Byleth took her dinner as soon as class was over for the day and was accompanied by her Black Eagle students who were still on a high from the dancing class that Edelgard had provided.

The chat was merry, but already Byleth's mind was racing ahead to her evening's challenge. Introducing Mercedes to Jeritza. She was definitely nervous about the encounter, although it wasn't worry about potentially dealing with Jezrita losing control. She was certain that she could handle him. What concerned her was doubt at her abilities to help Mercedes with such an emotional situation. She was hoping she could muddle through and not mess things up too much.

Byleth had also noted how Hubert's ears had pricked up when she had mentioned in class earlier that she would be unavailable this evening. She had a tenuous plan to make sure that he didn't overhear anything he wasn't supposed to, but once again, she was winging it and merely praying that she could pull off the job effectively.

When she stood and excused herself at the end of their meal, Byleth made sure to linger a little in the dining hall, talking nonchalantly with the students before she made her way unhurriedly back towards her room. That she didn't spy Hubert following her only confirmed her suspicion that he was serious in his intent in finding out what she was up to, although it did cross her mind that she may just be more paranoid than she needed to be. She seriously doubted it, though.

Once she got to her room, Byleth was surprised, but actually relieved to find that Jeritza was already there, somehow having let himself in, and sitting bolt upright on her bed, teasing Colin with a piece of brightly coloured string. She went straight to her window and closed the heavy drapes, then lit her lantern against the gloom. When Jeritza looked about to speak, she put a finger to her lips and sat herself close by his side.

'Once again, I believe that Hubert may be trying to learn what I am up to this evening.' Byleth whispered close to Jeritza's ear.

'Does he always take so close an interest in your activities?' Jeritza murmured.

'Well, it isn't like you have been known to follow me or watch all of my sparring sessions, now is it?' Byleth asked, nudging him with her shoulder.

'I had a reason to.' Jeritza huffed.

'So does Hubert.' Byleth shrugged. 'He doesn't trust me and has a duty to protect Edelgard from anything that might cause her harm. I don't mind in general, but it does make stuff like this a bit of a pain.'

'You do seem rather unconcerned by his lack of faith in you.' Jezrita observed curiously.

'I aim to protect all of my students, and that includes Edelgard, so I don't have any worries about my conduct, and Hubert is simply doing his job to the best of his ability.' Byleth replied. 'I have a plan anyway, to try and put him off the scent.'

'Okay.' Jeritza muttered and went back to playing with Colin.

'Do you have any weapons on you?' Byleth asked him next, noting that his usual sword was missing. 'I was planning on locking mine up, so there is less of a chance of any real damage being done.'

'I had the same thought. I left mine behind in my room.'

'All of them?' Byleth queried.

'Yes.' Jeritza agreed.

'Do I have to make you strip Jeritza? I know you have a dagger hidden. I can see it.'

'Oh!' He looked a bit sheepish. 'I forgot about that one…'

'Right….'

'I did!' He insisted.

Byleth snorted and took the knife he handed her. 'You can have it back when we're done.' She unstrapped her sword and lifted her skirt to free her own dagger.

'Your weapons are shit.' Jeritza noted.

'They do the job.' Byleth grunted. 'Now, I'm going to lock these away and get changed… Then I'm going to head down and talk to Mercedes. I'll bring her back here once the coast is clear. Okay?'

Jeritza nodded tense agreement. 'You think this is a good idea?' He asked, worriedly.

'Probably. Now shush. We can't talk when I'm not close in case it's overheard.'

Byleth got herself ready quickly and then started towards the door. A sudden thought crossed her mind, and she doubled back to get close to Jeritza again.

'Um… Mercedes tends to be quite tactile.' Byleth whispered to him. 'Is that something you will be able to cope with, or do I need to warn her to keep a distance?'

'I… I don't know.' Jeritza replied quietly.

'To be honest, your sister is far better at this emotional stuff than I will ever be. Maybe if I just warn her that it could be a problem but leave it up to her judgment?' Byleth asked.

Jeritza reached out a hesitant hand and grasped Byleth's wrist. 'You promise you won't let me hurt her?' He rasped.

'I'll kick your arse if you even think about it.' Byleth growled back.

'You'd better.'

'Hey. It'll be fine.' Byleth extracted her arm from his death-grip and rubbed where his fingers had dug into her skin. 'If I were you, I would hope that Mercedes wants to touch you. Her hands are so very soft - they aren't all calloused and rough like ours, and sometimes when she channels a little healing as well, it is simply divine.'

'She was like that even when we were children.' Jeritza sighed.

'Look, just… pet Colin or something and try to stay calm. I dunno, take deep breaths... I'm sorry, I suck at this.' Byleth frowned.

'Don't.' Jeritza replied angrily. 'You are helping. Don't apologise.'

Byleth patted him awkwardly on the arm. 'I'll be back in a while.' She muttered.

Outside, there was still no sign of Hubert or anyone else for that matter. Byleth strode quickly to Mercedes's room and tapped lightly on the door. The girl opened up almost immediately and stepped aside to allow Byleth entrance with a soft smile.

'Come in, Professor.' She murmured.

'Thank you.'

As soon as the door was closed, Byleth took a note from her pocket, which she handed over. Mercedes read the contents with a slight frown marring her forehead, then she folded it up and placed it on her table.

'I have managed to finish reading the book that Dorothea lent me.' Mercedes said lightly. 'I believe that you have read it already.'

'I did.' Byleth agreed, taking a seat opposite Mercedes who had picked up some embroidery she was working on off of her own chair and sat with it in her lap.

'What did you think?' Mercedes eyebrow rose. 'I found it a little more naughty than the ones she usually gets.'

'Hmm. Perhaps that was it…' Byleth mused. 'I'll admit I didn't really understand the repeated description that appeared in all of the action scenes. I mean, do men's members really quiver quite as much as it suggested? What in the world does ''quivering'' actually entail?'

Mercedes giggled. 'Well, I'm quite sure that I don't know. Perhaps we will have to ask Dorothea.'

'Or maybe Manuela. She would definitely be able to provide enlightenment.' Byleth said seriously.

'Oh no, not Professor Manuela! I couldn't!' Mercedes squeaked. 'I have to face her several times a week for our healing sessions…'

'A good point.' Byleth agreed. 'I suppose I could ask Seteth.' She added wickedly. 'He did say that if I had any questions of an educational nature, he would be happy to help!'

'Professor!' Mercedes giggled. 'I dare you. I double dare you!'

'Heh…' Byleth sat back in her chair. 'I have a new book that I've just finished that I picked up at the market in town. It's not bad, although in this one member's tend to 'pulse hotly' instead.'

'Sounds… interesting…' Mercedes smiled.

'You want to come along and get some tea, and we can have a look over it?' Byleth asked.

'I'd love to. I really must get my own tea-set.' Mercedes agreed. 'I made some cake yesterday, there is a bit left over, but it's stored in the kitchen in the refectory. Do you think you could go and grab it while I finish up this embroidery for Annette? I really want to get it done by tonight.'

'No problem.' Byleth agreed.

'Wonderful.' Mercedes started stitching. 'You know my cake box?'

'I do.' Byleth went to the door. Once outside, she stopped and stretched and then trotted back to the dining hall, covertly alert. There was no sign at all of Hubert, not even a lingering smell of coffee. When she returned to Mercedes's room, Byleth took a quick look out of the back window, then dragged her chair closer to Mercedes.

'No sign of anyone listening.' She reported. 'I felt sure that if we started girl-talk, our conversation would hold no interest to anyone who might be spying.'

'I admit I'm intrigued.' Mercedes replied. 'Whatever do you have to say that is so secret? Your note was just the oddest thing!'

Byleth thought carefully about her words.

'What do you think of Jeritza?' She asked.

'Jeritza?' Mercedes looked surprised. 'Well, I only have our required lessons with him, since I don't do a great amount of blade practice.' She admitted. 'Why? Are you interested in him?' She asked, eagerly.

'No! Oh, Goddess.. no.' Byleth shook her head. 'As I have told you before, I have no time for that kind of malarkey.'

'There is always time for a little romance.' Mercedes smiled.

'Regardless, that's not what I'm asking.' Byleth frowned. 'Do you… I mean, have you…'

'It's odd.' Mercedes cut across Byleth's stumbling words, her eyes narrowing at the Professor's obvious discomfort. 'At times, I have to admit that Jeritza has drawn my eye. Despite his disagreeable demeanor, there is something… that I find strangely familiar about him…'

Byleth let out a ragged sigh of relief. 'He remembers you as well.' She said quietly.

'Remembers me?' Mercedes inhaled sharply. 'I don't think we have ever met before…' She shut her eyes for a second, and when she spoke again, her voice was pained. 'I once had a brother. Emile. But he is dead. I have occasionally had the thought that Jeritza does remind me of him somehow - although I have tried to put such thinking safely to the back of my mind.' She opened her eyes again and looked directly at Byleth, her tight gaze boring into her companion's intently. 'What is it that you are trying to tell me, Professor?' She demanded.

'Emile never died. He is indeed now known as Jeritza.' Byleth whispered.

Mercedes stumbled to her feet. 'That is a poor jest.' She accused angrily. 'Do you really think that I wouldn't have known immediately... that I… oh dear…' Tears had begun to slip down her face.

Byleth took the girl's hand and urged her to sit back down. 'I'm sorry to make you unhappy.' She mumbled.

'I'm not unhappy.' Mercedes sniffed. 'I can't quite… allow myself to hope that it could be true after all this time. How Professor? How did you find out?'

'Jeritza spoke to me.' Byleth explained calmly. 'It seems he recognised you quite early on, but was going to leave things alone until he started to feel that you were catching onto him.'

'Why would he want to keep it from me?' Mercedes looked hurt.

'Not out of choice certainly. He has spoken so fondly of you.' Byleth reassured. 'It's just, I don't believe that life has been kind to him, and he has some problems with his control.'

Mercedes was nodding absently. 'I think the way that he is.. the aloofness and such is what dissuaded me from believing that it might be him. The boy was very much different…'

'Jeritza was genuinely concerned that you might corner him at some stage, and he would hurt you. Physically. So much so, that he was considering giving up his place here to protect you from himself.'

Mercedes winced. 'How did he get like that? Is it really that bad?' She asked, sadly.

Byleth shrugged. 'I don't know. He told me a bit, but it really wasn't my place… All I do know is that he spent a lot of time assessing me. He became convinced that I was strong enough and would be willing to protect you. He is so desperate to reach out to you, Mercedes.'

'And I want to reach out to him too.' Mercedes replied firmly, wiping the trail of tears from her cheek.

'He's waiting for us, in my room.' Byleth squeezed Mercedes's hand. 'If you need some space to get your head around meeting with him, then we can rearrange another time…'

'No!' Mercedes insisted sharply. 'I need to know for sure. I can't rest until I am certain that it is him.'

Byleth nodded her understanding. 'I am taking charge of your well-being in this Mercedes, so I need you to pay attention and do as I ask, okay?'

'Of course.' Mercedes agreed.

'If you feel uncomfortable about anything, you leave. If you feel threatened or think anything is amiss, you leave.' Byleth counted the conditions off on her fingers. 'If I ask you to leave, then you leave.'

Mercedes bowed her head in agreement.

'Jeritza isn't sure how he would cope with physical contact, and I doubt he will initiate it.' Byleth continued. 'You are a very quick study though Mercedes. I believe you will be able to gauge better than anyone if it would be welcome, but to begin with, be wary and careful. He is already extremely anxious, and what he has to tell you won't be easy on him or you. If it takes a few sessions to get everything out safely – then that would be better than putting either of you in a bad place.'

'I'm glad that he asked you to intervene on this, Professor.' Mercedes eyes were warm.

'Hmm. Well, I won't allow you to be hurt.' Byleth mumbled.

'I know that.'

'Do you think you are ready? Do you need a little bit longer?'

'No.' Mercedes stood, a determined look on her face. 'Let's go and get this sorted.'