"...So Teach, I know that yesterday you came out of that tear in the sky with her, so my question is- and please be honest with me- where did she come from?"

Byleth was caught a bit off guard by Claude's sudden question. Manuela had left the room shortly after the girl was finished with the broth to give them some privacy. She supposed that he wouldn't stop asking until he got her side of the story.

The professor sighed. "What did I manage to tell you before I fainted? I'm sorry, but I don't quite recall."

The house leader tilted his head as he thought. "You got to the part about merging with the weird goddess in your head?"

"Yes, I believe it was. Your memory is impeccable." Byleth gave a small smile before it fell into a more somber expression.

"Aww Teach, you flatter me." He raised one of his arms and scratched the back of his neck.

Byleth ignored that comment. "After Sothis gave me her power, I used the Sword of the Creator to escape, but before I could leave, something grabbed hold of me. Something I couldn't see. It...it stole a portion of the goddess's power." She looked down at her feet and narrowed her eyes remembering what it felt like, the ethereal tentacles of the unseen thing digging into her very being and feeling the bright surging power that had been gifted to her siphoned away by the invisible being that had attached itself to her, like fresh water to the drought-ridden ground.

Silence hung in the air for the span of a heartbeat.

The girl's voice reluctantly perked up from the bed a short ways away. "...it was supposed to go back to you."

Her attention shot to the child. Her head hung almost sadly. "What was supposed to go back?"

The girl's eyes moved to meet hers. "The power I took from you. I didn't want to keep it."

Claude's eyes widened. His head turned from Byleth to the girl, and then back, struggling to read what was happening. "Wait, you're saying that the thing that stole Teach's power while she was in that darkness, that was you?"

The girl nodded, her head still hung low. "I meant to just borrow it. All I needed it for was to make myself a body."

"Why did you need a body? Why do you claim me to be your mother? " Byleth's eyes narrowed.

The girl shrank under the weight of her stare, her eyes widening in fear as she tried to edge her way closer to the headboard of the bed. She looked up at met Byleth and the expression on her face struck an unpleasant chord within her. She was afraid, and that fear was directed at her. It wasn't like glaring at an opponent on the battlefield. This was a child, not an enemy. She taught children every day. In her haste to get answers, she must have forgotten that.

She stretched out her hand and put it on the girl's shoulder as a clumsy gesture of comfort, the girl flinching under her sudden touch. Goddess, she was bad at this. The girl had called her Mother.

What did that mean? She didn't even have a mother growing up, so how was she supposed to be one now? A mother was a caretaker, a mentor, someone a child could rely on to keep them safe, healthy, and happy.

Without a solid knowledge of how to proceed, she defaulted. Byleth grabbed the child in both of her arms and hugged her close to her chest, just as her father had done for her after a nightmare when she was young. The girl froze stock still in her embrace. Byleth raised a hand and ran it through her hair, just as her father would often do. It was one of the few ways the gruff man showed affection and vulnerability.

"Can you answer my questions please?" Byleth softly intoned. She hoped it would have a similar calming effect on the girl as it had on her younger self.

Fortunately, it appeared to work. The girl relaxed and leaned into her, leaning her head on her chest and closing her eyes. The girl inhaled sharply, and then breathed out softly. Byleth felt something wet begin to trail down the girl's face and soak into her clothes.

Her breath hitched and brought the edge of her sleeve up to wipe away the remaining moisture. The child turned and hugged her back with all the might her little arms could muster, her face against Byleth's bosom. "Okay...I'll try." Her voice came out muffled and thick with emotions.

"Once a long time ago...I lived here, in existence." The girl began, leaning her head to the side as she thought back to her past. "I lived in a big bright place, where warm light rained down from the sky. There were other people there, I think...I-I think you were there too, Mother."

Byleth narrowed her eyes in confusion. What? That didn't make any sense. She had never even seen this girl before yesterday. Unless...

Claude opened his mouth to voice his questions before she could. "What do you mean you think? You aren't sure?"

The girl nodded grimly. "I can't be sure. I can't remember anything concrete."

Claude shook his head and sighed. "Amnesia. How inconvenient for us. Makes getting answers a lot harder. How do you know all of that if you can't remember anything anyway?"

The girl's eyes turned downcast. "The Nothing...the longer you remain within it, the more of you it eats away at. It eats and eats until there is nothing left, slowly... my memory was one of the first things to go, then my body. It leaves you with feelings, though. Echoes of things it stole from you. I remember the feeling of the light, it was warm. I remember not feeling lonely, so there were others there."

She hugged her knees as she continued. "I don't know how I ended up there, but I do know that something bad happened. I like to think that maybe it was because of the others, maybe I went willingly to help them." The girl chuckled dryly. "I was there for a long time, you know. I hoped that maybe one day I would get out, but without the power of divine on your side, you're as good as dead...it was luck that I found you."

After the girl finished speaking, silence fell over the room as the duo of professor and student digested what they had heard.

She looked over at Claude, carefully observing his reaction. His expression seemed blank, unreadable, giving nothing away of his inner workings. She longed to know what was going through his mind. He was always prepared, he always knew what to do.

Personally, she didn't know what to think. Being alone for so long...she couldn't imagine it.

The nameless girl in front of them shifted in the uncomfortable quiet. She was looking at both of them like she was expecting them to say something. Neither of them did.

"Mother?" Came her soft voice, knocking Byleth out of her momentary stupor. "I'm glad you and Star are here."

"Why do you call me that?" Claude asked curiously.

"Because. You have the Star in your blood. I told you."

Before anyone could press the matter further, the door to the infirmary swung open and a knight walked in, quickly saluting her before putting his hand back to his side. "Professor, good morning to you."

Byleth saluted back. "Good morning to you as well. I trust I am needed elsewhere?"

The Knight nodded. "Lady Rhea has requested your presence in the Audience Chamber. She has asked for the child to be in attendance as well."

That could only mean that Seteth had informed Rhea about the situation. She wasn't quite sure how to feel about the archbishop being involved other than uneasy. The knight departed, leaving the room just as it was before.

Byleth extended her hand to the nameless child on the bed. The girl glanced at the hand and then back to her face. She raised an eyebrow before turning to Claude. "Am...am I supposed to do something?"

Claude gave a good-natured chuckle. "Teach wants to help you out of bed, squirt."

An epiphany dawned on the nameless child's face. "Oh! Like to walk and stuff!"

Byleth rolled her eyes. The girl was rather slow. She suspected it may have been a consequence of her memory issue.

"Um, I'm sorry, but I can't walk. My legs don't have enough meat on them." Claude laughed again at the blunt phrasing. The green-haired child gestured to her thin legs, sure enough, they were like noodles.

A short while later, Byleth found herself carrying the nameless girl bridal style down the hall to the audience chamber where the archbishop waited. She hoped that given enough time, the child's legs would be strong enough to carry her weight.

As they neared the room in question, the knights that kept guard on either side of the massive doors hailed her as she approached and opened them wide, granting her entrance. The child's face filled with awe at the sight of the room beyond.

The silhouetted figure of Rhea stood on the other end of the chamber, the early morning light shining brightly through the stained glass windows casting her in a nigh heavenly light, Seteth standing closely by. She looked so regal, every bit like the title of Archbishop she embodied, the leader of the followers of the goddess.

As Byleth got closer to her she took note of the soft smile she wore on her face, which filled with a familiar emotion as she turned her regal gaze downward to rest on the child she held in her arms. Her eyes filled with some unidentifiable emotion. It reminded Byleth of her first meeting with the woman.

It was unnerving.

Rhea blinked and the emotion in her eyes vanished. "I have been awaiting your arrival, Professor. I see you have brought with you the child as I have requested. I see you are well, and it is a pleasure to meet with you as always." The girl in her arms lifted her head to look at Rhea. Byleth could tell she was trying her best to put on a brave face.

"Hello, little one, I am Rhea. I have heard that you have been brought to my monastery under extraordinary circumstances. May I ask as to what your name might be?" Rhea asked softly.

The girl shifted uncomfortably against her cloak. She didn't want to speak. Something about Rhea must have unnerved her, so Byleth answered for her. "She doesn't remember anything. Not even her name."

Rhea's eyes widened with surprise. The look returned to them for a fraction of a second before they returned to normal. "No memory you say? That is...most unfortunate. I am hopeful, however, that her memories may return with time."

Byleth agreed, although from the girl had told her and Claude earlier in the infirmary, she doubted they would. But there was something...odd about the way Rhea reacted. Like she was hoping the child would confirm something to her, some hope perhaps.

"Now for the matter for which I called you here. For this month's mission, there is a place that you must pay visit to. Only a very select few know of this place. You must go to the Holy Tomb." The smile fell from the woman's face.

"Forgive my ignorance archbishop, but why am I required to go to such a place?" Byleth questioned.

"Surely you have noticed the change in your hair? You have received sacred power from the goddess, and as her chosen, you must go to the tomb where you will receive a divine revelation from the goddess herself," the archbishop intoned.

"The Holy Tomb is where the goddess sleeps. This monastery was originally built for the purpose of protecting her hallowed temple," Seteth explained. "There is a legend about Saint Seiros and the Holy Tomb. They say Saint Seiros, the first individual to be gifted with the goddess' divine power, received her revelation there."

A revelation? She wondered if it would accomplish anything, Sothis was gone. The old goddess's power now belonged to her.

"She was told that it was her sacred duty to save the people of Fódlan, and she must use her power wisely in order to lead them. The words that were handed down to Seiros from the goddess will likely fall upon your ears as well," Rhea's soothing voice explained further.

"Prepare yourself to go at the end of the month. There, you may find out why you were blessed with such power. There will be a Ceremony at the Holy Tomb. It is then you will receive the goddess's revelation. You may share this mission with your students."

"Do you think it is wise to bring the students into a matter like this? I was under the impression that I would be doing this on my own." Byleth asked.

"It is said that when Seiros received her revelation, she had holy warriors by her side, protecting her. Your students, who have followed you and fought alongside you in the darkest of times, are well suited to stand by you for the ceremony. Of course, as the leader of the Church of Seiros, I will be by your side as well," Rhea answered Byleth's question, but what she said next threw her for a loop. "Though, I must request that when you leave for the Holy Tomb, you take the child in your arms with you."

Seteth's eyes widened. "Archbishop? Why must the girl accompany the professor? Do you not see the state she is currently in? If something were to go wrong, she would be left helpless!"

Rhea shook her head. "I have my reasoning, Seteth. I believe that this girl is a blessing from the goddess. She has been chosen as our dear professor has. Was she not found under mysterious circumstances the very same night that the professor received divine power?"

Seteth looked defeated, but he knew better than to fight a losing battle. "Yes, I suppose so." He still looked unsure of the prospect.

The girl in Byleth's arms looked uncomfortable, her face became determined, and then in her soft, high voice, finally spoke up. "Wherever Mother goes, I go too."

The color vacated Rhea's face. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks. "Mother...you say?" Did Rhea look spooked? Seteth closeby didn't look much better.

The girl nodded firmly. "Yes. She is my mother."

The archbishop's mouth fell open, closed, and then opened again, as if she was trying to find the right words to say, but couldn't. A few beats of silence passed and she was able to find her voice. "Are you sure you have no recollection of your name?"

The girl's hands grew sweaty. "Umm, yes?"

Rhea's gaze turned down, the look crossing her face. It seemed almost like...sadness? "It is alright." Her head turned up once again, the look disappearing as quickly as it came.

"Much has changed, but your duty has not wavered. Steel your mind for the ceremony, and prepare your students, and the child as well. Now before we depart, since the girl has no name of which to speak, I must ask that you decide on one. We cannot continue to simply call her 'girl' or 'child'." He gestured to the child in question. "Is there anything you would wish to be called?"

"A name? For me? I-I can't think of any." The girl looked confused before brightening. "Oh! How about Tu! I like Tu!"

"Is that short for something?" Seteth asked, sounding like he was bracing himself.

"Yeah! Tu-morrow! Tomorrow! I just like the way that word sounds!"

The Archbishop's second winced. "Anything but that, please."

"Well, then how about-"

"Niamh."

The word was so sudden Byleth wasn't quite sure who had spoken it at first. Looking around at Rhea and Seteth, they were staring at her. She must have said it then.

That look had returned to the Archbishop's face, wide eyes, and pale skin. "Where did you hear that name?"

"I'm not sure. It was the first thing to come to my mind," she tried to explain, but she wasn't sure how good a job she was doing. How could she even try? The word came from somewhere. Somewhere buried deep in her mind. It just came out when she thought of the young girl, it just seemed to fit.

"Niamh. Nee-yaam. I like it." The word rolled off of the girl's- or rather off of Niamh's- tongue like butter.

And with that matter taken care of, Byleth and the newly dubbed Niamh left the Audience Chamber to return the young girl to the infirmary.

Claude observed the entire exchange from one of his many top-tier hiding places. He was fortunate enough to have been able to find this one shortly before the school year had started while he was, ahem, familiarizing himself with his new surroundings. How could anyone expect him to stay behind from a meeting where important information would be shared, one with the Archbishop herself nonetheless?

What he had overhead was nothing short of fascinating. Rhea and Seteth were not their usual selves. He was lucky enough to have arrived before Teach did, so he was able to do a little eavesdropping on the Archbishop and her right hand. What did they mean by something questionable happening to his teacher?

The archbishop had been particularly odd with how she reacted around the girl. The woman wasn't winning any awards for trustworthiness anyway, but this was ridiculous! She was so obvious!

Normally Rhea was hard to read, but for some reason from the moment Teach had walked in with the child in her arms she had seemed sad, but at the same time desperately hopeful. What intrigued him the most was how she reacted when Byleth had named Niamh. She was shocked.

They didn't sound like they had any plans at all of sharing that information, and speculation could only do so much good. He sighed under his breath as he stealthily left his hiding place, just a second too early to see Niamh's shadow move slightly.

-/\-

You do know it's not that easy, don't you?

-\/-