Felix didn't know how to approach Alythia, despite living on the other side of the manor. Rodrigue was surprised but understanding of the situation. His father offered to let her live on the premises for however long necessary, though that idea infuriated Felix. What, they were going to let her live there rent-free until she marries into a rich family? Ridiculous.

Months had passed since they left whatever remained of Garreg Mach. Everyone seemed to be adjusting to the new normal- accepting the inevitable war and preparing for the worst. It seemed each day brought a new tragedy. Not too long ago, they lost Dimitri and Dedue.

Alythia locked herself in the room with the doors shut, only creaking open for the maid to clean the space and retrieve meals. Too many times would Felix stand in the hallway, debating with himself if he should start a conversation.

'A loss like that rips you from the core,' He wanted to say.

Felix could sympathize with Alythia- losing a brother. He was all too familiar with the pain, despite trying his best to drown it deep into a dark abyss.

'It makes you forget who you are. It strips you of feeling human. It renders you to operate at the most basic level.' In his imaginary conversation, he continued to console her.

At the beginning, he would pace back and forth indecisively from the hallway. Each passing day, Felix found himself inching closer and closer to her quarters. Until one afternoon after his training, he decided he would be brave enough to knock.

"Alythia?" said Felix, clearing his throat. It was the first attempt to contact her in months. A whole season passed and it was nearly autumn now. A part of him was relieved to be greeted with silence. It had been so long since they interacted, he wouldn't know how to respond to her.

Felix laid his sword against the wall and crouched. He relaxed his back against the door, hearing soft rustling from the other side. He couldn't help but to smirk knowing how he caught her off-guard. He sat there, rehearsing his mental conversations in detail from the past moons before deciding to speak.

"When I lost my brother, it felt like everything was ripped away from me," Felix began. He caught a glimpse of a shadow under the cracks. Strangely, it brought him comfort, "I could only function at the most basic level."

"My father will tell you that Glenn died in glorious service to the king," he sighed, "That pisses me off. It's like he mourned him for his service as a knight… not as his son."

He pushed the back of his head against the wood and closed his eyes.

"It's undeniable that Glenn was a great knight. But his death and memory stalks me like shadow. Everyone praises his death. Chivalry begets the worship and glorification of death. Is his death justified because he chose to protect someone?"

"I'm not here to tell you that Jeralt nor Byleth.. Hell, not even the Boar had respectful deaths because the Goddess willed their destinies... Because she didn't. Their deaths were unjustified. As much as I hide it, I'm not immune to emotion, you know. Far from it. I don't go a day without questioning why Glenn had to die. I'll bear this pain until the day I die, but I refuse to wallow in it. I have more important things to do than blubber for my whole life. And you do too."

Felix got up and retrieved his sword, readying himself to return to the training grounds for another session. Although the conversation turned out more of a confession, it was a break that he needed, honestly. As long as she listened, he couldn't care less for a response.

Before he turned his heel to exit the hall, he was surprised to hear Alythia's voice.

"Thank you."

He took a moment to savor her voice, which he had gone so long without. It was still as he remembered- like a sweet music box. He contemplated how to reply. Maybe she needed to hear more from him. Maybe she needed the company.

"I'll come back tomorrow," said Felix quietly, and walked away.

Maybe he needed the company too.

"So you're telling me you have this beautiful maiden that lives next door- nay, down the hall … And you just sit outside and talk to her? You haven't seen her in months? Are you sure it's not Miss Alythia but Bernadetta in the room? Have you even asked her to come out?" Sylvain sat in the Fraldarius dining room moving his hands on the table as if he were figuring out the enemy's positioning.

"I don't get you, man. You are missing a grand opportunity."

"She's too wrapped in her grief to come out," retorted Felix, "Trust me, if I wanted her to leave, it would happen."

Sylvain stared at Felix with a mischievous grin as he watched him regret his words.

"You stupid- I didn't mean that I wanted her to stay in my estate. I meant that it wouldn't be hard for me if I wanted her to come out of the room that badly," said Felix, trying to cover his tracks.

"Anyway, why did you call me here?" asked Sylvain, folding his arms behind his head. He took a moment to eye the older maid in the other room. "I remember whenever there was something wrong—like you lost to your brother or you fought with Dimitri—you'd come crying to me."

"I have a favor," said Felix, crossing his arms across his chest. He closed his eyes to avoid indulging Sylvain. He knew the incorrigible fool was taking delight in this. Felix? Asking him a favor? He might as well be on the ground begging like a dog.

Sylvain propped his legs onto the table, knowing it would peeve Felix even more.

"You have piqued my interest," smirked Sylvain.

Alythia sat by her window watching snowfall blanket the rooftops. Her mind echoed with memories of watching snow with her brother at the Goddess Tower. She recalled their naive wish for happiness. But alas, life is full of disappointments. Before she could continue to imagine an alternate happier timeline, two knocks sounded on her door.

"You may enter," Alythia said without looking away from the snow.

The maid creaked open the door halfway and stepped in quietly, "Miss Alythia, we wait for you downstairs."

Puzzled but uninterested in exiting her room, Alythia shook her head and said, "I wish to not be disturbed further."

Before the maid could reply and retreat, the door swung open forcefully. Alythia's eyes darted to the entrance, startled by the sound of cracking wood and broken hinges. Felix stood with one hand on the door, which was smashed against the wall.

Alythia stood up angrily and pointed at Felix, "You broke my door-"

"No, I broke my door," retorted Felix and pointed back an accusing finger, "This is my estate."

His head snapped to the maid, who didn't flinch once at his tantrum. Years of serving the Fraldarius family made her immune to Felix's outbursts. He gestured to the door, "Get out and get it fixed," and the maid quickly made her exit.

"Why-"

"Shut up," Felix said under his breath. He almost choked at his own words as he took in the full sight of Alythia for the first time since they left the monastery. Her short hair had grown past her shoulders, soft and wispy to frame her fragile jaw. He had only seen her in uniforms, but here she was, adorned in a white gown that noblewomen wore. Felix felt embarrassed, recalling how casually he would address her in their hallway chats. How foolish to assume she was the same as always. Now seeing her in a different light, he realized they were growing older, maturing. Alythia was a lady now.

Alythia waited for an explanation as Felix crossed his arms and stared at the floor. Then, distant piano notes filled in the silence. The tune sounded familiar, like from a hazy dream. Why was there music coming from downstairs? Alythia furrowed her brows with even more confusion, glancing between the hallway and Felix, who seemed more and more restless.

"Just shut up," repeated Felix, aggressively pulling her out of the room by the hand.

"I didn't say anything-"

"If you don't shut up, I won't fix your door,"

"So now it's my door?"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

As the two descended the winding staircase, Alythia was surprised to see Sylvain at the piano. He sat at the bench with eyes closed, fingers expertly gliding atop the keys. Given his promiscuous character, Alythia often forgot he was a nobleman who deeply appreciated the arts. From the way he played gracefully, anyone could tell he spent his childhood excelling and mastering the piano.

As Alythia was able to hear the notes clearer, it dawned upon her that Sylvain was playing the song from the night of the ball. She looked at Felix with an open mouth but his golden gaze pierced through her, reminding her to shut up. As someone who valued her privacy and needed a functioning door, she closed her mouth and decided it best not to press him.

When they reached the center floor, Felix let go of Alythia's hand and stepped back. To her disbelief, he bowed slightly then offered his hand.

"Lady Alythia. May I have this first dance?" asked Felix. He made sure to address her properly. They were no longer teacher and student, but man and woman.

Alythia stared at his open palm as she processed what was happening. She looked back at his determined face and smiled.

"You're one year late," said Alythia, accepting his hand. Felix scoffed at her, trying his best to hide a smirk as he finally took her into his arms.

Alythia blushed as his arm gently wrapped around her waist, looking to Sylvain for confirmation. Is this a dream? Is this really Felix? While she was caught up in her thoughts, Felix tilted her chin. It felt as if he hoisted her from a flood.

"Don't hide from me anymore," he whispered, moving a stray hair from her face.

"Now that you broke my door, I can't," she whispered back playfully.

They chuckled and slowly swayed to the piano notes, their eyes never straying from each other's. And for a moment in time, Alythia forgot how to mourn.