shootyourshot | ➵ never be afraid again

➵ never be afraid again

There'd been too much chaos happening on the battlefield that Garreg Mach had become. Somewhere along the way, he'd heard from the others that they'd lost sight of the Professor, someone claiming that either a monster crushed him or that he fell to his death. Either way, it sends a feeling to the pit of Ashe's stomach, and too quickly the fight loses control as soon as they lack their teacher.

Ingrid swoops down on her pegasus briefly to tell him: "Lady Rhea is missing, and Dimitri's told us to evacuate! Hurry and escape!"

All Ashe could do is nod, then take off to find his way through the fight, grimacing as he tries to not look at the corpses of knights and soldiers. Maybe there are still other students out there, dying to Edelgard's ambition. It's hard to say. In a corner, he spots Linhardt sighing, healing Caspar's leg before they prepare to take off, and understandably so. They chose their friends over the Empire; he isn't even sure where they have to go now, but they have each other at least. Petra paves the way for them, and Ashe thinks they'll manage.

He stops to crouch behind some rubble, taking aim and firing off an arrow at a stray soldier daring to creep on them. It's one more down, one less enemy for them to worry about trailing them.

Continuing on, he makes it back to Garreg Mach, uncovering his satchel. He'd packed it, just in case, because nothing is permanent, a fact he regrettably understands. It has some of his books, but more importantly he has food and water. He starts to step out, watching Leonie struggle with her desire to avenge Jeralt and the Professor as she is reasoned with by Claude, who grins and bears it because it's what he does. On the horizon, he watches Dedue faithfully follow Dimitri as they help others escape, praying he sees them again soon.

He almost leaves entirely, if he didn't stop to notice a familiar face, collapsed and injured.

"Felix?"

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It was typical of Felix to fight alone. He was usually fine too, but this situation was so beyond control that even the self-reliant swordsman found himself completely out of his depth. The entirety of the students and faculty having to be evacuated, Felix had stayed behind to ensure that everyone escaped safely. He didn't account for taking an arrow in the thigh, though. He'd later have to child himself for biting off more than he could chew, no doubt resolving that he needed to train more. Right now, he was more concern with snapping the arrow shaft off to make it at least a little easier to move.

Still, escape is starting to look slimmer and slimmer as the whole place is overrun. That is until the familiar voice catches his attention.

"Ashe? What are you doing back here?" As if he has any room to scold him, but he does find himself annoyed that the archer would backtrack amidst all the chaos. Careless (again, pot meet kettle), but he has to simply accept what it is for now. Later, he can give him a stern barking at, or more likely a simple cold shoulder. Ashe makes the latter incredibly difficult though, he's persistently, irritatingly optimistic to the point that even a wet blanket like Felix can't douse that smile.

"I could say the same for you! Hang on."

After giving the surrounding area a quick glance around, Ashe makes his way over swiftly before kneeling down. He sorely wishes Ingrid would be back with her mount, but he'd much rather she had escaped too. Instead, he examines the leg, and decides they can't afford to fuss with the arrow until they're somewhere safer.

For now, though, that doesn't mean they can't bind it. He fishes out bandages he'd stored from the infirmary and doesn't even wait to ask, immediately getting to work.

"We'll get you properly fixed up when we're out of here." Already, he's planning on escaping with Felix at his side.

Felix isn't going to argue right now. There's really no time or point to fussing about during a battle. He just lets it happen.

"Thank you." He sets his jaw against the pain, and when Ashe is finished, he hobbles to his feet. He won't refuse the help, not right now, that would get them both killed, and he's going to make damn sure Ashe doesn't die for his sake.

"Do you know where everyone else went?" It's clear that right now, all they can do is retreat.

There's a pause as Ashe is poking around in the bushes for a moment. Eventually, he hauls out a sturdy branch fallen from a tree, then holds it out to Felix so he can support himself and remain independent as he prefers.

"They were splitting off. A lot of the students are being taken to Galatea first, I think. At least those who live in Faerghus, anyway."

He packs the rest of his belongings, and stands up. "I'm heading to Gaspard. I think you should stick with me; getting to the others at this point would be dangerous with the Imperial Army marching around."

Ah. Smart. Ashe has always been bright and that's one of the things Felix appreciates about him. He gratefully takes the branch and tests his weight against it.

"Not a bad idea. Too many people grouped up is just asking to be ambushed." A large part of him just wants to find Sylvain and Ingrid and run home, but that's the base, emotional part. The logical Felix knows that's a terrible plan. Still, he worries. Will they be all right without him?

Ashe is alone though, and Felix would be a fool to leave him that way.

The going is slow, but thankfully, they seem to go unnoticed for the most part. Splitting off was smart. Even if Felix's injury keeps them at a crawling pace. He hates being the weak link.

It's slow going. Ashe wishes he had half the mind to grab a horse on the way out. Marianne herself had made little hesitation, riding on Dorte with Hilda seated right behind her. It's good they got out, but Ashe didn't even think that far ahead. It's too bad, but they'll make with what they have.

As the sun sets, he looks over the horizon and thinks about the area. They have maybe another day left of travel at this rate. If he were by himself, he might push through the night, but that's unwise with Felix's injuries.

"We should go off road and find a clearing in the forest. I think we can make it tomorrow afternoon to Gaspard Manor, even if we turn in for the night."

"I agree. No need to take any risks right now." Not with his leg the way it is. Honestly traveling on the injury has him exhausted, more so than usual. His leg feels firm under the bandages, and too hot.

It makes him rather useless in helping set up. As much as he tries, his hands don't seem to want to agree with him. He's just tired. By the the time evening falls, he's sitting against a tree, staring at the leaf litter with deep annoyance.

His leg feels worse.

Thankfully, Ashe doesn't ask for help in any case, focusing on putting up the tent and preparing them. Once it's all said and done, he sighs and sets out the bedroll inside.

"I... didn't think to grab another bedroll. I'm sorry." He turns and looks at Felix.

"Do you need help getting into the tent?"

By the time they're set up, Felix is starting to feel worse.

"No." Yes, apparently. When he tries to get up, he stumbles, having to almost drag himself into the tent. He doesn't even bother taking any of his armor off, simply lays there on one side of the bed roll, feeling dizzy and strange.

"I'm exhausted. Lets just sleep."

He watches as Felix drags himself over to the tent, wanting to do more to help him, but he lets him go. Instead, Ashe follows him inside of it, making sure to pull the blanket over the two of them.

"Yeah. Okay."

It's hard to get to sleep at first, but eventually Ashe's physical exhaustion catches up with him, putting him right out.

It's halfway through the night that Felix wakes, his leg feels like it's truly on fire now, and his head is pounding. He's too hot and too cold. Everything seems so out of focus, too. It's like he can't think properly.

This is... not good.

"Ashe." He pushes weakly at the archer next to him. "Ashe... I- something's wrong."

"Mm?"

Well, thankfully, he was sleeping lightly anyway. Ashe rubs his eyes and rolls over, looking at Felix in the dark.

"Felix? What's wrong?"

"Ashe. I am... unwell." That's a way to put it. It's clear his face is pale, even in the dark. He looks peaked and covered in a fine sheen of sweat, hair sticking to his face.

"I think it's festering." His leg feels huge now, and tight under the bandages. He's going to have to get up and walk on it tomorrow, but right now it's hard to fathom.

Oh. Oh, this is bad, very bad. Ashe sits up suddenly and looks over his friend and classmate, feeling nervous. The salve wasn't enough, and for all he knows maybe the arrow was poisoned. Now, Felix needs a doctor or healer.

"You can't afford to walk on that leg."

But they're still sometime out from Gaspard.

Ashe thinks for a moment, then licks his lips.

"I... might have an idea. But you have to let me move you. Just for a few minutes."

Felix groans, the ache of his body telling him he has no right refusing anything at this point.

"Fine. Do what you must." The bleary vision seems to warp, and he shuts his eyes against it, allowing Ashe to arrange him however he sees fit.

"Okay. I'm... I'm sorry about this. But trust me. I've got you."

Ashe might be smaller, but this year at the monastery has made him stronger, even if he doesn't look like it. He doesn't bother with the tent; when they get to Gaspard, they'll have more than enough supplies, and Felix just doesn't have the time right now.

So, he shifts his bag over his shoulder along with his quiver and bow before he's hauling Felix over his back.

They don't walk far, just enough to get to the main road. As gently as he can, he lowers Felix down so that he's in a very obvious, very open spot, very much still in his Garreg Mach uniform.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Ashe promises. "Just sit here for awhile."

With that, Ashe slips into the bushes, crouching down and waiting. It takes them sometime, but it'll be worth it in the end. Maybe about 15 minutes pass, and then there's the sound of hooves, Imperial colors coming from a scout down the road.

Ashe readies his bow.

It's a lot of jostling, though Ashe is gentle, Felix can only groan as he's moved and propped in the road. Even through his hazy mind, he can discern the archer's plan.

He's to be bait. Clever boy.

It's a little risky, but it's either this or die out here from his wound festering. Felix is silent, he closes his eyes as the hooves get louder and finally stop. The scout pauses, clearly cautious, looking around. Sliding off his horse finally, he edges closer to Felix, lance in hand, tapping at the fallen swordsman with the tip of it.

Felix groans slightly, in pain as he shifts.

The scout takes a moment to assess before pulling back his lance, ready to give Felix a mercy kill.

The scout cannot go any further as he prepares to pierce Felix. Two arrows flit one, one after the other: one into the scout's throat, the other through the skull. The scout drops dead to the ground in a heap, and Ashe comes creeping out of the bushes, glancing around to make sure the man didn't bring friends.

Okay. They're clear.

"I'll help you onto the horse. I'm sorry, this is going to hurt, Felix."

Ashe helps his classmate up, bringing him over to the horse, prepared to help him up.

Ashe really is quite skilled, isn't he? He's grown a lot in the year that Felix has known him. Tiredly, he bites his tongue as he's hoisted up onto the horse, not wanting to risk crying out and giving away their position.

It's not a comfortable ride, but he does spend half of it unconscious against Ashe's back. The whole trip is a fever dream, essentially, and when they finally stand in the shadow of Ashe's home, Felix isn't sure if it's real or not. He's burning up now, pale and exhausted.

He doesn't want to die like this. What a stupid way to go. At least Ashe is warm against him. That's the one remotely pleasant thing he can count.

For as hard as Ashe can rightly push the horse, he takes them to Castle Gaspard. Truly, it's more like a manor, far more humble than the other major noble families. Still, it's home, and Ashe didn't realize how bittersweet it would be to see it again. True, his siblings will be waiting for him, but... it's emptier without Lonato.

What a fool he'd been, never understanding truly how badly Lonato was suffering.

He swiftly takes them inside, Ashe gaining help from the villagers to quickly get a healer to tend to Felix. He wishes he could spare more time with his younger sister and brother, but truly he just wants to make sure Felix lives to see another day.

He's taken to Ashe's room. Naturally, full of books with a little desk inside. More than a commoner, less than most nobles. When Felix wakes, he will find some water and a sandwich waiting for him. Ashe's voice is down the hall as he's chatting with two younger voices.

Slowly, but by bit, the infection recedes with proper care and the help of healers. Felix expected to make a full recovery they say, commending Ashe for getting to him in time.

He has strange dreams, ambiguous shapes just outside of his vision, and Dimitri walking away from him. No matter how hard he ran or called out, he was one step ahead, running toward a gaping, vicious maw. The swordsman jolts awake, sweat soaking him through, sticking his hair to his forehead.

His face still feels flushed, but he eagerly grabs the water and downs it, quenching his parched mouth. His lips feel like they've been baked by the fever. Sitting up slowly, wincing at how his leg aches, he does make out the soft voices, Ashe standing apart from them as he remembers exactly where he is.

"Rowan, Willow. You two should really get to bed. Okay?"

"But you do the voices!" a younger boy's voice whines. "Ashe, please, you just got home!"

"I'm really sorry. I have a lot I need to do tonight. I promise to read to you tomorrow night. I'll make it up to you, really."

"Come on," a girl's voice says. "You heard him, let's get going."

There's a sigh as a set of doors close, and Ashe is turning to return to his own room. He stops when he opens the door, his eyes brightening.

"Oh! Felix, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Felix can't help but smile a little as he listens to what he presumes to be Ashe's little siblings beg to be read to. It's endearing, despite everything that has happened. He'll take something nice amidst it all.

The door opens and he lets the smile fall.

"Like shit, but less like I'm going to die, so you know. Getting there." He does really look like shit, too. "Thank you, Ashe. If it weren't for you, I'd not have made it at all."

The blunt answer makes Ashe laugh, relief on his face. Good, that's good news.

"Of course. I'd never leave you behind, Felix," Ashe assures. "Just worry about healing up and then we can try to figure out what to do next. I don't have a ton of information yet, but I guess I can tell you what I've heard so far after we escaped?"

Though frankly if Felix needs more time to sleep, he'll give it to him. Ashe had been intending on staying up, unable to really even think about resting. A war's just started, and all of his friends are scattered... he truly hopes they're all safe and able to get to where they need.

"Yes, please fill me in. Is there any word of the others?" The question hangs on his tongue. Our friends, are they okay? He's too tired to keep the look of worry off his face, but honestly he doubts Ashe would really tease him about it.

Infuriatingly, wonderfully earnest Ashe.

He finally musters the will to eat that sandwich that was left for him now, too. He tries not to tear into it when he's suddenly reminded how hungry he is.

With a sigh, Ashe pulls over an old, creaky wooden chair and sits, rubbing his eyes.

"Mm, Dedue sent word our way. He said that he and His Highness got back to Fhirdiad safely. Mercedes and Annette followed them to help heal the wounded knights and students. Sylvain made it back to Gautier, and Ingrid to Galatea." There's a concerned frown on his face. "His Highness is trying to get an audience in with king regent, but he hasn't succeeded yet. I'm probably overthinking it, but I think Dedue is concerned something is afoot. Something like with what happened with Tomas and Monica."

Which they still had no answers on. Perhaps one day, they might.

"Beyond that, it's a bit tense here in Gaspard since we're not far from the border against the Empire. I think I've been able to reassure the villagers; they've been through enough as it is."

"You look tired." Knowing Ashe, he's probably been pushing himself. Felix wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't rested since they'd arrived. Stupid. He finally lays back down. There's nothing he can do with his leg in this kind of shape right now, anyways.

"If worse comes to worse, I can bring everyone here to House Fraldarius. I'm certain my father would welcome you with open arms." That much he can be certain of. "You should rest, too. You'll be useless if you don't." It's harsh, but it's his way of caring.

"I have no doubt that Lord Rodrigue would be willing to take us. I'll have to consider our options depending on what happens next. I think so long as we hear from His Highness, we'll be all right."

For all the damage that Edelgard has initiated, she hasn't overthrown them. The Church might be in a dire state, but the Kingdom is doing fine. For now.

Instead of looking offended, Ashe smiles faintly at Felix. "You're right. Well, before I go, do you need anything else?"

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➵ never be afraid again

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