Newsflash: I am now also this story posting on AO3. :) (Same pen name.) I will update the latest chapters on both plattforms.

About the story... I might (or not, who knows) have gone a little overboard with this chapter. You'll see what I mean in a few minutes.

Either way: Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own FE3H or any of the characters.

Chapter 8)

After Byleth had cleaned himself up, he sat on his room grading a few papers that he needed to finish. But his mind kept wandering to Edelgard. He often found himself thinking about the scarce kisses they had shared and how good it felt waking up next to her.

Focus, you oaf. Sothis interjected. You are about write down something incriminating into the scary one's paper. She said. Byleth focused on his pen and on what he was doing. True enough he had written a capital 'E' in one of the sections where he could comment on the student's work.

He sighed, deciding that it would be better stop grading. Rhea had arranged for the tea party to be held at her quarters. He had about an hour before he was supposed to meet with Edelgard and his father at the foot of the stair that lead to the archbishop's chambers.

He decided to take a walk to clear his head. He walked out of his room with no destination in mind. He focused on the meeting later that day. He was anxious to get Rhea to talk about his condition. But he also knew that it would be a very difficult task to get her talking.

Whatever we find out, we will find out together. Sothis said soothingly. Maybe the archbishop is in a talkative mood. Byleth mused. She did promise though. Sothis chimed in. Not to us. He responded quickly. And we do not know if she will tell us the truth. He added as an afterthought.

Remember that you have a Goddess on your side. I will know if what she says is the truth. She said trying to soothe him. Besides, she promised Jeralt to answer all your questions. And he will be present. And he will not let her forget about it. Sothis smiled at him.

"A penny for your thoughts, professor." A sweet voice called out snapping him from his mental conversation. He looked up and found that he had walked to the cemetery and was standing in front od his mother's grave. "Huh…" He mused.

"You really were deep in thought. I have followed you here from the Knights Hall, you never noticed me following you." Lysithea said to him. "I am glad to see you walking again." She said shyly.

"I am glad that you are fine as well. I was told that you came here exhausted. Something about a force field?" He asked. "Yeah… I am fine now, no need to reprimand me." She said. "I got plenty of that from Sethet, Claude and Hilda."

"I was not going to reprimand you. I merely needed to know what happened." He said. "As you remember, I was absent for two days before we reached the camp." He reminded her. "Even then you were unconscious." She said matter-o-factly.

"You gave us all quite the scare. Lindhardt and Dorothea did their best to heal you, but there was something that was preventing them." She shook hear head. "Even Hubert tried to use his scarce heal magic on you." She said giving him a small smile.

"Did he now?" Byleth said smirking. "Well, I will have to thank him later then." Lysithea looked alarmed. "Please do not tell him I told you or I might be murdered in the night."

"Hah!" He chuckled. "Don't worry, I will not tell him." He said. "Want to sit down on that bench? Then you can tell me what happened after Edelgard and I went flying out of the tower." She nodded and followed him.

They sat down. It took Lysithea a moment to collect her thoughts. "The tower was crumbling down. The beast had made considerable damage to the structure." She said frowning. "You did not help either, breaking that wall." She looked at him reproachfully.

"For what it is worth, I am sorry." He said smiling at her. "Yeah… Well we were fighting the beast, when felt a terrible yank on the floor. We regrouped as best as we could after Gilbert shouted us to. A second later the roof was falling down on us."

"I… did not think on the consequences at the time, but I somehow managed to conjure enough energy to make a protecting shield on us." She said still frowning. "What makes me curious is that it was not a ward spell I used and the energy I used was not mine."

"In fact, I did not use any spell that I can remember. I just… molded the provided energy to protect us." She motioned with her hands in circular motions. Maybe remembering what she did in the moment. "Does that make any sense?"

"Yes, in a way." He said surprising her. He had been able to feel the energy another person was emanating before, though the circumstances were different.

"I would have loved to see that. Do you think you could do it again?" Byleth asked curious. "I... don't know. Do you want me to?" She asked concerned. "Not necessarily, if you don't want to." He answered.

"But it would benefit you greatly if you could harness the energy of your surroundings. Maybe you would not be as exhausted after the missions." He offered honestly. He raised his hands once he saw his student get angry.

"I am only concerned of your wellbeing." He added quickly. She sighed in defeat. "I know. And I appreciate that." He smiled at her.

"So, you made a shield and I assume you guarded your allies?" He prompted her to continue. "And my enemy as well, it turned out." She said bitterly. "We landed on the floor and I was no longer able to maintain the shield. The rubble and debris fell on us."

"We were dusting ourselves out but cold rain made it difficult. We were trying to regroup and help our comrades out of the rubble, when we heard a terrifying roar." She said looking at the scenery in front of her. Her eyes became distant.

"We hurried. I remember that we were scrambling into the woods, helping the injured and dreading an attack." She continued looking away and Byleth started to get worried. He took her hand in his, snapping her from the trance she had been in.

"Sorry, it was just… terrifying. Like a scary tale. It was pouring cod rain; a beast was after us and lighting was the only thing to help is find or way." She looked at him apologetically. "I can imagine." Byleth said trying to sooth her. He squeezed her hand to encourage her to continue.

It took her a minute, but she continued retelling that day occurrences. "Anyway, we were deep in the forest, Gilbert and his knights were covering our rear, Hubert and Ferdinand were arguing on who was second in command after Edelgard…" She shook her head. Byleth scoffed.

"Those two find a way to argue with each other even in the direst of situations." He shook his head. He made a mental note to clear the 'second in command' issue once his students were back. "Yeah… It was annoying." She agreed.

"The beast managed to get out of the rubble and followed us to the forest." She sighed. "There was no other option than to fight it." She shook her head. "We planted ourselves into the muddy ground and waited for it to find us. I noticed that it had regrown its barriers."

"We attacked again in unison, like you ordered us back in the tower. But we were lacking Edelgard's and your power to be able to stun it like the first time." She shook her head disapprovingly. "The beast spit up some kind of poison, Ferdinand and Petra were affected by it."

"Fortunately for them, Hubert had a few Antitoxins with him." She smiled again. "After a few rounds of attacks, I got fed up with fighting that thing." She blushed. "I… was able to harness the energy around me again and launched an unknown spell at it."

"I think it was black magic I used." She said quietly. "Hm… Black magic you say? Tell me about the spell." He said encouraging her. "It was… black flames, all over, consuming the trees. But I made sure it left my comrades alone." Lysithea said looking to the ground.

"It consumed the beast, which somehow exploded and splashed us all with its… gooey, smelly black slime." She said in disgust looking at her hair as if looking for the remnants of the slime. "All that was left, was an intact Lance of Ruin and a charred body."

"I collapsed afterwards. And that is all I can remember." She said to him. He still had her hand in his. He squeezed it one more time. She looked up again. "You were amazing." Byleth said to her. "I am proud of you." He nodded at her, releasing her hand.

It was clearly not the reaction that she was expecting. She beamed at him. "I would like to help you train and control your magic." He said seriously. "I… am just worried that I used dark magic." Lysithea was looking to the ground.

"Using dark magic does not make you a bad person." He said honestly. "It is what you do with your magic what defines you." He continued once she looked up at him. "You saved your fellow students from that thing. I do not think that it makes you a bad person."

"Besides, with a little practice, you will be the most respected and feared mage of our time." He smirked at her. She beamed at him again. "You mean it?" She asked hopefully. "I am sure of it. You will give Hubert a run for his money." She laughed at his joke. "That would be quite the achievement." She said once she calmed down.

"I think you're a wonderful teacher." She said after a moment. "I try." He said honestly. "I mean it, Professor. Your account for people's weaknesses while capitalizing on their strengths is something to wonder at." She exclaimed.

"Initially I wasn't sure you paid too much attention to your students. You seemed… distant." She looked at him apologetically. "Clearly, I was wrong." She added quickly.

"After all, were that the case, you wouldn't be capable of providing such useful feedback." She continued. "I'll continue to learn and grow from your instruction, Professor. I just know it!" She smiled dangling her legs in the air.

"You're quite determined." He responded. "You think I'm determined?" She said confused. "Yes. You're always pushing yourself." He smiled at her.

"Professor, I... Thank you! You're the only one who's ever praised me like that. Though bearing two Crests isn't a gift I ever asked for..." Two Crest?! Sothis exclaimed. "Anyhow, I've made a point to work harder than most and not rely too heavily on the power they bestow. So, I find it frustrating that the only praise I seem to receive is directly related to that power." She continued oblivious of the inner turmoil that Byleth was experiencing.

"If you have noticed how hard I work, then, well... It just... It makes me very happy." She continued looking up at him. "Professor?" She asked him concerned once he failed to respond.

"I am sorry… Did you say you posses two Crests?" He asked her seriously. What are the odds? He mused in his mind. This is not about odds. This was designed. Sothis was frowning.

"I… ah… I thought Edelgard told you?" She said confused. "Edelgard?" He replied just as confused. "Apparently not… It's just, you two seem to be very close friends..." She said. "I… told her about my… situation." Lysithea tried to find the words. "You see, I am the only child of House Ordelia." She explained. "But that was not always the case." She said to him.

"It all started when my House responded to a call for help from House Hrym, who were revolting the Adrestian Empire." Lysithea continued. "The imperial forces prevailed and took over our territory. The Alliance did not help us, trying to avoid further confrontation with the empire." She said sadly.

"Duke Aegir was in command." Ferdinand's father. Could this mean…? Byleth's mind was working fast. "Mages started conducting painful experiments on us. My siblings and other children did not survive." She said sadly. Damn.

"I was the only child that survived. The result of those experiments is that I now wear two Crests." Byleth was at a loss of words. She was also experimented on. Duke Aegir was involved? He needed to research this further. He tried to calm himself down.

This is troubling. Your princess was not the only one? How many more? Sothis managed to say. "That is awful, Lysithea." He said. "Is that why you work yourself so hard?" He asked connecting a lot of dots together.

"I must do all I can for my family name. I'm determined to someday be of real value to them, and that day must come soon." She said with conviction. "I can't waste any time. I don't have much of it left..." She looked at him.

The bell rang. It indicated the end of the class day and the scheduled meeting with Edelgard and his father for the tea party. "Anyway, I should be going. I would appreciate that you kept the information I just gave you to yourself." He nodded solemnly. "Thank you, Professor."

She left him sitting on the bench. Sothis, does this have to do with Rhea? He asked her. No. This is something else. Sothis mused thinking. Add it to the list then. He sighed getting up and walking to the meeting point.

Byleth arrived at the meeting point near the audience hall. Edelgard was already there waiting for them. "There you are!" She said relieved. "I was beginning to think that I was going to be taking tea with Lady Rhea alone." She chuckled nervously.

"I am sorry." He said absentmindedly. "Is there something wrong?" She asked him. "Huh?... Sorry, I just had an unexpected conversation with Lysithea." He said shaking his head to focus. "Ah… What did she tell you?" She asked carefully.

"About her condition, and its origins." He said sadly. "I know I told you that I would give you time. But there are somethings I need to know." He whispered to her. She nodded in agreement. "I will find time." She promised him.

"Sorry to be late!" Jeralt shouted behind them. "I had nearly forgotten about this meeting." He said once he caught up to them. "Shall we?" He asked motioning Edelgard to go up first. She complied with a serious nod. Byleth felt a push that prompted him to go after her.

The passageway was narrow, there was enough space for one person to pass through. "The door is locked." Edelgard informed them. Byleth looked up and his eyes met Edelgard's rear end a few inches from his face. He blushed bewildered. He looked darkly down at his father, who was smiling innocently at him.

"You will have to turn the handle to the right a few inches, so that it will unlock." Jeralt called out. There were metal sounds where Edelgard did as instructed. "Its not working." She said exasperated. "Let me try." Byleth said. He ascended two steps. But he had forgotten that the passageway was very narrow.

Edelgard moved to the side to give him space effectively pinning them to each other and to the walls behind them. Byleth looked her in the eyes for a moment before hearing his father cough loudly. The young man shook his head slightly trying to turn the handle to the right. It was still locked.

Knowing his father, he decided to try the other way round. It worked this time. He opened the door… to find Lady Rhea a few paces away from it. She raised her brows in surprise at the sight of the Professor and his student at such an intimate proximity.

Byleth prepared himself for a scolding and was surprised to hear the archbishop giggle. Edelgard was the first one to move forward, detaching herself of the situation. She also looked at Jeralt darkly as he walked into the room.

"Lady Rhea, I apologize if the sight disturbed you." Edelgard said. It earned another fit of giggles from Rhea. The sound is disturbing. Sothis said. Almost unnatural. She continued. Byleth agreed with her but remained silent.

"Oh, Jeralt. Why do you keep doing that?" Rhea said after she calmed down. "Edelgard, dear, do not fret. Jeralt has been pulling that jest off since he started working here." Byleth was sure that Edelgard shuddered at the 'dear' part.

"I remember a time when the now Duke Aegir and Marquis Vestra were… 'stuck' into the same position." Rhea motioned to join her into her quarters. "You need to imagine that the Duke was just as… 'round' as he is today." She giggled again.

Jeralt was the only one that chuckled at the memory. "It took me a lot of force to get them 'unstuck'. I believe their friendship shattered at that moment. Don't want to imagine why." He was smirking. Byleth noted that his father was acting. He could tell from the way his eyes darkened the second Rhea turned. Oh boy…

Byleth knew that Edelgard would not like the mention of Duke Aegir, so he turned to look at her. Her mask of indifference in place. She heard the archbishop's tale and gave no indication of her disgust. He decided to let it go for the moment and looked around the room.

The room was large and... barren. There were no decorations or bookshelves on the walls. The large canopy bed, a nightstand and a small desk could be seen on the back of the room. On the front of the room was a circular table, beautifully adorned with the finest tea set Byleth had ever laid his eyes on and an excess of pastries and sweets.

"Let us sit and enjoy the moment." Rhea motioned them join her. Byleth advanced and picked a seat next to the archbishop. He could feel Sothis' confusion. Keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer. It is something my father taught me early on. He explained. Jeralt was also sitting down next to Rhea. Leaving Edelgard to be opposite from her.

Byleth grabbed a piece of cake and put on the plate in front of him. Jeralt was looking at the pastries on the table, trying to decide which one to try first. Edelgard on her side sat down graciously, like the noblewoman she was. She had crossed her leg over the other.

Something clicked inside the young Professor. I am no match for her… He had just realized that she was the future Emperor of a big nation, and that he was just a former mercenary. What could he offer her? He was no noble and not even that well educated. Let her decide that. Sothis advised. Or do you think that she would have kissed you back if she did not feel the same way? The Goddess questioned him.

He felt a careful nudge on his shin. He almost jumped surprised but suppressed it somehow. He looked at Rhea and Jeralt exchanging little pleasantries. He then looked at the princess beside him, she was looking at him intently, worry and curiosity in her eyes. "Could you pass me a piece of cake, Professor?" She said her.

"Of course." He said taking her plate in his hand while using the cake server to place the selected piece into the plate. He handed it to her, and their fingers brushed for a second. "Thank you." She said graciously. "You're welcome."

"Would you like some tea, dear?" Lady Rhea said talking to Edelgard. "If you would be so kind." Edelgard held her cup up. Once filled up, the archbishop turned to Byleth. "What about you, Professor?" She was looking at him intently.

"Yes, please, Lady Rhea." He mimicked Edelgard's motions. "You can all call me Rhea. I am not the Archbishop as of now and during the duration of this party." She smiled at him softly. Jeralt nodded digging into as much pastries as he could get his fingers on.

Edelgard was eyeing him amused. Byleth wanted to smack him on the head. "Oh dear… It seems that I will need to order more pastries… Enjoying them, Jeralt?" Rhea said also amused. "Oh yes." Jeralt said nonchalantly. "I have not had any of these for years." He said looking at Byleth. "The last time I had the joy, was when I shared the last tea party with your mother."

There was a sudden change of mood in the atmosphere of the room. Jeralt was looking at Byleth sadly while Rhea was shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Byleth was thinking fast on something to say to grasp the opportunity to deepen the conversation. It was ultimately Edelgard who saved the moment.

"The Professors' mother?" She asked sounding confused. "I did not know that you met Byleth's mother in the Monastery, Sir Jeralt." She continued. "Just Jeralt, please." His father said looking at her. "And yes, I met her here. You see, Sitri was born and raised in the Monastery. Due to her frail constitution, she was not able to leave it. She used to be a nun here." Jeralt said smiling sadly.

Rhea was uncomfortable and tried to mask it by staying silent. "She and I eventually fell in love. We married soon after." He said crossing his arms. "I remember someone disapproving vehemently of our marriage." Jeralt said looking at Rhea, who was sipping on her tea.

"She was a nun, and it was unheard of one ever marrying anyone. At least at this monastery." Rhea set the teacup down slowly. "What a load of…" Jeralt said before stopping himself. "Why don't you tell the kid the truth?" Jeralt was getting angry.

"The truth?" Byleth found his voice once again. "What truth?" He asked Rhea directly. "This is a conversation I hoped to conduct in private, Byleth." Rhea said looking at Edelgard. "I do not mind if my student hears anything you have to say." Byleth said more forcefully than intended.

He felt another nudge on his shin. Before he could react, he heard a sigh from Rhea. "If this is how you want it…" It took her a moment to collect her thoughts. "Sitri… Was my daughter… in a sense." It took Byleth and Edelgard aback.

"That is why I was not very happy when I heard those two had married." Rhea motioned at Jeralt. He sat there with his arms crossed trying to suppress a scoff. "So… I am your grandson?" It would explain a lot of things, but it felt odd. It would, but I sense that, that is NOT the whole truth. Sothis warned him.

"In a sense, yes." Rhea said eyeing him carefully. Byleth decided to push his luck. "In what sense?" He asked. "We should really consider having this conversation in private." Rhea said deflecting and grinding her teeth.

"You are not leaving us like this." Jeralt said his arms still crossed, pastries and tea forgotten. "We deserve the truth." Byleth agreed with his father. Rhea started rubbing her temples. "Well I guess, this was inevitable." Rhea said sighing again.

"First I have to say that I am not proud of my actions… They were selfish and were conducted for personal reasons." She was choosing her words carefully, talking slowly. "I am your mother's creator, not her mother." Rhea raised her hand to stop any questions coming from either Jeralt or Byleth.

"You see, I felt terribly lonely and I wanted… to feel someone's love again." She said carefully. Sothis, is it true or is she telling us lies? Byleth asked. She is, for once, being honest. Sothis told him.

"I used my blood and flesh to create her body, but it needed the element of life to be awakened." She said ignoring the reactions of the 'party' participants, her voice sounded sad and full of regret. "I… I implanted a Crest Stone to her heart to recreate life."

Byleth's and Jeralt's eyes widened. His father was turning red in his anger, while Byleth was at a loss of words again. Rhea continued talking still ignoring the reactions she was receiving. "When I found out that she was pregnant, I thought it a miracle from the Goddess. It filled my heart with joy." She continued glancing at Byleth.

"I was hopeful once again. Maybe this child would be the person I so long waited for." She said sadly. "The night she went into labor, Jeralt was away on a mission near the Monastery." She looked at his father briefly. "They called me to assist. I… brought her here, to my chambers, to better give her comfort."

Not the whole truth. Sothis said to him. Should I interrupt? He asked her in return. No, otherwise she might get suspicious. Sothis concluded. "She… gave birth to a stillborn child… A boy…" Rhea looked down and let a single tear roll down her cheek.

Byleth froze in place. He heard his father pounce the table with his fist, and Edelgard gasp. Lady Rhea let a sob out. Everything played out in slow motion, Jeralt's anger, Rhea's sorrow and Edelgard's confusion and rage. Sothis was beside him, watching the Archbishop intently. He could feel her anger, her disgust, and her disbelief.

"What happened next?" Jeralt demanded his tone hard as steel. Byleth realized for the first time that he was breathing heavily, and that Edelgard was nudging his shin again. For a moment everyone at the table looked at him. But Byleth did not dare to tear his gaze from the archbishop.

"Byleth, dear chil-" Rhea started. "What happened next?!" He repeated what his father said matching his tone. She looked at him defeated. "Sitri… She asked me to save you at all costs." She said once she found her voice again. Tears fell freely down her cheeks. "I was reluctant at first…" Lie. Sothis said angry.

"But I relented, seeing that the lifeforce I implanted in her was failing her." That is true. "I… removed the Crest Stone from her chest erasing all signs of life from her and implanted it into the dead child." The archbishop raised her head and wiped down her tears.

"It took a moment, but then the boy started to move. But he did not cry." Rhea continued. "I checked him. He had a pulse but no heartbeat." She continued regaining her composure.

Byleth felt something warm on his face. He raised his hand to touch it and looked at it. A tear. Never had he had the sensation on his face of a tear falling down his face before. Jeralt gasped.

Byleth got up forcefully, still looking at the tear in his finger. The chair fell loudly on the ground, but he ignored the sound. "So…" He said his voice raspy with emotion. "I am… what?" The pieces of a puzzle finally fell together. "An experiment? A vessel? For the Crest Stone?" He asked.

Rhea tried to reach for his hand to calm him down. He took it away before she could make contact. "The Crest Stone contains the Crest of Flames, am I right?" He asked the archbishop forcefully. She nodded.

He turned away walking to the door. It was all too much to bear. It is what you wanted. Sothis reminded him. It was, and still we were not prepared. He answered her. I am a vessel for you, Sothis. He said sadly.

No. You are still you and I am your companion. She tried to reassure him. You have always been in control. And I have let you make your own choices, even if I did not agree at first. She said to him. He was in one of the hallways of the lower floors. And foremost: You are my dear friend. She concluded.

Was that the event that bound us together? He asked. Yes, and as I said before, it was forced into me too. She was just as hurt as he was. But why you? The Progenitor God off all people?He asked running by a pack of students that were greeting him warmly. Once he passed them, they starting calling him back. He could hear footsteps following him. He quickened his pace.

He was almost at the stable. He… no. They needed air. They needed to cool off and figure things out. He found a horse that looked fresh and mounted it. Without a looking back he rode out of the monastery at full speed.

He stopped his horse once he was deep inside a forest. It was already night. He strapped the horse to a nearby branch near a creek and gave it an apple he found in one of the bags the horse had attached to it. I hijacked the horse from some Knight or a traveler. He realized.

Byleth walked deeper into the forest. He found a massive black walnut tree and decided to sit on its roots. He placed his head between his hands. It had been eventful few days and he was emotionally drained.

Are you there, Sothis? He asked. He had shut her out during the ride to the forest. I am always with you, Byleth. She answered sighing. I am sorry for shutting you out. He offered. No, I am sorry. Byleth scoffed. You are sorry? For what? He asked half amused at the irony.

I am sorry that she used you like that. Byleth remained silent for a moment. I… do not understand. He finally said. That makes two of us. Sothis manifested herself and sat down beside him.

They were frustrated. Each of them trying to find words to say to each other. You were right, you know? He finally scoffed. I am always right. She said arrogantly. Byleth ignored her usual 'herness'. Well I know now that Rhea is no better than the empire idiots who harmed Edelgard and Lysithea.

She is not. She agreed. But I do not think that the empire had much to do with Lysithea and Edelgard. Sothis mused. What do you mean? He remembered that at least the Duke Aegir was involved at some point of the tortures.

Yes, he was involved, but it was not him who conducted the… uh… experiments? She looked up at him. I think there is another group here working in the shadows. Byleth considered it for a moment. Is Rhea involved? He asked trying to make sense of things.

Not directly, no. Sothis said. I am hitting a wall once again. She sighed. Then we will have to break it down soon. He said with conviction. There is no wall that will keep us in the dark anymore. I am sick of it. He could hear himself growl in his mind.

Who do I have to interrogate about it? Byleth asked her. She understood that he was relying on her Goddess intuition. There was a moment of silence. You are not going to like this. She finally sighed. Who? He demanded internally.

Edelgard.

He returned the horse to the stables. The sun was slowly rising and Byleth had not slept at all. He sat on the roots of the tree until he was no longer able to feel his butt.

It was Sunday, which meant that there were no classes today. He was grateful because he did not think he could concentrate with all he had on his mind today. He made a bee line to his room. Fortunately for him, there were no students up yet and very few knights making rounds.

He opened his door and walked in. His father was snoring slumped down on his chair. "It is the second time that I have found you like this in less than two days." Jeralt snorted and jumped up taking a fighting position. He blinked a few times before he recognized his son.

"You are back!" He exclaimed loudly but relieved. "I needed to clear my head. And now I need some sleep." Byleth said nonchalantly. "About that…" He walked up to his bed when he noticed it was not empty.

He stopped in his tracks. Edelgard was stirring in his bed but did not wake up. Byleth looked back and raised an eyebrow to his father. "Hey… Don't ask me." He said raising his hands in defeat. "I tried to kick her out, but the girl can argue…" He said trying to lighten his son's mood.

Byleth shook his head hiding a smile. "That is true." He said. "Yeah… Anyway, she insisted on remaining awake until you returned. She sat there stoically for hours." Jeralt rubbed the back of his head. "I fell asleep before she did…" He smiled apologetically.

Byleth chuckled but nodded his thanks to his father. "No problem, Kid." Jeralt patted his son on the shoulder smiling while he was moving to leave. "I was thinking…" Byleth said. "I would like to go out fishing with you again."

After a small pause, Jeralt nodded. "I would like that too. Soon?" Jeralt asked. Byleth nodded. "Ok then. I will let you sort this out yourself. I already took the nightshift." Jeralt said to him smirking and exited the room.

Byleth stood there for a moment until he sighed. He approached Edelgard carefully remembering the last time he woke her up abruptly. "Edelgard?" He raised his voice. "Hey, wake up." He said. It was not working.

He sighed again. I wish you luck. Sothis smirked. Thanks, I guess. He said ironically. He kneeled on the ground and prepared to block. Byleth raised his hand gingerly and shook her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open and her hand shot up.

He blocked the jab to his neck but was taken by surprise once her other hand wrapped itself around his neck. Edelgard hugged him tightly. He sat there for a moment not moving. Aren't you going to return the hug? Sothis asked him. You are just as relieved to see her as she issuing you. She pointed out.

Meddling much? He said and got a giggle as response. He raised his arms slowly to return the hug. He buried his nose on her neck and breathed her scent in. Almonds and vanilla. He sighed once he realized how much he had missed her.

But the moment could not last forever. She released him and huffed. "Why did you run like that?" Edelgard was angry. "…It was too much to bear." He said simply. "… I needed to clear my head." He sat down next to her on the bed.

There was a moment of silence. "I tried to run after you." She said quietly. "I was worried you might not come back." She continued. Byleth looked at her. "I was intercepted by the rest of the Eagles. They had just returned from their journey back and were already equipping to go after you." She eyed him annoyed.

"I stayed back to calm them down." She sighed. "I did not tell them anything. But they are concerned." Edelgard crossed her arms in front of her. "Just as I was." Another moment of silence stretched. "… For what it is worth, I am sorry." He finally said.

"I understand why you needed time for yourself. Just… Do not do it again… please?" She was almost begging him. He had never seen the princess this vulnerable before. "…I… can't." He said truthfully.

Edelgard's reaction was difficult for him to read. He knew she was disappointed in his answer and he could see that she felt hurt by it. But there was something else in the emotions mix-up that he could not put his finger on.

"I am not the most adept person to deal with emotions." Byleth sighed. "Running away for a while… it is something I need." He continued. "I cannot promise you that I will never run away again." He said.

Edelgard looked down crestfallen. It hurt him to hurt her like that. "I… can tell you where could find me, though." Edelgard looked up waiting for him to continue. "I usually find comfort inside forests. They are usually quiet and peaceful."

"I will remember that." She said giving him a small smile. "What will you tell the rest of the Black Eagles?" She asked him. Byleth raised an eyebrow. "I don't know." He said thinking. You received some personal news, that needed to be processed in reclusion? Sothis offered.

"I received some personal news, that I needed to process in reclusion?" Byleth repeated out loud. "That… might work." She said. "And if not, I will interfere." She smiled. Thanks, Sothis. He smiled. Anytime. She waved his thanks off.

"Edelgard, we need to talk." He said sighing. "That we do." She agreed, somehow knowing what he wanted to know. "I promise you to find time." She said honestly. "I guess it will be a long talk…" She sighed.

A yawn escaped him. "You did not sleep at all, did you?" She looked amused. He shook his head. "Well then, as much as I would like to stay with you… I should let you sleep." She got up blushing a little.

"Hm… Maybe you are spending too much time with my father. You are getting bold." He said smirking. "Ha! Says the one that teases me relentlessly." She chuckled. "I figured that I could tease back." She returned his smirk.

"Sleep well, my teacher." She said before she bent down and stole a kiss from him. She quickly turned around and exited the room. He chuckled again before he yawned once more. He removed his light armor, shirt and boots, and settled on his bed closing his eyes.

He was woken up by loud banging on his door. Byleth looked at the window it was still bright outside, so he calculated he had gotten a few hours of sleep. He remained on his bed, wishing that whoever was outside would take the hint and go away.

The banging continued and he groaned loudly. He got out of bed, not bothering covering his bare chest, ready to murder the one that disturbed his peace. He opened the door to meet Sethet on his doorstep.

"What do you need?" He said as forcefully as he could. "Is that the way to greet a superior?" Sethet matched his tone. Byleth raised his eyebrow annoyed. "Not in the mood, advisor…" He muttered.

"What was that?" Sethet demanded angrily. "I am in no mood today…" Byleth said closing his door but Sethet pushed his way into the room. "I am the one in no mood!" He exclaimed. He stepped closer to Byleth closing the door.

"What did you do to the Archbishop?" Sethet narrowed his eyes and lowered his tone clearly accusing Byleth of something. The younger man stood there holding the ground, before the irony of the situation caught up to him.

Byleth started laughing. "Is this a joke to you?!" Sethet bewilderment was evident in his voice. "Yes… a cruel joke of... something." Byleth said regaining his composure. "Tell me advisor, what exactly did Rhea tell you?"

"Lady Rhea did not tell me anything. She has been locked up in her room since your tea party yesterday." Sethet informed him arrogantly. "I am concerned about her wellbeing." He concluded crossing his arms expectantly. Byleth turned to grab a glass of water to calm himself down, when he felt Sethet's hand on his shoulder, forcing him to turn back.

Byleth snapped. With a quick movement he pinned the advisor to the cold wall headfirst twisting his arms to his back. "Do not touch me ever again." The young man warned him dangerously in his ear.

"Do you want to know what I did to your dear Lady Rhea?" Byleth growled in his ear. "I demanded the truth. Nothing else." He said softening his tone a little bit. "Then why…?" Sethet was breathing hard.

"Why don't you ask her what she did to me?" Byleth said angrily in a very low tone. It was almost inaudible. "How she experimented on my mother and myself." He said, conscious that it might be a mistake to spread that information. But he was unable to stop himself.

Stop it, Byleth. You are going to suffocate him. Sothis urged him. Byleth knew he had to release him. With a final grunt he forced the advisor once more to the wall before releasing him. The young man walked to the door and opened it.

"Get out." He said. From the corner of his eye he saw a few students gaping at him, but he did not care. The advisor gave no signs to move, he was rubbing his left wrist. He looked confused and indignant. But there was also fear in his eyes.

"Out!" He growled one final time before he grabbed the taller man by the shoulder and almost tossed him out. The advisor barely caught himself before falling to the ground. He heard gasps coming from the students. He knew there was going to be a lot of gossip later on.

He did not care. He activated the Ashen Demon inside of him. Byleth looked at the crowd. "Don't you have homework to do? Scram!" He growled before closing his door.

You handled that very well… Sothis said sarcastically. Oh, shut it. He responded. Calm down. She advised before she sent soothing waves of energy through him. He sighed. Thanks. He nodded to her. Do not thank me yet… That stunt could cost you your job. She said sighing. A welcome result. He responded dryly. She sighed defeated.

He sat down on the bed. He was about to slump down on it when a note slid under his door. He considered ignoring it but ultimately got up and picked it up. He unfolded it and read it.

'Goddess Tower / Tonight / 20:00 hrs.'

He burned the note down with magic in his hand.

So… What do you think? Too much? Too soon? Would love to hear your comments.

Until next time.