For Unity

Well, Christmas is upon us… Wow it's so weird to think that its come that it's literally Christmas. Well, this story won't tell itself, let's get going now.

Chapter 24

Theme for this chapter: anything that's a jazz cover for Christmas music.

Snow Day

We were now two days out from the establishment day of the monastery, and I had only seemed to make the situation worse. It had been almost a week since the disagreement between Edelgard and I. Any time I tried to fix things I ended making the problem worse. Instead of being able to apologize we would end up in another fight only worsening our situation.

I soon concluded that I should let things kind of simmer down on their own, after another couple of days of letting things cool my guilt got the best of me and I wrote up a letter that I would try and attempt to give to her. I failed at this numerous times over the course of a singular day. Eventually, I decided I would wait till I knew she would be at her room; I would then knock and slide the letter under the door. And after achieving that I made a trek to the goddess tower.

I stood on top of the battlements on the perch of the tower looking over the people as the snow fell from the sky. My clothing was something close to my attire for my black swordsmen costume I wore on Halloween even including the black over coat. The light breeze gave my overcoat a swaying motion to look like something you would see in a movie or cartoon. It looked to be a beautifully, chilly December day.

As I overlooked the people going to and from the cathedral, the day continued to dwindle down as the snow continued to fall its remaining hours of light slowly turning into the hours of the night. I waited. Around what I could assume to be around midnight I decided to make my way back to my quarters. But before my descension from the battlements, I was startled by a figures movement in the darkness within the tower nearly causing me to fall off the perch, I managed to keep my balance, but my heart continued to race through the whole ordeal.

"Was beginning to think you wouldn't show up." I said trying to calm my heart rate. "I wasn't sure if I wanted to either…" She replied, I nodded. "I'm not one to really apologize…" I trailed off. "So, I have seen." She replied. "Yet…" I said looking down, "I want to make this situation better, but I don't know what to say to make it better." I said my gaze fixated on the ground at my feet. We sat in silence for a brief moment.

"I know… I've been…" I paused, "Paranoid." I finished Edelgard nodded in agreement. "But I just am not sure about having you on the battlefield this month." I confessed. "Why won't you tell me why professor?" She asked.

"I just can't risk the knowledge I have affecting this month's mission." I replied. "Professor, who is to say your Doppel hasn't already changed the plans." She proposed. "While I don't doubt he would do something like that, the problem lies with the last few missions being about the same as they were in the story. I think he's waiting for me to crack to unleash a plan of his own volition and when that plan happens; It will be the day he falls, but along with that, at least in theory, I should also fall with him." I replied solemnly.

"Professor, please…" "No, let me finish!" I said cutting her off. "While I won't change my decision on you joining the battle, I won't be the one to stop you, but I if you go against my wishes please have Hubert with you?" I begged. "I have asked him to escort you to safety should the battle prove to endanger you." I pleaded. "I would be willing to work along those lines professor." She replied.

"We should, probably, get back its rather late." Edelgard suggested. "Wait!" I murmured. "What was that professor?" she asked turning back to me. "I…" I stopped, "I wanted to apologize, for… everything." I stumbled "I- I meant to try and fix things at those times, but… I… I couldn't face my reality, I guess." I went on, "I don't expect you to accommodate me, but would you be willing to meet back here in a couple days?" I asked. "I'll decide when the day approaches, for now how about we head back down to the monastery." She said beginning her walk down the tower, I nodded and followed at a distance.

Night of the day of establishment

I looked around the Reception hall watching the students enjoy themselves, I soon felt my weariness begin to bog me down, I then began to make my exit from the reception hall. As I left the hall i was greeted to the extra foot of snow fall that had fallen. 'Lovely snow.' I thought.

"I see you have decided to give into your weariness." Sothis said I nodded. "Probably just need to get away from the celebration is all." I said continuing to my quarters. "You're just going to call it a night!" She said surprised. "No, I think I'll make one more stop before I call it." I replied.

I opened the doors to my room making my way to the study. "My what is this?" Sothis asked. "Just a little something for our next destination." I replied moving towards the door. "Where are you going now?" She asked. "You'll see." I replied closing the door and beginning my trek.

Although Edelgard had never given me a straight answer on our meet up I had a feeling she would be there. Along with my decision I had decided to indulge in the customs of the 25th day of the twelfth month of the year. Yep, Christmas I had brought it up to my class that we would enjoy the custom in class I ultimately just made it into a white elephant gift exchange, but I think they enjoyed it regardless.

I began my ascent up the stairs of the goddess tower, upon my arrival at the top I saw her standing at the perches opening she was looking over to the rising moon, her hair lightly waving in the light breeze in the winter air. She had on a light coat that stretched past her knees. She turned to me as she heard my final step up the stairs. "Oh, Professor!" She said a little surprised, "I saw you leave the ball and thought you were here but when I found you were not here, I thought you had forgot about our arrangement." She explained. "No, I didn't forget, but I need to make a small detour to get something." I replied, "Here." I said handing her the small box. "What is it Professor?" she asked. "Open it, that should tell you exactly what it is." I said hinting at the box.

Edelgard opened the box to see two necklaces one with a few gems embroidered into them and a necklace that had a strangely designed pendant. "Professor what is the pendant on this one?" She asked lifting it up for me to see. "Oh, that is a special one I had designed, its based on a guild marking from a different story line from my world." I replied. "But what is it?" she asked. "It's a fairy." I answered walking over, "See here is the head, the wings, the legs." I said tracing each angle.

"The guild was known as Fairy Tail, tail as like the appendage." I added. "Why spell tail like that?" she asked. "It poses a question, do fairies have tails." I explained. "It's meant to inspire you to always keep exploring so that one day you can be the one to see if fairies do have tails." I continued on. "It is also a symbol that you always have a home, a family no matter where you are." I said revealing my own pendant. "Professor I- I don't know what to say." She replied. "I'll tell you one more thing, should you ever feel like your in a tight spot, look to me." I said raising my hand and pointing my index finger to the sky, "When you see this just know I'm with you every step of the way." I said lowering my hand.

"Professor?" Edelgard queried. "Ya!" I replied. "Why did you choose now to give me these?" she asked. "You know how I went over, briefly, Christmas in my world?" I posed back; She nodded, "Traditionally you would do gift giving like this on Christmas, although it would be early in the morning with a pine tree opening gifts with family and loved ones." I explained. "But gifts can be given whenever really." I added. "Well thank you professor, although I'm upset that I don't have anything to give you." She replied. "Its fine, considering how I've been acting I don't think I should be receiving one." I noted.

"Anyways I should probably head back to my quarters, have to be ready for tomorrow." I said giving a small smile trying to hide my fear of the following day. "Professor, allow me to accompany you?" She asked. "I- I don't know?" I replied bashfully. "Professor, let this be my gift to you." She insisted. "I… I just feel like I don't deserve it." I confessed. "What do you mean?" she asked. "You know what I did and… I feel like I'm not ready to be deserving of your affections like this, not yet at least." I said turning towards the stairs trying to distance myself. "Professor…" she said reaching out to me. "I'm sorry, I…"

My sentence was cut short as Edelgard embraced me. "Professor… No, Drake, you may not feel it, but I want to do this for you, please!" she pleaded with me. I turned my head to look at her, looking into her eyes I could see she wasn't going to let me leave without me accepting her offer, "Professor please, let me show you." She said as she increased her embrace, I caved under her persuasion and with that we began our venture back to my quarters.

When we reached the door, she pecked my cheek. "I will go ready myself and be back in a few minutes." She said beginning to walk down the walkway, after her departure I opened my door and began to undress myself to change into my jimjams.

"Lady Edelgard." Hubert said revealing himself from the shadows, "Ah! My, Hubert you startled me." She exclaimed. "Allow me to accompany you back to your room." He insisted. "*sigh* yes, but please do not startle me like that in the future." She replied.

A few minutes later

Edelgard opened her door to find Hubert waiting for her. "Dear goddess Hubert!" She exclaimed nearly falling back. "I thought I told you about not startling me!" she said a little animated. "My apologizes. I was waiting to escort you back to the professors quarters." He explained. She nodded.

Back at my quarters

"Thank you, Hubert, I will see you tomorrow for classes." Edelgard said dismissing him, he bowed and took his leave. *Knock, Knock, Knock* I opened the door allowing her into my quarters. Edelgard moved to take her place on my bed. I took a moment to examine her before joining her, she was wearing a pale blue gown as her red one had been tarnished with the help of my doppel's attack. The difference between her gown before and now was this one seemed to be less loose lets say, as it seemed to be "just her size" (I'm sorry about my phrasing here, I'm trying to be very discrete in my observation versus saying what I know would convey better but paint myself in a different light.) She gave a giggle as she washed my face turn a light shade of red. "I missed these nights of ours." She chirped.

TBC

Sorry I posted this so late, Christmas really took my day so I tried my best to get this done as fast as I could but here it is. Look forward to tomorrow cause things are happening. Oh boy I have so much work ahead of me.