Byleth's eventual return to consciousness began with pain. Deep, bone aching agony that radiated from just about everywhere she could name on her body. Everything throbbed, exactly like she imagine a heartbeat would if one had happened to reside in her chest.

A subconscious but wise decision not to try and move or speak meant that sounds were the first thing that she registered outside of herself and her physical misery, although there wasn't that much to hear. Calm silence was broken only by an odd scratching sound, and then a very quiet sigh and the clearing of a throat, which focused Byleth's scant attention on the fact that someone else was here with her. She knew this realisation should alert and alarm her, but that would take effort, and she wasn't up to that just yet.

As lucidity slowly returned, the discomfort Byleth was feeling ebbed into a more manageable tenderness, and she considered opening her eyes and taking stock of her situation. She could feel sunlight burning through her eyelids, although they seemed unduly weighted down, and her lips were sticky and sore when she tried to move them. She managed a slight twitch with her hand, and immediately she heard the scrape of a chair.

'Byleth?' She recognised the voice, but her mind was unable to move fast enough to place it to a person. 'Are you awake, child?'

A small moan escaped from her throat as her companion leaned over her, obscuring the light for a moment. She felt a large cool hand take hold of her own.

'Byleth.' The voice was firmer. 'Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?'

Byleth tried hard to do as she was asked, but all she managed was a light squeeze on the hand holding hers. Something moist ran across her lips - cloth soaked in water - and her mouth moved automatically, trying to retain some of its wetness as she became aware that her throat was aflame with thirst.

'Good girl.' The voice was softer and anxious. 'I'm going to get some help Byleth… I will only leave you for a second.' Her hand was placed down by her side, and rapid footsteps made their way across the floor.

'Cyril!' Her companion spoke quietly but urgently. 'Can you run and get Manuela here, quick as you can. On your way back, locate Captain Jeralt and let him know that Byleth looks like she is awakening.'

There was the faint sound of another voice, indistinguishable.

'No, don't bother Lady Rhea yet; she is otherwise engaged at the moment. Run now, lad.'

Byleth had somehow managed to pull herself halfway up into a wobbly sitting position, her eyes open just enough to make out Seteth as he turned from the door and hurried back to her.

'Byleth! No!' He chided, 'Lay down for goodness sake!'

'Thirsty!' She croaked as he reached her, the effort of staying upright, making her shoulders shake.

'Right… yes…' Seteth put a steadying hand on her arm, then pushed her pillows out of the way to slip behind her and bolster her up against his chest. He reached to the table for a glass of water. 'You need to go slowly with this, or you'll choke. Just sips, okay?'

The tepid liquid was blissful as it slid down Byleth's parched throat. She relaxed by degree's as the fire in her mouth soothed; however, once her most immediate need was sated, her thoughts latched onto her last coherent memory.

'Seteth!' She stumbled over her words. 'Everone else?'

'Your students are fine.' He replied calmly. 'A little beaten up, but all of them are back on their feet and no worse for the wear. Actually, there was not a single casualty on our side, and very few of Lord Lonato's troops and townsfolk were harmed. You were the only one that presented any cause for concern.'

Byleth relaxed further and closed her eyes. 'Good.' She murmured. 'What happened after I….' her voice petered out.

'After you collapsed?' Seteth asked dryly. 'As I understand it, the Gautier lad caught you and brought you to Mercedes. You were badly cut up, had lost a lot of blood, and you weren't regaining consciousness.'

'Oh.'

'Mercedes wondered if you had been hit by something poisoned. Your body was shutting down, and your pulse was very weak – apparently, once Lonato's forces had been contained, Jeralt's anger was quite something to behold.'

'I can imagine.' Byleth muttered.

'I got to you around twenty-four hours after the event. Ingrid had been sent to alert us that there was a problem, and we left with a couple of flying units immediately.' Seteth moved out from behind Byleth and rearranged her pillows so she could lie back. He perched on the side of the bed. 'Everything was well under control by the time we arrived, although there was…' Seteth shook his head slightly. 'That doesn't matter right now.' He said firmly to himself. 'The students were flown back to the Monastery.'

'Even Dedue?' Byleth's eyes widened, remembering his determination that he would never get on the back of a wyvern.

Seteth exhaled a little chuckle. 'Um… well, we did have to sedate him a little… Okay… a lot.' He admitted.

'Poor Dedue.'

'I'd suggest there is more of a case for sympathy for the Knight that had to transport him.' Seteth remarked.

'Wait!' Byleth's brain struggled with Seteth's words. 'Am I back at the Monastery as well?' she asked in confusion.

'You are. I brought you back myself when it became apparent you were not waking up.'

'How long?'

'It's been six days since the battle.' Seteth said softly. 'You have been stable, just not waking.'

'Sothis?' Byleth called, realising that she had not yet been assaulted by a single complaint from the potential deity.

'Shush… sleeping...' A sleepy voice grumbled. 'You aren't the only one that pushed themselves, you know!'

'It's a lot to take in.' Seteth was saying as Byleth refocused on his words. 'You are a lot more coherent than I was expecting, however, so that had to be a good thing. You look like hell, though.'

'Thanks.'

Seteth chuckled again. 'Manuela will be along in a moment to check you over, so I will pack up my paperwork ready to be ejected.'

'You have been sitting with me?' Byleth opened her eyes to stare at him.

'Someone had too. The sheer amount of people who have tried to sneak in and see you… well, you can probably get some idea by how much this room is currently resembling a florists shop.' Seteth gestured to the flowers that were everywhere. 'That's only about half of it too.' He added. 'The rest Jeralt took down to your room. Except for the stinkweed. We threw that out.'

'Hubert?' Byleth managed a weak smile. Seteth nodded.

'Professor!' The door had flown open, and Flayn raced in her face split in a beaming smile. She scrabbled up onto the bed and hugged Byleth tight.

'Ouch…' Byleth moaned as her injuries stung at the pressure.

'Flayn!' Seteth complained.

'Oop's sorry!' Byleth felt a warmth as a little healing rushed over her, easing her hurts. 'It's so good to see you awake, though!'

Byleth wrapped her own arms around the girl. 'It's good to be awake, I guess.' She admitted. Her brown furrowed into a sudden frown. 'Who was looking out for you when Seteth flew to our rescue?' She asked.

'Myles!' Flayn smirked. 'Seteth was so concerned about your wellbeing that he freed your brother from his guard duties and ordered him to look out for me!'

'Myles?' Byleth looked between Flayn's smug expression and Seteth's chagrined one. 'Really?' Suddenly, a powerful feeling swept through Byleth, partly an overwhelming sense of relief that against the odds, everything had turned out much better than she's expected and partly because… she burst into laughter.

Flayn's cool hand was on her forehead immediately. 'Are you alright, Professor?' The girl asked anxiously.

'Byleth?' Seteth had also moved closer, concern etched on his face.

'You had Myles protecting her! Oh, my days…' Byleth was finding it hard to breathe. 'Poor Myles!'

'What do you mean, poor Myles?' Flayn demanded, her hands still running over Byleth's face, a worried crinkle on her brow.

'Myles is terrified of you and your flirting!' Byleth howled. 'You actually demanded that he stay with her?' She shook her head at Seteth, who was also starting to grin.

'Afraid of me? Don't be ridiculous!' Flayn huffed. 'I think you must be delirious or something… you are laughing… I have never heard you laugh before…'

'What in the world are you doing to my patient!' Manuela appeared at the door, amazement etched on her face.

'She has obviously lost her mind.' Flayn grouched.

Byleth hugged the girl tighter and brushed a kiss to her cheek.

'Out! Both of you.' Manuela ordered. 'Seteth, I think most of the students are following behind me… you need to do something about that, please.'

'I'm on it.' Seteth agreed. 'We will talk later, Byleth.' He promised as he herded Flayn towards the door.

'I will go and let the scardy-cat know that you are okay.' Flayn decided. '…And flirt with him…' She added rebelliously.

'You do that.' Seteth agreed with a chuckle as he closed the door.

'How are you feeling?' Manuela was all professionalism as she came over to the bed. 'You were in such a state when Seteth brought you home, even though Mercedes had done a sterling job with you in the field. I was deeply concerned it was some kind of head injury, even though your head was one of the only bit's of you that didn't appear to have a bump, cut or bruise.'

'When I woke, I felt like death.' Byleth admitted. 'It's passed to a large degree, as I have become more lucid. Even more so after, Flayn administered some kind of healing a moment ago.'

Manuela was in the process of running her hands all over Byleth's body, nodding to herself when Byleth gave no major reaction. 'Do you feel light-headed, nauseous, or dizzy?' She asked.

'Nope.'

'We will try you with a bit of food and keep up a fluid regime for a day or two. I definitely want to keep you here until I'm happy that you aren't suddenly going to collapse again.' Manuela decided firmly.

'Do I have to?' Byleth groaned.

'Yes. I insist.' Manuela smiled. 'You can get up after today, though and start moving about, as long as nothing untoward happens.'

'Can I get a bath?' Byleth sighed. 'I feel pretty disgusting.'

'There are no classes tomorrow, so we will arrange something with Marianne or Mercedes's help. Don't complain, I'm not going to have you drowning in the tub simply because you are stubborn.' Manuela raised her head as a loud shout echoed from outside the room. 'That sounds like Jeralt. The man has been a complete nightmare… honestly.' She sniffed. 'I'll go and organise something to eat while he visits with you.' She added making her way to the door.

'I might need protection!' Byleth gulped.

'I'm not standing between you two. I'm no fool!' Manuela smirked. 'I'll fill him in before I go down to the refectory, though, so hopefully, he might calm down a bit.'

'Fat chance.' Byleth muttered as Manuela left. She sighed and sat herself up. It was a lot easier than when she had tried it earlier.

Byleth didn't have to wait long before Jeralt burst into the room, his face like thunder.

'Hi, dad.' Byleth looked up at him stoically.

He stood in the doorway with his arms crossed against his chest for a second before he kicked the door closed behind him. He crossed to the bed and sat down heavily on its side.

'You look like shit.' He accused gruffly.

'You're no oil painting yourself.' Byleth retaliated.

There was a pause as they stared each other out.

'You did good.' Jeralt finally admitted.

'What?' Byleth's eyes widened.

'You took a whole world of risks that I'd rather I'd not witnessed, but you did a good job, keeping your kids out of trouble.' Jeralt frowned. 'Can't think of anything I'd have done differently or better, so I can hardly complain can I?'

'Wow.'

Jeralt finally smiled. 'You had me worried By, I honestly thought I'd lost you for a moment, but we Eisner's are made of sterner stuff than that.'

'What have you done with my real dad?' Byleth asked him in confusion.

'Kid, it was a huge clusterfuck all round and it could have been a whole lot worse. I was expecting to find none of you left alive when we finally caught up to you. Are you trying to tell me I never praise you or something.'

'Or something!' Byleth put a hand on his arm. 'I can't tell you how relieved I was when I saw you rushing towards us.' She admitted.

'Yeah, well, that's what dads are for.' Jeralt's tone was back to gruff. 'Your brats did good as well. Impressive display all round and not just in the fight either. They all kept their heads level in the aftermath. Mercedes worked herself to the bone with all the injuries.'

'How's Ashe doing?' Byleth asked quietly. 'Did you manage to find his siblings?'

'Strong lad. Will make a great Knight.' Jeralt said approvingly. 'Yeah, Lonato left a letter at the Castle, I suppose it was meant as a kind of will. Said where he had squirreled the kids away, and requested that provision be made for them.' Jeralt shuffled on the bed uncomfortably. 'That has been a little bit of a sticking point.' He admitted. 'Obviously, all of Lonato's lands and assets are forfeit due to his rebellion - and his wishes aren't likely to be taken into consideration, but the little Princeling, Dimitri, has rallied a load of support to ensure that they and Ashe are left okay. Both Catherine and Seteth have added their weight to the argument.'

'Good.' Byleth said fiercely.

'At the moment they are being brought down here. Should arrive in a day or two. Actually, Myles's foster-parents are going to be housing them in town until Ashe has graduated from the Academy. I reckon it will help the lad no end to have his siblings close by.'

Byleth nodded her agreement. 'Why'd Lonato do it da?' She asked. 'He really hated Rhea, I get that. But why would he do what he did? He didn't appear to be any kind of fool when I spoke to him, he must have known he didn't have the manpower to make any real kind of strike on the Church.'

'We found a letter on him when he was searched.' Jeralt replied quietly. 'It didn't give much information, but it was directing him to play his part in the upcoming assassination attempt on the Archbishop. An event that's apparently being plotted for the day that she conducts the Rite of Rebirth according to the note.'

'Assassination?' Byleth gripped her fathers arm tightly.

'Yeah.' Jeralt rubbed the back of his neck. 'You can just imagine the shitstorm that's caused around here.' He groaned.

Byleth flopped back against her pillows. 'If I'd been luckier, I might have slept just a bit longer and missed out on it all.' She grouched.