only practising by myself. If anything you’re doing me a favour by asking to partner with me.” This was true, for all the usefulness of practising with the training dummies could be, it was a poor imitation of a real life opponent who could think for themselves and out smart the prince. “And you can’t judge your performance till you try. For all you know I might be terrible against an amazing archer such as yourself. I’ve heard the stories of your skill and aim on the battlefield, especially when protecting your older brother.”

Having convinced Alcryst to go through with the fight. Dimitri had been expecting the prince to bring out his bow so was surprised when Alcryst grabbed a sword instead. Interesting, one trained in both melee and range combat. Though that made sense for one trained from early years in how to lead others and defend themselves. Dimitri himself had received similar training before setting on the lance as his weapon of choice. Didn’t mean he couldn’t use other ones when in a pinch. 

He readied himself as his opponent attempted to rush him sword drawn. Bringing his lance closer into to his body, he used the shaft of it to block the incoming attack. He winced as the sword bounced back into his attacker, wounding them. He hadn’t meant to block so forcibly. It’s just training, not life or death he reminded himself. This is why no one will fight you 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you” Dimitri paused to apologise profusely for his mistake. “It was completely my fault. I am known for letting my strength get the better of me and hurting others. Your attack was good, it was a last minute block on my part” Lowering his lance, the Blue lion leader hung awkwardly on the spot wondering what to do next. “Do you want to continue? I don’t want to hurt you again.”

[alcrystallize]

⌜ ✥。.:*: – the tale of the virtuous prince of faerghus was indeed true, gleamed from his words of encouragement - as someone who has met alcryst only for the first time this afternoon - that seemed so sincere yet incredulous all at the same time. truth be told, alcryst sympathized for dimitri and his fraudulent impression of the brodian prince, for whomever shared his apparent accomplishments on the battlefield must have excluded details describing the marvel and irrefutable strength wielded by his older brother. could it be that dimitri was merely being nice to uplift his spirits or he had not yet met the man - the legend - that was diamant, but nevertheless, he would soon see that he is no match for the archer whose lapse of judgment in selecting a weapon would be his ultimate downfall during their practice combat.

"prince- oh, i'm sorry, i mean," alcryst winced whilst correcting himself, despite seemingly continuing to fumble over his words into an oblivion of humiliation, "dimitri, you have already been kind enough as to spare me any of your time or attention at all." contrary to his insistence to drop formalities, his presence alone commanded respect - and alcryst acknowledged that with a small bow, albeit not without a trace of pain aching in his chest. "your defense is commendable, but please, i ask that we continue. i may be inferior to you, especially with this sword in hand - but i cannot give up now, or else i will never be able to face you again."

he wiped the sweat off his brow with his sleeve, readjusting himself into an appropriate stance. the voice of dimitri echoed in his mind - 'i've heard of the stories of your skill and aim on the battlefield, especially when protecting your older brother.' - pushing him forward to his goal of being capable enough to protect everyone. with that resolution, alcryst modified his first attack to swing underhand toward the torso rather than overhand toward the chest - where the blade of his lance could so easily deflect his sword. ⌟

[alcrystallize]

˜”°• PLOTTING/THREAD CALL •°”˜

•｡ [ hey hi hello! i initially joined during a busy time of the year (i was determined to snatch my boy when engage characters were avail) but summertime for me means that i have more time to make some more relationships for alcryst! ♡ i'd love to get him interacting with more of all of your muses, so i had some thoughts (putting under a read more so not to clog the dash but tl;dr - i'd be open to anything either of us have in mind, winter offers diff writing opps ღ )-

mission task-board (will need an unaffiliated character!)

- [ bow + 1 ]: venturing through a winter hellscape with alcrsyt sounds like a terrible time.... let him join you pls he can't offer much except to be left behind and freeze - [ flying +1 ]: what's better than a winter hellscape? sleeping in a barn full of wyverns with alcryst, sure he thinks they'd rather kick him out, but together we can help the animals :plea: - [ gauntlets +1 ]: a knife to the throat vs alcryst... idk which one you'd have a better outcome with tbh but we can sure see! - crafting! saint seiros charms! that's so cute!

non-mission task board

- would growing taller give alcryst more confidence? i doubt it but it'd sure be funny hehe - [ heavy armor +1 ]: alcryst will do just about anything to get stronger! even wear a leotard! if he doesn't die from embarrassment first :) share the weight of humiliation? :plea: - rustic and cozy retreat... right up alcryst's alley to stay in the corner unless company comes or a change of plan occurs teehee

lastly, i still have 5 asks from the found family ask meme a couple months ago -- i did not expect to receive so many at that time, but it made my heart so happy thank you! ღ any of those can be turned into a thread or left as is -- those help with my characterization for alcryst anyway, so thank you again. ♡

ok i've rambled enough pls feel free to like or hmu on tumblr or discord! thank you for reading! looking forward to potentially writing with you!

[alcrystallize]

˜”°• ACTIVITY CHECK: MAY •°”˜

•｡ ➶ "o fragments of the emblems,"

total sp: 5 ↠ 6 ⇥ monthly activity [ +1 sp ] · bow: D+ ↠ C ✧ acquired: killer bow

total sp: 6 ↠ 7 ⇥ dropped skill thread: "sheep in archer's clothing, wolf in thief's clothing" yunaka / alcryst [ 2/2 reblogs ] [ 1,096/400 words ] · riding: E+ ↠ D ✧ acquired: dexterity+

•｡ ➵ "heed my call and become power incarnate,"

complete thread(s):· none

dropped thread(s): "it's your potlucky day" céline / alcryst ⇥ [ 3/2 reblogs ] [ 1,287/400 words ]

•｡ ➳ "i will finish you,"

active threads: · street fighter: lukas / alcryst · somebody's watching me: dimitri / alcryst · catching up: diamant / alcryst · seteth doesn't have to know: marianne / alcryst · found family ask meme (untitled): hortensia / alcryst · open to more!

•｡ ➴ "noble roar!"

[asperants]

Hortensia frowns even before Alcryst's entire apology is out of the way; ugh, he's dodging her question, already, and in that certain way of his where she's not at all sure if he's aware of it himself! Well. One thing at a time, she supposes.

"You can cool it with the honorifics for me, you know," she says, waving a hand. "I know both our elder siblings are professors here so how you want to handle that is up to you, but as far as I'm concerned right now the two of us are just plain ol' classmates. Okay?"

It had been one thing when it had been a cohort of royals and the Divine Dragon touring Elyos together, but being at Garreg Mach was far too reminiscent of the magic academy for Hortensia to want the addition of princess this or princess that. There were plenty of foreign nobles here too, kings and queens even! If Alcryst and she were to prove themselves it should be on their own merit not just some title.

"What," she shoots back, "don't think I can handle all my classes and extracurriculars on top of catching up with an old ally?" And because she's learned at least a little with how Alcryst might react to that question since traveling with him, she answers quickly: "relax, I totally can. It's why I came over here in the first place. To talk. Huh, I thought the Blue Lions seemed like a bunch of strait-laced jocks but they aren't actually putting you through some weird hazing are they?"

She glares at the surrounding students curious enough to stare at Alcryst's theatrics just in case.

"...I'll talk first," she relents, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "that is if you accompany me for tea. I have a lot to report, after all! And yeah.. it's pretty different, even from my old schooling. A little, anyway. But come on, you must be enjoying all the green even in the mountains here too? Oh, we'll have tea over there by the rose garden, speaking of."

[alcrystallize]

⌜ ✥。.:*: – despite the hostile beginning to their relationship, alcryst always admired - albeit not without reluctance - how hortensia can effortlessly command a room without as much as lifting a finger. the confidence she exuded seemed innate to her being, whereas it was another lost cause for the pitiful prince; nevertheless, it was from that respect for her disposition did he wish to emanate for himself. but it was apparent from the start that she was in control of the conversation, and he was more than willing to let her take the reins because - well, he would never confess to this (unless waterboarded or otherwise coerced), but she was intimidating.

"yes, princess -- i mean, yes, hortensia, i understand. my apologies for the formalities, given neither of us is within our respective jurisdictions." falling back on how he addressed prominent guests or others of elite status was a safety net for him, especially when he was nervous or uncertain of how to acknowledge someone - but it would seem that he would have to relent his official demeanor when speaking with hortensia over time. then, as if a switch was turned, her tone shifted toward him, causing him to quickly be on the defense until she spoke up again and clarified her intention. it was just another virtue of hers that not only was she confident but could strategically predict his next move - no wonder fighting her in the past was a tribulation to overcome.

"pardon? for tea? with me?" alcryst squeaked, pointing to himself as if she were speaking to multiple people at the same time. spending time alone with the princess was not a common endeavor of his, especially not for tea - but before he could hesitate and offer an alternative guest more worthy of her time, she proceeded onward with what she was talking about in the first place. whether he liked it or not, he suspected that she would not take 'no' for an answer. not again.

"over by the rose garden? sure, hortensia, but may i say that you are far too kind to offer me tea when accompaniment by me is one wasted on your time." he followed her lead, leaving his argument behind as he transfixed his attention from the bizarreness of their meeting here to her answer to his question in the first place. "it is refreshing to see so much greenery compared to back home, but a part of me misses the barrenness of the landscape in brodia. though, i feel that being here is a spot taken for another student of more strength or higher status that would be more beneficial to the academy. i hardly meet that standard, let alone as the prince back in elyos."

"i imagine you are fitting in nicely here, hortensia. how are your classes? your professors? are you still riding on dragons?" ⌟

[heriteur]

He can only muster a smile. There it was again. "Nonsense, Alcryst. You should know that any time spent with family, especially you, is my greatest joy."

It could honestly be considered a talent in itself, how many ways Alcryst could find to demean himself in the breadth of one sentence. Not one to be proud of, of course, for his younger brother was far more extraordinary than he himself seemed to realize, which begged the question—from where did this stem? For it to be so deeply ingrained, who was it that made him feel this way?

Diamant supposed there was little he could do about that now. He could only continue to encourage his brother going forward, just as Emblem Byleth had once advised. When they do something well, make sure they know it.

"Come now, if you resolve yourself to never believing you'll accomplish something, you'll never have the drive to make it reality." He gives Alcryst a hearty clap on the shoulder as the younger man comes to his side, "Besides, it's not a competition. Unless, of course, you wish for it to be?"

He offers Alcryst a fishing rod, "Nothing wrong with brothers engaging in a bit of healthy sport every now and then, but I was hoping to catch up... ask how your time at the academy has been so far."

[alcrystallize]

⌜ ✥。.:*: – the words that were fabricated in his mind left his lips as quickly as they had appeared. "how can spending time with me be your greatest joy when you are the greatest joy of our family and the kingdom of brodia?" countering his brother was like a calibrated response inside of him - he could hardly help himself as he remained adamant on the matter of superiority within the royal bloodline. "i'm sorry, diamant. we had only just reunited, and i am already more of an imposition than normal. i'll stop now."

to say that his beliefs were misaligned with diamant's would be misconstrued. it was not that he dared to defy his older brother - much less the future king of brodia - and his convictions; rather, it was important to alcryst that diamant not be led astray with fallacious ideas that the younger of the two would ever amount to anything nearly as significant as him. having concern over him would mean that his focus lies elsewhere than the good of brodia. that was absolutely the last thing that the prince wished for. though he would be lying if he did not admit that he sincerely enjoyed spending uninterrupted time with his brother, despite his pushback otherwise.

"for it to be a competition means that you would be competing against someone with comparable skill or talent, to which i lack both." little contests as such were not lost on him; in fact, some of his fondest memories were vying for first place against his brother. as he reeled back from the hearty clap on his shoulder, a soft smile graced his features - and he relented with, "… maybe after i warm up a little bit, we'll see if i'm worth the challenge."

alcryst accepted the fishing rod and started to prepare it, dividing his attention between the hook and answering his brother. "you have been here longer than i have. i'd like to hear about you first. the academy made a wise decision to enlist you as a professor. what are your thoughts on teaching?" ⌟

[cursedbluebird]

He was right... Running away wasn't going to fix the problem... But it was better than being scolded over an accident.

"It's over this way." Marianne said softly, intending to lead him to the exit. Instead, with a soft gasp she bumped into someone. One of the bishops was standing in their way. Of course, if Marianne heard the noise, there was no doubt someone else did.

"What's this?" The bishop looked at the two students, attempting to flee the fallen statue of Saint Cichol, and came to their own conclusion. "Ah ha! Trying to run after destroying church property are you?"

"N..No!" Marianne trembled as she took a step back from the bishop. "No... well maybe... It... It was an accident... And... and we don't know how to fix it.. S... so we panicked and..." Marianne's chest felt tight, like a child trying to squeeze into shoes they had long out grown. She held her hands against her chest, backing away from the bishop who seemed to stalk over them. "I... I'm sorry." Marianne continued to curl into herself, blabbering apologies as the bishop continued to scold them.

[alcrystallize]

⌜ ✥。.:*: – a smooth escape for the two sleuths was impossible, given that the bad luck charm that was alcryst was around. much to his dismay, his unknowing accomplice collided with a bishop who was understandably enraged by the ghastly sight of a damaged holy artifact. he was seriously going to be in for a rude awakening - perhaps it would have been better had he met the gods themselves before encountering a mortal bishop. as his princely demeanor revealed itself for a formal apology, he was cut off by marianne speaking up for an apology of her own. what was she doing attempting to rationalize this situation? by every account, none of this was her fault - it was all his! lying would only get her into a world of hurt, and if anyone deserved to be the sole inhabitant of that world, it was him.

"get behind me. please." he stepped forward, ushering the unraveling girl behind him - swallowing his fears of repercussions to stand up for what was right - and standing as proudly as humanly possible. "madam bishop, please do not be upset with her. she was merely a bystander in all of this. it was i who was careless and knocked over the statue by mistake." alcryst held it together for quite some time, may he say, but old habits came out and before he knew it - he had fallen onto his knees.

"i'm SO SO SORRY! please forgive me! if i am to forsaken and pay the price for my sin, then i accept meeting the same fate -- but i would suggest on outside grounds where i will not make more of a mess than what i already have!" groveling was not beneath alcryst - and no one was beneath alcryst. ⌟

[alcrystallize]

•｡ [ small ooc note in the midst of all the ravishing toa ball threads (i've adored reading from afar) to thank my threading partners (who are still here) for your patience as i am wrapping up my year of teaching within the next two days and will post replies v soon! looking forward to getting back to writing alcryst and meeting new characters. ciao! ღ ] ｡•

[alcrystallize]

˜”°• ACTIVITY CHECK: APRIL •°”˜

•｡ ➴ "i really am worthless."

warned.

[alcrystallize]

( help )  -  for the sender’s muse to patch the receiver’s muse up .

⌜ & .˚      found  family  prompts. ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – alcryst narrowed his gaze on the target against the tree - pulling his string back and inhaling sharply before releasing the arrow. the sound of the arrow flying through the air accompanied his exhale until it pierced into the center red ring. bullseye! so far so good, he thought to himself as he replenished his bow with another arrow - feeling atypically confident with himself about his skill. maybe - just maybe - he was actually improving with his beloved weapon and could distinguish himself amongst the other archery students here at the academy. as he prepared himself for another shot, he was more determined than ever to make another target and supersede his record thus far. a silent pause befell upon him as he adjusted his position with his focus on the prize. before his fingers released, a gentle breeze blew by him - shifting the leaves ever so slightly to allow the sunlight through into his line of sight. a brief moment in time with the presence of light altered his version, causing him to abruptly sneeze as he carelessly released the arrow - high above into the treetop. damn! he was so close!

but too close he was to a hive rumbling underneath the leaves. 'oh no,' alcryst began to panic as he heard the bees stirring, vying for blood of their newfound nemesis who dared to damage their home. "i'm soooorrrryyyyy!" the poor prince shouted as he sprinted in the opposite direction - seeking any shelter to protect himself from the wrath of the angry bees. oh, he was dead meat now - and the worst part is that he deserved it. he frequently looked behind him to see if he could trace where the bees were, but one too many times he did that until he-- SLAM!

"… ow, my head." alcryst blinked his eyes open, slowly regaining consciousness as he registered his current surroundings - wincing at a stinging sensation in his forehead. light was blocked from reaching his face by a body positioned above him - whose fingers pressed a moist cloth on his scarred skin. "professor…? what did i do this time?" the prince reluctantly sighed, allowing the older woman to proceed until the reason for his escape resurfaced in his memory. the bees.

"professor, where are the bees? are they still coming after me?!"

[alcrystallize]

“   do you want a hug ?   ” (im so sorry i think they'd be hilarious)

⌜ & .˚      found  family  prompts. ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – 'not. good. enough.' by the end of class that day, alcrsyt felt defeated - like he was hanging on by the hilt of his sword buried into the earth of the battlefield where havoc was ceaselessly wreaked; yet, he could never escape from the ongoing war within his tumultuous mind. from either side of him, he was attacked by enemies mirroring his own doubt and insecurities - absorbing the only strength he had to persevere and continue marching forward into the greatness he aspired for. regardless if it was learning how to use a new weapon in combat or answering tactical questions about strategy - hell, even practice with his primary skill of a bow and arrow, he never seemed to be sufficient alongside his classmates. it was as if he was lacking something inherently that prevented him from growing to the heights that he foresaw for himself. he did not doubt the skill and ability of his classmates - but he certainly did doubt his own and his belonging in a space like this where the strong will grow stronger and the weak will eventually die out.

after a prolonged pause once class was dismissed, he arose from his seat and pushed in his seat - wincing to the screeching sound against the floor - before gathering his materials to depart when, suddenly, a classmate approached him with the most bizarre question. "pardon?" alcryst asked, seeking clarification that he had not misheard the soft-spoken girl - had she just inquired about his desire for a hug? where did this come from? he hardly knew her aside from the time they spent in class together thus far this year.

he cleared his throat as he searched for a proper answer. "forgive me for my insolence, but may i ask why you think that i want a hug?" then, he thought about the possibility of his frustration being displayed unknowingly through his facial expression or actions. oh, how embarrassing! "oh, please forgive me again - for if i have given you any indication that i am in need of one, it was not my intention! i promise i was not trying to seek out pity or sympathy for my incompetence. it just seems that i am not only incapable during class but also with myself. i am so sorry for imposing on you. it will not happen again!"

[alcrystallize]

“ hey, alcryst! tell me what’s wrong . ” (hands on her hips. it doesn't look like she's taking no for an answer).

⌜ & .˚      found  family  prompts. ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – "ah! princess hortensia!" alcryst practically jumped out of his skin as he was retrieved back to this grim reality by the everlastingly domineering yet strong-willed elusian princess. be as it may her sixth sense or astute observation of his face - to which her perception of his existence proved even more unnerving - but she always seemed to be the one who recognized that the prince was not feeling his typical self. for someone who was three years his youth, she exuded an innate sense of confidence that appeared effortless and impenetrable to any exterior forces that attempted to pierce their way through. perhaps envy was not the appropriate emotion, but nevertheless, the prince never ceased to be amazed by how she walked in this world with a self-assuredness that he could never begin to scratch at the surface of for himself. as that haunting realization befell upon him, his façade of normalcy dissipated as he exhaled a pitiful sigh.

"princess hortensia… please forgive me for speaking to you like this - or at all, for that matter - but even you must understand that your value far exceeds expending your time or energy on someone as insignificant as me." from his struggling performance in his classes handling weaponry to damaging monastery property that was priceless and a blatant sin in and of itself to the goddess, it was putting into question his arrival to the academy in the first place - was he making a mistake? or did the monks make a mistake by allowing garbage like him step foot in their halls? either way, the last thing he wanted was to share this burden with hortensia - and spare her his thoughts and feelings that did not deserve to be breathed into existence.

"i would much rather hear how you are, princess hortensia. how are you spending your time here at the academy? it is quite different from elusia, isn't it?"

[alcrystallize]

( blanket )  -  for the sender’s muse to place a blanket on top of the receiver’s muse after a hard day / after they’ve fallen asleep somewhere .

⌜ & .˚      found  family  prompts. ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – the moon alone was bearing witness to the archer shooting arrow after arrow at the target that was still visible despite the darkness surrounding them. alcryst wanted - no, he needed - to become better with his hand at archery, despite the compliments he received from his classmates and professor earlier that day during class. be as it may that he successfully hit the most targets - settling for this will not suffice. if he ever hoped to be as strong of a leader and protector as his brother, then he needed to work twice - no, thricefold - to become stronger and wield his bow and arrow as seamlessly and effortlessly as the king of brodia. but as his arms grew exhausted and his eyes became weary, it seemed that the possibility of escaping his brother's shadow was farther than ever - and soon, he succumbed to the shadow of the night cast over him and fell to his knees. after all he has been through and came out a survivor, he still lagged behind those that he traveled with back home - and should he need to rise to the occasion and protect his country, would he do so as successfully as he had? or was that only because his brother was there?

his mental turmoil joined by his physical fatigue left alcryst on the verge of slumber, but he could not go to sleep yet. he still had so much work to do. the prince staggered up and walked over to the large target he had set up by himself, pulling out the arrow and turning to walk back to his place - until he rested against the target itself and slid down to the ground. one blink turned into another until both eyes closed, and he dozed off. the evening wind picked up, causing him to shiver until a warm and soft sensation embraced him.

"hm?" alcryst stirred, blinking rapidly to register the human figure walking away from him - peering down at the blanket across him. goddess, was it soft. at a loss for words, he scrambled for the right words to say until all that came out was: "w-wait! you dropped your blanket! on me!" who in their right mind would just drop their blanket on another person unless it was intentional? he cursed himself for sounding stupid, following up his statement with: "i mean… thank you?! how can i return this to you? i don't deserve something so…" his voice started to fade, "… kind." ⌟

[alcrystallize]

“   i’ve got your back ! ”

⌜ & .˚      found  family  prompts. ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – riding wolves - beasts that always gazed at him with an insatiable hunger for meat, even if all his body could offer is measly bones - was one ordeal. riding horses was another ordeal, albeit one that came with ease to him as royalty learned the art of horseback from an early age. one would think it was a mindless task of straddling the back of a stallion and galloping forward to their planned destination, but - naturally - alcryst believed that the horses could sense his fear that he would accidentally inflict harm (or, rather, they harm him, as the question remains of what animal would want their rider to be the faulty prince of brodia?). whereas diamant appeared picturesque - like a knight in shining armor - when he was riding horseback, alcryst looked as if he was prepared to be bucked off at any moment for any given reason. he knew it would have been his wrongdoing somehow.

"steady," alcryst held on tightly to the reins of his steed, leaning close to his mane to whisper reassuringly despite his voice giving leeway to his overwhelming insecurity. "i know you must loathe the idea of a disgrace like me on your back, but this is just for the duration of class. maybe you will find me to be not so bad after all?" meanwhile, as the heels of his feet tapped against the sides of the horse, the animal proceeded forward without alcryst's consideration of his surroundings and - as the prince rose - he collided directly with a low-hanging branch from the tree that wiped him right off the horse's back.

"… i stand corrected." he sighed, though not without pain in his voice - relenting to the ache in his back until it was alleviated by his professor coming to his side with her stave. alcryst sat up and sheepishly rubbed the back of the head, embarrassed by lady nordion's reassurance - as one would give to an incompetent child. "thank you, professor nordion, but… i am really sorry. you have my back, yet i can't seem to even stay on his back," he gestured to the horse trotting off, "i won't have anyone's back if i keep this up. i must be a terrible student to you, professor, and for that, i apologize profusely." ⌟

[alcrystallize]

( hug )  -  for the sender’s muse to hug the receiver’s muse after an emotional moment .

⌜ & .˚      found  family  prompts. ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – alcryst envied those who effortlessly wielded magic and casted spells with ease; however, when he contemplated himself and the essence of magic verging together, the mere idea of it seemed outlandish to him. there was the magic a young child reads about in fairytales and the magic that destroys enemies and nations; the prince bore no similarities with either aspect of magic. there was nothing about him that was in the slightest bit of fantastical, nor was he even close to capable of destroying a vast amount of enemies -- let alone entire countries that have fallen at the hands of mages; however, the academy was a place to reinvent himself and learn a new skill he never considered once before - and this professor within his house was clearly skilled and talented with the art of magic. part of him entertained the idea of participating in a mock battle with his cousin and retainer, citrinne, who was one of the closest people to him who knew magic.

alas, his expectation for himself was a fantasy in and of itself. be it the poor recounting of the spell or the absence of magic emitting from him, he was not cut out for the mage class either. he thought he was competent enough with a bow, but not like his brother was - and now he could not even conjure up the will to utilize magic? at the end of class, he was the last one to rise from his seat and edge toward the classroom door - cursing himself again and again for never being able to excel at anything like everyone else at the academy would until he felt a pair of arms envelop him in an embrace.

"professor?!" his muscles tensed as elincia held him, uncertain of what to say or how to move. was she feeling sorry for him? was she confirming that he did not belong in this class? was she going to use her fire magic and burn him to a crisp? was it all of the above? alcryst blinked from the surprise encounter - feeling the lingering sting of tears building up behind his eyes. "professor… i-it's quite alright. really. i have a lot of studying to do if i am ever going to be able to do anything in your class. you must have other students who have an endless amount of potential… unlike a dried up well like me." ⌟