Byleth's world seemed to have slowed while events continued to stream around her at a frenetic pace.
It had taken an abnormally long and fraught time to free Flayn from the machine that they had found her attached too. She had not at any time regained consciousness, although Rhea had assured that she was doing well. When it was possible for the girl to be removed from the chamber, Seteth gathered her up, and he and Rhea, flanked by a number of the Knights of Serios, had disappeared to see to her care.
Byleth remained slumped by the wall for a long while, unable to move. Sothis was buzzing around – alternately demanding that Byleth get up and head to the infirmary to check on what was happening, then attempting to talk her host out of her darkly blank stupor with a worried frown on her face. Claude was also still next to his professor, not speaking but anxiously eyeing the woman – obviously unsure of what he should be doing.
"Hey, teach… should I go see if I can find Mercedes or something?" Claude finally asked hesitantly. "Or someone else maybe?" He added – although with both Jeralt and Myles out of the Monastery and Jeritza – well… he really wasn't sure who could help.
"Are you hurt?" Claude tried again. Hesitantly he reached to take Byleth's hand to try and properly gain her attention. She jumped noticeably at his sudden touch.
"I'm okay. Honestly. I am not hurt." Byleth replied slowly, frowning at Sothis, who had swept in to hover directly in front of her. She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I need to get myself together…" She admonished herself weakly, although her mind was still floating on images of her fight with the Death Knight, the sight of Flayn attached to that horrific apparatus and the accusing look that had been afforded her from Seteth when he had reached the realisation that Jeritza was…" She shook her head firmly and prised herself heavily to her feet.
"I should try to find out how Flayn and Manuela are doing," Byleth told both Claude and Sothis. "I need to face Seteth too…" She added, sucking in a breath when her movement proved that she had, in fact, taken some hurt from her fight with the Death Knight.
"You gonna let me help you, teach?" Claude inquired politely, standing quickly and only just about managing to prevent himself from grabbing her arm when she stumbled slightly. "Or are you going to be your usual stubborn self and refuse?" He raised a challenging brow at her.
"I said I was fine!" Byleth snapped in reply.
"Hey, gently! He's just trying to help, you ungrateful brat…" Sothis chided impatiently. "I understand that things have gone to complete shit, Byleth… but that is no reason to alienate the friends that you do have, idiot."
Byleth scowled and was just about to bash something equally as cutting back at the Goddess when she caught the look of compassion that the deity was unable to hide.
"Fine," Byleth grunted, effectively to both of her companions. She put a hand on Claude's shoulder, leaning into him as she began an odd shuffling step forward. "This bloody pit is stinking of dirty magic. I think it's getting to me." She added defensively.
It turned out that her words were at least partially on point. As they moved down the corridor and away from the depressing space, Byleth found that a little of her energy was restored to her, although with the return of feeling came the pain from the wounds she had taken.
"Bloody Death Knight," Byleth murmured, the sudden aching tearing more at her emotions than at her physical body as a sudden image of Jeritza flooded her mind.
"Right," Claude said quietly, then paused for a moment. "Um… Teach, Jeritza did tell me, while you were unconscious - that he was the Death Knight, and that you were aware of the fact too…" He stated suddenly.
Byleth tensed at his declaration, but she could see no reason to obfuscate - even though Sothis was frantically warning her to take care.
"Yeah." She admitted, a small, tense frown marring her brow. "Although I only learned the truth after the crap at the mausoleum - Jeritza outright told me afterwards, although I think I probably knew as soon as he appeared there." Her shoulder's crumpled. "Regardless of what he was… I am certain that he didn't have anything to do with Flayn though – or that other girl – whatever she says." She added defiantly.
"Honestly, I'm inclined to believe that too," Claude said carefully. "I dunno that he could be as good an actor as he'd need to be to have completely fooled all of us into believing he was helping while all the time… Shit!" Claude rubbed at his head, looking a bit lost. "What the fuck, though, Teach? I mean… Jeritza, the Death Knight? I could hardly believe it when he told me but to see it in action…"
Byleth smiled wanly. "I know." She agreed tiredly.
"It's all very well me accepting his innocence in all this, of course…" Claude continued, pulling at his braid. "But who the hell knows what Seteth and Rhea are gonna make of it all," he considered seriously. "Might be an idea to deny all knowledge of Jeritza's alter-ego to them. I mean, can't escape the fact that he did attack Manuela – that much I saw for myself, and honestly… I reckon if he could have killed you during your fight, he would have done. There was one hell of a maniacal look on his face. The Jeritza we know didn't appear to be at home at all."
Byleth listened carefully to Claude's line of thought, but she kept silent – not really trusting herself to speak. She had no idea at this stage what she was going to say to Seteth.
"What do you think?" She barked the thought to Sothis, who was floating desolately at her side, also strangely quiet.
"I don't think you have much choice than to come clean to Seteth," Sothis muttered. "The problem we have is that it seems rather evident that after failing to set Myles up as responsible for Flayn's disappearance, these blood-mages decided to make The Death Knight their patsy instead. Once Seteth's emotions are back on a more even keel, he will see that - he really isn't a stupid man. Knowing that the mages can activate the Death Knight will re-enforce that the people behind the troubles are they." She shrugged, a slight shift of her shoulders. "I would advise leaving it a few days though – make yourself scarce. Allow Seteth to work through things on his own for the moment."
Byleth grunted aloud, a rather non-committed agreement.
"Teach?" Claude assumed that the sound was directed at him.
"I'm rethinking whether I should show my face right now." Byleth muttered, "I desperately want to get an update on the ladies… but keeping myself out of sight might be for the best."
"You are likely right." Claude agreed. "The focus is going to be on Flayn – she didn't look in a good way when they removed her and with Manuela out of commission too, and the Black Eagles home very soon with their injured… You can probably slip into the background somewhat until things settle down. Let the dust settle?"
He swore loudly, his face a picture of uncertainty. "When I decided to stick my nose into the Flayn disappearance, it was genuinely only out of self-interest. Like the others, I assumed that she had persuaded Myles to go off with her for some reason – but knowing Myles as I do, it would only have been if she had believed herself to be in a bind. I was nosy. I really wasn't expecting all of this!"
Claude's miserable face finally managed to raise a wry chuckle. Byleth patted his shoulder with a snort.
"How many times have I warned you that your curiosity would get you in trouble, you big numpty?" She teased him. "I reckon I've also warned you that taking an interest in me probably wasn't the best idea in the world." A smug smirk crossed her lips. "Maybe next time, you'll actually listen to what I have to say!"
"Unlikely…" Claude admitted sadly. "While you are most definitely a glutton for punishment, it appears that I have a similar perversity to seek out trouble too." He smiled a genuine smile at her. "What a pair we are!"
~0~
It took some time for Jeritza to come back fully to himself. He had transported from the Monastery to an abandoned mansion - one that had once been his home and where a massacre had taken place… When his full equilibrium returned, he found himself stalking obsessively in the large garden where a tangle of wild rosebushes sprang, his face set in a rictus of fury.
Taking a number of deep breaths, Jeritza played over in his mind the events that he had merely been an observer of, his heart pounding uncomfortably in his chest.
How had the Agarthan's known? They had to have had some kind of warning to have prepared his turning at such an opportune moment. Was it a spy at the Monastery? Likely. He had no idea how far their network spread or who might be employed by them in the way that he was. Perhaps Hubert might have a better idea.
"Hubert…" Jeritza groaned aloud, a sudden clarity of thought rushing over him. His brow creased into a bleak scowl as he continued his pacing. Hubert had warned Jeritza that Flayn's abduction should be left alone. Had all but said that he would take action to prevent Flayn's retrieval – but indeed, he hadn't actually warned the Agarthen's that Byleth was being returned, that Myles wasn't dead?
"I will kill him. I will bloody kill him!" Jeritza raged, pulling his portal device from his belt. Without any further thought other than a potent bloodlust, Jeritza disappeared from the garden, his final embittered curse echoing in his empty place.
~0~
The Black Eagles, under the leadership of Jeralt, were now only roughly a day away from Garreg Mach, but the stop had already been called for the night. Spirits in the camp were becoming higher as the students came closer and closer to home, each one of them relieved that the recent ordeal was soon to be over – and everyone eager to find out what was transpiring at the Monastery, whether Flayn had been found and how the professor was faring with her injuries.
Hubert was more anxious than all the other's put together, apart from perhaps Myles and Jeralt. Unable to relax, he had taken to volunteering to stay on watch for a double shift to allow others more injured than himself to get a little more sleep.
It was unusual for Hubert's conscience to truly prick at him. He had long left more gentle sensibilities aside in the pursuit of his role and responsibilities to Edelgard. What was required of him at times had not unduly bothered him, and while he was wasting little sentimental feeling for the likely plight of Flayn – he couldn't seem to shake his uncommon regret at what his intervention may have meant for Byleth.
As it was, when Jeritza suddenly bowled into him, knocking him painfully into the cover of the treeline and sending him sprawling – the first emotion that Hubert felt was a relief. He was surely going to learn what had been transpiring at the Monastery, although if Jeritza's obviously murderous demeanour was anything to go by – it wasn't going to be anything good. A dull violet haze ignited at his fingertips in response to the violence of Jeritza's attack, but the mage held back his magic – keeping a tight control. He could see by the man's eyes, and posture that it was not yet the Death Knight in control and that fact alone lent Hubert the chance that he might be able to learn exactly what had transpired in the time since his betrayal.
"You bastard!" Jeritza snarled, piling down on the floored mage with a gauntleted fist raised. "What did you do?" He demanded – not yet connecting his blow.
"I told you to leave the Flayn affair well alone." Hubert spat back at him. "I had my reasons – none of which are your concern. I am supposing that you failed to heed my words. What happened?" He demanded tersely.
Jeritza paused momentarily as if unsure of how to proceed. The anger overwhelming him crying out to cause pain, yet the desire to understand warring with that simple emotion. His fist lowered by degrees.
"Our mutual friends decided to activate the Death Knight and finally use him totally to their advantage as the suspected perpetrator of Flayn's abduction." He replied dully. "He was sent to the chamber where Flayn was being held to engage with Byleth when she arrived. They fought."
"Did you kill her?" Hubert's eyes widened, and his gut clenched.
"No." Jeritza's voice was blank. Emotionless. "The Ashen Demon was compromised. Her injuries from the previous battle and some kind of malaise from the blood magic utility. The Death Knight desires to kill the Demon, but he is determined that their fight to the death will not be fought on unfair terms. On that, he is adamant."
"So she lives…" Hubert allowed himself a small huff of relief.
"No thanks to you!" Jeritza replied harshly. "She was hurt further, but it was also she that insisted that I left when Seteth and the Knights of Serios arrived."
"You were the only one guarding Flayn?" Hubert asked roughly.
"I wasn't 'guarding' Flayn. I had only just turned up." Jeritza sat back, lessening the crush he had been pushing onto Hubert's chest. "The Death Knight did stab Manuela… although I do not believe that it was a fatal wound."
Hubert sucked in an impatient breath. "Flayn?" He asked again, pointedly.
"I assume that she was rescued after I left." Jeritza shrugged. "There was another girl who appeared, named me as her captor too, but when she touched me… it was clear that she was an Agarthan. Looked like an Academy girl, though, and Seteth named her…" Jeritza paused, struggling through his memories to bring up her name. "Monica von Ochs…" He finally recalled and sent a hard look at Hubert. "Do you know of her?" He asked.
Hubert once again looked surprised. "von Ochs?" He queried. "She was the girl who went missing at the Academy last year. Her disappearance wasn't a total surprise, however – her family had sent her to the Monastery in the first place due to her flighty and unreliable nature. It was assumed she had absconded with some beau or another in tow, likely pregnant…"
Jeritza shook his head and stood, turning his back on Hubert. "I cannot return to the Monastery." He said gruffly. "I lay this farce at your door, Hubert. You were honestly willing to sacrifice Byleth?" His fists clenched purposefully, but he remained facing away – his shoulders shaking slightly.
"Hurting Blyeth was never my sole intention," Hubert replied quietly, raising himself into a seated position, not yet relinquishing the magic still lighting his fingertips. "My priorities are clear, however, Jeritza – as should yours be. You know this. I don't need to have to remind you of our agreement."
"No, you don't." Jeritza agreed. "If something had or does happen to Byleth – I will kill you." He said emphatically.
"You will try," Hubert replied.
"Yes." Jeritza agreed with a nod. Finally, he turned back to the mage, his face as blank as the mask he had habitually worn. "What do you suggest I do now?" he asked.
"Nothing has changed, Jeritza." Hubert rose to his feet and dusted down his robes. "If anything good has come of this entire clusterfuck – it is that Thanes has had an example of my goodwill shown to him in exposing the professor and her intention to meddle in the Flayn business." He hefted a sigh. "Keep to your usual grounds for the time being…" He instructed. "I will let it be known that you are still available to the Agarthans if they require you – but that keeping you away from the Monastery and their plotting there would be for the best. I would be loath to lose so skilled a General right before the coming war."
Jeritza inclined his head. "I will wait for your word then." He said simply.
Hubert released the magic he had been holding onto impotently into the ground. "I do need you to stay away from Blythe and the Monastery. You realise that?" He stated harshly.
"It is to her own benefit that any association with me falls way from people's memories." Jeritza nodded. "Although, I will be keeping an eye on her Hubert, of that you can be sure."
"You risk too much!" Hubert complained, frowning fiercely. "I tell you – stay away or…"
"Or what?" Jeritza cut him off with the punch to the face that had been building in him since he had returned to himself earlier. He roughly caught hold of Hubert's hands to prevent him from casting. "Byleth is under my protection von Vesta… You would do well to remember that." He threatened menacingly.
Hubert bit back a cutting retort and nodded curtly at the irate man. He pulled his hands free from the other's grip and straightened himself to his full height.
"I will be in touch," Hubert said icily. "Don't make me regret allowing you to leave here alive, Jeritza. I will accept no more fuck-ups."
"Maybe you should look to your own mistakes before you fling mud at others." Jeritza shrugged before he activated his portalling device and disappeared into the night.
"Perhaps you are right," Hubert whispered after him, his heart heavily pounding in his chest and the beginnings of a headache burning into his brow. He paused for a moment, gathering himself together and picking a few leaves and twigs from his dark attire. Taking a final deep breath, Hubert stepped back out from the tree's and settled into his watch location, peering out blindly into the darkness. His concerns were many, but he allowed himself one small glimmer of thanks that Byleth had survived. If his unusual sentimentality surprised him at all, he did not show it.