Ethereal Moon: The Ball

Dorothea put the finishing touches on her make-up that she bought from one of the merchants, and examined herself in the mirror. She twirled in her new shimmering yellow dress (also bought from a merchant), her skirt ballooning out. She titled her head a bit, letting her curls bounce off her shoulders. "Well, I suppose I look well enough."

She walked outside and noticed that many tiny white lights were displayed on the walls to set the mood. She continued her stroll and saw Ingrid in a simple green dress, who was conversing with Dedue and Dimitri, both in fancy suits. As she approached, Dedue said, "I will gladly serve you, Your Highness."

Ingrid added, "And I! It's always been my dream to be a pegasus knight in service to the crown of Faerghus."

Dimitri smiled. "I am honored to have both of you at my side."

Dorothea asked, "What's this about?"

Dimitri elaborated, "Professor-er, Queen Byleth?-has asked me to be the proxy for Faerghus, just as Ferdinand is the proxy for Adrestia."

Dorothea laughed as a comforting thought dawned on her. "I like that things are sort of back to normal. With Adrestia and Faerghus, I mean. Even though we're all technically under the United Kingdom of Fódlan, it's nice that Adrestia and Faerghus are still around as countries, just inside the kingdom. While you and Ferdie are proxies, your roles are still nearly identical to if you were the actual head of state. It's like things are going back to normal."

Dimitri guffawed. "You have a point. And Professor . . . Queen Byleth . . . is watching over us to make sure we don't fail. It's a comforting thought, to say the least."

The group talked and joked until it was time to go to the ball. Ferdinand found them and outstretched his hand to Dorothea. "Shall we?"

They headed to the ballroom, where students sipped caramel flavored drinks next to vases of rich red roses. A few kids stuffed their faces with the prime cuts of meat. Some recognized Ferdinand and whispered, "The Emperor's here!" Others knew Dorothea and murmured, "The Mystical Songstress!"

The music started with a lilting melody. Dimitri offered his hand to Ingrid. "I think that I should save my first dance for the woman who fought for my honor and assured Adrestia's defeat."

Ingrid curtsied. "It would be my pleasure, Your Highness." They danced in tune with the music, earning a few curious looks from the student body.

Ferdinand went down on one knee. "Dorothea Arnault, would you do me the honor of having your first dance at the ball with me?"

Dorothea helped him up. "Of course."

As they danced, the students gasped. "The Emperor is with the Mystical Songstress! They're together together!"

Sophie drank one of the caramel beverages while conversing with Lysithea and Cyril. "This is so good!"

Lysithea concurred, "The sweets here are so good. It's a shame that they serve much more vegetables. The ratio is completely skewed!"

Sophie commented, "I really like sugar too. My favorite treat is cake. What about you?"

Lysithea answered, "Candy."

Cyril thought about that for a minute. "Hmm. I don't know. I never really had any sweets before I dated Lysithea."

Rhea watched the whole scene from the sidelines, beaming at the joy on countless faces. Cethleann chatted, "Hi Rhea! Are you enjoying this as much as I am? I love the balls each year. This year is very special since our friends are back. How I missed them so . . ."

Rhea replied, "I love seeing everyone relax. It's important that the students are able to unwind amidst all the academic rigor."

After a few dances, Siegbert tapped Sophie's shoulder. "Can we go somewhere private? I need to speak with you about something important."

Sophie gulped. "Um, sure, okay." She followed him through the gardens and cathedral until they got to a tower covered in ivory. Siegbert opened the door for her. Sophie went in and ascended up the steps.

Siegbert took a deep breath. "You mean a lot to me, Sophie. Your charm captured my heart. I know we're a bit young, but . . . I want you to have this." He reached into his pocket and presented a diamond ring. "Sophie Valla, will you marry me?"

Sophie gasped. "Is this for real? I really wasn't expecting a proposal! But yes! Yes I will marry you! Wait, you mean after this whole crisis is over, right?"

"Naturally-"

"Ooh! Thank you so much, Siegbert! I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you!"

"I'm so glad you accepted. You make me so happy, Sophie. By the way, did you like the stone? I got a diamond because Nohr is so dark, but you'll be a glorious light and renew the people's hope; I just know you will."

Sophie's heart swelled. "It's perfect. This whole moment is perfect."

They tenderly embraced and kissed underneath the full Ethereal Moon, whimsically wondering what the future held for them.

Back in the ballroom, Dorothea was enjoying herself even more than when she was a student. She didn't have to worry about her life, since she had friends in high places who would never let her starve after her voice faded; Dorothea was free to simply be herself. However, there was still a heavy secret that she bore ever since Ferdinand was rescued.

Dorothea told herself, "It's okay. Ferdie won't judge me. He's far too kind. But the content is pretty jarring . . . I hope he won't bail on me."

As she opened her mouth, a student timidly approached them. "Emperor Ferdinand? What are you doing here?"

Ferdinand retold the story so far with a dramatic flair that would have gained him a virtuoso position at the Mittelfrank Opera Company. The student walked away in a daze, unable to take in all the details of the adventure.

Ferdinand turned to Dorothea. "Were you about to say something?"

Dorothea's mind scolded, "Stop! Not now! Later! Especially since it has to do with You Know Who."

She flashed a fake smile. "Oh, forget about that. Let's just have fun!" As they twirled on the dance floor, Dorothea wondered just how Ferdinand would react if he knew.