Hello everybody! Hope you've all been staying safe; I've come bearing the fruits of my labor.
In case you missed the end of the last chapter, we're getting into the endgame of this part of the story. Don't worry though, there's still a whole lot of story to be told here and in the next half!
Sit tight and relax, this is definitely a longer one.
Hope you guys enjoy.
VIII. The Jewel in the North
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In the frigid north of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus lays the capital city of Fhirdiad; founded by the descendants of Blaiddyd, a member of the Ten Elites who fought in the War of Heroes, the city and the surrounding regions were originally part of the Adrestian Empire.
In the year 747 the hero-king known as Loog, a descendant of Blaiddyd, raised an army and demanded independence for the region of Faerghus. This would spark a war between the two territories that would become to be known as the War of the Eagle and Lion. Loog, aided by his friend Kyphon, led the armies of Faerghus into battle against the Adrestian Empire.
The war would come to a head in the year 751, where Loog and his forces would face the Emperor and his army in the Tailtean Plains; the resistance would emerge victorious over the Empire's forces and as a result, gained victory in the war.
Within the same year, overseen by the Church of Seiros, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus would be officially recognized as its own reigning territory, the city of Fhirdiad becoming its capital. Loog was crowned king, known in legends as the King of Lions. He is recognized as Faerghus' most iconic and important ruler.
However, in recent years Fhirdiad would fall to disarray as a plague swept through the city as a result of mismanagement and poor infrastructure. In the year 1162 the reigning king of Faerghus, Lambert, would bring in a team of researchers, led by his newly appointed court mage Cornelia, and begin a revitalization project.
In a few short years, the city of Fhirdiad would prosper once more, the plague sweeping the streets having all but been eradicated. New infrastructure would be put into place that would send Fhirdiad into the modern age, overseen by Cornelia and her researchers.
As a result of Fhirdiad's newfound prosperity, King Lambert and his mage Cornelia would be praised by the people of Faerghus over. The king would make frequent visits to the city streets, acting as a benevolent king whom the people loved. Cornelia remained behind the scenes, ensuring the continuation of the city's success.
With the coming of the year 1167, Fhirdiad would be on track to become the most advanced city in all of Fodlan. Visitors from the rest of the continent and from further abroad found themselves drawn to the grandeur and majesty of the shining capital.
Mercedes pulled on Byleth's arm as they moved through the bustling city streets.
"Look, Byleth! What is that?"
"D-Don't pull so hard, Mercie!"
The girl disregarded the boy's request as she continued to lead him between the masses of people going through their daily routines.
Ava followed slowly behind, laughing at how excited her daughter was to be in such an incredible looking place. She wore a small bag on her side, a sun hat resting on her head.
Jeralt, flanked by two of the company's men, followed behind the mother, keeping his eyes peeled for any threats that may arise.
Mercedes pulled into a side street, the fresh smell of food attracting the young girl. They found themselves at the entrance of a street market; many stalls sat around them, each of them selling a variety of items.
"Ooh! This smells good; what is this?"
A gruff looking man sat behind the stall, sharpening a pair of knives. A rack of freshly cooked meats rested beside him, slowly turning on some sort of cooking machine.
He perked up and spoke in a rough yet kind voice.
"Bear kebabs!"
Mercedes looked confused.
"A… k-kebab? What is that?"
"Meat on a stick! Easy to carry around! How 'bout it, miss? Two gold a pop."
Ava and Jeralt arrived at the stall, watching the man explain the food to the girl. The mother walked up beside her daughter, pulling a small pouch from her bag.
"We'll take two, sir."
She handed the man four pieces of gold, who took it in kind. The bearded man pulled two large sticks, several pieces of meat skewered on each one, and handed it to the woman.
"There you go, miss. Enjoy now!"
"Thank you, sir."
Ava knelt down to the two children and handed each of them their own kebab. Mercedes looked at the stick of meat in disbelief, while Byleth simply stared curiously.
Mercedes looked at the man and bowed.
"Thank you, mister!"
The man simply smiled and nodded at the small girl, before returning to sharpening his knives.
"Mercedes… bear meat? Why so?"
The girl pulled a whole piece of meat from the skewer before beginning to chew on it ravenously. She began to speak, hunks of meat still in her mouth.
"I-It tastes-mmrph!-really good, mother! W-Want some?"
Ava let out a soft laugh.
"Perhaps later, dear."
Jeralt placed his hand down on his son's shoulder, who slowly picked away at his own skewer. As he chewed, his father laughed.
"First time out of the wild in a while, and the first thing you go for is bear meat of all things… good grief, kid."
The group walked through the bustling market, Mercedes stopping every few seconds to gawk at whatever caught her attention. Byleth would normally find it a nuisance to have to keep stopping like this.
It was Mercedes, though. For her, he didn't mind. He smiled as he watched the girl move about curiously.
Soon, the parents and the children found themselves in a plaza, a grand looking fountain sitting in its center. This place looked to be a sort of hub for this district of the city.
Every few steps, a tall looking pole sat on the side of the street. At the top of each pole lay a ball that looked to be made of glass, a bright spell illuminating it. Byleth surmised that the glass balls were used to light the streets during the evening. He had never seen such a thing before.
"Hey kid, check 'em out. I've heard about these things before; they call them 'light posts.' Real advanced stuff, isn't it? This city is the only place that has 'em, I hear."
Byleth swallowed another piece of meat before turning towards his father.
"We're a long way from home, aren't we father?"
"Home? You mean the road? I guess we are then, huh?"
Each post was linked with a line, each of them covered in dozens of these glass balls. They were all lit simultaneously, a rainbow of colors brightening up the city square.
Even in the daylight, the plaza was ablaze with color. It almost looked like a party was to be held that day, Byleth thought.
The group arrived at the fountain in the center of the plaza. The children had both finished their skewers, having discarded the sticks in a bin filled with other kinds of trash. Jeralt looked at the two of them.
"Alright, you two remember what we agreed on right?"
Byleth wiped his mouth clean before addressing his father.
"Meet here after sundown. Stay out of the shady streets. Keep each other safe. Right, father?"
"Good lad. I trust you two to stay out of trouble, alright? We'll be visiting the church and getting things ready."
Ava stepped forward as well.
"Make sure you behave, dear. And you as well, little Byleth."
"I will, mother!"
"I'll keep her safe, miss."
Ava nodded and smiled at the two of them. She considered herself lucky that Byleth would be the one to protect her, at least for now.
She pulled out an envelope from her bag, unfolding it and slowly reading it before turning towards Jeralt.
"My sister gave me these instructions to get to the church… it should be a little ways from here. Jeralt, if you would?
"Let's get going, then. We'll see you two later tonight, got it?
"Okay, father."
Jeralt and his men turned to lead the way towards the direction of the church. Ava looked back and waved at the two children, who in turn waved back. Soon, the two parents were lost amidst the ocean of people, and the two children were left together in the plaza, in front of the fountain.
"Hey, Mercie… where to now?"
She held a finger up to her chin, a curious look on her face.
"Hmm… how 'bout we walk around a little bit? Let's see where we end up!"
"Okay… as long as we don't get lost."
"We won't! And if we do, we'll just trace our steps!"
Byleth took hold of her hand and began to lead her through the plaza, eventually settling on passing through a slightly less busy looking street.
As he gripped her hand, he found the pain within them begin to dull again.
After a few days, the pain within his hands had died down somewhat, but there were still moments when the injury would flare up once more. They were still bandaged, but he expected a few more days of recovery before he could take them off for good.
Mercedes, still feeling guilty over what had happened, held his hand as they walked. She insisted on holding his hand, saying that it would help them feel better more quickly.
It took a bit convincing for their parents to let them go off by themselves for the day, but with enough pleading from Mercedes and promises from Byleth, Jeralt allowed the two children time for themselves while he and Ava dealt with business.
The two of them found themselves in a slightly quieter street, the sidewalks lined with various shops. Mercedes, as she did in the market, stopped every few feet to stare into their windows, gawking at the items for sale in each of them.
Sometimes she would stop to look at clothes, staring in awe at the multitude of colours that each piece of garment was made of. Byleth was not interested in fashion at the slightest, yet he couldn't help but find the girl's enthusiasm endearing.
On the other side of the street, the sound of a blacksmith's hammer caught the boy's attention. Mercedes found herself chasing after the boy, who became entranced by the smith working behind the window. The bearded man was hammering away at what looked to be a silver sword, in the middle of it being crafted. Byleth, face pressed to the window, watched as the smith worked. Mercedes couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh, Byleth! I think that's a bookstore! Let's look at that one next."
Mercedes pointed towards an unassuming shop, a few people milling in and out of its entrance. Above the shop's door, a bannister sat that read out the words 'Anna's Books and Tomes'. Taking Byleth's hand once more, she led the boy to the shop's entrance.
A small bell rang as they entered the cozy shop. It was nearly empty, the rows of books void of other people, save for a woman who looked to be in charge. A bright and bubbly voice sounded out from behind the counter.
"Hi there! Are you kids looking for anything today?"
A red haired woman stood behind the counter, her finger sat upon her chin. Stacks of gold coins sat on the counter, along with various sheets of paper.
Byleth surmised that this must be Anna, the owner of the shop. A curious look grew on his face; he thought that he had seen this merchant around before, but he couldn't exactly remember where.
Mercedes spoke up.
"We're just looking!"
"Sounds good to me! Call me if you need anything! Just to let you two know, all sales are final!"
Mercedes nodded at the woman, who promptly returned to counting the stacks of coins on the counter, humming a familiar song to herself.
What looked to be hundreds of books lined the walls of the shop. Mercedes and Byleth stared in awe at the variety of tomes in display.
Naturally, the two of them drifted off to their own corner of the store, each of them drawn to different kinds of books.
Mercedes found herself drawn to the storybook section, flipping through pages and pages filled with stories of knights, princesses, and queens. She drifted away into her own world, away from the troubles of the world, as she read in the quiet of the shop.
Meanwhile, Byleth found himself looking through books about swordsmanship, hoping to take away something that would help better himself as a fighter. Mercedes leaned over to look at what he was reading, and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Hey Byleth, look at this one! It's a storybook!"
"Hmm? A storybook?"
"Yeah! It's something that you read for fun! I used to read a lot when I was small. I had to leave behind a lot of books at home… it's too bad."
"Oh… sorry to hear that."
"It's okay… did you ever have storybooks when you were little?"
"…Not really. We never had enough room to carry a lot of books with us."
Mercedes felt sad for the boy, realizing his lifestyle wouldn't allow for small comforts such as this.
"Oh… ah! Look at this one!"
Mercedes pointed towards the book she held in her hand. Byleth looked down at the pages; as she flipped through the book, many pages were filled with detailed illustrations that would leave the two breathless.
"The… Kingdom Tales? What's it about?"
"There's lots of stories in this book! They're all about knights; this one is about a knight and his partner who saves people and fights evil wherever they go!"
"Oh… are they real?"
"Huh… probably not. Sometimes they are, but most of the time they're just made up."
Byleth couldn't help but look slightly disappointed, but he shook it off, knowing that they were merely stories after all.
As Mercedes flipped through the book, one particular image stuck out to him. He pointed it out for her.
"Mercie… which story is that from?"
She stopped flipping through pages, turning back towards said picture.
"Oh, this one?"
She let the page rest on the picture that had caught his attention.
On the page was an incredibly detailed drawing, that of an armored knight and a fair maiden. They stood on a tower's balcony, overgrown with leaves and vines, as the moon sat above them. The knight held the maiden in his arms, as they stared lovingly into each other's eyes. Behind them, a grand structure loomed, its imposing nature a stark contrast to the beauty of the night.
"Yeah. I like this one."
"This is one of my favorite stories! It's so romantic…"
"Romantic?"
"This one is a story about a knight and a princess who meet and fall in love. They made a promise in this tower that they would be together forever; it's so sweet! It's always been one of my favorites."
Byleth knew nothing of romance, but he could tell that Mercedes was fascinated by the subject. He listened as the girl gushed about the story.
"Also, this story actually happened for real! Do you know where Garreg Mach is, up in the mountains?"
"Garreg Mach… I've only heard of that place. That's where the church is from, right?"
"Right! Next to the monastery, there's a place called the Goddess Tower! They say that if two people go up there and make a wish together, then that wish will come true! It comes from the story; doesn't that sound romantic?"
"Two people… together?"
He didn't recognize the feeling growing within him. But…
"That sounds… nice."
Mercedes grinned and pointed at her partner.
"Aha! I knew it! You're a romantic, aren't you Byleth?"
"Uh… not really. But that idea, of two people being together… is nice."
Somehow, the girl knew that he was being genuine. A soft blush appeared on her face, just like it had many times now.
"It really is… isn't it?"
They stared down at the illustration for a bit, before Mercedes closed the book shut.
"I'm going to buy this one. I can start a new collection now; how 'bout that?"
Byleth nodded and smiled as the girl skipped towards the counter. Anna, having just finished counting her gold, greeted the two children once more, her finger resting on her chin again.
"Hi there, you two! Made up your mind yet?"
Mercedes placed the book on the counter for the woman to see.
"Yes, ma'am! This one."
The woman gasped when she read the name of the book.
"Oh! The Kingdom Tales! I remember reading this one when I was small just like you! I love this author, you know! His story about the prince and his tactician, fighting the dark dragon from the future… that one was always my favorite growing up."
Anna held the book and hugged it, much to Byleth's confusion. Mercedes spoke up.
"Ah! How about the one with the prince who has to choose between his two family's kingdoms? I really like that one too!"
"Oh, if you aren't my favorite little customer already!"
Mercedes pulled a small pouch of coins from her pocket.
"How much is it, miss?"
"Well… normally it would be twenty gold but… for you I'll cut a deal, how 'bout that? Ten gold!"
Mercedes eagerly pulled ten coins from the pouch before placing them into Anna's hands. The red haired woman dropped the coins into a lockbox before handing the girl the book.
"Remember, all sales are final! Enjoy now! And come back soon!"
Mercedes bowed before the woman, her hand gripping the book tightly.
"Thank you, miss!"
Mercedes and Byleth waved at the woman before exiting the store. The bell rang out as the door closed on her.
Anna returned to her coins and sheets, continuing her task of keeping inventory. She smiled when she thought of her most recent customers.
"Cute kids."
Soon the two children found themselves on the street again, lazily walking to and from various shops that caught their interest.
As the day passed, more and more people began to crowd into the streets. Everyone, from commoners to the noble-looking folks, seemed to be in a good mood for some reason. Like they had seen in the market earlier, various food stalls began setting up as the people spilled into the streets.
"Byleth! What is this?"
Mercedes pulled Byleth towards a newly-opened stand; a young man stood behind the counter churning containers of what looked to be milk. A frigid cold sent chills into the children's spines, however the man working didn't seem to be fazed by it.
Each of the containers seemed to be powered by some sort of ice spell, freezing the milk inside. A sign above the stall read out words that they had never heard before. Byleth read the sign out aloud.
"Ice… cream?"
"Ice cream? Excuse me sir! What is this?"
Mercedes waved towards the man behind the counter; he stopped his churning and turned towards the children.
"Never heard of ice cream? It's the new thing around these parts; you can only find it here! Frozen cream in a cone, two gold a pop. You kids want one?"
Mercedes' eyes widened at the prospect of such a delicious tasting treat. She went to reach for her pouch.
"Ah! Yes please! I'll-"
Byleth held her hand in place before she could grab the gold. Instead, he took four pieces of gold from his own pocket and handed it to the man.
"We'll get two."
The man took the coins before wiping his hands off and reaching for a silver scoop. He placed a few scoops of the ice cream into two cones before handing it to the children.
"There you go. Come back for more, will ya?"
Byleth took the cones before turning towards Mercedes and handing her one of them.
"Oh, Byleth… you didn't have to do that?"
"It's okay. I wanted to."
Mercedes giggled as she took the cone from his hands.
"You're such a gentleman, you know?"
Mercedes took his hand as they strolled through the street, surrounded by the sounds of life. The city bustled around them, as more stalls were erected in the streets.
Byleth looked around and caught a glimpse of more of those rainbow colored lights decorating the streets. There was definitely some sort of festival happening, he thought.
He looked at his cone as the ice cream slowly began to melt. He licked up the cream, only to be met with a comforting flavour, that of soft vanilla.
"This is… really good."
Mercedes took another lick of the ice cream before her eyes widened in surprise.
"W-What!? This is so good!"
A goofy looking smile appeared on her face. She looked as if the experience of tasting such an incredible thing had transcended her past this plane of existence; while Byleth had thought that was an exaggeration, his own expression said otherwise.
As they walked down the street, Byleth's gaze returned to his partner, hand held in hers. He watched as she ate the ice cream happily, sharing the joy he felt as well.
Lately, he would find himself thinking of Mercedes often; her presence became associated with feelings of happiness, comfort, friendship…
Feelings… in general.
Before he met her, he never knew what 'feelings' were. He was a blank slate. An empty canvas of sorts. Even his father, his closest companion, knew that emotions weren't his strong suit.
When he met her, however, things changed for him. It wasn't a big event, not a sudden outpouring of emotion. Rather, it was similar to a set of puzzle pieces, all slowly falling into place. Like this was how he was always meant to be.
He looked at the girl as she walked, oblivious to the thoughts running through his mind. He recalled the other night. How he realized he wanted to keep her happy. Back then, he knew not of how to keep that promise.
He wasn't oblivious to the fact that this wouldn't be forever. Any day now, they would part ways. As soon as she appeared, she would be gone.
He wanted her to be happy. How would he do that, though…?"
"Byleth… check this out."
"Hmm?"
Byleth was broken from his trance as Mercedes pulled him towards another shop window. This one was different, however.
The girl found herself drawn to the sound of wood carving, of all things. She peeked through the window to find an elderly man inside, surrounded by piles of wood. His artwork rested on the tables to his side.
Many different bows, each crafted differently from the rest, rested on the walls. Meanwhile, the man was busy creating another one, the curves in the wood styled to perfection.
"Wow… they all look so incredible, don't they?"
Mercedes continued to stare in awe as the man carved each bow with an extreme attention to detail. He looked up from his work, only to see a small girl staring at him through the window.
He gave her a small smile and a wave, which Mercedes returned. He looked at Byleth and gave the boy a nod before returning to his work.
Mercedes looked back towards Byleth, her expression filled with excitement.
"…Imagine if I could get a bow as cool as those… I could look as cool as you, you know."
Byleth shrugged, a soft smile on his face.
"It's not the bow that makes the shooter, remember."
"Oh I know, it's just… can you imagine?"
Byleth looked back into the window of the bowyer, his eyes catching the sight of a beautifully crafted bow that sat on one of the walls.
The tips were fashioned to look like wings, as if the bow itself could fly out of the shooter's hands. It looked to be crafted from some sort of dark wood; it certainly looked high quality. It was a bit larger than his own; Byleth could tell that it was a bow meant for an older shooter.
From what little he could tell from the view from outside the window, something struck out to him. He didn't know what, but…
Something called out to him.
"Maybe one day I can afford something like that, right Byleth?"
"Yeah. That's right."
As they continued their walk, the two children came across a small bench. While the crowd continued to grow in size, this section of the street looked to be a bit quieter than the rest.
"Let's sit for a bit, Byleth!"
Byleth and Mercedes sat on the bench, continuing to eat their ice cream as they watched the people walk by. The book sat on her lap.
They sat in silence, their hands still linked together. Byleth felt no need to let go; Mercedes didn't mind.
Her expression softened as she spoke up.
"Hey, Byleth…"
"…Yes?"
"…My mother and I are going to be leaving soon."
"…Oh. That's right."
Mercedes scooted closer towards her partner.
"I know you and your dad travel around a lot, but… I really don't want to go just yet. I'm… gonna miss you, you know that?"
"Mercie…"
Byleth turned towards Mercedes, her eyes looking almost sad. A blank stare continued to paint his face.
Mercedes was used to this expression from him. It was almost comforting seeing him like this.
"…You and your mom are going to be living at a church, right?"
"Yeah. A church in eastern Faerghus somewhere. I'm not sure where, exactly."
"…It'll be hard for us to visit."
"I know… that's why, you have to promise to visit sometime, alright?"
Byleth's eyes widened. He never realized how much this meant to her. Mercedes' expression grew soft as she looked into his eyes.
"…Pretty please?"
He smiled at her.
"I'll try."
"You better!"
Mercedes scooted further into Byleth's side, letting their linked hands rest on the book in her lap. They both stared off into the crowd, letting each others presence bring them comfort. Mercedes sighed out.
"…You better."
They let an unknown amount of time pass by. After some time, Byleth stood up and pulled the girl up with him. She groaned, wishing to stay in place for a bit longer.
"Come on. Let's go somewhere new."
Mercedes wrapped the book around her arms, her other hand still linked with Byleth's. She tossed her empty cone into a nearby trash bin.
She puffed her chest out in confidence, in an attempt to look tough after the tender moment the two had shared.
"Alright! Where to-"
The crashing of wooden planks sounded out from behind them. Mercedes yelped in surprise, Byleth gripping her hand even harder.
Together, the two children turned back and looked towards the source of the noise.
Behind the bench they were sat at, an alleyway loomed ahead; faint voices and yells could be heard from further down the alley.
"Uh… Byleth? What was-"
The form of a boy ran through their line of sight.
Byleth could tell from the brief second he could see him that the boy was running from trouble.
His suspicions were soon to be confirmed. Hot on the boy's trail were a group of three rough looking teenagers, pushing planks of wood out of their way. The boy at the head of the pack yelled out.
"Get back here, you little shit!"
The angered boy continued his chase down the alleyway.
Mercedes, feeling unnerved, hid behind Byleth. He held his hand out to stop her from going forward.
"H-Hey, Byleth… maybe we should get out of here."
"Hmm… you're right. But…"
He began to step forward into the alleyway, before he felt Mercedes try to pull him back.
"W-What are you doing? It's not safe there, right?"
"It isn't. But that kid is in trouble. I have to go help him."
"I-I know! But…"
"It won't be safe if you come with me. Stay here."
"Byleth, I-"
He let go of her hand and slowly began to move into the dark alleyway. The sounds of rustling and heated voices could be heard from the street where they stood.
"Oh, you annoy me sometimes, you know? I'm coming with you."
"Ah!? Mercie?"
Mercedes stomped up and began to walk alongside Byleth, a determined look on her face. He could tell that her mind was made up, and there would be no convincing her otherwise.
He promised her mother that he would keep her safe… but it would probably be safer to stick together, anyhow.
"…Fine. Stay close to me, okay?"
"Mhm."
They crept through the alleyway, trying to stay as quiet as they could. Angered voices could be heard deeper within the alleyway; as the voices raised, Mercedes clung to Byleth as closely as possible.
The light of the sun could scarcely reach the alley, the surrounding buildings casting the place in a dim light.
Byleth followed a trail of stomped glass and furniture that had been knocked over. The trail led him to a dark corner; the voices were the loudest just around the corner. He could tell that the teenagers were just around the corner.
He looked back to Mercedes, holding a finger up to his mouth.
"Shh…"
Byleth turned his head around the corner, in an attempt to see what the situation looked like.
The three teenagers surrounded a small boy; the imposing boys stood around, fists clenched. Their leader, the yelling boy from earlier, stood at the head of the pack. He wore a plain shirt, that of a commoner, with tousled brown hair on his head. Two more boys stood behind him wearing similar looking clothes, both of their heads short and clean cut. They stood behind their leader, staring down the small boy in front of them.
Their prey stood anxiously, looking scared and helpless. The boy was small, a few years younger than Byleth at least. His bright blonde hair stood out in the darkness of the alleyway, cleanly cut and resting on the top of his shoulders. He wore a dark and formal looking tunic, accented by a blue ribbon sitting on his chest.
The leader began to speak up towards the small boy.
"Think you can get away from us, little noble? Thought your parents would've taught you to respect your elders?"
"Little guy got mud all over my boots… the hell?!"
The leader's lacky raised his foot, showing off his fancy pair of boots. He growled with anger as the head boy turned back towards their victim.
"We don't appreciate that kind of disrespect around here. 'Specially from noble shits like you."
He turned back towards the other two boys, flicking his head.
"You gotta pay up, kid. Boys, shake him down, alright?"
"S-Sure, boss."
The two boys moved towards the child; he quivered in fear as two pairs of hands moved towards his pockets. His eyes closed, as he shielded himself from the bullies.
A pair of feet stepped out from behind the corner.
"Better step away from him."
The bullies turned around, meeting Byleth's gaze as he stepped out into the open.
"Uh… boss? Who's this guy?"
"...Who the hell are you?"
Mercedes stood behind the corner, watching in fear as Byleth confronted the bullies. Mercedes whispered to herself.
"W-What are you thinking?!"
Byleth stepped forward.
"It doesn't matter. Get out of here."
"…The hell you think you are? Do you know who you're talking to?"
Byleth stood his ground, feet spread apart and firmly planted on the ground. He raised his bandaged hands, ready to defend himself.
Mercedes stared dumbfounded.
"Y-You're still hurt! What are you doing?!"
Byleth stared down their leader.
"…No. Not that I'd care, anyways. Please… you're going to regret this. You can make a better choice right now, you know?
The teenager cracked his knuckles, clenching his fist. The other two boys did the same; they stood together, in a combat stance.
"You sure it's a good idea to go 'round fighting crippled like that? Doesn't matter to me, anyways. You chose the wrong day to play hero."
The two boys lurched forward in an attempt to grab Byleth. Their leader grinned menacingly; two to one, what were the odds?
Byleth's expression darkened at the sight of the two boys reaching for him. In response, he grabbed their wrists before twisting in one swift motion. The two boys cried out in pain.
"A-Aaagh!"
"S-Shit!"
The sound of cracking bones echoed down the alleyway. Mercedes, watching this, cringed at the sight of their snapped wrists.
Letting go of one of the boy's arms, he focused his attention on the one still within his grasp. With broken wrist in hand, he pulled the arm out of his way, giving him a perfect angle to strike.
In another swift move, he brought the heel of his left boot down onto the boy's foot, another crunch bellowing out.
Before he had time to cry out again, Byleth sent his right boot into the air, squarely into the boy's face. With no time to react, the boy took the full brunt of the strike and fell face first onto the ground.
The other two, still standing, stared in confusion. The remaining lacky, nursing his wrist, yelled out a cry as he rushed Byleth.
"Aaagh-wha?"
He brought his functioning hand up and swung it out, attempting to strike at Byleth's face. However, Byleth simply stepped to the side, his smaller frame in comparison to the others a blessing in disguise.
Byleth swung his leg out and kicked, sweeping the other boy off his feet. He fell on his back onto the hard surface. Losing his breath, he immediately began an attempt to stand back up.
"O-Oof! What the hel-"
The thought was interrupted by a swift kick into the boy's stomach. He yelped out in pain, losing every ounce of breath in his body. He began to cough coarsely, the wind having been taken from his sails.
Mercedes, watching the purely one-sided beatdown, called out in the child's direction.
"H-Hey! Over here!"
She waved her hands attempting to get the small boy's attention. He had stood frozen this whole time, only to be woken from his daze by Mercedes' voice around the corner.
He moved quickly to join Mercedes, ignoring the fight happening to his side.
Mercedes opened her arms for the boy to enter, which he did.
"It's okay… it'll all be alright."
She held the boy tight as he shook in fear. Looking up, her eyes returned to Byleth and the leader of the bullies.
The boy, clearly shocked at his friends' failure, cracked his knuckles again.
"Shit, the hell's your problem? If you're gonna mess up my boys like that… you'll get the horns."
"I was warning you, wasn't I?"
The boy brought his fists up and swung at Byleth with all the force he could muster.
Byleth raised his arms and blocked each swing as it came. His hands flared up in pain the longer he held them out.
The boy grinned, realizing Byleth's weakness. He grabbed his hands and brought his knee up, slamming it into Byleth's stomach.
"G-Guh!"
Byleth fell to his knees, this single attack weakening him heavily.
"Not so strong now, are ya?"
He walked forward, intending to finish him off for good.
From around the corner, a glass bottle flew through the air, smashing into the boy's side. He grunted in pain, the shards of glass cutting through his skin. He brought his hand to his side, blood beginning to seep through his shirt.
"W-Where-"
He looked to the side and saw a small girl he hadn't seen standing proudly in the darkness. The child sat on the side, staring in amazement.
"Get away from him!"
Mercedes held another discarded bottle in her hand, prepared to defend herself and the child. As the boy looked at her, he left Byleth behind and slowly began to move towards her.
"Mercie… what are you doing!?"
"Protecting you, Byleth!"
Standing in the face of fear, Mercedes stood her ground as the boy walked up to her.
"I don't want to hurt a girl… but if you really want it…!"
He raised his fist and began to swing. Mercedes, expecting the punch, shielded herself and the child. She closed her eyes, expecting the end to come for her.
"N-No!"
But… the punch never came.
Byleth moved and intercepted the punch, countering with his own move. In one swift move, he pulled the boy by his waist, raising him up over his head and slamming him down on the ground.
Mercedes slowly opened her eyes, only to see the boy on the ground writhing in pain. Byleth sat on top of him, keeping him in place as he struggled to move.
"Byleth…? What did you-"
"First thing my father taught me; deceive not just your opponents, but your allies as well."
He patted his stomach, looking as if he hadn't taken a hit in the first place.
"Close quarters combat is another thing my father taught me. He called this move a 'suplex'. He said it doesn't work on opponents that are larger than me but… it worked this time. I was lucky this guy was such a sloppy fighter, I think."
Byleth stood up and moved towards Mercedes and the child.
He wasn't expecting a firm slap to the cheek, however. One that hurt far more than the knee he took to the stomach.
"Byleth! What were you thinking? Going in there and risking your life like a dummy! You're still hurt! You could've gotten even more hurt, you know! What's wrong with you?!"
"M-Mercie!? I-I'm sorry. It's just… I had to help, you know?"
"I know that! But still… what if you got injured again!? I-I…"
She pulled Byleth into a tight hug. One that he returned freely.
"S-Stop doing things like that. Please. I'm gonna grow old early if you keep doing stuff like that."
"Mercie… sorry. That was a little reckless, I admit. Sorry you had to see that."
"A little reckless… more like a lot."
The two children pulled away from each other and turned towards the small boy they had rescued. They moved towards him, his face looking apprehensive.
Byleth held his hand out for the boy.
"I'm glad you're safe. You should get out of here."
"…Thank you, sir. And you too, miss."
Mercedes blushed at the boy calling her 'miss'.
"We're here to help, mister. But little kids like you should be getting back to their parents! Let's take you-"
"G-Guh…"
Byleth turned around and watched as the bullies began to come to. The two lackies he dealt with earlier shook themselves awake, nursing their wrists. Their leader sat back up, clutch his stomach in pain. He tried to stand back up, only to fall back down to the ground immediately.
"Y-You idiots… can't even take a little kid way younger than us…"
"Speak f-for yourself, b-boss…"
Byleth readied himself, prepared to defend Mercedes and the child again.
The stomping of boots filled the alleyway. They moved with an urgency that Byleth knew all too well. Soon, the sound of the boots came around the corner.
A regal looking man, dressed in a sapphire-colored suit of armor, walked into the alleyway. His pauldrons were spiked with what looked to be the fangs of a dragon, his azure cape flowing down his shoulders. He looked as if he were the commander of an army, Byleth thought.
Next to him, a young man with a head of cobalt blue hair stood. He wore a light beard on his face, and was dressed in a formal looking suit. His cape was a deep blue as well, the fur of a wolf resting on his shoulders. His hair flowed down onto his shoulders.
The first man ran in, meeting the small child's gaze. The child quickly moved away from Byleth and Mercedes, running to embrace the man.
"F-Father!"
"My son… where on Earth have you been?!"
"I-I got lost… there were these bullies a-and… I was really scared. But… these two saved me."
The man looked in Byleth and Mercedes' direction.
The bullies slowly returned to their feet. Their leader, dazed yet standing, looked at the two men who had entered. His eyes widened in realization of who he was looking at.
"S-Shit… do you realize who this is? S-Something tells me w-we should-"
The second man looked at the teenagers, a deep glare sent in their direction. His voice was deep and imposing.
"Tells you what? That you should be leaving?"
He took a step in their direction. The bullies quivered in fear as they tip toed towards the exit.
"I think that would be for the best. Leave. Now."
Without question, the boys ran off, their leader trailing right behind them.
The first man laughed as he held his son.
"You have such a way with words, don't you Rodrigue?"
Rodrigue shook himself off, patting the dust of the alleyway off of his suit. His voice brightened up now that the bullies had gotten away.
"Someone has to do the dirty work, Lambert. No one is better qualified than myself, I believe."
"You give yourself too much credit, my friend."
Lambert laughed to himself. Rodrigue, without an ounce of annoyance, laughed as well.
"You're a right prick, you know that?"
"Speak for yourself."
Lambert stood up, moving towards Byleth and Mercedes who had simply watched the men's conversation. Mercedes moved behind Byleth nervously as she watched the tall man kneel down to their level.
"My son tells me you saved him. From those other children, I assume?"
Byleth nodded his head.
"Unfortunately, there are lots of people like that in this city. I apologize immensely. Please don't let it sour your experience here, okay?"
He patted his son on the shoulder.
"You saved my son today. You have no idea how grateful I am for you two. Believe me. My name is Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd. May I know the names of you two?"
"My name is Byleth."
"I'm Mercedes. We're just happy that your son is safe."
Lambert smiled and looked at the two children.
"I am as well. My son here has a tendency to wander off sometimes and get into trouble… don't you?"
The small boy spoke up.
"Not that often…"
"Well… don't be shy, son. Introduce yourself."
The boy walked up to the two children. He bowed before them, before saying his name out loud.
"My name is Dimitri. Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. Thank you for saving me. I won't forget it."
Byleth nodded his head at the small child while Mercedes curtsied.
"Nice to meet you, Dimitri."
"Same! I'm glad you're safe, Dimitri."
Dimitri stood back up, a newfound smile on his face.
Rodrigue tapped Lambert on his shoulder, a concerned look on his face.
"The parade will be starting soon… we should be getting back to the others, I'm afraid."
Lambert sighed and stood back on his feet. He took hold of Dimitri's hand.
"Words can't express how grateful I am for you two. While I'm afraid I can't pay you back at the moment… allow me this. The city parade will be starting any moment now. If you follow Rodrigue here, he'll take you to the best spot to watch it. How about that?"
Mercedes tugged on Byleth's arm. He turned around to face her.
"Come on, Byleth! Let's go!"
Byleth had never heard of, let alone seen, a parade before. A parade in the city of Fhirdiad, no less. He had to take this opportunity.
"…Of course."
Lambert clapped his hands together.
"Splendid! Let's go then; it won't be too long now."
Byleth and Mercedes followed Dimitri and his father out of the alleyway, onto what looked to be a promenade. A large street loomed ahead that led directly to the royal palace; the crowds had begun to fill the sidewalks, the rainbow coloured lights illuminating the streets.
Lambert turned to face Byleth and Mercedes.
"Rodrigue here will take you to your seats. We may not see each other again after this, I'm afraid. So once again… thank you both so much."
Dimitri stepped forward.
"Thank you. Both of you. Until the day we meet, once more."
He bowed before departing with his father. Lambert and Dimitri disappeared into a side street that had been cordoned off.
Rodrigue pointed in the direction of the seats, directly in front of the palace's gateway.
"Our seats will be right there. No need to be afraid; I'm a friendly man."
As Byleth and Mercedes followed Rodrigue to their seats, they couldn't help but stare at the people around them. While earlier in the day they had seen hints of a festival popping up here and there, the city had now become a full on celebration; people moved about joyously while Byleth had no idea what they were celebrating.
Mercedes, feeling the same, spoke up.
"Mr. Rodrigue… what exactly is this parade for?"
"The city is celebrating many things, in fact. We haven't had a true celebration like this since the plague began here many years ago. Now that Fhirdiad is returning to its former glory, the king believes it necessary for the people to celebrate."
"Wow…!"
Rodrigue led the children to their seats, in full view of the palace's plaza. He pointed out their seats, at the edge of the street. They were surrounded by many other children, each of whom held some form of streamer.
Byleth and Mercedes took their place, next to Rodrigue. Two boys with similarly colored hair as his sat beside him. One was noticeably older than the other, but both looked strikingly similar.
"The king loves his parades I suppose… oh, where are our manners? These are my sons. Felix and Glenn."
Felix waved without saying a word; he was dressed in a blue vest and a white dress shirt. He looked to be the same age as Dimitri.
Glenn greeted the two of them happily. Unlike his brother he was fitted with solid looking armor, similar to that of the king's guards.
Byleth and Mercedes simply smiled and waved at the two of them, before being interrupted by the sounding of horns.
Rodrigue pointed towards the palace's gates.
"Looks like it's starting. Enjoy, you two; it's not everyday you get to see this kind of thing."
Trumpets from around the city sounded out a grand fanfare. The people cheered as the horns blared out; the palace's pearly gates opened, releasing bursts of magical lights from within. Following the light show, a grand looking carriage emerged from within.
"Byleth…! Look at that! It looks incredible, doesn't it?"
"It… really does…!"
Byleth couldn't help but stare in wonder at the amazing symphony of light before them. The two of them jumped in surprise as the people around them let off their streamers, strings of color flying into the sky.
As the royal carriage emerged from the gates, the people around them began to cheer.
Byleth and Mercedes unintentionally began to listen in on their exclamations.
"…Is that the king?!..."
"…It's Prince Dimitri! Look how princely he looks!..."
…?
Prince Dimitri?
Byleth turned to face his partner, an equally confused look growing on her face.
"…Prince Dimitri?"
Another voice echoed from behind them.
"…There he is! It's King Lambert!..."
Mercedes held a finger up to her chin.
"…King Lambert?"
Their thoughts were consumed by the roar of the crowd as the royal carriage passed by.
On top of the carriage stood King Lambert, waving at his people. He wore the same outfit as the one that Byleth and Mercedes had met him in, in the alleyway.
To his side stood Prince Dimitri, who joined his father in waving at the people below.
By the sounds of the people around them, Byleth knew that these two were especially loved by Fhirdiad.
Mercedes grabbed Byleth's arm in confusion.
"What?! We saved the prince… and we didn't even know that was him?!"
Rodrigue couldn't help but listen in.
"Hmm? Don't tell me you had no idea…?!"
He laughed out loud, his sons staring him down.
Dimitri, catching the sight of his saviours, waved in their direction. His father, noticing where his son's attention fell, joined him.
Byleth and Mercedes simply stared in awe as they watched the carriage continue its journey down the promenade. After a few seconds, they turned to look at each other.
Expecting the other to say something, they simply looked each other in the eye. The only thing they found was comfort. In each other.
Smiles grew on both of their faces as their attention returned to the rest of the parade. Mercedes held Byleth close to her as they sat together, the sounds of the crowd disappearing behind them.
After the parade ended, Byleth and Mercedes bid farewell to Rodrigue, who promised to treat them next time they were in Fhirdiad.
They sent their regards to King Lambert and Dimitri as well. Rodrigue thanked them once more for saving the young prince, before bowing and departing with his two sons.
While the king's parade had ended, the festival continued on into the night as the two of them were surrounded by the sights and sounds of Fhirdiad's culture. Music blared behind them as they made their way back to the fountain where they had agreed to meet their parents.
As they walked, Mercedes stopped as they passed through a quiet street. It was a much needed moment of silence the two needed after the hectic day they had just had.
Mercedes slowed her pace down as the two of them walked. In her hands was the book she had bought earlier that day, with the familiar story of the Goddess Tower.
Thinking of that story, she spoke up.
"Hey, Byleth…"
"…Yes?"
"…Today was a lot of fun. Even if some things didn't go according to plan… I had a lot of fun. What about you?"
"…I did too. I'm glad you did as well."
"…Good."
Mercedes stopped. Byleth turned around to see what was going on.
"Do you remember our promise?"
"…Of course. That we'll be friends, right?"
"Mhm. I want to make another one."
"…Sure."
Mercedes turned to face him, a small blush appearing on her cheeks.
"Can you promise me… we'll never forget each other? Even if something happened… we'll always remember each other."
She placed her hand on her chest.
"I know… I won't forget about you."
Byleth soon found himself blushing at her intimate choice of words; however, he knew deep down that he felt the same.
"Mercie… I won't forget about you. I promise. How could I forget someone like you, after all?"
Knowing how promises were made between the two of them, Byleth held his pinky up. Mercedes, initially surprised, smiled softly before lifting her own pinky up as well.
"…Pinky promise. Right, Mercie?"
"…Right, Byleth. I promise."
"Promise, Mercie."
They shook their pinkies together, illuminated by the stringed light shining around them. The lights seemed a little brighter than normal.
Byleth stared into her eyes as she smiled and shook his pinky. Seeing her happy like this was worth it. There was something different about her in this moment, surrounded by a collage of color, glowing underneath the moonlight. She looked the same as ever to him but… different, at the same time.
If his heart could beat… it would.
Mercedes stared deeply into the boy's eyes. His smile made her heart swell. He didn't smile often. But when he did, it was something to savor. Something to remember. When he smiled tonight, surrounded by the sounds and sights of the capital city, she sensed something was different about him. Even though he looked the same to her… he appeared different to her, in this moment.
If her heart could beat any faster… it would.
The two children became lost in the moment.
After a brief moment, Mercedes shook herself awake. She gave Byleth's shoulder a light slap before taking his hand again.
"…I knew it. You are definitely a romantic, like those storybook knights, aren't you?"
Byleth took the lead and continued their walk down the street, turning towards her to respond.
"…Am not."
"…Yup. You definitely are."
Mercedes gave her partner another slap on the shoulder before returning to their walk.
As they walked she looked over towards Byleth, who looked oblivious to the thoughts in her mind.
She held her book as she placed her hand on her chest.
Why was having a childhood crush so complicated?
Oh my. Let's talk.
So many things to write about in Fhirdiad, so little time! Writing about things happening in the big city is quite different from the wild, isn't it? Definitely a new environment for these two; I decided to go let my imagination run a little bit thinking about how advanced the city is, for sure. I mean, in the game the city has mechs and laser turrets, for god's sake. They sure as hell can have ice cream.
I had a lot of fun teasing future developments in this chapter; the Goddess Tower, the monastery, a certain other character... the list goes on! Also, Anna cameo! I love bookstore scenes. Had to fit one in somehow. ~
Dimitri! Officially the first time these three have met. Just like with Edelgard, it certainly won't be the last time. Hope you can guess which house Byleth will be leaning towards in the future.
The fluff between Byleth and Mercedes was in full force this chapter. I love writing that kind of shit. Makes me feel all giddy inside, y'know?
As for Mercedes at the end... you've got some stuff to figure out, let's just say. Time's ticking.
Thank you all so much for continuing to read and review this guy. Love you all lots. Peace and love and all that jazz. ~
I'll see you guys at the next one!
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~Arujira