Multi POV

Feliciano turned to watch down the aisle as the ceremony began. He was shaking uncontrollably and stared straight ahead to where Elizaveta would be arriving any minute. Roderich stood at attention and looked as though he couldn't wait to have this over with.

Feliciano swallowed. He just had to stay calm, and grab Elizaveta when she came. No pressure, right? Just keep calm, and make your escape as fast as possible, Francis' crew would get them out of there. Right? Right? A solid hand came down on Feliciano's shoulder and he froze in terror. Slowly, slowly, he turned to face the man holding him.

Lord Héderváry, Elizaveta's father, was glaring down at him. Somehow the old priest who was truly residing over the wedding now stood behind the lord, looking quite affronted at the one who'd tied him up. Feliciano felt complete horror wash over his features. The nobleman wasted no time in tightening his vise-like grip until Feliciano felt tremors of pain running down his arm, there was no way he could break that grip. The old priest took his place casually. The guests were none the wiser to what had just transpired.

The music picked up as attendants and bridesmaids hand-picked for the bride walked smoothly down the aisle, in dresses of pale yellow and suits of plain grey. A decoration of flower petals was scattered amongst the aisle walkway as a small girl walked up with a flower basket, while the groom held both his own ring and the bride's hidden in his hand. Then everyone rose as the music died away, and the bride approached the altar prepared for her.

The instant Feliciano had been caught it had taken every ounce of self-control Gilbert had not to burst onto the stage and beat the crap out of Eli's father and that stupid prissy Roderich right at that very moment, but he knew that would ultimately backfire so he silently seethed instead. He would save Feli soon, but he had to bide his time, because he also had to save Eli-

Then the music stopped, and Gilbert froze in his place in the shadows. Every one of his thoughts vanished, as he stared at her. Eli. Up until now,when he thought of that name he pictured a man with long hair without a care in the world. But now? Now he thought of the girl who had just wanted to be free. Now he saw that girl who was trapped against her will.

All who saw her would think she was a beautiful bride. Her long brown hair hung around her face, little spirals framing her eyes very prettily. Her pure white dress snugly fit her body just so, showing off her curves, with the long skirt flaring out in a brilliant way. Her mother's flower clip held back some of her wavy hair, and a veil had been placed over her face.

Anyone else would think she was simply a beautiful bride. In fact, Gilbert had been at first been frozen at her beauty, slack-jawed and blushing bright red, every thought reduced to: Uh, wow.

But then through the veil, Gilbert saw her. He saw...Elizaveta. Not the dressed up doll everyone else did. Her eyes which had shone with passion and happiness all the time, that flared up in intense moments, were now dull and glassy. Gilbert watched the way her hands subtlety trembled as she clutched her bouquet of marigolds. Elizaveta looked miserable. And this made his blood boil.

Elizaveta's POV

So here I was, back where I started. Helpless like a small child. My dress was so constricting I couldn't breathe, but even if I wasn't wearing it, I still wouldn't be able to. Please. Please. I don't want to live like this. My eyes drifted to Roderich who nodded in affirmation every time the priest asked an oath of how we would live together. In this ceremony, my input didn't matter. I didn't get a choice. The one time I had tried to take a choice had ended in catastrophe.

No...not catastrophe. Gilbert and the others...they knew where their brothers were, how to find their family. They could rescue them from the horrors of war. That was what mattered. I had deceived him, and even though I was sorry, so sorry for it, he didn't need my help now. He didn't need me or want me at his side. I'd hurt him. Gilbert was strong, I knew, so he would make it through this war. He would make it back home with his brother, and he would be all right.

Right?

I prayed Bella hadn't been hurt to badly. Please don't let her be harmed because of me...She said I could change things, that I shouldn't give up. I'd thought for a moment she was right. But then my father came and I was reminded all too well of the reality of my situation. My friend could be whipped or even killed for my actions, I was going to marry a man I despised regardless of my attempts to get away, even if I ran I could never really be free, I would always be hunted again. The friends I'd made on my journey were far away in the war, and even as the supposed "Constellation Spirit" reincarnated I wouldn't be of any use to them. And...I was never going to see Gilbert again. That hurt so badly.

"Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

I just...I was so tired. I didn't know what to do anymore. I should just...stop.

The priest suddenly addressed me and I barely woke out my trance to look towards him. He repeated the question, with me barely registering it. This was the one part of the ceremony I had to answer myself.

"Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

My gaze fell away from the old priest, and I saw my father glaring darkly at me. My eyes widened as another old clergyman in father's grip stared directly into my eyes with his own amber ones. They were sparkling with tears. Those were Feliciano's eyes.

Don't give up, please. He seemed to say. Had Feli come to help me? He really didn't want me to live like this. He was my spirit aid, right? Like Romulus had been to my predecessor. Without him, I couldn't be the Constellation Spirit. I couldn't just give up and leave him, could I?

The truth was... I still wanted to be his friend. But as me. No more lies. I wanted to be the Constellation Spirit, and I wanted to help all of my other friends, Bella, Alfred, Arthur, Toris, Feliks, Lilli, Natalya, Berwald, Matthias-! I wanted to be me, and I wanted to be with them! I wanted to end this war! Not just fight in it, end it! I wanted to be with Gilbert and keep all my promises to him! I felt a fire light inside me. Bella's words again met me.

Since when have you ever given up!? What, you're going to let this stop you!? No way! Go get your man! Of course he needs you! Tell him exactly what's up, and even if he says no you tell him what's what! Be the woman I know you are! You can get out of this! Now come on!

And I could do those things. Even if I was hunted for the rest of my life, even if I was hurt so badly I couldn't move, even if I would have to go through hell for these things, I would not give up. I was furious at myself that I had decided for even a few moments that giving up would be better than fighting. No half-hearted attempts at resistance like before when Bella had encouraged me, when I was being selfish and only worrying about my own feelings of insecurity. This time, I would not give up!

"I...do not."

My words left my lips, and simultaneously a different cry broke the silence. Despite myself, I smiled knowingly.

"~KESESESE! THE AWESOME GILBERT BEILSCHIMDT HAS ARRIVED!"

Multi POV

With a totally Awesome battle cry Gilbert leapt from the shadows of his hiding place. The crowd of wedding guests stood up in shock as he made his appearance. Elizaveta had turned to face him, a smile of delight lighting up her face.

"GILBERT!" He instantly grinned back at her. But at the same time her father's guards rushed forward to attack him. His scabbards were suddenly empty, Deimos and Phobos gripped in his hands as naturally as if they were tools in the hands of a craftsman. He spun and stabbed, or hit painfully with the flat of his blade, careful only to wound his attackers rather than kill them.

Lord Andras saw the change, the decision in his daughter's eyes as her resolve hardened. He accidentally released his grip on Feliciano who took the opportunity to haul ass. Ignoring this, he stepped forward to the head of his personal guard, pulling the guard's sword from his scabbard. The nobleman then advanced menacingly towards Gilbert.

Elizaveta whirled around, grabbing a frying pan of shrimp from the banquet table, and slammed it full force into the face of Roderich. He crumpled to the deck, glasses broken and lip bloodied. She kicked off the flimsy silk slippers she was wearing so she could move better, and quickly disarmed a guard trying to come towards Gilbert, stealing his sword. Elizaveta rushed forward right into the fray.

At this point, all of the guests were up and running and screaming in fear. They believed Gilbert was some kind of terrible assassin sent to the wedding after them.

Gilbert sensed the huge sword coming down on his head before he saw it. With a cry of anger, he kicked the assailant's legs out from under him. But the red-eyed man was shocked to see who his opponent was. Lord Andras, Elizaveta's father, looked beyond furious. He steadied himself back onto his feet and this time thrust the sword towards Gilbert's chest in a series of rapid attacks. Gilbert used Phobos and Deimos as thin metal shields, blocking each rapid-fire thrust from piercing his chest.

Unfortunately, with each bone-shattering attack, cracks formed in Phobos in Deimos; it was clear the swords wouldn't hold up much longer.

Damn it! I've got to find a way to stop him!

The sudden shattering of metal rang in Gilbert's ears as he was felled by the heaviness of the Andras' blow. Gilbert's swords were only hilts now. He fell hard onto his back, unharmed, but the wind was knocked out him by the boot that suddenly kicked into his ribs. Gilbert gasped for breath as he forced himself to roll away.

He came up in a kneeling position, and grabbed a long candlestick from the ceremony to continue the fight, when suddenly another person stepped in the way. The young man gasped in surprise.

"Eli!?" Gilbert asked as Elizaveta stepped in between Gilbert and her father.

"Thank you for coming for me, Gilbert. But this fight is mine." Andras looked furious and shocked.

"Do you know what you're doing!?" He demanded. He tried to step around Elizaveta and swung at Gilbert, but she caught his blow on her own blade. It neither trembled nor broke under his weight, as her own will seemed to be engrained into her sword grip.

"I was afraid of you not long ago. But I realize now I have no reason to be. In fact, the only thing I feel for you is curiosity, about how you became so bitter and hateful. And maybe a little bit of anger for thinking I'll let you touch him."

"Let me!? You stupid girl, don't you realize!? You don't have a choice! If I decide it, you don't even have a life!" Andras roared in blind rage. In contrast, Elizaveta was completely calm, her dress flapping in the wind. When her father attacked she was ready. She had backed carefully up against the railing of the ship, waiting for him to charge. He tried to stab directly towards her, but she caught his blade with her sword, pivoted, and disarmed him as she slammed him up against the railing. She'd used his own force against him, and now had the tip of her sword at his throat.

"Everybody has a choice, and everybody has a life. You don't own me. You never did." With these words and his eyes wide with shock, she flipped him over the railing into the ocean below. Elizaveta didn't bother to stare after him and watch him splutter in the water while a guard threw him a rope.

Now that the fight was over, she felt the adrenaline leave her and Elizaveta's legs began to shake. A warm arm wrapped around her shoulders. She looked up into the face of Gilbert, smiling warmly at her, and blushed.

"That, was pretty Awesome." Feliciano came up beside them, looking worried.

"Elizaveta! Gilbert! Are you two alright?"

"We're great! Better than great!" Gilbert laughed, and suddenly turned to the cowering wedding guests who had watched the fiasco. His arm was still around Elizaveta.

"For all of you lame-asses who've just stood by and watched, I am THE AWESOME GILBERT BEILSCHMIDT, RANSOMER OF BRIDES! But, since all of you are so lame, and not Awesome like me, I'll just keep this bride with me instead of ransoming her! KESESESE! LATER!" With these words, Gilbert grabbed Elizaveta's hand in one of his own, Feliciano's in another, and took off running down through the crowd of guests, over to a lifeboat that lowered into the sea, and the three were quickly picked up by Francis' ship. True to his word, Francis' had another vessel ready for preventing any pursuits.

Two of Francis' men lifted them safely aboard, Feliciano in his bearded disguise, Gilbert in his guard outfit, and Elizaveta barefoot and in her wedding dress. Her veil had been blown away in the fight.

Lilli tackle-hugged Elizaveta the minute she set foot on the boat, tears running down her face.

"Elizaveta! I'm so glad you're safe..." Elizaveta felt a pang of understanding as she held the small girl. Since her brother was in danger, Lilli was very afraid of losing anyone she loved.

"Where's Toris and Natalya!? Did they bail on us?" Gilbert suddenly asked one of the men, furiously. The man looked startled and shook his head.

"I'm sorry sir, Miss Natalya...Miss Natalya isn't very well. The Ambassador was afraid she might harm someone or herself if left to her own devices." Gilbert looked shocked as he glanced over at Elizaveta, worry seeping over his features.

"Do you think-" Gilbert suddenly froze and looked away from Elizaveta, an uncomfortable look on his face. He quickly turned away, looking up at the Lord Andras' ship as their own began to move. Elizaveta's frowned because she understood why.

"Hey! Look!" Feliciano pointed happily at the deck. By the railing, Bella, and Francis were waving to them. Lars stood beside them impassively.

"Elizaveta! Be careful! Be safe! Lars and I'll see you soon!" Bella called as she waved to her best friend.

"Get along you two! Elizaveta and Gilbert!" With a saucy wink, Francis laughed in amusement.

The group turned away to go below deck.

On the deck of Andras' ship Roderich stumbled to his feet in anger, and grabbed a rifle from the back of an unconscious guard. He took aim at the other ship, at the back of the silver-haired man who had instigated all of this. However, he suddenly saw an image of that same man holding Elizaveta at that ball, and the peaceful happy look on her face.

His anger fizzled, and he lowered the gun.

In his quarters below deck, Gilbert felt like crying.

"My babies, my poor babies." He moaned, staring at the hilts of Phobos and Deimos, the only remains of his shattered swords. A knock at the door caught his attention from the funeral planning he had in mind for the swords. As he stood up to answer it, he put the remains in his bedside drawer.

"It's open." Gilbert called.

When the door opened he felt his heart speed up. Elizaveta stared at him nervously, now wearing a rather feminine green blouse combined with trousers and leather knee-length boots.

"Gilbert...I think we need to talk." She murmured softly. He sighed and sat down on the bed.

"Sure." Gilbert replied after a moment.

"I'm sorry, for deceiving you." Elizaveta clasped her hands together. When he didn't reply, she started to speak again, only for him to interrupt.

"Why did you do it?"

"Gilbert, when I first disguised myself it was to get away from the life I hated. I just wanted to be free, and it was easier to get by when I pretended to be a man. But over time my reasons for the deception became more complicated." She explained.

"No, I mean, why didn't you tell me the truth? Don't you trust me? Aren't we...friends?"

"Of course I trust you Gilbert! It's just...I wanted to help in this wretched war, and I was afraid Arthur would bar me from combat if he knew I was a woman, so I kept pretending. I wanted to help save your brother Ludwig, and everybody else who has been captured, but I couldn't do that if I was in Siensia. And...I didn't want to leave you."

Gilbert's breath caught, and Elizaveta looked away bashfully.

"I guess I can understand that. But you still didn't trust me enough to tell me; you obviously told other people. You didn't ever tell me!"

"I didn't tell them! Felina- I'll explain about her later- found out about me and insisted on telling Toris because they didn't want secrets between each other. She would've told him even if I told her no. Feliciano found out at the ball when you were unconscious. I didn't tell any of them, and I wouldn't have before you either." She paused, a look of pain on her face.

"I hated not telling you. Every time I tried something or someone got in the way, and I wanted to tell you personally and alone, because you were the only person I trusted enough to tell. Everyone else who found out I couldn't really stop from learning my secret, but YOU I trusted. But I hesitated more than I should've, because I was afraid someone might send me away if I was overheard, and I really didn't want to be separated, but also because...I was afraid you would reject me, not want me as a friend, even though I knew that wasn't like you."

"But those are just excuses that don't make right what I did. I'm sorry for lying to you, Gilbert." She finally murmured.

Gilbert watched her, the words sinking in. Elizaveta was obviously in pain as she explained everything, and she was telling the truth as well.

He stood up, suddenly passionate.

"Elizaveta! I would never reject you! Especially not for something like that! I care about you and you're too awesome for me to do something like that!" He held her shoulders gently and looked her in the eyes. Red to green. Green to red.

"I know you wouldn't! But, there's something you need to know...when 'Eli' was your best friend and fought alongside you, that was really me. I wasn't lying about any of that. I only lied about my name and gender. But I would never lie about caring about you Gilbert." She promised him. Elizaveta hesitated and then reached up to run a hand through his silver hair.

Gilbert bit back a blush and felt a wave of relief and happiness roll through him.

"I'm sorry for assuming the worst of you, Elizaveta. That was incredibly stupid of me." He told her, pulling her closer, and leaning her gently against him.

"Elizaveta. I don't believe you would lie about caring for me. You're not that sort of person." He murmured softly. Then, he took the plunge and said what he had been wanting to for the longest time.

"You're an amazing person Elizaveta, and I...I love you."

Elizaveta's face lit up red with happiness and she gave a little laugh as tears welled in her eyes. She hugged him tightly.

"I love you too."

Spiritual Planes

Arthur trudged alongside his cheerful guide as they walked through the landscape that had morphed into a series of snowy mountains.

"Just how much longer until we reach this place? I would love to find my body and get out of this place!"
Yong Soo smiled at him.

"We have to go through all the places the demons have influenced in order to reach it. Espron was the last place to fall to them, so that's why this place looks like it. When we reach the memory of the palace of Emperor Wang in the beginnings of the spiritual world, we should find your body there."

Reenson

"...Kiku?" Matthew asked softly, his hands held back in chains. Ludwig had lost consciousness beside him a little while ago, his face covered in blood, also in chains.

Due to the pitch black of the grimy cell, he was even bothered by the blonde locks hanging over his eyes.

In the next cell over, Kiku lay on his front, struggling to stay focused on the plan he and another had formed.

"Yes?"

"They said when the Emperor Wang took on the demon, so did all of his commanders...Why do you not have a demon inside you?"

The question went unanswered.

Elsewhere...

"Next stop, Reenson's capital!" Alfred announced after reading the letter Gilbert had sent them via Gilbird. It had detailed the whereabouts of Matthew, Ludwig Beilschmidt, Vash Zwingli, and Honda Kiku. Now that they knew where Mattie and the others were, it was time to put their game face on!