Fire- Chapter 0.
Pax Debellatio.
The Officer's Academy at Garreg Mach was quiet considering the bustling activity that dominated the rest of the hilltop town, as Byleth arrived with a small plate of pastries for her favourite person in the world.
"Good morning," a firm and stoic voice greeted her from a nearby entrance as a gloved hand reached out. "Lady Edelgard has yet to-"
Byleth used her free hand to press a finger to her lips, and Hubert von Vestra fell silent, a knowing look in his eyes as he took the plate of pastries.
"I trust the kitchens were not as… demanding as usual?" Hubert asked, his voice just barely above a whisper. "Garreg Mach is much… louder than I have remembered it in the past."
Byleth shook her head in response as she cracked open the door to Edelgard's office, chosen for its secure and quiet location far away from the central still looked very much like the office of a holy man, only with two large imperial banners replacing the white curtains the office's predecessor used.
"I suppose we wait now," Hubert muttered as he set down the pastries next to a small tea set.
Byleth nodded as she leaned back into the simple leather chair that Seteth had left behind, taken from his office on the second floor. "Is there any news that-"
Hubert shook his head. "Nothing. The levies have been slowly returning to their villages, but the reports from the guards assigned have been promising so far. As for the matter regarding... him, there has been no news either."
Byleth nodded as she yawned, blinking the last of the sleep out of her eyes.
"Did you not sleep well?" Hubert asked.
Byleth shook her head again as a door to the side of the room creaked open.
"Good morning, Lady Edelgard," Hubert greeted the newcomer. "I trust you slept well?"
"Hubert," Edelgard replied, her voice serious despite the note of sleep Byleth heard. "Did you go and get pastries?"
Byleth stayed silent as Hubert shifted to her right, but still smiled when Edelgard noticed her behind Hubert.
The most powerful woman on Fodlan didn't look the part, that was for certain. Her pale hair was messy, with her usual braids untangled into a mop, several wild strands sticking out like twigs.
"Professor!" Edelgard seemed surprised that she was awake. "What was I-"
Byleth raised an eyebrow and glanced at Hubert as Edelgard spun on her heel, her cheeks darkening.
"Did I do something?" Byleth whispered to the tall, pale man.
Hubert shook his head as he took a step back from the bedroom door. "I cannot say for certain, but I will not step foot into the bedroom unless Lady Edelgard requests it."
"El?" Byleth called as she rushed to the door to their shared bedroom. "What's wrong?"
Edelgard stood next to the bed, her face a light pink as she tore the undone covers off the bed to reveal-
The armoured teddy bear Byleth had given her, still smiling after five years.
A choking sound escaped Edelgard as Byleth closed the distance, noting how Edelgard's cheeks had darkened from pink to red.
"I- I thought that you were..." Edelgard stuttered, falling silent as Byleth came close. Their eyes locked as Byleth stole a quick kiss.
"Good morning, El," Byleth whispered as she pulled away. "I brought breakfast. I know you've been getting up late to look at those reports, so I decided to do something nice today."
Edelgard nodded as she backed away from Byleth, the ring on her finger glittering as she stepped into the glow of a stained glass window.
Byleth only took a few minutes to fold the heavy covers into a neat square for the maids to wash, giving the teddy bear a loving pat on the head before she glanced back at Edelgard. "Shall we eat?"
Edelgard hummed in confirmation as Byleth checked on the ruffled pillows. "I didn't know you packed up your own covers."
Byleth glanced back at the large bed they shared and thought of the small beds she used in her youth. "Life of a mercenary, I suppose. You never want to leave something behind for people to find."
Edelgard nodded as Byleth turned around, looking thoughtful. "Let's go to breakfast."
Byleth nodded as she took Edelgard's extended hand, moving away from their shared bed.
"There's one pastry left," Byleth murmured as she put down another report. "Do you want it?"
Edelgard coughed lightly from her spot on the opposite side of the desk. "I believe that you should have it, Professor."
Byleth glanced up and noted Edelgard's spotless plate. She had brought six pastries, and Hubert and Yuri had each snagged one at Edelgard's insistence while she had two. As if premeditated by Sothis, a slight rumble escaped Edelgard, and Byleth watched as she tried and failed to hide her flaming face behind the report she was reading.
"El," Byleth said, her voice firm. "Remind me how many pastries you had?"
Edelgard inched deeper into the paper. "Lysithea-"
"Has already raided the kitchens," Byleth replied as she stood up. "I had to stare her down just to get these pastries. She will not bother us."
It was a slight lie. Lysithea had been stuffing her face with the sweet pastries, but she had made a run for it when Byleth made her presence known. Still, the baker's claim that he made sixteen pastries made Byleth concerned for Lysithea's sugar intake.
Edelgard glared warily at the pastry as she put down the papers before taking a tiny bite of the corner of the pastry. Then she yelped as a splash of purple-blue jelly splattered across her face.
"Are you alright?" Byleth asked as she inched closer to Edelgard, watching as her lover's pink tongue shot out of her mouth to lick away some of the jelly. "You missed some." She leaned in, cleaning a spot away with a single swift motion.
Edelgard giggled from under her. "That tickles."
Byleth felt her lips curve up as she leaned down, her tongue finding the sensitive spot under Edelgard's ear.
"Professor!" Edelgard yelped, her voice panicked. "We must work!"
"Not until you finish that pastry," Byleth whispered back. "You've only taken one bite."
"It's hot!" Edelgard protested.
Byleth frowned as she took a bite from a corner of the discarded pastry. It was lukewarm, at best. Edelgard shifted her eyes away as Byleth clenched the edge of the pastry with her lips, nudging the golden treat ever closer to Edelgard.
"Professor!" Edelgard protested as Byleth looked her in the eye.
Then, as if timed by a bored Sothis, Edelgard's stomach rumbled again, and her face flushed as she darted forward. It was only because of years of training that Byleth was able to duck back with the pastry still safe within her lips.
The resulting scene was burned in her eyes. Edelgard's eyes showed a mixture of childish embarrassment and surprise, her mouth falling open as she realized she had fallen for Byleth's trap.
"Professor," Edelgard started, her voice low and heavy with embarrassment, as if she was a child scolded for being a picky eater. "May I have that pastry? I promise I'll finish it."
If she didn't have a pastry in her lips, Byleth would have beamed. Instead, she patted the sitting Edelgard on the head as she leaned in, transferring the golden treat over to the sitting woman.
"That's better." Byleth declared as Edelgard devoured the pastry in a few quick bites. "Now, is there any paperwork you need me to do?"
Edelgard wiped a few flakes of pastry away before she pushed a stack of papers forward, though her hands were shaking and her eyes unwilling to meet Byleth's. "Casualty reports from the field hospitals. If something looks strange to you, then we should discuss it."
Byleth nodded as she flipped to the first page of the paper, then to the next, and then the one after that. There doesn't seem to be much out of the ordinary," Byleth admitted as she took a closer look at the first page. "And there doesn't seem to be any reports of them."
Edelgard glanced up from her papers before she nodded, the smile on her lips gone as her eyes seemed to drift into the distance. "Nobody said that dealing with them will be easy, but we have no choice otherwise."
Byleth nodded as she looked down at the paper in her hands. "Let's keep looking then, maybe we can find something in the details."
Edelgard nodded as she looked back down at her papers, her eyes moving from line to line before she shook her head, letting out a slow sigh.
"El?" Byleth asked before a firm knock on the door cut her off.
"Come in!" Edelgard called as she let the papers fall, her eyes focused on the door, past Byleth.
"Lady Edelgard?" Hubert's voice at the doorway sounded irritated. "There's a… certain matter that needs to be taken care of."
Byleth glanced behind her and looked at the grim face of Hubert.
"Is there something wrong?" Edelgard's voice was hard, and Byleth stood up from her chair.
"Indeed," Hubert said, his eyes darting to the hallway behind him. "There has been a… unexpected development, and I fear it requires your attention."
"Spit it out Hubert," Edelgard had stood up as well. "What is-"
"Every noble from the Adrestian Empire seems to be milling about in Garreg Mach," Hubert explained, his face grim as Yuri rushed into the office, his usually immaculate hair ruffled. "And they've begun to drink."
Edelgard swallowed. "What are they doing here?"
Hubert swallowed. "News of our victory over the Holy Kingdom appears to have spread quickly. Given that the Empire has been living under curfew since the end of the war…"
Hubert trailed off as Byleth glanced at Edelgard, still barefoot and wearing only a nightgown.
"I can't be seen in public like this," Edelgard grumbled as she looked back at the pile of papers on the table. "Hubert, I'll need you to control the crowds. Yuri, go with Shamir and find out who let these idiots out of Enbarr. There's still work to do before we can celebrate anything."
"As you command," Hubert bowed as he left the room, Yuri pausing before he turned around.
"Edelgard?"
"Was something not clear?" Edelgard's voice was tinged with annoyance as she scribbled a hasty note on a scrap of paper.
"Will we need to… deal with them?" Yuri asked, drawing a finger across his exposed throat as he leaned against the door frame.
Edelgard shook her head as she finished with the note. "Just ensure this never happens again. Take this note to Constance, please."
"Right," Yuri muttered as he crossed the room, taking the folded piece of paper. "I'll show myself out then."
Byleth didn't say anything until the door shut behind her.
"El, are you alright?" Byleth whispered as she crossed the floor in two long strides, her arms gently holding Edelgard in place behind her desk.
A slow, tired sigh escaped Edelgard as she leaned back into Byleth. "I guess not. It's just that..."
"It's alright," Byleth soothed as she took a step back. "Let it out."
Edelgard shook her head. "It's not like these nobles suffered over the war. They haven't had to bear the burden of those they cared for falling. For them to celebrate over the graves of Ladislava, Randolph, and all the others, it's… tasteless."
Byleth nodded as she returned to her seat. "What are you thinking?"
Edelgard sighed. "I suppose I don't have a choice anymore. They'll demand that I trot out in front of them, like an exotic extravagance or circus act. So much for working."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Byleth asked as her eyes fell down to the ring on Edelgard's finger. The ring that had once belonged to Sitri. "So you wouldn't have to be alone with them."
Edelgard closed her eyes and nodded. "That does sound wonderful, if you don't mind dealing with the dregs of Imperial nobility."
"We won't have to deal with them for much longer, will we?" Byleth reminded Edelgard with a tight smile. "Like you always dreamed of. A world where anyone can rise on their own merits, not just if they have a Crest in their bloodline."
Edelgard, her eyes still closed, smiled, and Byleth felt her heart skip a beat. A moment in time, with just the two of them together, with a genuine, happy smile on Edelgard's face.
"Come, my teacher," Edelgard said as she stood up. "Would you be so kind to help me dress?"
"Are we ready for a public address?" Byleth asked the soldier at the edge of the balcony.
The man smiled weakly. "The festival has… grown. For each drunken noble pushed off to the side, two more seem to take his place. It doesn't seem like we have enough men here."
Byleth frowned as she glanced back at Edelgard, still waiting, hidden from view from the drunken revellers below, her face blank, though the annoyance in her eyes was obvious.
"How bad is it?" Byleth asked.
As if Sothis really was toying with her, a loud shriek followed, followed by a roar of laughter from the crowd outside. Even the soldier winced as the deafening cheers died down.
"Lady Edelgard!" a voice called from behind her.
Byleth glanced back to the source of the voice: Hubert, his face grim.
"Hubert," Edelgard sounded concerned as she turned to her second in command. "Is something the matter?"
"We've located a number of nobles amongst the revellers who should be under house arrest," Hubert replied, his face hard. "We would need to clear out the crowd before we could get to most of them, however."
Edelgard clenched her teeth. "Do it. And break up this riot. This has gone far enough."
"Of course," Hubert replied, bowing his head. "Shall I bring the-"
"My original order stands." Edelgard's voice returned to a more neutral tone. "You will control the crowds without needless bloodshed."
Hubert nodded as he gestured for a mage following him. "As you command."
"I'll return to my office," Edelgard said as she turned on her heel. "Professor, let's get back to work."
"Lady Edelgard?" Hubert asked, as if suddenly struck by an idea. "I also received an additional set of reports, sealed. They're at your desk."
"Where from?" Edelgard asked as she took the first step back down the stairs.
"I believe the reports originated from our occupation force in Derdriu," Hubert replied. "Though I have not opened the letter myself, as the report is addressed to you."
"Thank you, Hubert," Edelgard said. "I will look upon them myself when I have the chance. For now, I will retire to my office. This distraction has taken too much of our precious time."
Hubert bowed as he stepped away, a small escort of soldiers with him.
"We have much to do," Byleth said softly as they walked along the empty halls of Garreg Mach. "But I understand why the citizens of the Empire would celebrate."
Edelgard sighed as she shook her head. "I know too, but our duty is not done. The former lords of the Alliance and Holy Kingdom still resent our occupying armies and our plans about the nobility."
Byleth grimaced as she placed a hand on Edelgard's shoulder. "It's going to be alright. Anything that happens in the future will be dealt with."
Edelgard nodded as she turned the corner to her office, sighing as she crossed over to her desk. "Shall we get back to work, my teacher?"
"I think we should." Byleth paused. "My dearest."
The afternoon drifted on, quiet except for the flipping of papers and the footsteps of a maid bringing in tea. It was close to evening when Byleth glanced up, only to notice Edelgard slumped in her chair, her chest rising and falling slowly, her hair covering her closed eyes.
Byleth took a moment to stretch her tired arms, her muscles strained after sitting indoors for so long. The reports had been similar, with many a tiny village in the former Holy Kingdom guarded by children and old men, yet still unwilling to let go of their faith to Seiros. It was a tiring, soul crushing read, and Byleth could understand why Edelgard had fallen asleep in the process of reading the reports.
When she crossed the desk, Byleth noticed the letter Hubert had mentioned, with a bright unbroken wax seal from the Bergliez occupation army. Curiosity filled Byleth as she toyed with the letter before she put the little paper down. It was for Edelgard, not her.
"El?" Byleth whispered as she crouched down before Edelgard, her voice soft to not disturb the woman before her.
Edelgard responded with a long, drawn out breath, soft and warm on Byleth's skin. She was in a deep sleep, far beyond her words.
Byleth felt a slight smile rise to her lips as she reached a hand under Edelgard's knees, gently pulling Edelgard up as she placed her other arm around her lover's waist, careful to allow Edelgard's head to rest against her shoulder.
Edelgard's stockinged feet were bare, a slight quirk Byleth had noted, with Edelgard taking off her shoes when she worked. Byleth wasn't sure if it was because of her desire to enjoy the bright, free expanse of nature or simply an annoyance with the summer heat, but the result was the same, with Edelgard's boots often left behind at the foot of her desk.
Such was the case with the sleeping woman in her arms as Byleth hummed a slow, soft song as she made her way to the bedroom, with the room bathed in a deep, rich orange from the setting sun.
Perhaps a short nap would do her some good too, Byleth decided as she laid Edelgard to rest at the edge of the single bed, taking a moment to undo her own boots before she joined Edelgard. A slight whimper, as if her lover had sensed her loss, caused Byleth to look up. Edelgard's lips had parted, and she had shifted awkwardly on the sheets.
"El," Byleth whispered as she leaned down on Edelgard. Their foreheads met for a second before Edelgard's eyes flew open.
The panic within the purple orbs faded as Byleth met her eyes, the light slowly faltering as exhaustion took Edelgard again. But this time, she was not alone.
Byleth wrapped her arms around the smaller woman as she leaned onto the bed, their legs entwining as she slid into the soft mattress. Edelgard shifted a little in bed, snuggling in with a relieved sigh as Byleth drew slow, wide circles along her lover's back. She was quiet a moment later, her breathing deep and even.
Byleth laid there for a while, even after she was sure Edelgard was at peace, humming the soft, slow song and continuing the slow, repeated motions until she lost all feeling in her arm.
And then some time after that, Byleth too, fell into a deep, peaceful rest.
The bed was still warm when Byleth woke up, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. The room had darkened, with only a hint of the distant moon in the sky, the pale light of the rising moon illuminating Edelgard's sleeping face, no longer wracked by her nightmares.
The only other source of light in the room was the small ray of warm, orange light that came from the study, accompanied by hushed, hard voices.
Byleth glanced around the unmade bed before she wiped a stray strand of hair away from Edelgard's face, then she rose up and stepped across the cool floor, still essentially barefoot.
She paused at the door, noting how the voices had stopped.
"Professor?" Hubert's voice was a whisper. "Is Lady Edelgard still asleep?"
Byleth glanced back at Edelgard, still sprawled across the bed, her chest rising and falling slowly as she turned back around.
The door was well-oiled and rust free, undoubtedly well-kept by both Seteth during his time at Garreg Mach and the Imperial soldiers who had come after. But even it was not silent as Byleth slipped through.
"Let's be quick with it," Hubert muttered as he gestured to the man standing in the middle of the room. "Repeat what you said to us."
"Gladly," the man murmured, his face lined with fear as he gave a quick bow to Byleth.
"Come on Hubert, give the poor bastard a break," Yuri called from his position, perched on the wall. "You could have just told Teach yourself."
The man took a slight step back as Yuri stood up. "You, shoo. We're done with you anyways."
The man nodded as he quickly gave a bow, quickly backing out of the room before shutting the door behind him.
"Sheeh Hubert," Yuri muttered as he glanced at the shut door. "You didn't have to terrorize the guy."
Hubert raised an eyebrow. "I did not. He was not worth the time to terrorize."
"What did he have to say anyways?" Byleth asked as she nodded at the door. "It's not like we can ask him now."
"Nothing we didn't already suspect." Yuri shrugged. "One thing led to another, and half of Enbarr is at Garreg Mach."
"I wouldn't trust MacLeod," Hubert growled. "He doesn't deserve to be in the same building as Lady Edelgard, much less the same room."
"You seem to dislike this guy." Yuri observed. "I wonder why. Teach, you have any idea?"
Byleth shook her head before she turned back to Hubert.
"I've had dealings with MacLeod before." Hubert admitted after a moment. "Suffice to say I have no interest in working with him more than necessary."
Byleth blinked and glanced at the blank, expectant face of Yuri before she turned back at Hubert, now glaring back at Yuri.
Hubert sighed as he turned, meeting Byleth's eyes. "He was the first noble in Enbarr to surrender his land to the crown after the purge, unprompted no less. A coward who sought to save his skin by any means necessary."
"But you already intended to take their lands once the war was over," Yuri pointed out, a smirk at his lips. "Shouldn't you respect the man for having the foresight?"
Hubert raised an eyebrow before he turned his eyes back to Byleth. "Professor, I would rather not discuss the true reasons I dislike him. Suffice to say he is a fool and a perfect example of the failures of the nobility."
Byleth nodded as the door behind her creaked again.
"Professor?" Edelgard's voice called out.
"Right here," Byleth replied as she turned around.
"Ah," Edelgard nodded as her eyes swept across the room. "Was I interrupting something?"
Byleth glanced up at Hubert, now hiding behind a mask of serious neutrality.
"No," Hubert shook his head. "We were finishing up regardless. We were able to gain a clear picture on why the nobles from Enbarr are here."
"A drunken party followed by nobles hoping to rule the newly conquered territory," Yuri chimed in helpfully as he stretched his limbs. "None of which, of course, are going to get anything."
Edelgard shook her head as she looked down at the floor. "If that's all, then I wouldn't mind some time alone."
Hubert nodded as Yuri turned to leave the room, muttering about getting dinner, the door shutting behind him a moment later.
"Goodnight then, Lady Edelgard," Hubert said as he turned to leave the room. "I will have the nobles expelled from Garreg Mach by morning."
A moment later, the door shut again, and the room fell into silence.
"Are you tired?" Byleth whispered as she moved to touch the smaller woman's hair.
Edelgard shook her head. "I just woke up, remember?"
Byleth nodded as she glanced at the quiet grounds of Garreg Mach out of the window. "Do you want to go on a walk somewhere?"
"Is there even any place to walk to?" Edelgard asked after a moment of silence. "We both saw how Garreg Mach is overrun with drunk nobles."
Byleth smiled at the thought. "I don't think drunk nobles can climb stairs very well."
Edelgard raised an eyebrow as something flickered behind her eyes. "The Goddess Tower?"
Byleth nodded as she took Edelgard's hand. "Where else?"
Edelgard glanced down under her desk as she hesitated, grabbing her boots.
"Leave them," Byleth whispered. "It's late at night. It's not like there's anyone watching."
Edelgard flushed a deep crimson as she glanced at the door. "But the guards-"
"Don't need to know," Byleth replied as she smiled as she moved to one of the windows. "This window opens. Seems like whoever owned this office before might have liked a light summer breeze from time to time, not that Hubert needs to know that."
Byleth heard a gasp from behind her as she pulled at the secret latch, and smiled at the slight gust of cool summer air wiping away the humid air of the stuffy office.
"Come on," she whispered as she climbed out of the window, extending a hand back in for Edelgard. "It's cooler than earlier, and the sky is beautiful tonight."
Edelgard swallowed before she placed a hesitant leg over the edge, glancing over her shoulder before she ducked under the open window.
"There we go." Byleth smiled as she rewarded Edelgard with a peck on the cheek. "I thought you would like it like this."
Edelgard took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, a smile spreading to her lips as she paced about the grass. "I do. I'm surprised. You still remember that day?"
"The day we spoke?" Byleth asked as she took Edelgard's hand. "I would never be able to forget. Though I think we can replace the warm sun with a warm ground beneath us."
Edelgard sighed as she leaned back into Byleth, her fingers reaching up to tickle Byleth's ear. "There's a nice, light breeze too. It's just like that night."
"It must have been five years to you," Byleth agreed as she wrapped her arms around Edelgard. "And yet, some days I feel like it could have been yesterday."
Edelgard smiled lightly as she pulled away. "Come on, my teacher. Let's get to the Goddess Tower. I'm sure we'll be able to summon some more memories there."
Byleth nodded as Edelgard took a step forward, crossing the corner to the central courtyard.
"Edie?" a surprised voice called out from somewhere in the courtyard. "What are you doing here? And why aren't-"
Edelgard launched herself back into Byleth's arms. "This was a stupid idea," Edelgard hissed as she glanced at the window. "Is it locked?"
"It only opens from the inside," Byleth muttered as an approaching shadow behind Edelgard grew longer. "And it's not like we can outrun Dorothea in our socks."
"This was a stupid idea," Edelgard muttered into her chest.
"Edie?" Dorothea's head popped out from behind the corner leading to the main courtyard. Her pretty face flushed as her jaw fell. "I'm sorry!"
"It's fine," Byleth managed even as Dorothea ducked away, her shadow scrambling away as Byleth winced. "El?"
"Is she gone?" Edelgard muttered as she glanced up, meeting Byleth's eyes.
"She is," Byleth murmured as she glanced up at the silent, warm courtyard. "Let's go to the Goddess Tower, shall we?"
Edelgard nodded as she took a step forward, her eyes scanning the courtyard. "I don't think there's anyone else in the courtyard."
"Good," Byleth glanced over the corner as well, seeing the quiet, fire lit courtyard. "Follow me."
The inside of the Goddess Tower was cooler than the outside, a slight, crisp breeze that cut away the humid air of the summer night.
"It's a lovely view, isn't it?" Edelgard murmured as she reached the balcony, the cool breeze whipping a strand of loose hair away from its hastily made bun. "We can see all of Garreg Mach from here. The monastery, the academy, not to mention the night sky."
"We can," Byleth agreed, taking a deep breath before she looked down the balcony. "That's the troupe from the Mittelfrank Opera, isn't it?"
Edelgard's voice held obvious interest as she continued. "Have you ever been there? They have some of the greatest plays in Enbarr."
"Once this is all over, perhaps you could take me there?" Byleth asked.
"A night at the opera then?" Edelgard asked, her voice light as Byleth glanced up, catching a brief glimpse of a dreamy, faraway smile. "Yes, that does sound like something we could do. I'm sure they have many plays that we've never seen before."
"Together," Byleth added, pausing for a slow moment. "Once all this is over."
The dreamy smile fell from Edelgard's face as she nodded, her eyes serious again. "Once all this is over."
Byleth let out a slow breath. "Should we head back?"
Edelgard shook her head as she looked back up to the clear sky. "In the morning. Hubert's going to nag me about looking at more paperwork. I'd rather enjoy this weather while it lasts."
"No." Byleth shook her head before she looked back up at Edelgard's slightly surprised face. "He's going to nag both of us about looking at more paperwork."
Edelgard laughed at that, a clear, joyful sound that made Byleth smile. "Then let us remain up here, just for a little while longer."
Byleth nodded as she embraced Edelgard again, the two of them looking upon Fodlan.
Byleth wasn't sure how long they had been sleeping there, sprawled against a column at the top level of the Goddess Tower, Edelgard safely in her arms. She yawned and shifted against the pillar, but found Edelgard's sleeping form unwilling to budge.
"El?" Byleth mouthed silently, then out loud.
"Shush pillow," Edelgard mumbled. "You're just a teddy bear. You shouldn't be talking."
Byleth felt a slight grin spread across her face as she ran a hand down Edelgard's long, unbraided hair. Edelgard with her hair down reminded her of the time she had spent as a teacher at Garreg Mach, when she was with-
The memories bubbled up to the surface, and Byleth felt foolish for invoking the past. As happy and carefree those days might have been, there was only tragedy now. Nothing but tragedy after the war began.
She thought of Ignatz, working countless hours on a painting that would never be finished, not after he was cut down at Myrddin, of the ever-friendly Alois, downed by a Shamir's arrow as he charged Garreg Mach. Cyril, the child who was so devoted to Rhea, plunged screaming into a burning church after his mount had been shot down.
She thought of Hilda, sprawled across the grounds of Derdriu, gasping for breath as her lifeblood spilled across the stones at Derdriu. She thought of Annette, screaming over her father's body even as she was dragged away in chains. She thought of the look of fear in Claude's eyes, even as he sailed from the harbour of Derdriu, as if fearful of the continent he was leaving behind.
"Professor?" Edelgard's voice had cut through her line of thought. "Professor! You're crying!"
Byleth blinked. She felt the tears running down her cheeks now.
"El?" Byleth whispered. "I'm sorry."
Edelgard inched closer, her eyes wide.
What sorrows had she not been awake to witness with Edelgard? Did Emperor Ionius die believing that his only surviving child was left to face the world alone? Were there nights where Edelgard woke up screaming, with no warm arms to slow her pounding heart?
"Professor," Edelgard whispered as Byleth felt warm, slender arms around her waist. "Whatever's troubling you, let me know. Please."
The words took some of the pain away, and yet brought back more memories. The night where Edelgard showed her the Crest of Flames.
I swore a silent oath…
Byleth tightened her arms around Edelgard as she buried her head into the shoulder of the smaller woman. The oath was clear now, not that Edelgard would ever hear it.
By Sothis, I'll always be at your side, El. Your joys will be mine. Your sorrows will be mine. And when we win this war, I swear that I'll take those stolen years back.
Rewrite Chapter 0 (the prologue) is complete.
As always, read, review, and whatnot.
Next chapter: Dorothea. Part one of Terra Nullius (Chapter 19 of Crimson Flower).