The dining room was starting to get busy as more people began waking up from the various festivities of the night before. There was a far greater ecclesiastical presence than normal, their ranks swelled considerably by the clergy that had made their way to the Monastery for Saint Cethleann's day and who would be staying right up until the Rite of Rebirth at the end of the month.
Byleth knew she should be trying to memorise the new faces around her, but she was tired and a little hungover – although nothing at all as bad as the first time she'd experienced it. There was still plenty of time to get a handle on who the strangers were, and whether they might present any problems or threats, she theorised. Claude had also managed to covertly fill her in a little on the raid on Rhea's room the previous night, which seemed to have yielded a few positive results.
Linhardt and Caspar arrived and joined the student group at their table just as Dedue was just placing an enormous plate of breakfast down in front of Byleth and taking his own seat.
'I had an amazing time last night!' Caspar was saying enthusiastically. 'Although after all that excess, I definitely need a good session in the training grounds this morning.'
'I hear you!' Raphael beamed. 'Got some more muscle to build myself. You want to focus on some strength training with me?'
'Do I ever!' Casper nodded. 'Felix, you fancy some weights?' He asked the raven-haired swordsman.
'I'll join for a few rounds.' Felix agreed.
'Me too.' Sylvain smirked. 'The ladies do love a bit of sculptured toning... eh, Bernadetta?...' He winked at his intended victim but ended up being the one to blush when she nodded enthusiastically.
'Urghh.' Linhardt shuddered. 'All that energy wasted!'
'What?' Caspar nudged his friend.
Linhardt waved his hand dismissively. 'I'm already tired, and I've only just got up... too much thinking last night, I suppose.'
'Thinking is way more tiring than working out.' Raphael agreed amiably.
'Oh... here they are.' Dedue nodded towards the door where Ashe had appeared leading a small boy by the hand, followed by Dimitri, who was carrying a slightly bigger girl who appeared to be clinging round his neck even tighter than Flayn had the night before. Ashe rushed up to the table with a beaming smile.
'Everyone...' He said excitedly. 'I'd like you to meet my brother Aaron...' He pushed the lad forward encouragingly who grinned and gave a small wave of his hand. '...and my sister Amelia.' He gestured to the girl in Dimitri's arms, who immediately buried her face into the Prince's broad chest shyly.
'Wow...' Claude remarked lazily, lounging back. 'Your parents sure liked the letter 'A' huh.'
'Yes, we are a matching set!' Ashe agreed happily. 'Shall we grab some food, Aaron?' He added to the boy who was staring around at everyone in wide-eyed fascination. The relationship between the brothers would have been hard to miss... they had the same open features and almost identical freckles.
'Yes, please.' The lad replied earnestly.
Ashe put out his arms to relieve Dimitri of his burden and took his siblings up to the food counter.
'Oh Goddess... how cute are they?' Mercedes crooned softly.
' I'm amazed you're surprised... knowing Ashe.' Dedue commented.
'I'm exceptionally relieved we were able to find them, and ensure their safety after the incident at Castle Gaspard.' Dimitri said quietly. 'At least we can count one positive outcome from that whole mess.'
Ashe and the children returned to the table with their plates, and a space was opened up for them to sit.
'You don't much look like a demon.' Aaron accused Byleth bravely once his meal was finished. 'Is it true that you eat naughty children?'
There was silence, although Claude was having a very hard time containing his laughter.
'It's almost impossible to cook a whole child.' Byleth replied seriously raising an eyebrow at him. 'They wriggle far too much to get them into the oven properly...'
'I think you look more like a princess than a monster.' Amelia spoke up timidly, 'You are so rude, Aary...' She punched her brother's shoulder.
'Well... that's kind of you... but while I hope I am no monster, I am certainly not any kind of proper lady!' Byleth smiled at the girl who giggled.
'Maybe you could marry Prince Dimitri then...' Amelia bounced on her seat. 'Then you would be a Princess!'
'What an amazing idea!' Sylvain exclaimed, clapping Dimitri on the back as the Prince turned an interesting shade of purple. 'Quickly now, Your Highness... Don't delay! The Prof needs to be Princess'ed immediately.'
'Amelia...!' Ashe looked mortified as the laughter started.
Byleth was a little red around the ears, but she rallied remarkably well. 'Prince Dimitri will have his pick of all of the most beautiful and accomplished women in the land when the time comes for him to chose a bride.' She told the girl kindly. 'I'm positive that he will manage to do far better for himself than a boring old teacher.'
'I very much doubt that.' Felix murmured.
'But, we do have two real Princess's here...' Byleth continued noting Edelgard and Hubert coming in. '... And here comes one now... would you like me to introduce you?'
Amelia nodded enthusiastically, Aaron less so, but Byleth scooped them both up and took them over to meet with Edelgard.
'I am so very sorry!' Ashe groaned when his siblings were out of earshot.
'No harm done...' Dimitri smiled weakly.
'Pure bloody gold...' Claude was wiping his eyes happily.
'Perhaps you would like me to show your siblings around the greenhouse next?' Dedue offered, sending a sympathetic look to the Prince. 'I'm sure they would enjoy the experience.'
'Oh yes, please, Dedue.' Ashe agreed quickly.
'I'd better go and... attend to that thing I forgot to do! Please excuse me!' Dimitri took the opportunity to shoot to his feet.
'You mean you've forgotten to get the engagement ring?' Sylvain teased wickedly.
'Yes... I mean, no... I mean... shut up, Sylvain!' Dimitri took to his heels and practically ran from the room.
'Best breakfast ever, but I'll go and sort him out!' Mercedes smiled, getting to her feet and following Dimitri.
'Yeah...' Sylvain rested his head in his hands with a contented sigh. 'Dimi has a lot to learn, but bloody hell, he is fun to tease!'
~0~
Linhardt was drifting happily in a sea of exotic smells and cheery voices, like he was traversing some distant, foreign market made up of colourful tents and elaborately garbed sellers, all under a relentlessly hot sun. Following along in his dream with his usual passion Linhardt found himself at the stall of a purveyor of forbidden books - the tomes and scrolls piled thick and high, and each title more delicious and exciting than the last. Was that really the lost treatise on... No... no! A grimoire of the spells of the infamous dark mage? Wait! A dissertation by the first-ever crest scholar...
'Linhardt. Wake up!'
He was not Linhardt right now, he decided, and he was certainly not going to wake up when he finally had his hands on...
'Linhardt von Hevring. Wake up... RIGHT NOW!'
That voice was... sort of familiar. Linhardt cracked open an eye just a slit, his vision filled with a daintily booted foot. The foot suddenly stamped in front of his face.
'I mean it, Linhardt! I am starting to get very cross with you...'
The voice that was attached to the stamping foot did sound rather annoyed. With a deep shuddering sigh, Linhardt forced his other eye open and squinted up at the figure in front of him. Immediately he screwed his eyes tightly closed again and slowly counted to ten in his head. When he peered up for the second time, the vision was still there, which probably meant that it was real and not imagined.
'Marianne?' Linhardt struggled to keep his surprise from his voice. 'Was that you? Sounding angry?'
Her heavenly face suddenly filled his entire vision as she crouched down to poke him roughly on the shoulder.
'Ouch!' He complained.
'Yes, I'm angry!' She retorted. 'You are sleeping on the floor of the dining room Linhardt... the dining room! What in the hell are you thinking?'
'Oh... again?' He took a bleary-eyed look around him to confirm her accusation. 'I suspect that I was thinking something like ''Gosh, I'm tired... time for a snooze.'' That's normally what goes through my mind before...'
'Are you actually crazy?' Marianne demanded, poking him in the shoulder a second time. It hurt just as much as the first had.
'It has been suggested several times that I may be a trifle unhinged.' Linhardt answered honestly, rubbing the sore spot where her finger had hit. He considered complaining. One look at her fierce little face persuaded him not to. He wasn't stupid, after all.
'Did you not even consider what a featherbrained place this is to lay down?' Marianne continued, on a roll now. 'You could have been kicked or tripped over, you could have had a hot beverage spilled on you... you are a danger not only to yourself but to others too!'
Linhardt groaned and pulled himself into a sitting position. 'People are quite used to me, Marianne. They just step over me or around me... or avoid me entirely. I doubt that you would fall over me either since you always walk with your eyes to the ground anyway.'
'People shouldn't have to be used to such foolish behavior.' Marianne sat back on her heels, her expression melting from anger to concern. 'I can't believe that people just ignore you and let you lay there...'
'The Professor doesn't.' Linhardt reassured her. 'Whenever she finds me asleep somewhere odd, she usually picks me up and puts me somewhere appropriate. She is mightily strong, you know.'
'That's something at least...'
'And Caspar will bellow at me until I wake up.' Linhardt added. 'Honestly, I prefer the Professor's method... it's a lot less loud.'
'Linhardt... can we stand up now?' Marianne straightened from her crouched position and offered him a hand.
'I suppose.' Linhardt grabbed onto her and hefted himself up. He patted down his uniform and brushed off the dust he'd accumulated from the floor. 'Thanks then.' He nodded to Marianne. 'You have now made it three whole people who have shown a care about my wellbeing!' He beamed brightly, and without so much as a goodbye, he started to amble towards the door.
'Wait!' Marianne called after him, annoyance back in her voice.
Linhardt turned, his brow raised in polite question.
'I haven't finished telling you off yet!' She stamped her foot again in frustration. 'You really are rather irritating, you know!'
'Um... is everything okay, Marianne?' It was Ignatz, moving towards her with a bewildered expression. 'You seem terribly red in the face, are you not feeling well?'
'I'm just fine.' She huffed. 'It's that idiot who is...' Suddenly she gulped, and her eyes dropped to her feet, her irritability visibly draining from her to be replaced by anxiety. 'Perhaps I do feel a little unwell...' She admitted breathlessly. 'Please, excuse me...' She pushed her way past a very perplexed Ignatz, and a stunned looking Linhardt and out through the door.
'Do you think I should go after her..?' Ignatz fretted.
'I'll go.' Linhardt sighed. 'I was the one that angered her in the first place, although quite unintentionally, I might add.'
Marianne hadn't gone far. She was sat on the grass by the lake, wringing her hands and her face downcast. She didn't look up when Linhardt plonked himself down by her side.
'I'm sorry.' She mumbled so quietly that he could hardly hear her. 'I had no right to tell you off or become angry with you.'
'It was a surprise.' Linhardt admitted. 'Although perhaps it shouldn't be. I have noted your undeniable compassion many times in our Faith sessions with Manuela.'
'The risk of you getting hurt was unacceptable.' Marianne shook her head. 'I spend so much of my time trying to avoid allowing my unlucky demeanor from affecting others – that to see you just splayed out like that...'
'Ah. The curse of Marianne...' Linhardt said dryly. 'I remember when we first heard about the Professor's lack of a heartbeat, and it was discussed how that abnormality may relate to her unknown crest. You immediately surmised that it might be due to a curse, and I actually spent a fair bit of time researching the possibility of crest curses.'
'What did you find?' Marianne asked, unable to prevent her inquiry.
'Absolutely nothing to support that a crest could have any relationship to a curse or a person's luck.' Linhardt said firmly.
'Oh, I see.'
'I mean, your suspicion and your position is completely understandable. I suppose, given how unique and unexpected your own crest is.' Linhardt looked at her appraisingly.
'My crest?' His words shook Marianne enough that she looked up directly at him, the colour draining from her face. 'W...w...what do you know of my crest?'
Linhardt suddenly looked sheepish. 'Hmm... well, I should admit to you at this point that I recently managed to solicit an examination of Professor Hanneman's records...' He replied. 'Illicitly, of course. He would never have shared your secret knowingly. Or allowed a student access to his personal notes.'
Marianne's eyes were as big as saucers. 'You are just going to sit there and admit to nosing through a Professor's private records?' She asked incredulously.
'Well, that is what happened.' Linhardt shrugged. 'I am extremely interested in crests, as you know, and the opportunity presented itself, and I was curious. I'm sure it's not actually the most dubious thing I have done since I've been here either... there have been plenty of other things I have undertaken in the name of research.'
'Oh!...'
'It's only fair that I trust you with that knowledge since I uncovered your secret quite unwittingly.' Linhardt smiled at her. 'I won't tell if you won't!'
Marianne's eyes were on the ground again. 'Your activities are of no concern to me, and my crest is of no concern to you.' She said faintly.
'I don't quite see it like that.' Linhardt laid back and stared up at the sky. 'Obviously, I am interested in your crest. It isn't even supposed to still be in existence! I am quite determined to explore you further, you know!'
'That would be a very poor idea.' Marianne muttered. 'I don't want anyone to be hurt because of me. Least of all you.'
'Given the stories around Maurice, the original holder of your crest, and it's unfortunate naming as ''The crest of the Beast'' I can understand why you may believe it is cursed.' Linhard plowed on. 'Having started to get to know you, however, I find I can give no credence to the idea that it is unlucky to spend time with you. That you are dangerous? Quite ludicrous.'
'You don't know that.' She said softly. 'After all, you just witnessed me becoming angry... quite unreasonably... with you.'
'That's right!' Linhardt agreed. 'I am going to need to prove my hypothesis and that in turn should allay your fears. Everyone gets angry, sometimes Marianne. Surely you can see how interesting the whole scenario could be?'
'So, I am a test subject to you?'
'Of a kind.' Linhardt replied honestly. 'Although quite aside from my academic interest... I do find myself oddly determined to ease your troubles.' He paused thoughtfully.
'Why?' Marianne looked up at him again, her eyes searching his.
'It feels wrong that someone who is so gentle and kind should struggle with the worry that they are intrinsically a danger to others.' Linhardt said slowly. 'It is a ridiculous belief, but one that you obviously subscribe wholeheartedly too. I, however, will prove it to be wrong.'
'And what if you don't?' Marianne looked away from him.
'In the unlikely event that I am wrong – and I am very rarely wrong, you know – then we can work on finding ways to manage the affliction. It won't come to that, though.'
'You are very sure of yourself.' Marianne noted.
'Obviously.' Linhardt agreed. 'Someone has to believe in me, and I do an excellent job of it all by myself!'
That brought a tiny smile to Marianne's face. 'I would love to have your confidence, Linhardt!' She admitted.
'Being perfect all of the time is extremely tiring.' Linhardt murmured as he shut his eyes.
'You are going to fall asleep again now, aren't you.' Marianne accused.
'Absolutely... you are welcome to join me if you wish. It would be good for you!'
'I'll just sit here and make sure no-one trips over you.' Marianne replied although Linhardt was asleep before she'd even finished the sentence.
