'You have NO idea where they went then?' Jeritza asked for at least the fourth or fifth time.'
'No, dear.' Mercedes stroked his hand comfortingly. 'They have been gone all day, and we weren't told anything. I would have to assume that Professor's Hanneman and Manuela know what's going on, though. You could ask them. You are a member of the faculty staff, after all!'
Jeritza grimaced. 'I've already tried to speak to Manuela.' He admitted. 'She said that she was 'unable to divulge any information at this point' and told me to go and speak to Seteth.'
'Did you?' Mercedes asked curiously.
'Yes.' He admitted morosely. 'He said that they had gone to investigate a potential bandit issue. What he failed to provide was a decent explanation as to why the House Leaders were included in the exercise. Surely that sort of remit is the Knight's duty – not one for the students.'
'There is always a chance they were sent because the Knights are busy working on the threat to Rhea.' Mercedes suggested consolingly.
'Maybe...' Jeritza shrugged tightly.
'How about tracking down Myles? He might very well know something.' Mercedes handed her brother a second slice of cake.
'I did that too.' Jeritza mumbled as he stuffed a handful of the baked confectionery into his mouth. 'Myles merely clapped me on the shoulder and told me I shouldn't worry. He said that Jeralt and Byleth can handle just about anything they encountered between the two of them.'
'He makes an excellent point.' Mercedes murmured. 'I don't really understand why you appear to be so concerned, brother.'
'I'm not concerned...'
'Emile...' Mercedes frowned at him. 'I think I know you better than that! You did follow us on the mission to Castle Gaspard, after all. I never questioned it at the time; things were too fraught – but you really had no need to do that, you know. '
Jeritza scowled back at her silently.
'Oh, fine. You don't care... huh. Have it your own way.' Mercedes huffed impatiently at him. 'So, I guess you have just been running around questioning everyone because you are simply curious then? You – the man who dislikes having to speak to anyone if you can avoid it...'
'The curfew bell has already sounded.' Jeritza said without emotion and choosing to avoid his sister's accusation altogether. 'You must agree that if they were simply investigating a rumor, then they should be back by now. Seteth is concerned no matter what he says... I saw him pacing back and forth at the window of his room right before I came here to see you.'
'I don't know what to tell you, Emile.' Mercedes voice was compassionate. 'I'm not overly worried, and I don't think you need to be either. Besides, even if you did manage to find out where they'd gone - it's unlikely to make a blind bit of difference this late in the day.'
Jeritza reluctantly nodded his agreement.
'I do understand that there have only been a very few individuals that you have ever genuinely cared for...' Mercedes continued on - carefully choosing her words. 'But... the Professor really is quite capable of looking after herself – I can promise you that. Certainly much more than I have ever been.'
'Agreed. However, there are some very bad people residing here, in this supposedly holy place, and they have so many secrets and lies floating around them that it is hard to determine their real faces.' Jeritza muttered rebelliously. 'I've never much cared one way or the other since I am quite obviously a perfect example of such myself.' He chuckled coldly at his words, but then he paused, and his voice became dangerously soft. 'Byleth is so very different. She is far too trusting and unerringly willing to give anyone a fair chance. It is going to get her killed...'
'Emile!' Mercedes tone was firm. 'Stop that...now! While I would agree that the Professor has a certain innocence about her, she is not naive, and she would never allow harm to come to the students that she has with her.' She sighed and tried to take his hand back to hold it, but he pulled away from her reach. 'If you plan on reacting this way every time she is sent out on a mission, you are going to end up completely insane!' Mercedes retorted.
'I should go.' Jeritza stood sharply.
'What are you planning to do now?' Mercedes was quick to note a sudden shift in his demeanour and a harshness to his tone that she had not heard before.
'Do?' Jeritza turned briefly to flash an amused glance at her. 'Why, my precious sister... I will do what I do best. It is time to hunt my quarry!'
'Oh, crap.' Mercedes muttered as he slammed the door behind him. She grabbed her shawl and wrapped herself in it securely before waiting a few moments and then quietly creeping from her room to attempt to follow him.
~0~
Byleth felt that she and Yuri had been lost in the pitch darkness, inching their way carefully along dank stone walls in total silence for just about forever. She was cold, she was hungry, and she was aching from not only the tumble she had taken when the cave-in had occurred but also from the myriad of wounds that had been inflicted during the fight with the bandits.
'That was a heavy sigh, my friend.' Yuri noted quietly from somewhere ahead of her. 'Do you want to take a few minutes break?'
'I just want to get back.' Byleth grumbled. 'I can't believe that someone who lives underground doesn't carry around at least one decent candle in his pocket at all times.'
There was a slight snort of amusement. 'The temptation to turn that comment into innuendo is almost overpowering.' He commented. 'However, I realise that were I to give in to my baser urges you would just punch me out and leave me behind...'
'You have that right...' Byleth agreed, then she sighed again. 'No. I suppose I wouldn't. I do owe you for knocking me out of the way of that mage's spell. I might just gag you instead.'
That raised a chuckle. 'How kind of you...'
'Yeah, you're welcome.'
'Actually...' Yuri slowed down, so she caught up to him, almost bumping into his back before she caught hold of herself. '... In truth, I still owed you for rescuing my Mother when I was unable to. So I'd say we are quits. Quite a result, really. I hate having a debt unpaid.'
Byleth grunted noncommittally.
They walked in silence again for a few minutes.
'You really have nothing more to say about your past actions, then?' Yuri asked eventually. 'I would expect some kind of discourse... If not a subtle reminder that I haven't really repaid what is owed.'
'You owe nothing.' Byleth's voice was the gentlest he'd heard it, at least – directed at him. 'I'm afraid I don't remember the incident, Yuri. I remember very little of the specifics of my time as a mercenary. There was killing, and there were long days of marching. I'm sorry if that might offend you somehow, but that's simply how it is. I'm not going to make something up just to impress you or curry favour.'
The silence stretched for longer this time as Yuri contemplated her words. He wasn't totally done, though.
'The other thing I find strange is that in all of the stories and rumours that I gathered about the Ashen Demon, not one mentioned that you were a woman.' Yuri sounded perplexed. 'It's something that adds more drama to the legend rather than detracts from it, so I just don't understand how that can be so.'
'People rarely saw anything besides the demon.' Byleth's voice was so quiet that Yuri had to strain to hear her words. 'Even the mercenaries within our own band stayed well away from the freak-child. While the moniker gave a certain reputation that allowed for avoiding the need to fight at times, I'll admit that it isn't something I have ever liked.'
'Yet, observing your fight... I can see how the name was given.' Yuri pointed out.
'The stone-cold killer.' Byleth mumbled.
Yuri shook his head in the darkness at the tiniest slither of sorrow in her voice. 'Not at all.' He said brusquely. 'People are generally dumb. All I saw was extreme focus and efficiency. Sure, you waded through our enemy almost as if they weren't there; still, I witnessed no enjoyment in the task... merely a necessity.'
'You know, yesterday I met with one of my student's younger siblings...' Byleth said reflectively. 'Ashe admitted that when they were babes, they were threatened with the Ashen Demon coming to eat them if they were naughty...'
'Ouch...' Yuri sympathised. 'Wait!' He added. 'Are you talking about Lord Lonato's foster children?'
'Yes.' Byleth agreed. 'Do you know them?'
'Hmm. Not well.' Yuri replied. 'I was taken in myself at one stage, by Lord Rowe – a close neighbor to Lonato. I... heard what happened recently. You were there?'
'I was, and so was Ashe. He was the one that fired the shot that ended his father...'
'Damn!' Yuri swore quietly. 'How is he?'
'As well as you'd imagine.' Byleth sighed unhappily. 'It doesn't help that no-one can fathom what exactly happened. That Lonato was a good man is something that everyone agrees on. Yet he was so intent on hurting the Church that he was willing to sacrifice his own villagers to take out a group of students standing in his path.'
'Was his personal Priest with him?' Yuri asked in interest.
'I don't know, you would have to ask Jeralt. I was... indisposed for a week afterward.'
'Injured?'
'That and maybe poisoned or simply just worn out. Not really sure.'
That raised another chuckle. 'You have been busy since you've been at the Monastery, eh?'
'Teaching is proving to be more dangerous than mercenary work.' Byleth agreed wryly. 'Who'd have thought...'
'Hey! I can see light ahead of us!' Yuri sounded relieved. Must be one of the recognisable passages, at least I hope so.'
'About time.' Sothis grumbled. 'You could have asked him for some help, silly child. You are far more hurt than you let on!'
'I'm not really sure what to think of him.' Byleth admitted.
'I got that.' Sothis huffed. 'As soon as you heard he was a fan, you closed up tighter than a clam's arse.'
'He isn't a fan of ME.' Byleth retorted. 'If anything, he is a fan of an idea of me that doesn't really exist.'
'But he is so pretty...' Sothis sighed lustily.
'Great, so I guess it turns out the Goddess in my head has a 'type.' And it's the 'pretty-boy' aesthetic.' Byleth finally sounded amused.
'There is nothing wrong with someone taking care of themselves and making the most of their assets.' As they stumbled out into the light, Sothis purred appreciatively. 'I mean, just look at him...'
'You are hurt!' Yuri accused turning to wait for Byleth. 'Here, let me help you...' He added, moving forward towards her.
'No need.' She waved him away.
'Need! We most definitely need!' Sothis insisted passionately.
'Please, my friend... take my arm at least. I mean nothing by it.' Yuri's brow was knitted in consternation.
'Really, I'm fine.'
'You are simply stubborn – not fine at all!' Yuri grouched.
'You aren't used to someone turning down your attention, are you?' Byleth queried with interest.
'No.' Yuri replied shortly. 'Although, your father seemed immune too when we had our meeting earlier.'
Byleth couldn't help herself, she threw back her head and laughed loudly. 'You tried? You actually tried to charm Jeralt?' She could barely speak through her laughter. Yuri was staring at her, once again entirely thrown out of his comfort zone by this odd creature before him.
'Professor, is that you? Are you okay?' Hubert was hurrying towards her and Yuri, with Hapi just a step behind him. 'Thank goodness. You have been gone for ages!'
'We had no light, we were inching around in complete darkness.' Yuri muttered.
'You are hurt...' Hubert ignored Yuri completely and swept Byleth off her feet and into his arm's bridal style. 'Let's get you back to town.' He murmured.
'So that's how it's done.' Yuri said to himself. 'Should just have picked her up and not been so polite.'
'You COULD have been in the arms of the Adonis and instead you choose the walking corpse.' Sothis complained.
'Put me down, Hubert.' Byleth insisted.
'Not a hope.' Hubert grumbled. 'Believe me, this is just as repugnant for me as it is for you.' He added as she wrapped her arms around his neck to stabilise herself.
'I did offer...' Yuri told him.
Byleth looked at him over Hubert's shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him cheekily. Hapi laughed at the look of outrage that fleeted over Yuri's face.
As soon as Yuri and Hapi moved to the front to lead the way back, Byleth settled her head down into Hubert's shoulder and closed her eyes in relief.
'Is everyone okay?' She asked him quietly.
'They are.' Hubert replied. 'A few cuts and bruises but nothing major. 'The prisoner we took is still unconscious, though. It seems that Balthus can land a monster of a punch...'
'I expected that you would have gone back up top by now.' Byleth admitted.
'We were hardly going to go anywhere until we knew you were alright, Professor.' Hubert chided. 'How bad is it? Honestly?' He asked blankly.
'Really, it's nothing.' She promised. 'I think if anything, it's all the stumbling around through the darkness and the cold that wearied me. I don't have any proper wounds that I've noticed. You actually can put me down, you know.'
'And face the wrath of Sir Jeralt for not aiding you? Are you trying to get me killed?' He snorted his refusal. She hummed to herself in merriment and then nonchalantly thumbed a lingering caress to the back of his neck. He stumbled to a halt in shock and surprise. 'You are trying to kill me then.' He moaned piteously.
'It was just too easy an opportunity to miss.' She agreed in delight.
'Do you actually exist with just the one singular purpose of tormenting me?' He wondered aloud. 'I know I have done some bad things in my time, but surely I don't deserve so unkind a retribution.'
'That's mean Hubert...'
'But true.' He pointed out with a wry chuckle.
'Yeah, you're probably right.' Byleth agreed.
