Blaise wasn't given much time to contemplate her impending doom as the Emperor spoke, his voice wispy with an obvious exhaustion despite the attempt to sound in control. He might could have pulled it off if he hadn't been forced to pause for a breath halfway through.

"Prime Minister, who is this... you have brought before me?"

Aegir cracked a smile that was annoyingly superior, like he'd caught a child with a hand in the cookie jar and couldn't wait to tell. "The sellsword the princess brought into the castle yesterday. Already she has disrupted the royal guards, hijacking their daily drills into some dueling fiasco that injured upwards of fifty percent…" Duke Aegir complained.

It was quite a dramatic summary of her supposed misdeeds. Hijacking was a strong word when there had been no intent involved and, even if she had injured fifty percent of their guards, the majority of those injuries couldn't be more than a busted lip or bloody nose. She hadn't gone barbarian on them.

"...She has a reputation as a demon within the lower circles, unfitting for association with Enbarr royalty..."

Now, hang on. That was her brother's reputation… mostly. If he thought her sparring was demonic, he had clearly never been on a battlefield.

…

Scratch that, his appearance told her as much. He wouldn't last seconds on any battlefield.

"… I recommend her prompt removal from the premises."

And there it was. Less than twenty four hours and she was getting thrown out.

The Emperor's eyes flickered briefly to her, and she was once again thrown by how blank they were. They told her nothing of what he thought despite how she searched and so she was more than a little surprised by his words.

"My El has spoken highly of her companion and…" he coughed here, a wet cough from deep inside that went into a fit that had Blaise wondering if they should be getting a healer. But Duke Aegir didn't move and it wasn't Blaise's place to do so. Still, she was relieved when the coughing fit subsided even if the Emperor still struggled to speak. "... it is good to remind the guards… outside the walls of our city... there are many skilled fighters. It will only help them to... recognize their own complacency."

Yes, thank you. The royal guards were sadly sheltered.

Aegir did not appear pleased by the Emperor's words, his face once again turning a shade of pink that was steadily darkening. "Your Majesty-"

Emperor Ionius raised a hand, Aegir cutting his complaint short. "I will speak with Edelgard... to educate her friend, but I see no reason to turn her out so soon after her arrival," he insisted.

Sour. Aegir's expression was sour, but he bowed anyway. "Shall I fetch Her Highness?" he asked.

"That will not be necessary. I daresay … she will find her way here of her own accord," Ionius declined before he shifted in the throne to face Blaise more directly. "Ms… Eisner, is it?"

She nodded, a tad too quickly to be casual.

"Ms. Eisner is welcome to join me in dining this morning… Please have the servants set out an extra placement."

Blaise jolted, an immediate sense of horror shooting through her, but her reaction was nothing compared to Duke Aegir's who was so flabbergasted or maybe angry that his words stuttered. "With all do respect, Your Majesty- A sellsword- She is not fit, no, she has no place at the royal dining court," Aegir argued.

For probably the only time that would ever happen, Blaise agreed with him.

… Breakfast with the Emperor of Adrestia? Without Edelgard? Oh no, this was a disaster waiting to happen with Edelgard. But how could anyone tell the Emperor "no?" Not to mention Blaise herself when she hadn't brought her notebook, a fact she was thoroughly regretting now.

Her best bet was to let Aegir complain her out of it.

"It is… my request," Emperor Ionius insisted.

Apparently arguing three times with the Emperor was too much, even for Duke Aegir. Adrestia's Prime Minister looked as if he'd swallowed something very nasty, but he bowed nevertheless. "I will see to it, Your Majesty," he agreed, voice bordering on a sneer.

He made her skin crawl. His words may have been appropriate, but his voice was mocking. Why he even bothered to bring her before Emperor Ionius instead of removing her himself was beyond her.

Beady eyes narrowed upon her.

"It is customary to bow in respect when someone of higher station than yourself offers you an invitation," Aegir reminded her through gritted teeth.

Oh, shoot…

Her eyebrows hit her hairline as she jerked into a stiff bow. She could practically feel Aegir's fury escalate. She didn't know why when Emperor Ionius actually had a ghost of a smile on his gaunt face.

Aegir huffed, his back turning on her. "Might I suggest you tell Her Highness to teach her the proper formation for her station when in the presence of nobility..."

Proper formation? As in, she bowed wrong. How can you bow wrong?

Blaise had to consciously fight not to roll her eyes in the presence of the Emperor. A glance back to him confirmed her suspicions of his interest in her. He was staring, evaluating in a way not unlike Edelgard was prone to do.

But while Edelgard's eyes were alight with fire and passion, his were dark, tired, haunted even with only the barest hint of the spark of life.

She considered bowing a second time, wrong or not it was still some sign of respect. She would have except she had a feeling Edelgard would not want her to do so. Once was respectful, twice was insecure. She straightened instead.

There was another spark in lifeless eyes, another pull of the Emperor's lips into something akin to a smile.

"El never ceases to overturn conventions…"

That was something they could agree on.

"... It is a trait I am proud was never lost."

Proud.

Blaise returned his hint of a smile with her own. At least he had maintained the ability to recognize his daughter deserved his pride. Perhaps he was not as far gone as she had initially believed.

A pair of servants interrupted anything he may have been prepared to say next, a temporary reprieve from their inevitable conversation.

She still half-expected to be ignored or shooed away, but the servants called for her to follow as they supported the weakened Emperor. They only went one room over, but the slow pace took upwards of ten minutes where Blaise awkwardly hung back a respectful couple of steps as she knew Hubert would have told her to do.

Or actually he probably would have absolutely told her not to be anywhere near the Emperor, but considering the circumstances she once again found herself in...

Distance was probably respectful.

The room they were led to was brightly lit with a crystal chandelier much larger than Blaise herself. There was a long, marble table that shone like polished obsidian. She suspected it could seat upwards of fifty people. Emperor Ionius was led to the chair at the head of the table of which was further decorated with rubies while Blaise was ushered to sit at the only other place setting to his left. A myriad of foods rested across the table between them, an assortment that rivaled the meals at Garreg Mach.

Her stomach growled as she suddenly realized how hungry she was. Blaise chewed on the inside of her lip, eyes flickering over the utensils that looked to be made of pure silver. A spoon, a uselessly dull knife, and two forks of different sizes all of which were settled neatly on a red handkerchief.

She vaguely wondered why there were two forks when Emperor Ionius spoke and she jerked to attention.

The servants were gone and his plate was already laden before him.

"I invite you to indulge. Whatever your preferences…I am certain you will find something delightful," he offered, waving a hand at the many dishes.

That, of course, wasn't much of a concern to her. Everything looked "delightful."

Still, her eyes flickered back to the mysterious two forks and then to much of the food of which was out of easy reach. Was she supposed to lean across the table? Stand up and walk to the other side? Ask to have it passed this way?

She settled for taking a breakfast sweet bread from a plate right in front of her which she took a hesitant bite of after glancing to see if the Emperor was offended in any way. She promptly regretted her choice. Emperor Ionius showed no sign that he was upset in any way, but the sweetbread was somehow hard and dry despite it visually being soft and fluffy.

Blaise cursed as her stomach churned, and she suddenly decided she was not hungry. She should know better than to pick bread. She, carefully so as not to draw attention to herself, sat the breakfast roll on the empty plate in front of her. Maybe he wouldn't notice she wasn't eating anything or at least not say anything about it.

He asked her the odd question between bites of his food.

She met Edelgard at Garreg Mach?

That was technically not correct, but she couldn't explain the situation at Remire Village so she nodded anyways.

She had started the year helping out the Knights of Seiros and then transferred to the Black Eagles?

Something like that so she nodded again.

She was a mercenary before?

Another nod.

Did the royal guards compare to many she had experienced on the road?

Blaise didn't immediately answer that one. The answer was "No" but was she allowed to shake her head? What if that was insulting?

There was that ghost of a smile on his face again so she suspected he knew the answer.

He was halfway through another question, something about her swordsmanship, when the door that led from the throne room flew open with a distinctly informal clash into the wall behind it.

"Father, have you seen-"

Edelgard cut off her borderline panicked question as her eyes locked on Blaise at the table. An action that had Blaise wiggling her fingers and hoping she didn't look too guilty.

There was a very audible sigh, Edelgard briefly shutting her eyes as she massaged her temple. "Never mind. I apologize for the interruption," she eventually managed to force out.

A spark, a real spark, lit Ionius' eyes, and he suddenly looked a good ten years younger. "There is… no need for that, El. Your friend... is humoring an old man's questions."

Edelgard raised an eyebrow as she glanced at Blaise with a frown that Blaise couldn't for the life of her determine what exactly it was meant to convey.

But she didn't think it was good.

"Is she?" Edelgard drawled.

Suspicion. That was what it was.

Blaise just shrugged beneath the intensity of her gaze. Maybe she would get the memo this hadn't exactly been her idea.

"I admit I have not ... gotten a word out of her... but she is... attentive."

Edelgard finally released Blaise to face the Emperor. "I assure you that is not out of disrespect," she promised. "Blaise speaks through Sign or writing," she further explained before tilting her head back to Blaise.

That look Blaise knew as disapproving.

Where is your notebook?

Bedroom.

Another audible sigh from the Imperial princess.

The Emperor's smile grew to the largest Blaise had seen yet and she could feel the steady heat of embarrassment spread across her face. There was no doubt he was amused though he was gracious enough not to say anything. "Perhaps... you will take over as company? I believe I should be... returning to my room."

"Of course, Father. I will call the servants," Edelgard offered. Her eyes flickered once more to Blaise before she strode for a second door across the way, disappearing for a few moments and returning with the same two servants from before on her heels.

"Thank you, El," Emperor Ionius gratified, the older man's arms trembling as he pushed himself up from his chair.

Edelgard, a distinctly conflicted frown upon her face, bowed.

The motion didn't look like anything special to Blaise.

Emperor Ionius said his formal farewell as the servants drew on either side of him. A silence that was awkward in its expectancy left a tension in the air that was not broken until the Emperor was halfway across the room. The smile was lost as he paused to twist back to face his daughter. "You may want to advise her on how to navigate the Prime Minister."

Edelgard went rigid and she glanced from the Emperor to Blaise and back again. She responded with only a sharp nod that Blaise had a feeling said a lot more between them than was obviously apparent. A feeling that only grew when Edelgard was seemingly lost in thought well after they were left alone. Eventually, however, she turned to Blaise though her expression was still distant. "You met the Prime Minister then? Ferdinand's father, Duke Aegir?" she asked.

Blaise nodded, eyes narrowing at the odd tone of her voice.

"What did you think of him?"

She wondered if "arrogant ass" was too crude or if Edelgard would even recognize that phrase in Sign. Ultimately, she decided it best to formalize it.

Unfavorable. He attempted to have me evicted.

"Already?"

Blaise noted she wasn't that surprised.

You expected as much.

"Certainly. The Prime Minister and I… suffice to say we have very different ideas of what the future is going to look like," she admitted.

She believed that.

"How did this altercation-"

She didn't finish her question as Hubert stormed inside the room with as much grace as Edelgard before him. "Lady Edelgard, Blaise was last seen-" and like Edelgard he cut off when he caught sight of Blaise herself, the former mercenary also wiggling her fingers at him in a sheepish greeting. His disapproving frown and inner smoldering may have been amusing if she wasn't so sure he, unlike Edelgard, would have no qualms poisoning her. "… being escorted from the training stadium by Duke Aegir…" he crossed his arms, "...It appears, however, that you have figured such out."

"Thank you, Hubert," Edelgard appreciated anyway, the faintest of smiles tugging at her lips, before tilting her head to Blaise. "The training stadium? What were you doing there?"

Training.

And trying not to think.

Edelgard frowned, one eyebrow arching into her hairline in an obvious disbelief. Of course she would not accept such an easy response.

So Blaise shrugged in some attempt to be nonchalant despite a defensive prickle crawling up her spine.

I was bored.

"Boredom?" Hubert scoffed. "You risked your security over boredom?"

Shut up, Hubert.

No one told me I bowed wrong.

Or anything really. She was just along for the ride so it seemed.

Edelgard huffed a sound that might have been a laugh she was trying to hold back under Hubert's watchful gaze. "If that was your worst offense, I daresay we can manage the fallout."

"Try a mass dueling debacle with the royal guards," Hubert corrected.

Edelgard perked up at that in obvious curiosity... and maybe a bit of concern. "Mass dueling?" she repeated.

Blaise shrugged again.

They challenged me. It's not my fault your guards can't fight.

Really it wasn't. Why did this keep coming back around to her?

Hubert wasn't amused if the tilt of his head accentuating the narrowing of his eyes said anything so she was surprised when his next words were more of a thoughtful musing than disciplinary. "Luckily, I believe we may use your lack of foresight to our advantage this time," he admitted.

Oh? That was… good?

Edelgard too was intrigued, said princess resting her chin on her fist as she considered her retainer. "She made a good impression?" she guessed.

Hubert nodded. "A worthy opponent. No one could best her," he agreed.

She wasn't sure how to feel about the gleam in his eyes.

"It is my understanding the groups against you were up to about seven individuals?" Hubert queried.

That earned another head tilt from Edelgard, another intense evaluation that Blaise had to fight not to blush over.

Something like that.

"Perfect," Edelgard whispered. She too had a new fire as she exchanged a smile with Hubert.

Blaise waited for further explanation but it wasn't coming fast enough with Edelgard and Hubert apparently having their own silent conversation. She leaned forward.

What is?

Edelgard flipped her hair, standing straighter where she stood and exuding that fierce charm that had made her the natural commander of the Black Eagles in Manuela's absence. "Count Bergliez is expected to arrive any day now to discuss the military support I desire. Naturally, I would appreciate your presence. You did, after all, successfully apprehend Professor Balen despite his bearing of the Sword of the Creator, a fact Count Bergliez is certain to take into consideration. If he were to also hear of favorable opinions from the royal guards of your performance..." she trailed off with a hum.

Blaise didn't need her to finish. She understood.

Edelgard was hoping Blaise's support would sway Count Bergliez into supporting her.

Because, together, they could win.

But there was the slight problem that she was kind of wanted by the Archbishop for crimes against the Church or maybe all of Fodlan… And Count Bergliez had been present so he would be aware.

You want me to be there?

Edelgard shifted, her cheeks flushing a tad pink. "Your support thus far has been... removed, hidden. I am asking to make it public. Once Enbarr's military support has been secured, the treasury will follow, and my coronation thereafter. If you choose this path, there will be no hiding it for much longer. I would prefer to reveal our alliance on our own terms," she explained.

If you choose this path…

I already chose this path.

And she would do this however Edelgard wanted, masks and aliases or not. She could concur it was only a matter of time until those at Garreg Mach heard of her presence in Enbarr. From there, it wouldn't take a genius to finally put the pieces together that Edelgard was the Flame Emperor.

And done wrong, Edelgard could lose potential allies.

But, if done right, may secure many.

Just tell me when.

She was rewarded with a smile brighter than the stars.

~FE~

Edelgard was busy.

There wasn't much to be done until the arrival of Count Bergliez, and Blaise erroneously believed it would be slow going until then.

Yet Edelgard barely stopped moving.

So she had to correct her thinking. There wasn't much to be done for Blaise. There was plenty for Hubert and, of course, Edelgard.

Before the end of the day Blaise had her impromptu first meeting with Duke Aegir and Emperor Ionius, Hubert suggested they prepare to expedite the coronation before the Prime Minister took it upon himself to remove Blaise from the premises.

Apparently, going through the Emperor was the quickest way for Blaise's removal but not the only way. It was still within reason to expect he may pursue those other avenues simply out of spite and Hubert certainly seemed to consider the possibility.

Edelgard agreed with that assessment and she was lost in papers and schemes, planning the necessities for ensuring as smooth a transition as could be possible. Despite it all, she warned Blaise it would be marketed as a coup d'etat by the other territories in Fodlan. Something about the Archbishop being one of the required witnesses for a legitimate change of power.

Obviously, Rhea was in no way invited. Edelgard would not grace her with that kind of respect over Enbarr's politics any longer and it seemed the citizens of the Adrestian Empire couldn't care less for the Church's presence either so Edelgard had no need to fear much loss of support from her own country.

For her part, Blaise simply tried to stay out of the way and not offend anyone. It wouldn't do to render their efforts obsolete by giving Aegir a reason to throw her out prematurely.

Which also meant she spent a significant portion of her time in the room gifted to her and, consequently, too much time allowing her mind to wander.

She berated herself, repeating her father's words like a twisted mantra.

Letting your mind wander is a sure way to get yourself killed.

But she couldn't stop despite how the mantra persisted until she wanted nothing more than to run her sword through something.

But she couldn't do that either.

And not because Edelgard told her she couldn't, but because she knew she'd mess everything up if she did.

The result wasn't just a wandering mind but one that devolved.

Back to the dark as cold fingers gripped her arm, as they dragged her away. Flashes of yellow and purple filtered every thought in an unnerving light. A brief flicker of silver and the clang of metal, Blaise watched with a renewed horror as the shackle snapped closed and Chevalier disappeared in the light of a warp spell.

Blaise shoved her chair over in her haste to get out of it. It fell with an echoing thud that only made her jump away from her own shadow. She would be okay for a minute thereafter until the darkness crept back in.

The Death Knight, Myson and his goons, Monica, Crest beasts, Balen.

They all flashed behind closed lids, their voices whispering in her ear or, in the case of the beasts, a heart-stopping roar.

Your weapon is unnecessary.

Let's see what it takes to activate it.

Are we certain this is the right one?

Show me, Névé.

I told him to burn it.

The result ended the same, with her back pressed against the wall and sweat dampening her hair as her eyes scoured every corner of her room for an unseen threat.

Blaise only trusted herself to venture out one time during the day. That was in the evenings which became a newfound tradition. It was probably less acceptable for Blaise to show up outside the princess's door, but her hyperactive mind was already in overdrive with the maids knocking on her door and entering of their own accord. She didn't want to test her ability to keep it together should Edelgard come knocking.

And Edelgard would most definitely come looking for her if she didn't take the initiative.

So there she would be, outside Edelgard's door precisely at the time dinner was served the floor below them. Edelgard, of course, never ate at the same time every night, the luxury wholly dependent on whatever work she was doing at the time. As such, the first few nights found Blaise waiting in the hall for various amounts of time until Edelgard opened the door, presumably to go get Blaise herself. She huffed and lectured Blaise for not knocking but caught on quickly that the former mercenary was not going to do so. She made it a point after that to open her door for Blaise at precisely the same time as dinner regardless of whether they went to eat immediately or not.

Dinner was often a quiet affair of which had little to do with Blaise at all. It was just… sad. The room was huge yet there was only a maximum of four people ever at the table and that required a rare event when Hubert and the Emperor were both present. It wasn't uncommon for it to just be her and Edelgard. Servants came and went every few minutes, keeping any conversation stilted with caution.

Blaise couldn't help but think this time should be more like Garreg Mach. Lively and crowded, although maybe a little less so than Garreg Mach. She thought Edelgard might agree, the princess once mentioning the chaos she could remember when sharing meals with her siblings in these very walls. She had smiled briefly before it fell into an expression as cold and distant as the meal they shared.

The evening tea that followed was much more enjoyable and, for that matter, productive. The tea was already steaming hot and ready when they arrived to Edelgard's room each night and the room spotless no matter what kind of disarray of papers Edelgard left behind prior to dinner. That meant the servants' tasks were completed and Blaise and Edelgard had no need to worry about interruptions and could converse freely.

"You haven't asked," Edelgard stated one night, earning a slight tilt of Blaise's head in question. "About my plans, my involvement, nothing," she clarified.

Do you want me to ask?

Edelgard's brow furrowed as she shifted in her chair to gently set her teacup down on the table. "It is more…" she paused, considering her words, "… I worry your silence is due to blind faith and that is not something I would ask of you."

Blind faith?

She wasn't even sure what faith was if she was honest. She'd never quite figured that one out.

It is trust. Not faith.

Probably.

"And the difference?"

Trust is from experience.

Again probably.

Edelgard laughed, a sound that was sweet but with an edge of disbelief. Blaise guessed she knew that Blaise hardly knew what she was talking about. "And what experience is it that provides you with such certainty?"

And she had a point. A very valid point.

Yet …

Blaise was pretty sure it wasn't faith because...

I do not belong anywhere as it is.

…she had never quite fit in with the mercenary troupe, a lone girl who couldn't speak with the others and only formed a connection with her equally out of touch brother. Day one at the monastery and she was given no opportunity. Day two and Rhea told her not to embrace her Crest of Chevalier, not to be her. Blaise drew the line at how Rhea practically worshiped the Heroes' Relics despite the dangers they presented. Not just through their inhuman power, not just the discomfort and pain they brought her and the Nabateans, but also their hand in the creation of the Crest beasts.

Rhea would never listen to her.

There was no place for Chevalier in Fodlan.

Blaise had nothing, she was given nothing, and she would never have anything unless things changed.

But Edelgard had chosen her anyway, saw something worthwhile and brought her along so maybe, just maybe there could be a place in the Fodlan Edelgard envisioned.

That constituted experience which was trust, right?

Blaise tapped her fingers against the table.

Are you Agarthan?

Edelgard, her eyes narrowed and locked on Blaise, visibly jerked at the question. Presumably she had been waiting for more of an explanation over Blaise's previous response, and Blaise could admit her question may have come across as somewhat random. Edelgard did not immediately reply, her jaw locked with tension. "Pardon?" she ground out.

Upset. She was upset, and Blaise regretted the question.

Despite it all, her heart sank in her chest, Blaise averting her eyes to stare at nothing in particular.

Never mind.

Silence passed between them for goddess knows how long. Long enough Blaise jumped in her seat when Edelgard chose to speak.

"Thales is nothing more than a demon masquerading under the face of my uncle."

Oh.

She didn't look, but Edelgard sounded bitter. And Blaise felt a simmer somewhere deep in her chest, her fingers curling into the wood of the table.

The very idea was that bad, huh?

You hate them.

Of course she hated them. They ruined the life she should have had and they tortured the one they gave her.

Bile rose in her throat.

"When this is over, when I have the full strength of Fodlan at my side, they will be next. They will pay for the crimes they have committed as surely as the nobles who worked alongside them to torture and murder my family and many others."

That … explained some.

Edelgard was playing nice until she had the support to turn around and stab them in the back.

Under normal circumstances, Blaise had no qualms with that. The majority of the Agarthans she had met certainly deserved worse.

What about me?

That was the problem she had.

What if she was one of them? Was there a place for her or was she as doomed here with Edelgard as she was with Rhea?

Edelgard's brow furrowed in her confusion. "You?" she asked. It took her a moment to comprehend but Blaise knew she had when her eyes widened. She opened her mouth, but Blaise, perhaps afraid of the answer, Signed before she had a chance to say anything.

I want to see Chevalier.

Edelgard went stiff as a board.

But Blaise had thought hard, and she wanted to see Chevalier. She needed to see Chevalier. It was the only way to know. Once she knew…

"Absolutely not."

Edelgard's response was not unexpected, but Blaise frowned anyway.

This time she spoke before Blaise could Sign a counter. "I do not know where Chevalier is being held, but, even if I did, the idea is too dangerous. Our efforts would be better spent elsewhere." She made a show of reaching for her tea.

Except Blaise leaned across the table, her hand sliding to push the cup to the side before it could effectively steal her attention.

I need to see her.

Edelgard sighed, taking her time to lean back in her chair with her arms crossed. "And I know why you have that desire, but my answer remains the same. She is likely among Those Who Slither, and they are far too interested in you for my liking," she insisted. "It is best to keep you away."

Her concern was appreciated but not necessary.

They don't care about me.

"Not in the sense of keeping you alive, but that does not mean they will not take any opportunity to see what they can get out of you. What do you think their presence at Gronder Field was about?" Edelgard challenged. "Thales would have taken you himself had you given him the opportunity. I have no doubt that was his plan when he approached you."

Blaise slumped in her seat. Because of course she was right. Blaise had scarcely allowed her thoughts to travel in that direction, but the entire ordeal had clearly been set up to see how she would react to the circumstances. Thales' appearance at the end, his remarks on her "contribution" and potential usefulness told her that.

But it still wasn't enough to deter her.

She breathed deeply, gathering her nerves together, before shifting her hand so it brushed Edelgard's. Her other hand Signed again.

I need to see her.

Edelgard's eyes flickered to their hands, Blaise watching with near fascination as the princess thought through the request. Eventually, slowly, she took Blaise's hand, cupping it inside hers and lavender eyes were back on Blaise. "No, Blaise, you really don't," she whispered.

It was obviously not the answer she wanted, and she had to fight not to pull her hand away.

Yes, I do. I need to know. I deserve to know.

"That isn't in question, however..." Edelgard trailed off, Blaise waiting impatiently for her to complete her thought.

However?

Edelgard sighed again. "I am not convinced you are ready should the answer not be what you want it to be," she admitted.

Blaise did pull her hand away this time, and she was out of the chair before she'd even processed the movement.

You agree with Rhea.

That she wasn't who she thought she was. That she never had been. That she was one of them. An imposter. A leech. Magic flickered at her fingertips, cold and further unnerving as adrenaline forced her into pacing.

The table rattled, a teacup rolled and shattered.

Blaise had only made it a few steps before Edelgard stepped into her path. "Névé!" Her voice was sharp with a command and Blaise recoiled, deferring like a scolded child. "That is not what I said. Please do not twist my words."

Silence and a tense stillness fell between them.

It was several moments before Blaise recovered enough to Sign. And she felt just like a hurt child pleading for someone to make everything better.

I want to see her.

"And I understand that, but trust me when I say nothing good can come from that conversation."

Maybe not.

But it matters.

Edelgard's presence shifted.

And it wasn't in how she took slow and deliberate steps until she stood right before Blaise.

It was her eyes that were different. Dark and bracing.

"Does it?"

Yes?

Blaise wasn't quite sure what the change in Edelgard's aura meant, but she suspected she should be very careful as to how she answered.

So she didn't answer.

And Edelgard stepped around her, nodding towards the door. "Follow me."

Blaise wasn't willing to argue.

She followed on Edelgard's heels as they traversed corridors, the Imperial Princess walking with self-assured steps. Confident but Blaise didn't miss the tension in the set of her shoulders, the lock of her jaw, nor the heaviness to her steps. The corridors grew emptier until Blaise forgot the last time they came across another person. Edelgard made a sharp turn to the left and led the way down a stairwell.

Dark and musty, Blaise was certain this was not a commonly used route to anywhere.

The torches that lined the stairwell grew weaker as they descended until Edelgard was forced to light a fire spell just so they could see. Blaise was quick to mirror her with her own.

And they kept going down, the stairwell winding this way and that. The uncomfortable chill of a place that never saw sunlight settled in her bones, and she wished for a thicker cloak. Goosebumps spread across her skin, but it was something in the air and not the cold that was the cause of it. The air was suffocating, and there was a lot of pain and despair that wrapped around her as surely as a Crest.

Something bad happened here.

That she was certain of.

Edelgard made not a sound until the last stair and even then it was simply her cloak snapping in the air as she trudged along.

Blaise realized they were in a dungeon, cells lining either side.

And Edelgard finally spoke, her voice distinctly calm yet agitated. She waved her hand at the cell on her left. "Albrecht…" Then the one on her right, "... Matthias…" Then the next as she walked by, "... Rosamund…" Blaise felt her stomach churn, "...Ahren..." Because she knew without having to ask who the names belonged to. "... Garin, Frieda, Anneliese, Lotte…" Edelgard stopped outside a cell but waved instead at the two beyond it, her voice dropping to barely more than a whisper. "… Roland, Conrad. Six brothers, four sisters and yet I am the only one left."

Blaise's gaze was inexplicably drawn to the cell whose threshold they stood upon. It went without saying that Edelgard had once been held here. Here in the middle of all of her siblings.

The things she must have heard… or maybe it was when she heard nothing that was the worst.

Because that meant one-by-one she was more alone.

Blaise slipped by her, fiddling with the door until it creaked open at her touch. It was a grating noise in the silence, and she only allowed it to open just enough for her to enter.

Edelgard did not follow. She did not even move that Blaise could see.

Her spell of fire illuminated a space barely large enough to accommodate an adult. There was a stone wall directly across from Blaise, a set of manacles imbedded in the rock. She tried not to dwell on how low to the ground they had been set lest she lose herself to the horror it was to even consider a child having been held by them. The two walls on either side were evenly spaced thick steel beams. One could see between the beams into the adjacent cells and a torch could be placed above the door.

Blaise would bet her sword arm they had placed the torches just so the kids were visible to one another.

That thought was disgusting and she turned on her heel only refraining from kicking the door shut behind her by the dark look on Edelgard's face. She could suddenly place it. Haunted.

Still, Blaise didn't quite want to face it yet, instead continuing down to the next cell.

And it looked the same.

She kept going, flaring her spell brighter and brighter as she went deeper into the dark. The occasional rat scurried out of her way. She winced but kept the semblance of mind to know the rat was running away from her.

As it should. She wasn't above blasting it with magic.

Blaise came across what she expected to find some several hundred feet away from the cells.

A room.

The door was stuck, the hinges rusted with age and disuse, but a solid shove from Blaise forced it to swing open. She was hit with a myriad of emotions. Fear, pain, disgust, Déjà vu being a few she comprehended in that moment. It was just as dark and empty of life as the rest of the dungeon but not as barren.

There was a table of metal, colored black with years old blood and debris. It still had rope hanging from it, the pieces frayed from a knife that had cut through. Some lay scattered on the floor. There was more rope bundled on shelving across the room. It was all thick and rough and no doubt irritating against skin.

Silver shimmered by the flames of her spell, highlighting various sharpened edges that made her scars burn just from the memory of her own experience. They littered the shelving, the floor, the table.

It smelled, even now, of decay, the scent having once been so pungent it seemed to have absorbed permanently into the stone.

Blaise stepped inside, crossing the room with great care lest she step on a blade, until she stood before the table. Her eyes fixated on a dagger at her foot, and she knelt to trace the edge with a finger. It was rusty but still very sharp.

Footsteps reverberated through the emptiness, Blaise looking up to see Edelgard in the doorway. She looked even worse than before. Despite how cold it was, beads of sweat were trailing the edge of her hairline, one hand clenched her cloak, the fingers of her other hand dug into the doorframe, and her eyes were wide and conflicted.

"You were here before," Edelgard whispered, the words something between a musing and a slur. It was distinctly strange compared to her usual proper way of speech.

But it was her words that surprised her the most.

Blaise was fairly confident she had not been here before. She shook her head.

The response seemed to agitate Edelgard, Blaise watching as her fingers curled evermore into the doorframe, her nails scratching against the metal and making Blaise wince at the screeching sound.

"I saw you."

When? Because she could, hypothetically, have been here during her first kidnapping but there was no way Edelgard could retain any such memory. She could remember nothing of it and Edelgard was younger than her.

Edelgard had to be confused, this place, understandably, messing with her.

I do not recognize anything-

"Well, look again," Edelgard snapped.

Blaise blinked at the venom in her tone but acquiesced, taking a moment to once again scan the room. To really consider it. But she still felt nothing beyond the boiling disgust, fury, horror in the pit of her stomach that was the very thought Edelgard had suffered down here.

Her silence must have been answer enough or maybe it was simply written on her face because Edelgard suddenly shoved herself away from the door. She spun on her heel, cloak snapping, and Blaise was left listening as her steps faded down the dungeon corridor.

Blaise mentally cursed, running her fingers though her hair before making the decision she needed to stay with her if only to make sure Edelgard got out safely. So she threw the knife back on the ground and ran after her, her irritation reflected in her steps that were like thunder as they echoed off the empty stone corridors. They were back among the cells when Blaise grabbed Edelgard by the elbow.

Why are we down here?

They had to be down here for a reason and it sure as hell wasn't sightseeing so what could Edelgard possibly be expecting they get out of this?

And Edelgard, fists clenched at her side, slipped past Blaise. Back into the cell that had once been her prison. She was on the other side by the time Blaise followed her in, her fingers grazing the manacles she now had to kneel beside. It was then her expression crumbled and Blaise may as well have been punched in the stomach, guilt at her own agitation swarming over her.

Edelgard's voice was little more than a whisper though it was loud enough in the silence that she may as well have been screaming.

"The Edelgard who came in this dungeon... she used to paint what her sister drew. She used to sneak into her brothers' sparring lessons instead of attending her own. But etiquette was at the same time and who would rather attend etiquette?" A smile pulled at her lips as fond as it was pained. "She used to run when she was caught. Her brothers would chase after her, but she always reached her room first and hid amongst the too many stuffies she owned. Her sisters would come in to scold her but then they would end up playing with each other's hair instead..." Her fingers slipped through the silken silver strands. "It used to be brown but it changed. Physical evidence the Edelgard who came in this dungeon was not the one who came out."

She shifted, lavender eyes boring into Blaise, illuminated only by the small fire spell Blaise held between them.

"So does it matter?"

Her immediate thought was it wasn't the same thing. Edelgard knew who she was, knew where she came from. It was an identity thing, not a matter of being changed. Of course it didn't matter when Edelgard left with her history intact. She was obviously still Edelgard.

Her second thought followed in the wake of Edelgard once again combing through her hair with her fingers.

Because maybe it wasn't so different if you had to look in the mirror everyday and see someone staring back at you who didn't look as you knew you should.

A little different but a little the same.

She got the point.

No. I guess not.

Edelgard moved slowly as if the chill of the dungeon had settled deep within her until she stood and stepped toward Blaise. She seemed a little less lost, a little more herself. "I meant what I said during the march to Conand Tower," she whispered, drawing close enough she was forced to tilt her head up to maintain eye contact with Blaise. "Jeralt thought of you as his daughter no matter the circumstances. There was nothing anyone could do, yourself included, that could have changed that."

Back to her father... All of this and it was back to her.

Blaise averted her eyes before Edelgard could see the sting she felt welling within them.

I loved him.

Rhea thought she didn't. Balen probably thought she didn't. A slew of other people probably thought she didn't.

But he was certainly the only father she had ever known.

"I do not doubt that."

Edelgard's fingers moved slowly, rising to brush Blaise's cheek where a stray tear threatened to fall. And, when Blaise did not pull away, she coaxed her back until blue locked with lavender. And Blaise suddenly needed to hear the assurance, the real assurance and not just this roundabout way of saying things. She wanted to hear it. Simple and uncomplicated.

What about me?

It was no longer a question of a place so much as an acceptance. Would Edelgard care either way?

The princess let out a breath that was soft and maybe a tad amused. Her hand caressed up, fingers locking in Blaise's hair as she pressed closer and rested her head on Blaise's shoulder. A satisfied hum escaped her lips as her hold tightened in an embrace that Blaise got the feeling was just as much for herself as it was for Blaise.

It told her much more than words.

She was warm and safe in a way that shouldn't have been possible in this forsaken dungeon.

She hoped Edelgard felt the same.

Blaise tilted her head just slightly, her lips pressing gently against Edelgard's hair, a light smell of citrus setting her senses on fire. Blaise gripped her harder, tighter, a need that was almost like fear swelling in her chest.

Edelgard's only response was to shift deeper in the embrace, burying her face in Blaise's neck. Her fingers curled in Blaise's hair like she was afraid Blaise would disappear from her very hold. "I fear…" her breath was hot against Blaise's skin, sending shivers down her spine, "... what the future would be without you."

Beautiful, Blaise wanted to say.

As long as Edelgard was in it, the future would be beautiful.

A/N:

The Adrestian Empire seems fond of their German names so I tried to use that as inspiration for Edelgard's siblings's names. Not 100% sure whether they are legitimate German names or not since I just got them off a website that said they were. Hopefully I at least got the number of her siblings right. She has so many...

Until next time, enjoy!