» Will you not lay down your lance and walk the right path?

Clingy hearts and crushed boundaries ; Minerva+Lapis

⤷ mission task: pearlescent

lazulienne

Accepting a helping hand isn't a sign of weakness, huh... Maybe so, but it feels like it could be a slippery slope when it comes to money. Few things came in this world for free; it was hard to believe when things did.

But just as Lapis is trying to wrap her head around Minerva's attempts to reassure her, the crimson-haired woman's suspicions cut through like a sharp blade.

“Huh?” It's quiet but it slips out nonetheless. But she doesn't put out any further questioning. Minerva trusts her, she says. Even if she doesn't trust Landry.

But why didn't Minerva trust Landry? It didn't seem to be rooted in the same discomfort Lapis felt, or else Minerva wouldn't encourage Lapis to graciously accept Landry's charity. It must be something else...

The idea bugs Lapis but doesn't come to fruition until later. She simply nods, “R-right! These supplies won't get themselves! If we're getting fabric for all the people staying at the monastery while their homes are being rebuilt...”

And before she knows it, their purchases are done. The two return to the ground level outside where Landry is eagerly waiting for the two of them, eyes like a hawk.

“You two girls done?” he asks, bright smile across his face. “I took care of everything produce-wise for the monastery, just like I said! Here's the list of everything that'll be shipped.”

Lapis takes it, letting Minerva see it at the same time as the two stand side-by-side. “Wow, you really did get us a lot!”

“Right?” Landry beams with pride. “Oh, and I got something a little extra too. Consider it a gift from a friend in hard times. I insist.”

He practically shoves what turns out to be a box at Lapis. The girl, bewildered, peeks into the box, revealing a plethora of sweets.

“Why not have some while you wait for me to get your fabrics and clothes shipped too?” He makes to grab what Lapis and Minerva have.

#lazulienne #lapis support #clingy hearts and crushed boundaries #armored knight mastery #//hope you don't mind her being treatening xD #I am curious about Lapis reaction though

Soon after Minerva rushed Lapis with their business, the two managed to accomplish everything they needed to do and few moments later, both of them purchased the fabric needed and exited the shop, just to find out the one who Minerva kindly disregarded, hoping that he would have gone away.

“Ah— you waited for us, how nice..” she muttered as he enthusiastically welcomed back the couple, showing off the incredible and generous deem he had just achieved for the monastery, even pulling out a list of all the things he did and shipped for them. As Lapis gently picked the list and share it with Minerva, the Macedon princess noticed with surprise that he did buy all the things they actually needed for the monastery, but again, all that supportive attitude warned the red-haired dragoon as she sceptically eyed the young lad. “Yes, indeed a lot of trouble gone away with this” she recognized his skill in handling those tasks, but the next step was what put in alert the flying instructor.

“Oh, and I got something a little extra too” and he handed to Lapis a cute box, a wide smile appeared on his lips as he apparently hoped she would appreciate his gesture and attention. Lapis might, but Minerva certainly not. Before the pink-haired girl could even react, the Macedon princess immediately put a hand on top of the box, blocking and preventing Lapis to opening it.

“You have done much today. What inspired such generosity?" she inquired, testing the apparent gratitude of the young lad as she truly wouldn’t believe a single gesture he did up until now; plus, the slight uneasiness of Lapis did certainly alert Minerva even more after she received that innocent box of sweets from a guy who pretended to be a friend of her.

"Because someone like her shouldn't have to worry about things like this"

His response was direct and punctual, almost too focused on Lapis rather than the necessity of helping the people of the monastery and that was only reinforcing the idea that Minerva had formed from the beginning: he was hiding something and it was clear that he wanted something from Lapis, but what exactly?

“It’s just a gift from a friend who genuinely care about the others” he slightly adjusted his reply, sending the focus out of the target, but to Minerva, it was clear that he was doing so in order to remove suspicion from him. Yet, since she wasn’t the only one dealing with such nuisance, she turned to watch Lapis, observing her reaction and remembering her on simple thing.

"Lapis, remember what we spoke about? Accepting kindness is not the same as surrendering yourself to someone” and she returned her gaze on the boy, wondering if he understood the threat he was getting himself into.

Join Your Wings With Me (And Try Not to Die) || Claude & Minerva

Mission: Authority +1 || @reddragonprincess || Mission Season: Anniversary 2025

The first reply of the young man satisfied the Macedon princess, who made a genuine smile as she listened to him, observing the vicinity of his elegant wyvern, who apparently very well-educated and polite, especially in front of a large crowd of people like the one they were standing before –while Minerva clearly felt the increasing uneasiness of many wyverns around her, which was absolutely common for an animal like that, the one standing by the side of the young instructor was calm and relaxed, almost playful at the sight of the red-haired woman, which was an extremely good sign.

He definitely deeply care about her, she thought to herself as he concluded his first part of the speech, abruptly interrupted by a nuisance question, but of course that was part of the lecture –stupid question, which actually weren’t stupid, if asked with intention and curiosity, genuine curiosity. The man asking this seemingly was a bit nervous and he possibly sought a reassurance from him, perhaps an encouragement that even he could actually do it, could actually work that way.

Despite the rolling eyes of Minerva, the young man – which Minerva still wasn’t sure how to call, but she was sure she was an House Leader – eagerly gave a simple and steadfast response, something that Minerva clearly saw as a statement of a good teacher, but also of a model student: his reasoning was very easy, practical, but also effective –he not also made the crowd think about the concrete experience of each one of them, but he also did manage to make a wise statement about life and about that particular type of mount.

How brilliant of him, another thought, this time she kept it for herself as the young teacher was still explaining what for Minerva has been quite obvious since the very first time she saw Freyja; obvious, but not foregone as many adults around her seemingly were quite oblivious to that knowledge. Then, he eventually returned his glance over Minerva, who kept the gaze with curiosity and interest, grateful to hear such extraordinary response from a young student like him.

Then, another point-blank question, which wasn’t absolutely intended that way –he probably just wanted to acknowledge more about an experienced wyvern rider like her or perhaps he was just curious about a mysterious woman coming from abroad with a creature that was quite different from the rest of the wyverns in the Training Hall –as a matter of facts, Freyja did have some different features; scales, paws’ size, even the behaviour of her was different, but it the end, she was just lucky to find a resourceful companion like Minerva.

“When I was very young, I used to explore the surroundings of our home and during one of my exploration, while a snowstorm was going on, I found… a cub” she paused, giving a moment to let the memories flow in her mind, “It was so tiny and she was left alone, in the cold season, which was even greater and heavier in my homeland..” she made another pause, a glance at Freyja as to make sure she still was intact, safe, under her protection. “My parents always told me that wyverns were terrible predators in wild nature and that was why they usually tame the ones growth in captivity. Probably many of the participants here have received their partner this way” she gave a quick look around, observing each face and each muzzle, noticing a nervous one, but she kept on going with the speech. “She was… harmless, defenceless. I just couldn’t let her die out in the snow. So I decided to take her with me and.. well, the rest is story” she eventually concluded, a satisfied smirk appeared on her lisp as she shifted her gaze on the young man, recalling his name by the flyer she saw before entering the seminar.

“Claude, the bond created with such creature is unbreakable once is shaped, but for those who still have insecurities” and she glanced back at the nervous mount, “Need a hand, some directions, before the inevitable might happen” and she hint at the owner of the wyvern. “First basic rule for every flying rider: trust your creature, your partner, your wings!”

Claude continues to smile, listening to Minerva's story. Already when he first asked the question, he had a feeling that they would hear how she and her partner first met; though there are many wonderful memories to be made in life, the very first one tends to stick with most people with particular power.

So he listens - all while keeping notice of one especially nervous student and his wyvern in the corner of his eye. Trust your creature, your partner, your wings - as those words ring in the air, the young man glances at the reptile that's supposed to be just that; one last moment of hesitation before something in him seems to steel his resolve, and he takes a deep breath. Turning to his wyvern, he places his hand on its snout, then moves closer as the animal stirs, then stills, until its head is finally wrapped in a hug.

The wyvern grunts, then coos quietly, shoving its head under the student's armpit - a gesture of trust. Claude grins at the sight.

"There, you've got it! Knew you had it in you. See?" He continues, turning to the others. "It's just as Professor Minerva said, those were bred to be mounts. Of course, that doesn't make them inferior to their wild cousins in any way - it just means they understand better that you want to be friends, and they actually want it, too. They just don't want you to lead them to their deaths, which is why they might be a little uncertain about you. But you wouldn't consider not wanting to get killed to be unreasonable, would you?"

This way of explanation seems to make sense to everyone, and they all glance at their mounts again, many with a new hint of understanding in their eyes.

"Alright, looking good," Claude sums up. Whew. "Next step will be mounting, so, any more questions before we wrap up the pep talk?"

#failnaughted #claude support #join your wings with me #authority +1 #dragon rider mastery #//she likes to test him A LOT #(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑

As soon as she finished, she noticed with pleasure that young man – hesitant at first, now more aware of himself and of what he could and should do – eventually managed to approach his wyvern with more ease and less anxiety, giving the most brilliant example of what Minerva has just explained, as well as the detailed and extraordinary summary of Claude; both managed to deliver the message in a perfect way, or rather, in a way that each person at the seminar actually understood the task. She was very satisfied.

Plus, the enthusiasm in Claude’s voice and eyes were clearly marvellous in Minerva’s mind: she truly admired those who managed to keep up with such passion and desire, especially when they were so young and so proficient in what they did –Claude was a perfect example of an ambitious yet stable student who would go a long way in his career, no doubts about it.

Giving credit to that initial part, the Macedon princess smirked as soon as she heard about the next phase of the lecture –mounting. It probably was one of her favourite part to explain to her students – aside from the flying section – and since the young professor seemed so prepared, she wanted to test his skills once again.

“Would you like to explain the mounting phase throughout my demonstration?” she simply asked as she slowly moved through the crowd, an imperceptible gesture of her right hand and Freyja started to follow her, careful not to bump or touch the other participants. As the reached a more spacious area, where Claude was giving his speech, the Flying instructor gave a small and gentle pat on Freyja’s muzzled and without the need for a saddle, the woman made a simple gesture with the palm of her hand down and the wyvern lowered herself at the ground, letting Minerva easily mount on her back.

“The spikes on the back are not very comfortable, I advise you all not to try without a saddle” she slightly laughed off, glancing over Claude, a satisfied grin pursed her lips. “Could you explain the passage of this important phase?”

a promise buried in the snow | Minerva+Darios

↳ Mission Board: Herald

#grxstnnefealltoir #darios support #a promise buried in the snow #soldier mastery #//maybe we can do it in the snow x)#hope you like this!!#excited to finally thread with you <3

starter for @grxstnnefealltoir ♡

After the Ethereal Ball has eventually ended, Minerva couldn’t help but feel obliged to help organizing the expeditions to Baile, a town well-known for the exotic fruits that many students and faculty apparently loved for festivities –Minerva wasn’t exactly very thrilled to know that, but she was part of the staff that usually help out during expeditions and missions abroad, so needless to say that she was on the first line for the trekking –but the most unpredictable happened and despite the weather wasn’t exactly welcoming during that period, the monastery couldn’t imagine such outcome to suddenly happen.

Yet, the expedition wasn’t exactly the very first think in Minerva’s mind, at the moment: the promise of a spar had lingered quietly in the back of Minerva's mind ever since meeting at the ball with Darios, who happened to be a very gentle knight and a very passionate individual. It had been an unexpected conversation, followed by another equally pleasant encounter and although neither had yet found the time to cross blades, she had intended to remedy that before long; in Minerva’s mind it was a promise that had to become reality and the possibilities were many, since there were many places at the monastery where to meet and fight.

But fate, however, appeared to have different ideas and instead of polished practice grounds and clear skies, Garreg Mach Monastery found itself buried beneath relentless snowfall. The preparations for the journey to Baile had ground to a halt over something as mundane and yet as essential as a lack of tents, but the real threat was the blizzard: no one seemed eager to brave the blizzard to retrieve them. Anyone but Minerva, of course.

She prepared herself with a heavy cloak drawn tightly over the armour beneath, a pair of thick gloves protecting her hands and one of her favourite axes –you could never know if anything might happen and you always had to be prepared for the worse. As soon as she was ready, she made her way toward the monastery's great entrance and while the storm beyond the gates howled like an army laying siege to the walls, she felt a familiar presence, as firm footsteps echoed through the corridor behind her. As she turned, the princess' stern expression softened by the smallest degree.

"Darios” a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "I must admit... this is a rather unusual way to honour our promise"

a training to learn, a training to fight | Minerva + Chrom

↳ Mission Board: Epidemic - bow +1

soulsaligned

Chrom listens to Minerva’s suggestion with clear consideration. He nods along in agreement, satisfied to have been right about Minerva’s intentions. After all there was nothing quite like getting acquainted with the setting itself, in terms of developing some sense of practicality in developing a skill. “Perfect,” he adds on when Minerva finishes speaking, “I’ll grab a bow as well.”

“See you in ten, Minerva. Here’s to a proper hunt?”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 🗡 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Bow in hand, Chrom makes his way out towards the aforementioned field, boots pressing against the soft grass beneath him as he does. He wonders, for but a moment, just what this training would entail; would it be some sort of hunting of small animals? Or even just utilizing the trees as target practice, and the backdrop of nature as a means of gaining proper focus?

Whatever the case may be, it was evident that Minerva intended to be as on time as she claimed. Chrom waves, spotting her in the distance, “Minerva! Good to know that you’re punctual too!” Picking up his pace, Chrom runs up to her, a smile on his face.

“Great choice here,” he compliments, appreciating the space offered in their practice hunt. Chrom scans the area, trying to get a sense of what Minerva had planned for them. Though, when nothing immediately stands out to him, he instead chooses to ask directly instead, gaze falling back on his training partner. “So, might I ask what you had in mind for our training? I understand you wanted to practice your bowmanship, but did that mean practicing against the trees? Or perhaps a spot of hunting instead?”

#soulsaligned #chrom support #a training to learn a training to fight #bow +1 #myrmidon mastery #//right into the action #hehe

The sound of a familiar voice immediately caught the attention of the red-haired woman, who turned and lowered down the weapon as she listened to Chrom’s suggestions and questions, pondering as well what might be the best option for the two of them to practice and learn some useful archery tricks –Minerva was a bit rough with the bow usage, but the hunting mission with Niamh certainly gave her a good refresher for physical memory.

“I’d like to start from the basics, so a still target would definitely do the trick for me” she hinted at the trees, knowing that it would be a piece of cake for someone who already have some experience with the bow and with a soft smirk, she placed herself in a shooting position. “A quick warm-up just to see if I can at least aim for a precise point” she muttered as she slowly drew the bowstring, concentrating solely on one of the trees in front of her, at a good shooting distance.

Roll: 1d20 = 8, hit!

She didn’t draw the bow very hard, but it was enough to reach and hit the tree in a decent spot, even though it wasn’t exactly the spot she had aimed for. “Humph, I could definitely do better than this” she annoyingly said as she moved aside, leaving the spot for the young professor. “Can you show me a better way to aim and shot?” she teased, but she was genuinely curious about his skills and his ability with the bow.

While the couple managed to do some shots and when the Macedon princess was about to shoot another arrow, a shrill cry teared across the sky and as soon as Minerva lifted up her glance, she noticed a flock of small demonic fliers bursting from the nearby woods, perhaps attracted by the sound of movement and shooting the couple have been doing until now.

“Oh shit… here’s the real trouble” she hissed as she tried to cover herself with the bow, but sure that they would have to eliminate that threat before it could reach the monastery.

shall we learn? | Minerva+Kiran

↳ Mission Board: Anniversary 2025 - authority +1

breidatactics

The praise surprised Kiran, jolting them out of their waiting pose and into a sheepish smile. A quickly mouthed ‘thank you’ and, in turn, they bowed their head as well. That was the right course of action, right? Wasn’t just another fumble of theirs? No time to think about it, though, thank whatever god was ignoring them, because she moved right along to what she’d like to do next.

Hmmm, I think I remember that class. Okay so…

To disarm the opponent, Kiran first got into the right form. The class itself was only somewhat in their memory. Vague notions of what to do but nothing too specific. Which, of course, meant that the process was quite a bit sloppier on their end.

Roll: d20 — 10

Lucky for them, the professor wasn’t intending to hurt them during this so their amateurish ways could be worked around. Somewhat. A bit of a stumble as they moved their sword against hers. From memory, it should’ve been a more swirly (?) motion to disarm her. Except that became pretty hard when someone was applying their own strength to the sword.

Maybe they should really work on their strength.

The force applied did seem to jostle the other’s sword a little, almost loosening her grip on it but nowhere near enough to actually disarm. They clicked their tongue but attempted to teach using it. They did fail, sure, but a learning experience was a learning experience. Gesturing towards her, they made the movements again (not against her sword this time) so she could do it against them this time.

Chances were, she’d actually pull it off. If not, well… they could always try doing it again?

#breidatactics #kiran support #shall we learn #authority +1 #myrmidon mastery #//we can wrap it up in the next replies if you wish ^^

As she pushed herself against Kiran’s body, she felt a strong opposing force, all concentrated on the hilt of the wooden sword and despite the evident skill and technique of the young professor, the strength she put in that slash was a bit too overwhelming for the petite body of Kiran, who though managed to make the Macedon professor flinched a little, making her hand weaker as she felt a bit of loosening in the grip she was applying on the hilt.

Remarkable, she thought to herself as she slightly moved aside to regain some balance, observing the motions of the young boy: even if they weren’t able to actually disarm her, they did try to showed her the gesture in doing so, offering a possibility to mirroring the action they just did as a lecture; taking the opportunity to observe even better the sequence of actions to be implemented, Minerva actually realized it was in some way similar to the way you act when wielding a lance or an axe, but being the sword much smaller than the previous ones, she naively thought that she could easily repeat and redo the disarming movements without any particular difficulty –and how wrong she was!

Roll: 1d20 = 1, miss!

As she waited for them to get closer to her, she posed in preparations, placing her arms in a position she thought it would be fairly good for disarming an opponent, but as soon as their hit come, she was too slow to actually put it into action and it all ended up in a comic way of the Macedon princess to avoid the blow with ungraceful movements, dashing on the side but losing the balance and eventually tripping over herself.

“Ach… that didn’t go as planned” she said in a tone that was a mixture of embarrassment and anger, slowly regaining the standing position as she turned again to face her instructor. “But I think I kind of understand the gestures. You are a great teacher Kiran, I owe you a lot from today” and she bowed her head, before adding one last request.

“Could we conclude the lesson with a real sparring?” she asked with a hesitant tone, wondering if it was actually possible for them doing so. “I know for sure it’s the best way possible to put into practice everything I’ve learned today”

clawstic help

⤷ non-mission task: herald ( cat café )

Following the directions he'd been given to the new café, Leif finds no issue locating the place. The crowd to get in is bustling, though whether this was due to it being new versus the establishment itself having that je ne sais quois had yet to be seen.

“Minerva!” Leif calls out to his flight instructor as he walks up to her inside, finding her in a frillier ensemble than he expected. On one hand, his experience in this type of business (vaguely) means this being the uniform itself wasn't particularly out there, but for a valkyrie like Minerva herself to be put in such an aesthetic?

It gives him pause, an awkward sort of bumbling to his approach where he tries to figure out what to say now that he's actually here. She said she'd treat you, he reminds himself, trying to pull himself together, but before his newly opened mouth can say a word more, another feminine voice calls out to the two of them.

“Oh, you must be the volunteer Minerva recommended, right? Thanks for coming!” the young, friendly woman says. “I'll get you an apron, just let me go back to the back and get it. One second!”

And just as swiftly as she came in, she leaves through the backdoor, leaving the two alone amidst an army of cats lounging about and various other patrons going about their own business. A little stunned by the proceedings at first, Leif gets a grip of himself soon enough, connecting the dots...

...which leads to him leaning into Minerva, voice low as he asks, “...Was there someone else you were expecting, Minerva??”

@reddragonprincess !!

#diadic #leif support #clawstic help #dancer mastery #//I really really love the title!!#and I did not know about leif's past so this is going to be super amusing!!#thank you so much n for everything #<3

Ever since the very first time she heard of it, Minerva couldn’t help but being forced to join there as a volunteer and give all her support and efforts to help that newly sprung business to grow bigger and bigger; the truth behind that choice was actually far more deep and lovable than many might think and despite the authoritative and stern attitude of the Flying instructor, she had a very soft spot for cute little animals (actually even for big animals like wyverns, but that was another story) and since she realized that being a volunteer there was also a huge helping hand for taking care of stray cats found around the monastery, she couldn’t refuse the urge to push herself into another bizarre adventure. Yet, she didn’t expect to be paired up with someone so close to her –not in a situation like that!

It was a peaceful afternoon at the ⚞ Whiskers & Warmth ⚟ , the cute cat cafè established in the east district outside the monastery, very close to it but strategically placed in a zone where several strays swarmed in the surrounding areas, looking for food, care and attention; it has been few days since Minerva has started volunteering there every thursday afternoon of the cold season and since she thought it was a delightful place to visit and to be, she asked Leif to meet her there for returning his jacket washed and well cleaned, now impeccable again, after the mess she created during the ball.

She was waiting inside and despite the attire she was wearing (a very cute apron in blue elegantly covered with golden embroidery, standard for every maid working there), she was sure that Leif wouldn’t mind it at all, since she was actually very well disposed to treat him greatly in order to repay the trouble for the jacket –she thought that treating him as a guest and making him live an experience like that, would be a fine reward for having had so much patience and respect for her. She definitely owned him a lot for that!

As she was cleaning one of the main counter, a familiar voice called her attention and as soon as her goldenish eyes searched at the entrance, she noticed among the crowd a familiar face. Leaving the cloth to another maid, she immediately walked towards the main door and with a genuine smile, she greeted Leif with a small bow.

“Welcome to the ⚞ Whiskers & Warmth ⚟ !” she exclaimed as she returned to a standing position, “I’m glad you’ve made it, I was waiting for—” the phrase was abruptly interrupted by the feminine voice of another maid, a warm welcome as she made the mistake that would turn the entire experience of the poor young student. “W-Wait Miranda, he’s not…” she tried to follow her with her glance, hand waving at her for recalling her attention, but she ended up returning her gaze on Leif, “…the volunteer” she sighed, knowing that that might be a problem for him, since it wasn’t exactly what he was expecting to experience.

“Yes, I told Maria to come by, but not today and I think that my superior got it wrong the day I’ve told her about the recommendation…” she felt quite apologetic, but she knew it wasn’t enough. “I’m sorry. I’ve got your jacket in the back of the shop, I was expecting to give it to you while serving you something sweet to eat but…” she couldn’t finish her sentence, once more.

“There you are, please, follow me inside!” the vivacious maid welcome Leif once again, a very cute uniform hung from her arm as she gestured him to come inside. “Could you please take care of those customers Minerva? Thank you!” and she pushed Leif inside, not really waiting for any response from him. Another sigh, but this time, a soft touch warmed up the heart of the Macedon princess and as she lowered her gaze, she found one of her favourite calico cat rubbing against her legs.

“Come, come Daisy, we have some customers to take care!” she gently patted the tiny head of the cat and as she walked inside the café, she looked around to spot the targets, as she hopefully managed to help Leif get out of that bizarre situation.

princessmacedon

all things precious

princessmacedon

It only takes a single swing from her sister. Her might axe strikes once, and hard, but even as the other brigand breathlessly clutches at his leg, Maria understands at once that this was still a mercy. Not out of consideration for them, but... she turns a thoughtful glance toward her sister, soft, rosy hues set upon a brilliant crimson. Maybe for the place those trespassers sought to spoil, or those who stood behind her valiant back. But these are only guesses; after all, she is no mind reader -- only a girl who loves and listens.

Her attention turns back to the two men not for fondness, but for the many words of caution once worriedly impressed upon a bright-eyed younger sister. A rough hand pulls in panic at a rigid arm, soaked in blood and muttered curses that escalate into a frenzied yowl when the frost breaks. Falling back-- one onto his wounded leg and the other into his bed of earth and sloughed-away ice --the duo scrambles away, soon to be forgotten.

A gentle touch at Maria's knuckles pulls her back to the gentleness, the joy they had protected. Seeing that it has her attention once more, the foal happily noses her hand, snout pressed to the side of it. It rubs its face against it, from the tip of its nose to just below its horn, drawing a flurry of blinks from her in surprise.

"Oh...! Hee hee... I don't think I've ever had someone take pets from me before! Is this your way of saying thank you?" With a few affectionate scritches to the foal's forehead and an affectionate brush of its snout, Maria coos at her new friend for a brief and blissful moment. Her thumb swipes across its cheek, cradling its head as she smiles down at it. "You're welcome, little horse!" (It snorts at that, and presses against her palm as she laughs; they both know better, don't they?)

"But you should thank my sister too, okay? I may have protected you, but she protected both of us!" At that, she lightly taps its nose and proceeds to glue herself to her sister's side, arms encircling her in a loose hug. The young 'horse' huffs as if in understanding, following her to greet Minerva as well.

And after that it will reunite with its family -- just like them, Minerva said. Macedon's youngest presses her cheek into her sister's shoulder, eyes wandering toward the herd waiting for their young one to come back home.

"...just like us," comes the soft, murmured agreement. "We'll be together again." We will, she says, because they are not all together yet; one of them still strays so far away from home. And one day they will be able to let it go -- the pride, the hurt, the blood and sin -- because she has seen time and time again that beneath it all, there was always love. But it will take work. It will take bleeding, and scabbing, and scarring, but--

The unicorn touches her hand one last time in brief farewell, and Maria smiles as it finally makes its way home.

#princessmacedon #maria support #all things precious #flying +1 #noble mastery #//took me longer than i thought i'm super sorry!!#your ending was super cute and I hope I did good with my ending as well <3 #so looking forward to start a new thread with you reddo #she's so special they're so special („ᵕᴗᵕ„)#thread complete

As she felt the gentle pressure of Maria’s head over her shoulder, Minerva couldn’t help but feel in peace, utterly pleased by the marvellous ending they managed to achieve, together; as the couple glued in a warm embrace, the little horse did seem to understand the request of the petite sister and it proceeded to show its regards to the red-haired woman as well, gently pushing its muzzle against Minerva’s hand, which she carefully offered as soon as she realized that the small animal wanted to share a moment with her too.

It’s soft, humid… thoughts slipped from her mind as she hovered her glance over its small figure, even cuter and smaller than Maria, but she couldn’t really compare the two of them –both were beautiful and extraordinary, pure and innocent. The same soul within two different bodies, or that was what Minerva thought as she shifted her glance over Maria, while her cheerful voice chirped from below, though almost with a soft soft hint of nostalgia, as if she meant something very deep when she replied to Minerva, when she undeniably referred at their brother Michalis, who has been away for a long period by now, but both of them – or at least, Minerva for sure – were certain that it just was a matter of time, of patience, of hope –he would be back, she was extra sure of it.

“We will” the red-haired woman mused, repeating the very same sentence, enforcing it with a serious yet humble tone: she wanted to let Maria know that despite everything, despite the terrible feeling she hold in her stomach, she would always let her heart open for him, let her soul open for peace. It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t simple, but Minerva always struggled a lot for fighting those feelings and she would always do it in order to make Maria happy.

As the little unicorn made one last touch of Maria’s hand, Minerva rubbed her hand on Maria’s shoulder, getting her a little closer to her side, to her body, comforting her, as she knew it would be hard to let the little horse go, especially when a bond so strong yet so thin has just created and of course, would perdure in the years and in the distance.

“Farewell, little horse…” her eyes fixated on the serene sky, where the horde awaited, following the slowly steps in the air, softly trotting while making its ascension towards them. Then a stop, a last turn and it was reunited with its family.

A family is always intended to be protected and she would always mean to keep that promise.

/ e n d.

the magic of popping the corn | Minerva+Eliwood

toaball 2026 continuing from here

of-pherae

The flowers? He hadn't considered it but he has sipped flowers with tea. Perhaps it is a similar concept?

"I'm Eliwood. You're a professor as well, correct?" She certainly has the demeanor of one but he feels he's also seen her around the monastery before now.

He picks up one of his roses and the hyacinth she handed him. "Let's try mixing these." And so the petals are carefully peeled and mixed in with the popcorn. A fragrant, floral aroma arises between them and offers it for her to try.

"If nothing else, this should prove interesting."

#toaball2026 #toaball2026 eliwood #eliwood support #ofpherae #//omg I didn't know that!!#well a tiny bite won't hurt I suppose (〃･ิ‿･ิ)ゞ

Another professor, huh? That is why he was so familiar… Minerva thoughts flooded her mind as she silently crunched the food in her mouth, savouring the soft taste, but already foretasting the possible mixture of their flowers’ petals inside the bowl.

“Flying instructor for the Blue Lions, we certainly met during some assembly or faculty reunions indeed” she smiled, observing the fingers of the young man leaving the petals fly over the popped corn, fascinated by the way it looked now, colourful and fragrant already.

“Let me try them first, that way I can assure you they are edible together” she smirked, picking up a colourful popped corn and gently placing it inside her mouth: at first, the perfume pervaded her nose, but soon after, a very bitter taste struck on her tongue, making the Macedon princess grimace for a brief moment. Definitely not tasty.

“It’s… not what I expected, but I’ll let you try it by yourself” and she gently pushed the bowl in front of him, waiting to see his reaction and actually understanding if she was imagining things.

trust and cure | Minerva + Niamh

⤷ mission task: epidemic

boundlesschaos

When Minerva gives pause to her explanation, Niamh indeed takes some notes. The information that Minerva provides is resourceful - even if some facts had heard prior from others, it was both important for Niamh to know that Minerva had a basic understanding of what's going on, and important to hear Minerva's perspective on the situation.

So, when Minerva suggests that she wants to study it, Niamh's immediate thought is, of course! But Niamh doesn't voice this yet. Despite her excitement of another field study, she doesn't want to go unprepared. The strange nature of the cloud has Niamh wonder if the source of the cloud isn't as obvious as it might look, either. They'll definitely have to keep their distance, either way.

"We'll want to keep our faces covered..." More than just the mask, in Niamh's case. "But I want to see the miasmata...how it moves..."

If it's an ordinary - at least, by magical standards - then Niamh suspects that it should travel on the winds, and have a clear source somewhere, if the clouds have continue to produce in number. But if anything is out of place? That means that something else would have to be up.

"...have any animals reported the illness?" She asks not only for more information, but what their options were with travel.

#boundlesschaos #niamh support #trust and cure #tactician mastery #reason +1

Covering their faces was definitely a good option, especially since the strange disease seemed to spread among each other through air and breathe, as it was some sort of invisible dust hovering lightly in the air around the zone of contagion. And that could actually be an optimal clue to where to start their operation; as much as she heard from her men, the area of contamination was somewhat circumscribed around the source of origin, since all of them managed to fly over the area without encountering any problems or evident reactions to their health.

Niamh also mentioned a very good question too: were animals affected by it? from the reports Minerva read, any animal which happened to cross the contamination zone by ground was affected, while animals in flight (such as birds, pegasi or wyverns) did not appear to have suffered any obvious consequences –that could be their keystone to approach the area and study it while keeping at a safe distance.

“From several reports I’ve read, the contamination zone seemed quite limited, although there are favourable winds to spread it” she explained, nervously tapping her fingers on the table, realizing that the wind might cause them a bit of trouble if not properly controlled. “But my flying units reported no harm or injuries, so as far as I understand, we can try to approach the source while mounting Freyja” she freely referred o her as Niam was quite familiar to her by now. “It’s not our safest option, but it’s a bet I’m willing to take to discover a way to put that thing down” she concluded, stopping the tapping on the table as she stared at the brunette with an intense glance.

“Are you willing to come with me for this risky mission, once again?” the last part of the phrase was an obvious reference to their latest mission, which actually has been as risky as this one, but together she was sure they could accomplish the impossible. “I’m trusting you for this, you are the only one who can do it with me”

♕ June activity check ♕

Skill points

activity

Activity Check – any +1

total — [ 47 + 1 = 48 ]

»»——⍟——«« »»——⍟——««

Points allocation

given to Axe [ C* -> C+ ]

Claims

»»——⍟——«« »»——⍟——««

On going threads

Have to reply ;

shall we learn? – Kiran | Anniversary 2025, authority +1 @breidatactics Join Your Wings With Me (And Try Not to Die) – Claude | Anniversary 2025, authority +1 @failnaughted All thing precious – Maria | Fracture part 2, flying +1 @princessmacedon trust and cure – Niamh | Epidemic @boundlesschaos A training to learn, a training to fight - Chrom | Epidemic, bow +1 @soulsaligned

»»——⍟——«« »»——⍟——««

Waiting for you;

The plague hunt - Sin | Epidemic, bow +1 @chryssaetos clingy hearts and crushed boundaries - Lapis | Pearlescent @lazulienne a flier's bane – Valter | bow +1 || the climbing of friendship - Valter | Affluence, bow +1 @knighteclipsed The Wyverns and the Bees. Is this anything? – Altena | Anniversary 2025, any skill +1 @luminousrider

»»——⍟——«« »»——⍟——««

#toaactivity #activity check #i hope i did everything good

Despite the odd situation, despite the terrible disaster she has just made, the young man always managed to make the Macedon princess at ease, making her feel like nothing actually bad really happened and even accepting with kind words a silly offer she just made up in one second –and that was obviously not enough, not for Minerva, at least. She felt like she did live a similar situation, but this time, she couldn’t let that mistake ruin their splendid relationship –plus, she definitely needed to learn how to properly fix those kind of problems.

“I certainly have something to properly clean up the stain” she immediately said as she casually exchanged the flowers, “Maria should certainly know a trick or two…” she thought aloud as she observed the flower in her hand, flipping it with her fingers, until she eventually realized something, the question coming from his mouth brought out a solution in her.

“It’s been a rough period and…” she stopped, rephrasing what she was about to say to him, “Leave me the jacket, I’ll make sure it’ll be stainless the next time we see each other” she gently offered her hands, then adding another clear invitation. “Have you heard of the new café? Let me treat you something here, it’ll be my utter pleasure” and she offered a kind bow as well, waiting for a positive response.

A trick or two shared between sisters? Interest piqued, Leif hangs on her every word, suddenly eager, only to realize he's set himself up for a false expectation. When she'd said that she had something to clean the stain, he'd assumed she'd be able to do it then and there...

But that would be too good to be true, wouldn't it? Even with the boasts in techno-magical advancements at this ball, that didn't necessarily mean everything had advanced. Cleaning techniques still took time, of course...

But he still feels quite bashful to have thought otherwise even for a second. Enough to make his ears go a bit red. However, he still listens to the rest of Minerva's offer, newly intrigued.

“Alright. I'll leave my jacket to you and Maria,” he hands his coat to her, placing his trust with her too. “I can't say I've heard about this new café of yours though. Is it in town?”

Well, if he hadn't heard it before, he's sure he'll hear even more whether it be from Minerva's own lips or someone else's. News tends to travel fast in Garreg Mach after all.

“If I'm going, you can hand my jacket back to me at the café. Will that be enough time for you and Maria to take care of it??”

#toaball2026 #toaball2026 leif #leif support #diadic #thread complete #//and now I can jump on the new thread!#so excited aaaa #glad we can thread together <3 #i'm always so happy to write with you n

Despite seemingly a bit reluctant at first – or at least, the curious expression he made let Minerva thought that he wasn’t quite willing to accept her help –, the young man eventually agreed with the Macedon princess, letting her sigh a little, as she was truly relieved to be able to make up for her stupid mistake; she was the type of person who didn’t like to be put in such situation, but since it was Leif, she would make great effort to adjust the mistake and make the jacket candid and clen once again.

“I’ll make sure that your jacket will come back to you perfectly stainless” she nodded at the agreement, adding few more information about the aforementioned café, “Should be pretty close to the monastery, yes” and she quickly explained the indication to reach it, even though she as well still hasn’t been there yet. It was out of curiosity that she chose that place, or perhaps something more?

“We'll meet there and I won’t let you down on this" and she hinted at the jacket, proud to be able to be truly helpful, for once. "It’s a promise” and she bowed her head in sign of respect, sketching a brief smile before leaving. I wonder if he would like a place like this…

/ e n d.

luminousrider

The Wyverns and the Bees. Is this anything?

(it's not it's nothing)

luminousrider

You can trust me.

It's a simple phrase to say and yet it gives Altena pause. This isn't a life and death situation. Whether or not a pair of colleagues working on a lesson plan together fully trust each other shouldn't need to be the most important thing. But this is Minerva. This is someone who continues to become more and more important to Altena.

"I can trust you," Altena repeats and hopes that it's true not just in this situation but in any. She values trust and she values the truth.

Altena takes the hand Minerva offers. Had it been anyone else, she might have argued she can balance just fine on her own. But, with Minerva, there is an eagerness to not only please her but to hold her hand as well.

"I'll be furious if you let me fall." It's a joke even if the serious expression on Altena's face barely changes to show that. She follows Minerva's lead and lifts a foot.

#the wyverns and the bees #luminousrider #altena support #any skill +1 #tactician mastery

Her words echoed in the room, but also in Minerva’s heart: it might sound a bit silly, but her voice and her acceptance made the Macedon princess feel awkwardly good, satisfied and shy at the same time, even though she was the one who always show off boldness and eagerness –but this time, Altena accepted her hint and actually surprised the red-haired woman with the ease she demonstrated while doing a very simple gesture, a hand in Minerva’s hand. A mere exercise, but the atmosphere all around them was becoming more and more intimate, almost too complex to be fully understandable.

“I won’t, I would never” she simply said, but her serious tone was a way for the woman to show the brunette that she could actually trust her for real, even during a simple exercise of balance like that; soon after their hands met, Minerva lifted her gaze upon hers and for few moments, she actually became speechless –perhaps it was the surrealistic moment, perhaps it was the vicinity, perhaps it was the chemistry she felt towards that woman, but Minerva couldn’t help but feel attracted to her, a magnetic connection that locked in her gaze, as she felt a bit of tension rising in her chest.

“This is too easy for you” she chuckled as she observed the perfect stability of the young woman, possibly easing up the tension as she break that magical and intimate moment, “Why don’t we try the same exercise but with your eyes closed?” and she exchanged a soft smile, a reassurance, proving that she didn’t only trust her, but she recognised her abilities too, letting her try a further, more difficult step, but always with her by her side, with her full support and care.

“Testing balance blinded is something that mix together the trust of the person you fight with, your partner and companion, and the unpredictability of fighting contexts, where you can find yourself in a unclear and risky situation” she explained, trying her best to help her out with a possible explanation to give at the students, “Sight is a great weapon and we must learn how to be fully prepared even in the occasion when it’s not available” and she shifted her gaze on her hand, still lingering in hers; then, she shifted back at the her eyes.

“Would you like to try?”

Join Your Wings With Me (And Try Not to Die) || Claude & Minerva

Mission: Authority +1 || @reddragonprincess || Mission Season: Anniversary 2025

Claude smiles at Minerva warmly as she speaks. Her response is indeed worthy of a seasoned, and yet not heartless veteran - and the question she fires back at him, of an instructor who no doubt does her House a lot of good.

He glanced back at Nadia who, getting the hint, comes closer to him and rubs against his legs like a gigantic cat, prompting some giggles from the charmed audience. It doesn't escape his notice that some students cast brief looks at their own wyverns - wondering, perhaps, if they could have a bond quite like that.

"Well, not to get too personal or anything, but I refer to Nadia as family," he responds, scratching the underside of her chin fondly. "I was there when she hatched, and we grew up together. Of course, that type of bond is not a requirement for a good relation with one's wyvern, nor does it guarantee anything," he continues, slipping into the double role of both a student and a teacher at the same time. "I could be Nadia's favorite person in the world, and I probably am, but still not earn the respect and trust needed to fly on her."

"How... does that work?" A young man nearby mumbles, maybe to himself, but still loud enough for Claude to hear, and he glances at him.

"Well, it's simple. Think of it this way - you probably have a good deal of friends and pals, both at the Academy and outside of it. Some of them you may have known for a few months, or years, or even since childhood. You may have been through all sorts of stuff together. Still, and give it a moment of thought before you answer: would you trust every single one of them with your life?"

A few seconds pass in silence, before the student shrugs with a smile. "I could probably... Think of a few that I wouldn't."

Smiling, the House Leader nods. "Yep, and the same goes for wyverns. It's important to not think of them as regular animals. Both wyverns and pegasi are smarter than your regular horse, even if that's a statement some horse enthusiasts would find offensive." He chuckles before continuing. "A lot of the time they know what they're getting into with you, and if they don't trust you not to lead them straight into the ground, they will make absolutely sure you do not get on their back ever."

With that, he looks back to Minerva and grins, though his expression remains warm still.

"So to return to your question, I'm her family, childhood friend, and a partner trusted enough to be permitted to lead her into the fray. We stick together through good and ill."

He then glances beside her, to the large, beautiful wyvern resting by Minerva's side. A subspecies from outside of Fodlan for certain, the animal has curiosity in her eyes, but also mixed with the kind of dignity that speaks of experience.

"Do you have some stories to share about a time you saved your wyvern, or a time when she saved you?" He asks.

#failnaughted #claude support #join your wings with me #authority +1 #dragon rider mastery #//sorry i was so absorbed by the narration that it came out soo long >v> no need o match the lenght ofc (｡•́︿•̀｡) <3 #i'm really enjoining this!!#also I added a bit of possible danger if you want to make up some actions or reactions x)

@reddragonprincess sent: [ SPILL ] - Whoops! Maybe you trip over something unseen underfoot, or maybe something fantastic catches your eye and has you looking anywhere but where you’re going. Either way, your drink is now half in your glass and half where it ought not be.

While it’s been a while since she accustomed with her dress, the heady experience she just lived with Altena definitely put the red-haired woman in a very excited and on cloud nine mood and as she casually walked towards the first table she saw just to put something to ease her thirst and lust, as she grabbed the glass filled with a purplish liquid, she turned and she couldn’t help but bump into another person, causing the inevitable.

“Oh my, it totally was my fault!” she blurted, but soon after, she couldn’t help but widely smile, “Leif, I’m so glad to see you, ehh… of course not for the mess I’ve just made” she scratched the back of her head with an apologetic glance, then she reminded that she could at least make herself forgiven.

“Here.. This flower is the first excuse I can make for you” she offered it to him, “But of course I can repay you with whatever you want” and she bowed her head in the hope to look apologetic enough and with a bittersweet sensation, this situation kind of reminded her of someone else… ( ethereal ball — second half. )

Wearing white came with it certain dangers. The shade is loved for its ability to represent purity, pristine as it is. The moment that color is touched however, it is difficult to hide the way it's been marred.

“Minerva! It's fine...”

He tells himself he should have definitely been able to dodge that, but alas, the violet hue stains quite prominently on his jacket. He slips out of it, slinging it over his arm as he thinks about how in the world he's going to get the stain out. Despite his words, his expression is clearly disgruntled as he ruminates on this, each second he thinks about the consequences, the more severe his face gets...

...but he still knows it's not good to blow up in Minerva's face about it. Tonight he plays a prince, and with it, the attitude expected of one. It's not like this is the first time he's gotten white attire ruined anyway, and it will hardly be the last.

“If you have something that can help me get it out, I'll take that. Otherwise, your flower's enough for me,” he gives his terms, trying to reassure in his own way. A hyacinth trades for his lily. Just like in war, victory is not won without getting messy, and he supposes the same shall be true for his conquest to collect this abundance of blossoms. “It's not like you to be so clumsy though. Did something happen, Minerva??”

#toaball2026 #toaball2026 leif #leif support #diadic #//god I love your drawings <3<3<3 #aaaand so excited to go on with this incredible duo x)

the climbing of friendship | Minerva + Valter

↳ Mission Board: Affluence - bow +1

knighteclipsed

“ Of course. ” (It’s the ego of one who, even if the compliment had been offered, would never have been able to accept it with grace.) It was only a given that he could cross the gap; that he could leap and soar without repercussion; that when the maw of the earth had beckoned for his return, he had danced above its teeth—for not yet would he falter!

…Which was to say his ego was massive, but he also felt the size was justified.

Eyes follow the Macedon’s then, drifting past their immediate circumstances and finding what was likely the aim of their travels: the cave, as well as the waters rumored to swirl around it. (If he was being honest, he’d expected something a tad more dangerous, but then again—if such a course could truly be labeled so, they might’ve been required to take with them a guide; Valter would take whatever small mercies he could find.)

Regardless: the water wraps around the cave, leaving no simply walkable pathway, and the apparent depths of the lake means that simply wading would not suffice in this instance. Had they steeds, it was entirely possible to simply fly over and land beside the entrance—or, on most earthbound mounts, to trot through the waters until they arrived—but such was not in their arsenal. (To go without assistance had been the appeal to begin after all; and here would be no exception.)

…Still, the Moonstone is loath to imagine the nuisance of actually having to swim. (There was no question of capability, but it was impractical in even half armor, and then figuring out how to bring it along undonned–)

“ Hm? ” (The question draws him from his thoughts.) “ Of course I can. ” What kind of question is that? It was seeming to be the way forward; but a nuisance it was, and there was no pretending.

—which plunges him back into his thoughts: what was the practicality of trying to bring his armor along? (It would weigh him down, and that, along with his other layers, would make traversing the distance as a swimmer nearly impossible—for anyone, including himself.) Carrying it on his back would be even more irrational; but he was not going to simply leave it behind.

His brow furrows further—now this is an issue! Illogical to bring along and impossible to go without; what, then, are the depths of the lake again? (Was it possible to wade through? What if he held his breath as he traveled?)

Then his eyes lift upwards—to the sky, which may provide an answer where the land and sea would not. (If he could makeshift a way across, then he would be able to carry all his equipment without the encumbrance of water.) The ideal circumstance, surely, if he could make to have it happen.

“ That wouldn’t settle the issue of our equipment, ” he finally says, a late addendum to his earlier statement—yes, he could swim, but that alone wasn’t enough. “ Unless you were willing to traverse the cave without some inventory—and risk having it vanish while we’re potentially underground—we’ll need to solve that issue as well. ”

It was his way of offering a say—to allow the other to weigh her judgement and posture an idea or two of her own: cooperation, however rarely the Moonstone may ask or offer it.

“ Do you have any ideas? ”