"Already?" Sylvain complained.
Byleth shrugged. "At least I got a warning in. Get ready and grab who you can."
The first thing Byleth did was run to her room to drop off the diary before she continued down the path to reach the battlefield through the small path that ran past the fishing pond. Dimitri was close behind her. They would still have a few moments, Gilbert would have had to go to the cathedral to gather them the first time after all. She caught sight of Caspar up towards the dining hall.
"Caspar! Imperial troops are heading this way!" Byleth called.
He turned his attention to them immediately. Heading down the stairs. "Let me grab my claws and I'll be right there. Any idea who's leading them?"
"I've been hearing rumors about someone named Randolf in this area." Byleth said.
"Wait my step-uncle is here!?" Caspar said, his face turning from anger to shock.
"Step-uncle?" Byleth said surprised.
Caspar ran his fingers through his hair. "I've never actually met him but I know of him. He's pretty low on our family hierarchy because his mom married into our family after he was born. My dad got named heir to the family instead."
"If he has to die today Caspar….." Byleth said softly.
"He chose his side and he is loyal to the empire and Edlegard. If we have to take him down I won't hesitate to strike him down if I need to. I don't care if we are from the same house, so don't worry professor, I won't betray you for him." Caspar said.
"Caspar that's not…." Byleth started.
"Be right back Professor." Caspar said before running off.
Byleth took a deep breath. "Dorthea is right, war is an ugly thing."
Dimitri put a hand on her shoulder. "You can't hesitate to do what needs to be done."
Byleth put her hand over his. "I know, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Same formation as before?"
Dimitri nodded. "Yes, and I'll try not to advance so far out like I had. The only reason those mages got to me was because I went out on my own before you had come to regroup with us."
Byleth squeezed his hand before closed her eyes a moment before slipping away to move forward, her face its usual mask as she started giving orders to where everyone should start.
Randolf glared at the force that had taken down his troops so easily. "Where is that damned one eye demon! I know he was spotted near here!"
Byleth tilted her head, not understanding at first. Based on the way Dimitri's grip was tightening almost to the point that the metal was bending it…. That eyepatch…. He was probably the one Randolf was talking about. Since Dimitri had his sight back in that eye thanks to Sothis he wouldn't have to wear it anymore.
"You mean that rouge with the eyepatch we killed?" She asked.
Dimitri wondered where she was planning on going with that. Surely she had already figured out it was him considering they haven't attacked anyone other than thieves on this timeline. That was also a reason why Randolf had hated him so much and gave so much venom when he was giving him the tirade.
Randolf's fury drove him to advance. "That dastard was mine to kill!" he yelled swinging at Byleth.
"I won't let you touch her!" Dimitri shouted as he brought his lance down on him.
His crest activated as the lance tore through Randolf and then the wyvern he was riding. He hadn't meant to create such a brutal scene. His hands were shaking as he met Byleth's wide eyes, she came over and tried to put her hand over his and he flinched away. She watched him as he went back towards the monastery. The others stood out of his way looking between the carnage and the path he walked.
Gilbert came over and had to turn his head away. "I see now, it's the inhuman strength from his crest that was causing so much damage."
Byleth's eyes were still on the blue of the cloak as it disappeared from view. "He's still trying to control it. Try not to let it color your vision of him too much. Alone it wasn't something he worried about, but around other people it makes him feel like he's nothing but a monster."
"So the Boar is still there. He's still trying to walk on his hind legs, but for something like him it's a losing battle." Felix sneered.
Byleth turned on him. "Even before this war you were always hard on him! Yes I know that Glenn died and he lived. I know that you told me about the rebellion and how you were disturbed by the bloodlust you saw, but that doesn't mean that you have to act like you're….. I really don't know what you have against him. Everyone rest up. Gilbert can I trust you to send the letters to Rodrigue and Claude? We'll send them out, and in the meantime we'll clean and set up supplies here in the monastery."
"Where are you going professor?" Mercedes asked.
"To find him." She answered.
"No offense professor, but is that safe?" Sylvain asked.
"He has a hard enough time putting trust in himself, the more you doubt him the more harm comes from it. He won't hurt me, and he shouldn't be alone right now." Byleth said walking away.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she has more marks under that top." Felix said glaring at her as she got further away.
"What do you mean?" Sylvain asked.
"Do you not remember what he did to her that day before the empire attacked?" Felix asked him.
"Wait, wait, wait, that was Dimitri? Mr I need to hide in your room because a girl is chasing me Dimitri." Sylvain gaped.
"You're just now figuring that out? Why do you think he was giving you that look like he wanted to kill you for touching her?" Felix scoffed.
"She had come to my room for a powder that day, and she told me other than the exchanges of kisses, nothing else had gone on other than for them to sleep in each other's arms. She didn't want to tell me who it was. I guess that explains why. She was smiling so fondly about it and I didn't see any signs that he had hurt her when I applied it so there had been no reason to worry. I was actually happy at the time because she didn't often smile." Mercedes said walking up to them with Annette.
"The professor is many things but she's not a liar," Annette said.
"What are you four talking about?" Ingrid said coming over to their group.
"Oh, nothing. It's just interesting how the two of them have been acting together." Mercedes said.
Ingrid shrugged. "It's nothing new. Dimitri has always adored her. The Professor usually doesn't let anyone close to her, but she's more relaxed around him. Do you remember when we were all making garlands together? I told the professor that it should be given to someone you can always depend on. His face was so red when she put it on his head, but the smile he gave her was like she was giving him the world and I found myself unable to laugh at him. She's the only one he's ever had that look for. When the professor lost her father it was Dimitri that helped her pull out of it and brought her back to us. They're good for each other."
Felix crossed his arms. "He had been calmer and it looked like he was well rested right after that, plus Annette's right, the Professor has never been a liar."
"Am I missing a part of this conversation?" Ingrid asked.
Sylvain shook his head. "It's nothing to worry about. I don't think we should pry about their relationship just yet. We've only just reunited after all. Dimitri has had to live five years on the run, no allies and probably no telling how many people have tried to kill him. Let's just do as the Professor asked and try to play nice."
Even Felix nodded as they all went back into the monastery.
Byleth looked everywhere for him but he was nowhere to be seen. She had checked the cathedral, the overlook, the cardinal and common rooms. His old room was empty too. She past by her room and thought that perhaps he may have went there. She opened the door to find him there at the desk with the diary flipped open in front of him. He had taken out the cord and had one hand grabbing at his hair the other clenched on the desk.
"There you are." She said exhaling. Her breath was still ragged from running around.
It was her entry that he had opened to she noticed as she walked up to him. He glanced at her and then away. She came up and wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head against his, offering silent comfort. After a moment he unclenched his fist and placed it on her arm.
"Would you like to talk or would you prefer the silence?" she asked.
"I'm afraid I'm going to end up hurting you. I saw that look you gave me back there, the last thing I want is you scared of me." He finally answered after a few moments.
She rubbed her knuckles against his cheek. "It just surprised me was all. I've watched you crush skulls and windpipes Dimitri, but I know you wouldn't turn that strength against an ally."
He took her hand that had the bandage on it. "I'm still not pleased about this either. When you turned back time I was already on my way towards you to get him away from you. Why would you harm yourself to stop him?" he asked.
"The scent of blood is the strongest thing to him and mine is one he never wants to spill. I was trying to serve a point. I didn't mean to be reckless. Darren was born in the kingdom and his sister was on her way to be a celebrated mage. He had joined my father's group trying to earn money to help get his sister through school. He disappeared for a bit. I only later realized it was because his sister had been raped and killed. Between that time it seems that Cornelia had did some experiments on him and merged him with a wolf.
When I first met Guren I had been more curious than anything, but I realized that even though he was an animal trapped in a human body he was a better man than most wish men wish they could be. Guren became like a big brother to me, always protecting and advising. He kept saying out of most humans I was the only one he could tolerate. When Darren started coming onto me he did the one thing that my father wouldn't allow and that was talk about what the guys were doing with the women when they went into town. He had also told me that I shouldn't let anyone touch me unless I loved them, but he was still protecting me from Darren all the same because he had to leave after that."
"So it was Darren in control when he had grabbed your hair." He asked, his tone flat.
"Yes. I want to free Guren from him, but not by killing him." She said.
He exhaled. "If he tries to bring you any harm I will make no promises not to kill him where he stands. I think Cornelia has had her hands in something else. I had some conversations with Hapi back before the war started. She actually knew my stepmother's real name. She said she was being held captive in the kingdom." He said.
"Based on the information we have it wouldn't surprise me. She probably killed Rufus to frame you too. There's no doubt in my mind now that she's part of the same group that Thales and the others are part of. Solen had called me the Fell Star before he put me in that spell in the Sealed Forest. It's me they want but I'm not sure why."
He turned to her then. "I won't let them hurt you."
She hugged him tightly. "I know. I also know that you won't hurt me Dimitri. I trust you, there have been several chances that you could have hurt me, but you haven't. You have to learn to forgive and trust yourself. You hold tightly to all of these burdens that weigh on your mind and heart and it only crushes you from the inside. Those wounds take the longest time to heal and you need to not push yourself past the breaking point."
She unclipped his cape from him and leaned around to kiss him. "I know it's still early, but there will be plenty to do in the weeks to come while we wait for replies. Let's rest while we can."
When she started to take off her armor pieces she started listing tasks that needed done, what needed to be organized, supply needs, and a lot of other things. It was enough to make his head spin.
"You had to do all of that yourself?" he asked.
"Gilbert and Seteth helped where they could." She replied as she tugged off her shirt.
She turned to him. "When we take back Fhirdiad there will be a lot to do then too. We can share the work so the burden isn't too much. I imagine that there will be a lot of things we'll both have to do in our respective positions so it's better to start early I guess. There is one thing Dimitri, our titles may change, but that doesn't mean that it changes who we are, and it doesn't affect what I feel for you."
All he could do was stare at her as she sat down to unzip her boots. What she had written was wrong, she knew exactly what to say at times that he couldn't fathom a response for. She had taught him so much, not just as his professor, but as a person as well.
"If not for you I probably would have died a fruitless death on the battlefield." He said starting to taking off his gloves and other armor.
"I wouldn't have let you." She said coming back over to kiss him.
He pulled her into his lap as he met her lips with his, his hands pressing her against him. Then he put his head in the crook of her neck and held her while she stroked his hair, keeping him in her own embrace. There were so many things he was grateful for when it came to her. He pulled her hair back and kissed her there, loving the sound she made before her breathing quickened. He stood up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her over to the bed and put her down on it. He gave her one more deep long kiss before pulling away from her to finish undressing before joining her back on the bed. Her eyes fluttered open as she smiled and bit her bottom lip after they kissed again.
"Didn't I say that we should rest?" she teased kissing him along his jawline.
"We will, but I want to have you first." He said leaning his head down to kiss at her collar bone and the rest of her neck.
Her hands tightened on him as he moved down to her breasts before she did something unexpected by pushing at him. He let her put him onto his back, wondering what she might have planned. She started her kisses at his neck her nails lightly trailing down his stomach until she began to cup and rub him. His breathing got heavier before she retreated from him. The she took him into her mouth and he shuddered at the feel. Her tongue swirled around him as her hands stayed near the base to rub and hold him. He clutched the sheets as she continued to tease him with her lips and tongue.
Her eyes met his before she pulled up and smiled at him. "Would you like me to continue?"
He pulled up brought her underneath him. "Later perhaps, but right now I want to be inside you."
She wrapped herself around him as he took her hands and twined his fingers with hers, kissing her as he kept a steady rhythm. She took one of her hands back and cupped his face with it when he moved to hold her closer to him.
"I love you Dimitri." She said holding him close as her body shook from her climax.
"Byleth," his pacing got faster. "I love you too..."
He clutched her as he released inside of her, nuzzling his lips against hers with kisses and small tugging bites. Before rolling her on top of him and relaxing. She pulled up and kissed his temple before hugging him and snuggling against him, pulling the sheet over both of them. He stroked her cheek and laid his head against hers.
"I do love you, and I will keep you by my side Byleth." He said lacing his hand with hers.
She smiled and nuzzled his neck. "Good. At this point it would be very hard to get rid of me, and I don't want to be apart from you."
He kissed her and listened as her contented breaths slowed and evened, soon after matching the pace of his breathing to hers sleep found him as well.
