Title: He SAID, You Now Get Married!
Fandom: Fire Emblem: Three Hopes
Characters/Pairing: Yuri Leclerc/Ashe Ubert, Claude von Riegan/Lorenz Hellman Gloucester. Edelgard von Hresvelg, Dimitri Alexadre Blaiddyd, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester.
Rating: PG-16
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine
Warnings: Spoilers for Golden Wildfire/the end of the game in general. Briefly alludes to Yuri's past with Rowe, some mature situations.
Notes: Takes place post-Golden Wildfire.
--
Stopping Rhea had been the first step in a long road to building a better Fódlan. Claude had said as much to Shez when the archbishop—and the authority the Central Church had in dictating the social order—had fallen in battle. Yes, Emperor Edelgard and King Dimitri were both young reformists at heart. Yet they were both absolute monarchs and (understandably) used to getting their way most of the time. This complicated peace negotiations to a degree even the supposed Master Tactician had not predicted. The three of them had spent a fortnight arguing over the fate of Gaspard and Rowe territories, two Kingdom territories that wanted to join the Empire. Gaspard’s ruler, Lord Lonato, had never forgiven Rhea for the arrest and execution of his eldest son. He had also never forgiven King Dimitri for agreeing to shelter her for so long. Count Rowe was a slimy ass who was hoping to align with the Empire, which was currently in a more powerful position than the Kingdom. Unfortunately, he also controlled Arianrhod. Even if King Dimitri wanted to, he could not let the Count escape with the Kingdom’s largest military base.
So, they argued until their voices gave out because everyone was sick of war but had to think of their respective countries. King Dimitri cited historical and cultural documents that heralded Gaspard and Rowe as forever linked to the Kingdom. Emperor Edelgard reminded him that the Central Church had lost the war—and that the Western Church saw having territories in the Empire as a starting point to build a lasting relationship with the Southern Church. So, while he would lose land, he would gain a more lasting peace. King Dimitri conceded that he would love to have such an alliance blossom. However, not only was Rowe part of the Kingdom whether he wanted to be or not, he was under investigation for… shady things he had done with his heir in the past. It was clear he was guilty; now they just needed to fill out the paperwork to depose him. Edelgard had agreed that the Count should pay. But why not arrest Rowe, install the heir, and let him/his citizens decide the territory’s fate? King Dimitri had blustered after that, but the underlying reason was clear. The heir, a pragmatic young man, would side with the country that was strong enough to help him realize his dreams—the Empire.
Claude was hungry, exhausted, and tired of listening to their talk when he finally snapped, “Look. Both of you are absolute monarchs and have the resources to run your countries with or without these guys. Just burn Arianrhod and let the territories decide what they want to do.”
Edelgard and Dimitri both boggled at him. He wanted for the obligatory rant about how he was disrespecting their authority or whatever.
Then they both burst out laughing.
It was Claude’s turn to boggle as Edelgard wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. “Oh, Claude. It’s absolute power in name only. I’m trying to make it fairer, but I have to answer to so many nobles trying to hold on to their power. Not to mention our new prime minister—”
“I read his manifesto,” Dimitri interjected with a chuckle. “I can’t believe someone can be so practical and naïve at the same time. Although I admit, public education is something that I plan to implement as soon as I can figure out who’s running what in our Kingdom.”
“Hubert informed me of the power struggle,” Edelgard commiserated. “You have my sympathies. Part of me wishes that we could have continued our studies at the Monastery; perhaps we would have learned some diplomatic magic to solve all our problems easily.”
“Or perhaps we would have killed each other.” Claude hadn’t meant to sound as dour as he did. However, there was no point in ruminating on what could have been. “So… now that I’m aware that each of you has to answer to the same stuffy nobles I do back home, are we going to be able to figure something out?”
They both fell silent.
The supposed leaders of Fódlan’s future retired that night having accomplished nothing.
--
Claude wasn’t expecting this to be easy. He would have suspected meddling by the remaining Nabataens or Agarthans (Emperor Edelgard was stubborn in negotiations, but willing to share once classified information about many things Claude and even King Dimitri had always been interested in learning) if things had been easy. But he was so damn tired of being stuck, he realized as he collapsed on his bed, passing out immediately.
--
Claude woke up to arguing. Because of course he did. For one foggy moment, he wondered if the Emperor and the King had decided to get an early start on the bickering. But no, one voice was too raspy and the other voice was too silky/dramatic to fit either of them. Okay, that solved that mystery, Claude thought as he tugged on his boots (he’d slept in his clothes, which he was sure Lorenz would scold him for later). Who else liked to argue around here?
“You’re going to get yourself killed!” Ashe threw out his arms, face flushed with frustration. It was weird to see since Ashe was so pale that he reminded Claude a little bit of a ghost. But he supposed Yuri just got Ashe’s blood flowing. As everyone in the camp knew since Ashe was a screamer.
“Oh, please.” Yuri tossed his hair, glossy violet locks sparking in the morning sunshine. “It’s one little trip to get some food and medicine collecting dust in a shitty noble’s house because she’s hoping it’ll give her a little clout when asking the King for favors. “Besides, Balthus will be with me.”
Ashe closed his eyes in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I love Balthus, but he’s not going to help you at all for this mission.”
Yuri smirked bitterly. “First, rude to your supposed friend. Also, he and the other Wolves are just as good as me. So good to know that’s what you really think about the Abyssal Four. Thanks. I know I feel valued right now.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” Ashe said after taking a deep breath. His voice was a little too calm. “She has thirty brawlers protecting her goods. Balthus is strong, but you need someone with an advantage. Take me with you instead—”
“Never,” Yuri said immediately. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Oh, I thought it was one little trip!” Any attempts at measured tones were forgotten as Ashe got into Yuri’s personal space. He was shorter than Yuri, but Claude predicted that an inevitable final growth spurt would remedy that soon. “Or do you not trust me to protect you anymore?” His green eyes were huge and sad. “Is that it?”
“… That’s not true, and you know it!”
“Then prove it! Take me along…”
“You look terrible, Claude,” Lorenz purred as he sauntered up to Claude. “How can you hope to secure any votes for a second term at kinghood if you appear as if you rolled out of bed?”
That comment annoyed Claude, but Lorenz also had a cup of Almyran pine needle tea in hand, so Claude forgave him. “I like to think that Federation citizens value deeds more than clothes,” he said before taking a thankful sip.
“I do as well. Let us discuss those deeds. I believe that negotiations with the Emperor and the King have ground to a halt, correct?” Lorenz sighed sadly. “Perhaps the crown grows too heavy for you, my friend.”
… Lorenz was lucky that his tea was so good. It kept Claude from killing him. “Lorenz, make yourself useful and break those two up.” Ashe and Yuri’s argument become loud enough to attract more people. Some of these people included Leonie and Balthus (who either hadn’t heard Ashe’s comment or just didn’t care), who were betting on who would win. Hapi watched them calmly as she inhaled a pastry.
Lorenz raised an eyebrow. “The last time I checked, you are the king.”
Normally, Claude wouldn’t rise to that bait. Normally, he would just make a snarky retort and go get some breakfast. But the now small crowd was impeding entry to the mess hall, Lorenz wouldn’t stop smirking, and Claude was fucking tired of fighting. Especially between old friends. Especially between old friends and current lovers.
So, after downing what remained of his tea, Claude stomped over to the bickering duo. “Good morning, gentlemen.”
Yuri glared at him. “What do you want?”
Even Ashe glared at him. “Yeah, what?”
“See, that’s what is so wonderful about the Federation. The king has a lot of power, but at the end of the day, he’s just a regular guy like the two of you. I mean, if you two had been so blunt to Emperor Edelgard or King Dimitri, you’d both be kissing your heads goodbye at this point.” As he predicted, neither one was cowed by his ‘friendly observation.’ “We Federation-ers like to solve things more civilly. However, you two have been anything but all day. You two are generals in the army; we can’t have that. It demoralizes the troops. Look at Balthus. He’s crying.” He chose not to mention that Balthus was crying because Leonie had won the bet (“I knew Claude was gonna break them up! Your desserts are mine for a month!”). Claude held out his hands. “So, if you two are going to act like an old married couple, there’s only one thing to do, isn’t there?
“With the power vested in me as the King of the Federation, I now pronounce you husband and husband. Kiss each other. Or don’t. As long as you shut up, I don’t care.”
Ashe flushed again, this time from an emotion other than anger. As for Yuri, he was for once at a loss for words. “I—you—you can’t just—what are you trying to do?!”
“The king said, that you and Ashe are now married,” Lorenz informed Yuri primly.
“I can fix this, Ashe,” Yuri promised his boyfriend, running his hands through his hair. “I’m sure he was just joking, anyways. We’ll chase him down—I saw him sneaking off to the mess hall—and we’ll make him confess that he was just joking.”
“… Would it be so bad if it’s not a joke?” Ashe looked up at Yuri, suddenly so vulnerable that even the infinitely pragmatic Lorenz Hellman Gloucester felt his heart go out to the lad.
“No. No of course not,” Yuri whispered, taking Ashe’s hands into his own. “I love you, Ashe. And I’m sorry for fighting; I just take pride in what I do. So much that sometimes I get snappy even when you just want to keep me safe. But I don’t—”
“Want me to get hurt,” Ashe finished for him. “Just like I don’t want you to get hurt.” He squeezed Yuri’s hands. “I think we should go to my tent and have a talk. A proper talk about the future.”
Yuri gave him a watery smile and led the way to Ashe’s tent. Leonie, Balthus, and Hapi tossed small leaves and blossoms from the nearby trees in a makeshift blessing for the newlyweds as they ran off to the tent.
--
“It turns out you do have some talent with diplomacy,” Lorenz said as he took a chair across from Claude. “Ashe and Yuri not only ended their verbal exchange; they seem quite eager to be married.”
The Federation king didn’t look up from his breakfast of berries and cream. “Cool.”
“You simply must abandon usage of Abyssian slang, my friend,” Lorenz scolded. “It detracts from your actual accomplishments.”
“You don’t say. Hey, Lorenz, I have a favor to ask. My tent is right next to Ashe’s, and you know how those two get after they make up—”
“You can spend the night in my tent,” Lorenz promised him. “Honestly, you should spend the next week in my tent. You do live next to a young couple officially on their honeymoon.”
--
Three days after that, Claude was waiting for the Emperor and the King to appear for another meeting. He doubted he’d make any progress, but he had to keep trying.
So, when Edelgard informed him that she and Dimitri had resolved the problems concerning Gaspard and Rowe territories, Claude almost passed out.
“It was the strangest thing,” Dimitri mused. “Edelgard and I had just exchanged pleasantries when Ashe and Yuri approached us.” He smiled at Claude. “Thank you again to taking him into your ranks. I could not have borne it if he died in battle. But back to my earlier point. Did you know that Ashe and Yuri are now married? They told us that right after the ceremony, they discussed their futures.”
Edelgard nodded. “Ashe’s heart has been breaking over Lonato. He wants to honor his father and enact justice concerning Christophe’s execution. However, he still has ties to the Kingdom. So, he explained to Lord Lonato that he had married Rowe’s heir and that he planned to use any new resources to learn the truth behind the execution. Lord Lonato took a page from the former Count Gloucester’s book and stepped down so Ashe and his husband can rule the territories together as part of the Kingdom. While I would have accepted Lord Lonato’s petition to join the Empire, I will also accept Lord Ashe’s decision to remain in the Kingdom.”
“Meanwhile, Yuri solved the Arianrhod situation with a solution so simple, I regret that we did not consider it sooner,” Dimitri added. “The fortress city has too much symbolic value for it to become part of the Empire. After breaking ties with the Central Church, my administration needs all the symbolic value it can garner. So, the new Count will swear fealty to the Kingdom. However, all the weapons will be moved to the northern territories, as far away from the Empire as possible within our borders. Arianrhod will be reborn as a city with cheap rent and plentiful groceries for anyone struggling and in need of help.”
Claude had to ask. “And the old Count Rowe is…?”
“Arrested,” Edelgard and Dimitri said in one voice, both looking quite pleased with themselves.
The road to a lasting peace—and a Fódlan free from prejudice—was still a long one. But they had taken more than a few steps today.
--
“Lorenz, let’s get married,” Claude said as his friend offered him some tea after the meeting. “I’m pretty sure if we do, peace will reign across the continent.”
Lorenz shrugged in agreement. “It may not as exciting as an election, but it is cheaper. Not to mention I’ll be able to keep a proper eye on you for the rest of my days.”
Final Notes: The title and Lorenz’s comment are both obvious references to Bluey. Like many adults with young relatives, I am also part of the Bluey cult. ;P Also, this was originally going to be more Ashe/Yuri fluff, but Claude and the political stuff kept bleeding in. So, sorry if it's disjointed tonally.