Hey, everyone. In the time that this story's been on break, Marianne's gotten a new Alt in Heroes. I wasn't expecting Dancer Marianne to be a thing, but hey, talk about a pleasant surprise. Speaking of surprises, Marianne herself is going to be in for a few this chapter. Sorry for the wait, but the tale of the Survivor of the Curse and the Savior King continues!
I do not ow anything.
Chapter 6-Divine Answers Pt.1
It was both easy and hard for Marianne to go to sleep. On one hand, the day had felt exhausting, so exhausting that the second she sat down on her bed, she was ready to close her eyes and let sleep take her. She almost did. Just as exhaustion fell over her eyelids nearly bringing them down for the night, her brain came alive with memories. The very same events that had drained all the energy out of her replayed in her mind, keeping her wide awake.
They'd finally returned to the Monastery after what had been a relatively normal but highly eventful mission. Marianne had seen more excitement in it than she ever thought she would, and frankly, she wasn't quite sure she was happy about that. She'd gotten way more than she'd expected, or ever wanted. Marianne wasn't like the others; she didn't look forward to the adventure that life at the Officers Academy offered; it was practically amongst the worst things for her to experience.
Ad yet, as she sat atop her bed, reminiscing over the day's events…Marianne couldn't deny that somewhere inside, she felt…happy to have been a part of them. They'd freed slaves, saved dozens from a life of horrendous slavery. The more she thought about that, the more she realized she was proud of being a part of that. Slavery and the hell with it was a fate that no deserved.
In thinking about that, the pride connected to something else, someone else-Dimitri.
"And he feels no guilt over it, nor did the rest of us." Ingrid had assured her during their seat down. Of all the Blue Lions, she was one of the ones Marianne believe she could get along the best with, give or take. The knightly girl knew how to talk to her in a way that made her feel comfortable. She also seemingly knew her housemates incredibly well, especially her future liege. Marianne thought of what she'd said, about how if any of the other Blue Lions had been in the same position, they'd have moved to save her as well. Then there was their professor. He was not her house instructor, but he seemed to care for her as if he were.
While she didn't exactly have a negative opinion of Professor Hanneman, he was actually quite accommodating to her, she couldn't quite shake this strange feeling she had regarding Professor Eisner. She genuinely wondered what the strange pull toward him was.
Contrary to his reputation, he was an apparently kind and generous man.
When she thought it, she supposed that kindness had made him a nice fit for the Blue Lions, who were all relatively kind people…except Felix, though she'd heard he was nicer than he let on. She only had word of month to go on regarding that.
You know…if you changed classes, you'd be able to find out for yourself. A whimsical voice in her head offered. Marianne's eyes widened at the voice, sitting straight up and feeling her heartbeat race. Her? Change classes? To the Blue Lions House?
Shaking her head in dismal of the thought, she lied back down in bed. Sleep was important, and she could certainly use it. Marianne just hoped that her dreams wouldn't be marred in nightmares, though the day's events had given her plenty of potential for those.
That was a possibility, yet as the darkness closed around her, she felt like there was a light flickering before her. Why did it flicker for her? Why did it look almost like…Dimitri?
Spring had been nice while it lasted, but summer was now in full swing. For some, that was something to celebrate, for others, it was something to dread. As Marianne quietly observed, the Blue Lions House was somewhat split, though a majority seemed to be in the latter camp. Coming from the frigid northern portion of the continent, they weren't used to such blistering hot weather; it showed many times as the summer continued to wear on. It had taken some adjusting for the Blue Lions, though not all of them.
Between helping out with the opening and visitation of the Holy Mausoleum, Mercedes was having to devote her time to helping her housemates deal with the heat. She wasn't the only one as several other former Adrestian natives had chosen to do the same, setting up "beat the heat sessions" as Marianne had heard them called. The names were actually quite fitting, though they'd also become sources of mockery. Some occupants of the Black Eagles House didn't even try to hide their amusement in seeing the kingdom natives struggle to endure underneath the heat, proudly boasting of their own natural tolerance of it. Even a few members of the Golden Deer had taken the time to get in on the mockery. The Leicester Alliance had slightly more in common with the Empire than the Kingdom when it came to weather. Sometimes, winters could be quite harsh, though never quite on the level that Faerghus experienced. Warmer weather was more common, as was hot weather in the spring, though again, the Alliance rarely saw blistering heats such as what the Empire did. That said, every few years, the easter deserts would "breathe" on the Alliance.
Marianne had lived through two such summers, and they hadn't exactly been pleasant, but she'd learned how to handle the heat. Ice magic sure came in handy in situations like then, and most certainly now.
"We've got another order! Size four ice-block!"
"I-I'll do it!" Marianne shouted in response, surprised that she'd taken the request so fast. Perhaps it was due to how deeply she'd fallen into this work rhythm; her and the several other ice mages that she'd found herself working besides, including Ingrid. It was ironic as from what she'd heard, her Crest granted her some control over fire, including an immunity to extreme heat. Her natural immunity to heat made her one of the handful of the Blue Lions that wasn't suffering under the summer heat. She'd taken that immunity and used it to help the rest of the "ice mages" in helping her countrymen and various others stay cool.
"You know, you're a lot better at ice magic than I previously thought." The blonde happily complimented.
Marianne could feel her cheeks heating up just a little. It could be seen as small progress that she wasn't immediately brushing off or denying the compliment. "T-T-Thank you. P-Professor Hanneman told me to u-use all of this as part of my training."
"Heh, Professor Byleth told me the same. Never let an opportunity to improve yourself slip by." The blonde cheerily mused.
Cold blue light illuminated Marianne's hands and Ingrid's as they set about creating new blocks of ice. Within seconds, the ice began to form, and in accurate shapes no less. That was the thing about ice magic, in spite of being the solid form of water, it's shape could wildly vary. Most beginner ice mages could create jagged chunks of ice that bore no definite shape. Being able to give it definite shape was considered a promising third step. Marianne and several others had reached that step, as evident by the literal stack of ice-cubes that sat within the "storage area". It was a cold place, as befitting of a cold storage area. The ice cubes were being constantly being replenished as they were being carried out for use.
Marianne was surprised when she created four new ice-cubes, and who came to pick them up.
She froze as if she'd been the one frozen in ice the second she laid eyes on Dimitri. There was a lot about him that made her freeze besides just his physical presence. For starters, there was the…surprising lack of clothing that he was in. Given the weather, it was far too hot for him to be sporting his usual uniform, including the blue shoulder cap that donated him as house leader of the Blue Lions. He was left in a plain white undershirt that was, predictably, somewhat soaked with sweat. It helped further emphasize the muscular features that the Prince of Faerghus sported. Marianne looked between his chest and his arms, now fully exposed from just a little above the elbow. They were…they were…she could see his muscles, muscles that were exerting only the slightest effort to carry the ice blocks; she'd seen some students struggle to lift two, and Dimitri didn't seem to have any trouble lifting four of them.
Overall, she got an up-close view of the strength of the crown prince, and the body that housed that strength. It would have been a lie for her to say that she wasn't impressed.
Nay, somewhere inside, Marianne felt something more than just awe. What she felt was arousal. It certainly showed on her cheeks as she stared back at the blond boy.
"Marianne? Are you alright? Have you caught a bit of a fever as well?" He asked in naked concern. Within seconds, he'd gently ice blocks down and moved to put a hand to the top of her head. "Um, maybe you'd best take a break. You're feeling-"
"F-F-Fine! I-I-I'm fine, D-D-Dimitri!" The blue-haired girl stammered, stumbling backward to the point where she seemed at risk of tripping over her feet. That's exactly what happened as she quickly lost her balance and began to fall backward. Naturally, Dimitri stuck his hand out, grabbing hers and pulling her back to her feet. "T-T-Thank you." She stammered, her manners not forgotten in the rush of embarrassment ad awe that she felt.
"You're welcome." He said plainly with a serene smile. It only made Marianne blush all the more, something that caused his smile to fall. "Marianne, perhaps you should take a break. You might be overexerting yourself."
Softly shaking her head, she rebalanced herself. "N-N-No, not at all. I was just…a little taken back, that's all."
"Heh, more like blown away." She heard someone snicker from behind her back. It was that little remark that reminded her that they weren't alone. To her horror, they had a small audience.
Scouring around, Marianne's heart slowed to a crawl as she realized everyone was staring at her and Dimitri. Especially a few girls. Some of them were looking to her with awe and even amusement, even flashing her winks and thumbs up. Others…well, they didn't even try to hide the envy on their faces, or the rage. It was clear they weren't happy with what they were seeing.
It was then that the best pegasus rider in the Blue Lions swooped in to rescue the both of them from the awkward situation.
"Ahem, your highness, thank you for helping Marianne." Ingrid called. She immediately recognized the situation and moved to defuse it. "Please, carry on. I'll look after her."
"Ah, well, thank you Ingrid, and take care, Marianne." With that, he picked up the four ice blocks again and continued on his way.
The blue-haired girl watched him go out the wide hallway. Marianne watched him go, fully aware of how quickly her heart was racing. This didn't go unnoticed.
"You know, if you want to take a break to talk with him, I don't think he'd mind, or anyone else. Don't worry, I can make sure of that." Ingrid sounded. The healer nearly jumped as she spun around to look at the blonde. Her comforting smile nullified some of the shock and anxiety; Ingrid simply had that kind of affect on her. "I've noticed that people tend to stare at his highness when he…shows off a little bit of skin. It's a little frustrating, but I suppose it can't be helped. He has many traits that many women and perhaps even men would find attractive."
Heat rushed into Marianne's head at the mention of the last word. "I-I-I-I-"
"You don't have to explain anything, Marianne." The horsewoman affirmed, her gentle smile soothing her racing heart. "His highness sees helping carry ice as a better alternative to sitting around and bemoaning the excessive heat. I honestly wish that Sylvain would take his lead instead of studying in the library, though that's a bit of a blessing in itself."
"H-He's not so bad. I-I've seen him studying before." The withdrawn girl spoke up.
Ingrid smiled at him. "Yes, he can study, but can he do so without hitting on any woman nearby?"
The pious girl looked down, a thick blush on her cheeks. Her silence was answer enough for Ingrid.
"It's always surprises people that his highness is that well…muscled. Most people assume that his strength simply comes from his Crest. While that is somewhat true, his highness puts forth his own efforts to reach his level of strength, and attain new levels of strength." The pegasus rider continued.
"Ingrid, a-are you…sure you should be telling me this?" The Golden Deer student nervously asked.
"It's not like it's some tightly-held secret. If you want more specifics, you can ask his highness. He'd be more than willing to tell you."
Marianne impulsively shook her head, her mind frantically racing with troubled thoughts. Had Dimitri told the rest of his house of their encounter? Of her plea for him to stay away from her? No, no. He isn't the sort of person who'd do that! B-Besides, he said that he'd be there for me. Rather I…wanted it or not. She remembered that evening so well, and not simply because it'd only happened almost a week ago. The quiet resolution that Dimitri had spoken to her with was…something about it stirred something within Marianne. His resolution frightened her, and in a way, aroused her. The latter feeling she found deeply troubling, especially with the wording. She had a feeling that was Hilda's influence on her.
"I-I-I-Ingrid, d-d-do you…no. Never mind." The blue-haired woman said. It was overwhelmingly clear she had something she wanted to say, yet whatever strength she had to say the words were lost.
Ingrid felt an immediate impulse to try to help her reclaim that strength. It was so strong that she opened her mouth to speak. All that stopped her was the lecturing voice of her professor. The former mercenary acknowledged that he admired her passion for training and her drive to motivate hers to do so, but he also told her that she could come on a little…too strong sometimes. She could come on a little too strong. Bernadetta could attest to that…if she could be found and brought forth to testify. Ingrid was the go-to woman for that, which was part of the problem.
Shutting her mouth, she held fast to her self-control. "When you're ready, know that I'll always be an open ear for you to talk to, as will Professor Byleth. As well as his highness."
Marianne again impulsively shook her head. "Y-Y-You shouldn't. I-I'll only be wasting your time."
"It's never a waste of time to help a friend through their troubles." The blonde passionately fired back. Reaching forward, she placed both her hands on her fellow Crest-bearer. Marianne naturally jumped, but didn't move to push Ingrid's hands away. Instead, she was seemingly frozen by the blonde's fierce yet compassionate gaze. "I now not all that troubles you, Marianne, but I can venture a guess it's related to your Crest." The Alliance girl's eyes widened. "Marianne, I don't want to sound rude or even condescending when I tell you this, but you're not the only one at the academy who has to carry the burden of a Crest. As odd as it may sound, because of that, you have people that you can talk to, like me for instance."
"I-I-Ingrid," The Alliance girl whispered in open-mouthed awe. It was clear that the words had sunk in. Ingrid was happy to see that as from what she'd seen, Marianne had a habit of trying to push them away. "I-I-I…I…" Sadly, she could see that resistance attempting to muster itself within her.
Acting on impulse, the lance-wielder moved her hands from Marianne's shoulder down to her hands, gently clasping them in hers. There was an immediate distinction between the two of them; Ingrid's hands were warm in contrast to Marianne's cold ones. The latter couldn't help but think there was something symbolic in the difference. She did think that it was fitting.
"You have a right to have a shoulder to lean on, and there are many people at the academy who'll happily be that shoulder. Including me, and his highness." The Blue Lions student affirmed, giving the magic-user's hands a firm yet soft squeeze. "Regardless of what you may think, we'll be here for you."
Yet again, the desire to spurn that kindness clawed at her, demanding that she vocalize her disapproval and reject the blonde's kind words. As powerful as the impulse was, there was something equally powerful preventing it. Helping it was the harden yet kind gaze of the girl in front of her. Marianne would have been lying if she didn't say that she thought Ingrid was a bit of an inspiring person. Though she reminded her of Leonie, the blonde was a tad more…open, and less competitive. Oh, and she was good with animals, which was something that Marianne genuinely thought of as a positive.
Her contemplation, and even the entire discussion came to an end as a masculine voice sounded off.
"Ahem, um, girls, I don't want to interrupt the heartfelt discussion you two are having…but we've got some students in desperate need of some ice." The older, redheaded student politely stated once they both turned their attention to him. Thankfully, he didn't seem to be angry, in fact, he seemed more amused than anything. It dawned on the two girls that their heartfelt talk had been done in public.
Marianne's cheeks burned red with embarrassment while Ingrid merely gave a sheepish apology. It was readily received by the redheaded, who told them if they wanted to continue talking, they were more than free to take a break. Both girls shook their heads, showing that they weren't quite ready for that break just yet. For Marianne, she'd prefer to keep on working, so she could try and bury everything that Ingrid had just told her. At the same time, that same unknown feeling gnawed at her, telling her not to bury it.
The two conflicting emotions would be in a tug of war with each other for the rest of the war hour, and beyond.
Mid-day, Dining hall…
The second that Marianne saw Hilda's grinning face, she felt dread consume every part of her body. At the start of the school year, she'd have up and left to another table, but she'd grown too used to the pink-haired girl. Besides, it was entirely possible that Hilda would simply track her down anyway.
"So, I heard a cute little rumor about you and a certain royal prince!" The pig-tailed girl whispered in an excited giggle. Once she sat down, her food became nonexistent, her entire focus was on Marianne, just as the magic-user feared.
"N-N-Nothing happened, Hilda. Nothing. At all." She defended.
"Not according to what I heard." Hilda fire back in a sing-song voice. Marianne knew that voice too well, and the look on Hilda's face. She wasn't getting out of this, not within relaying at least a modicum of what had happened earlier today to her. "Did you really see him shirtless? Or at least his abs? His muscles? What were they like? Were they really as big as stone columns?"
One of these days, Marianne felt like she was going to have to take a stab at this rumor mill. And by that, she meant see if she could derail it. Was she capable of such a thing? Probably not, but she'd rather give it a try then wait for them to continue to screw up her life and any other poor soul that got caught in it. "F-F-F-First of all, his muscles aren't that big, but they are pretty sizable. I-It isn't just his Crest, at least I don't think so. Dimitri's physical strength at least partially comes from his physique. Which is…is…" Her cheeks burned at her own words. Hilda's grin was practically splitting her face as it forced Marianne to finish her statement. "He's physically strong. T-T-That's all."
"Uh-huh, sure. Right…and you got an up-close view of that strength, Marianne. You lucky girl." The pink-haired student praised with a wink. "Hey, maybe next time I need some heavy-lifting down, I should ask him. Or better yet, ask him through you!"
"Hilda! No, I will not!" The blue-haired girl snapped.
Her response didn't seem unexpected as Hilda continued to smile. Looking at her, Marianne wondered if her best friend had said that just to get a rise out of her. It wouldn't have been the first time that Hilda pulled such a stunt. Personally, Marianne didn't exactly appreciate it, not always. She knew that Hilda did it at times for her own good; Marianne needed that push from time to time. Actually, she needed it more often than not, like now for example.
"I…I don't want anything happening to him." She whispered.
"Marianne, nothing's going to happen to him. Hell, if anything, he'll keep anything from happening to you, or anyone else under his protection. It's not just because he's going to be king one day…Dimitri's just…one of those kinds of guys." The teasing was gone from her voice, as well as the rest of her face. Looking to her, Marianne saw that a look of genuine admiration had taken hold of her best friend. She was a little surprised to see it. Hilda turned to her with her pink eyes, "He's the sort of guy who'll show up to have your back, even if you didn't ask him to."
She felt her heart throb in her chest. "H-H-He said something similar…when I told him to stay away from me."
"Marianne,"
"It's for the best, Hilda." She defended. "A person like him…a person like him shouldn't be around me, for his own safety."
"You make it sound like he's some puppy that'll get stamped the minute he tries to stand up for you." The axe-user replied.
"That's not what I meant." Marianne responded, somewhat heatedly.
"But that's how you're treating him, Marianne." Hilda gently pushed back. "Look, whatever curse you may think that you have, it's nowhere near as strong as you think it is. Just look at the Golden Deer, we're all still standing and we've been around you for months." The pious girl went silent at that statement. As much as a part of Hilda wanted to stop there, she knew she had to press forward. Sometimes the only way to pull Marianne out of the shadows was to drag her out; that's what Hilda would do as her best friend. "If we could survive being around you, then so could Dimitri. Hell, I'd say he could survive more than most people. I mean…he did live through the Tragedy of Duscur and all."
The name of the Faerghus tragedy cast a shadow over both girls, even though it was a deeply foreign event to them. Still, being nobles, they'd heard a good share of the details, a few more than the average person. Both girls could have gone without knowing some of those details. Personally, Hilda questioned if some of them were as true as they'd been made out to be; in fact, there were times when she wondered exactly what had really happened to the late King Lambert and his royal entourage.
For Marianne, all she knew was that Dimitri had suffered a true tragedy the likes of which no one should have had to endure. Not him, and certainly not Dedue. Both boys showed firm resilience in the face of the tragedy, something that them that Marianne genuinely respected, and envied.
"It's just…I…I don't want him to suffer again. He's already seen enough of that." The pious student finally whispered with her eyes downcast as always.
"Marianne, being around you isn't going to mark him for damnation. If anything, I actually think being around him could end up doing you a world of good." Marianne looked up at her best friend, trying to decipher what she was suggesting. Hilda didn't exactly think she was tap-dancing around it. Her eyes widened. "If you want to…I wouldn't mind, and I don't think Claude or Professor Hanneman would."
Fervently shaking her head, Hilda tried to refocus back on her food. Which she now noticed had been…morphed into a mushy, cut-up mix, a result of her nervous fidgeting. Hilda took notice and gave a quiet whistle of amusement at the mess that Marianne had subconsciously made of her own food. She pated her on the shoulder, telling her to wait right there and she'd get her another plate of food. Marianne didn't have the strength to refuse her, not to mention she was genuinely hungry.
While she waited for her…replacement dinner, she glanced around the dining hall. There was one person that she was looking for, and of course, she found him.
As usual, the Blue Lions were sitting together, all of them their coats off, including the house professor himself. Laughter boomed from the Blue Lions' table, just as it did from several others. What drew Marianne's attention though was Dimitri, the carefree and happy expression on his face made something in her tingle. That tingling seemingly moved throughout her body; it almost felt like it was trying to get her to move.
Marianne knew better than to actually try that though. She didn't belong there, at the so-called Table of Lions. She was a Golden Deer and was right where she belonged.
"Hmm, seems like someone's got their eyes set on the head lion. Well, I'm rooting for you two!"
"Eeep!"
Claude's grin remained as he reached over and crabbed Marianne, keeping her from falling onto her but. Her sudden cry of alarm at his voice had already caused a big enough scene, though not one large enough for the Blue Lions several tables over to notice. Based on what he'd seen, that was no doubt for the best. Still, he would have enjoyed tried to spin things and perhaps even ease his teammate into the arms of his fellow house leader.
Not that he was ready to surrender Marianne to the good junior knights and nobles of Faerghus just yet.
"Heheh, sorry about that. Maybe I should have announced myself first." Claude offered as Marianne lowered herself back into her seat. It seemed like the pious girl had just lost a year or two off of her life. "So, I heard amongst the grapevines that-"
"Nothing happened! Really! D-Dimitri just stopped to check on me! That's it!" Marianne cried.
Unfortunately, her house leader didn't seem to believe it, as evident by his cool smirk. Fortunately, it lightened up as he looked back to his food. "Thanks for helping out earlier today with the ice. Even though I'm pretty used to the heat, some of the folks around here really aren't, especially the people from Faerghus. Except Ingrid, I hear she's good with the heat, and the cold. Is that true?"
"S-She is a bit of a contradiction, though a good kind. Thanks to her Crest, she can withstand the heat, yet she's also quite skilled in ice magic. I certainly appreciated her help."
"I'm happy to hear that, didn't want you doing all the work yourself. You two get up to talking about anything specific?"
"C-Claude, do you really have to do that?"
"Just making sure that you're making friends, good ones! Sure, Ingrid can be a little bit of a hassle, but she's got her heart in the right place!"
Marianne silently nodded as she agreed with that statement. Indeed, from what she'd seen, the blonde could be quite…direct, potentially too direct. In a sense, that wasn't a bad thing, but Marianne knew she was a tad too fragile for that direct approach sometimes. It was a fanciful dream that one day she'd become strong enough to withstand it.
Looking back up, she saw Hilda return, carrying two trays filled with food. With a gracious nod, Marianne accepted hers, happy that her friend had been willing to go to such lengths for her. Rather than let her mind wonder, she focused solely on eating, letting the rest of her classmates freely talk over her. Granted, I spite of her attempt to focus on lunch, her mind still couldn't help but wonder, and her eyes ended up doing the exact same. While she ate, she would occasionally look back at the Blue Lions table.
She would do so until by chance, her eyes caught Dimitri's. Feeling her heartbeat freeze in her chest, Marianne did nothing but hold his gaze, unsure of how to react. At least until she instinctively ducked her head down, not daring to look up again.
For the rest of lunch, she would keep her head down, not looking back at the Blue Lions table, and doing her best to avoid looking at the blond prince. She hated how a nagging voice in her head continuously pestered her to do so.
Stay away from him. Stay far away. It's for his own good. You're cursed, a stain, a blight, a beast in human skin. You'll only hurt him, so if you really care about him, spare him that fate. A dark yet familiar voice snarled to her.
Marianne had every intention of following its advice, or at least she normally would have. In spite of the self-defeat that constantly plagued her, she couldn't help but feel something else nipping at her. The same voice nagging at her to speak to Dimitri countered the darker voice.
It seems that it was growing louder.
Afternoon...
The academy library, also called the Monastery library, was a vast place. Up until a certain point, it always seemed to be populated. One could say the search for knowledge was never ending.
Dimitri wondered if that applied with Claude as he'd seen him there almost several times a week, his focus usually focused on some book. Curiously peeking at the titles, he saw that they were history books, many of them on the continent and its various foundations and institutions, the Church naturally included. At first glance it seemed unusual as Claude didn't particularly strike one as the studying type, but as it turned out, few people knew what he was like on a persona level. In fact, when Dimitri thought about it, he realized that practically knew much about Claude at all, not even those from the Leicester Alliance.
Claude himself seemed to prefer that secrecy regarding himself.
While Dimitri wasn't asking him for personal information, he was at least hoping he'd do right by his housemate. Sure, the yellow-clad archer was secretive about himself, but he was friendly enough. He'd seen that he at least cared about his housemates, even those like Lorenz, who fashioned themselves his rival and critic. In Dimitri's eyes, Claude treated him as such a little more and even better than what he saw with Edelgard and Ferdinand.
"Claude, would you happen to have a minute?" He called.
Immediately, the tan-skinned boy looked up from his book to gaze at the prince. "For my fellow house leader and the future king of the folks in the north? Certainly." Bookmarking the page he was on, he closed the book and slid it to the side. "What's on your mind?"
Nervousness began to nip at him as he took his seat beside him. "It's…about Marianne. I was…I haven't had a negative effect on her, have I?"
Claude immediately shrugged his shoulders. "None that I can see, though I think you rescuing her has done a number on the way she views herself. Sadly, she's very self-defeating, my guess is because of her Crest."
"Do you know of it?" Dimitri asked.
Again, the Golden Deer's leader shrugged his shoulders. "Nope, though Professor Hanneman does. I haven't asked him, and I have this feeling he won't spill unless I really force him to. Though the guy's a Crest Scholar, he seems to respect other people's boundaries well enough, or at least hers. Still, I have heard my fair share of rumors about her Crest, the so-called Crest of the Beast." His eyes briefly drifted to the stack of books on his left side, a gaze that Dimitri caught. "Apparently, of all the Crests out there, it's one you definitely don't want to have, or whose bearer you don't want to be around."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the two boys as they looked to each other. While Marianne was still something of an enigma at large, it was something of a known fact that she was adopted into nobility. Coming from their country's respective upper echelon, Dimitri and Claude both knew that. They also knew that more often than not, there was more than met the eye with adoption, especially if there was a Crest involved. Granted, Crests such as Marianne's could have been an exception to the rule.
"I'm sure you've heard of Margrave Edmund. He's more of a practical man, though pragmatic is another word that would fit him. I'd say that he's an exception to Marianne's attitude, but from what I've gleaned, their relationship isn't exactly the best, but it's not the worst either." Claude explained. "Truth be told, I don't even think he knows much about her Crest beyond a few basics." A sly grin spread across the archer's face as he got to what Dimitri believed to be the heart of his response. "But all that isn't what interests you, is it, Dimitri? You want to know if there's a way to get through to her, to tell her that she's not doomed to misfortune just because of her Crest, right?"
"You've…hit the target dead-center, Claude." The Faerghus royal admitted. "She just seems to…distraught, believing herself unworthy of any sort of kindness or even life. She is more than worthy of those two things."
"I agree. The thig is, getting her to r is taking a bit of effort. Frankly, I'm a little surprised you're willing to put such efforts in for her."
Dimitri's eyebrows rose, then lowered as he looked to the side, to the table. "I…let's just say that I'm not one who can stand idle while others are suffering." He knew that Claude was looking at his right hand, stretched out atop the table. He could see how his fingers curled into a fist. "When I see her, I see someone who seems suffering underneath a heavy and black shadow. I…know the feeling, and I would do anything if I could lessen that burden for one person."
"Well, I don't think you'd be a very good king if you didn't try to do something like that, even for someone who may or may not be one of your future subjects. Then again, you may end up interacting with her if she assumes her adoptive father's position at the Roundtable."
He shook his head. "That's not what I'm looking at. Regardless of the future or standings, I just…if I can help her, then I want to try."
As they talked, the two future leaders had found themselves in a quiet little bubble. That was atypical of a conversation, especially one that grew emotional. It had grown emotional on Dimitri's end; Claude could see that. The latter gave no indication of how he felt about that, though he wasn't outright rejecting Dimitri's attempted reach out.
"Honestly, I do wish I had something to give you other than…just keep being you." His response clearly caught the spear-wielding prince off-guard. Claude laughed at his surprise. "Marianne may not know it or be ready to say it, but she appreciates you being there for her. She was the same way with Hilda for a time, but now they're practically best friends. I'm sure if you're persistent, you and Marianne will reach that level!" The dark-haired boy proclaimed with a wink.
Dimitri gave a short laugh. "Perhaps, though just…seeing her able to hold her head up high would be sufficient enough for me." He had a suspicion that Claude suspected there was more to it. There wasn't, at least nothing else that Dimitri knew. "I suppose though that you're right. I told her that come what may, I would be there for her, however she may feel about it."
"You know, you're honestly the first Faerghus-native that I've met that really lives up to that kind of chivalry your country's known for. I gotta say…it's quite a thing to see it firsthand. As Marianne's housemate, I feel I can rest a little easier knowing you're watching out for her. Heh, of course, I do hope you don't neglect your own housemates."
"You don't have to worry about that, won't. You could say this is a type of practice for me for when I do assume the crown." The blond spearman explained.
"From what I hear, there's quite a few people looking forward to that day. No offense, but your uncle hasn't exactly been ruling well in your late father's stead. Still, things could be worst." Claude added that last part with an air of caution, knowing he was still speaking ill of a family member of Dimitri's.
He let out a heavy sigh. "Yes, I'm…aware. My uncle is…not exactly what one would call fit to rule over the whole kingdom. When it came his own dukedom, he was able to rule well enough, but with the title of royal regent, I fear he may be enjoying the benefits a little too much." Dimitri knew full well that others, especially his own countrymen, wouldn't have been so…merciful in describing the regent's rule. Uncle Rufus was many things, a fair number of those descriptions unappealing at best and unpleasant at worst, but he was still family. Not to mention Dimitri knew that his uncle was patiently waiting for the day that he would be old enough to formally assume the crown.
"Just hurry up and graduation from the academy! I promise I'll keep the kingdom held together until then. We both know if things around here are going to get fixed, it's going to have to be by your hand. Oh, and if possible, perhaps see if you could snag a future queen while you're at the academy as well. It never hurst to always think toward the future…and the heart."
Reading the leader had both uplifted Dimitri and made him groan in disappointment. On one hand, his uncle definitely wanted him to take the throne and lead the country back into stable order. In that hope though lay the disappointment-uncle Rufus clearly had little intention of trying to do the job himself, even though he was in a position to do so.
If only one could speed up time. He thought, and Dimitri was sure that there were several hundred who had the same thought. There were no doubt more than a few in his own country wishing time could speed up so he could come of age to assume the crown.
"Ahem, boys, I don't mean to intrude, but perhaps this book could be of service to you." An elderly voice beckoned to the two.
In unison, the future national leaders turned to look into the sandy brown eyes of one of the Church's chief librarians.
"Tomas," Dimitri responded first, recalling the man's name.
"Oooh, I haven't seen this one before." Claude cackled, greedily grabbing for the book the elderly man had presented to them. Dimitri caught the glint in his eyes that left him with questions of his own. "Ah, a book on lost and so-called forbidden crests, now this is the kind of book I've been searching for!"
That sent up an immediate red flag in Dimitri's mind. His concern was naked on his face as he turned back to the librarian. "Is it alright to be handing us a book such as this? And will it really have any information that can help Marianne?"
"I heard you boys discussing her Crest, admittedly one that I am a bit curious about myself. Sadly, I know as much as you two, but I do believe I might know a few places on where to look to help out, and I'm giving you two that chance as well. Perhaps something in there will be of help to either of you. Think nothing of it. This book is just another one of many in this vast library, though one that doesn't see much use."
Surely there's a reason for that. Dimitri thought to himself. While he was thankfully for Tomas' kindness, he took note of exactly what sort of book that had been given to them to help Marianne. Would information about her Crest really be found in such a book? Would that information actually help? That thought gnawed at him as he looked at Claude and the book. Maybe it was just a gut feeling, but the archer seemed a little more interested in the book's contents than on helping Marianne. Not that Dimitri would say that aloud.
"I hope I was able to be of help to you boys, and I hope that you'll be able to bring some light onto this shadowy friend of y ours. I believe Marianne von Edmund is one such girl who could use it."
Both boys gave the librarian a thanks as gratitude, then turned to the book that he'd gifted them with. Claude had already begun moving through several pages, practically speed reading thus leaving Dimitri to catch up.
"You seem awfully interests in Crests, don't you, Claude." The blond quietly pointed out.
"They're major part of Fódlan, so I figure I might as well brush up on them. There's quite a few, but I also hear word that Crests have been on a bit of a decline lately."
"I can confirm there's some basis to that, though it's caused something of a split opinion amongst certain groups. Since we're on the subject, Claude, do you even know what Marianne's Crest looks like? I must confess that I haven't seen it manifest."
His green eyes rose and peered at him. "I've seen it couple of times, though its manifestation has been accidentally. Every time it showed itself, Marianne tried to downplay it as best she could. Not too surprise, but after seeing it once, I etched it into my brain. Don't worry, if its in here, then I'll find it." Claude ceased his reading ad looked straight up at his fellow house leader. "You're really worried about her, aren't you?"
Sheepishly looking away, Dimitri tried to come up with what he believed would be a proper response. Sadly, all he ended up drawing was a blank sheet. "I…I suppose I am. As I said, if I can help her in any way, that would be enough. A part of me has to wonder though, will researching her Crest do any good?"
A short pause ensued as the Kingdom royal looked into the eyes of the Alliance noble. The latter was reminded that even if he had a leg up on the latter in terms of quick-wittedness ad subterfuge, the future king wasn't to be underestimated. Claude felt his respect for his blue-clad counterpart grow.
"Honestly, I don't know, but believe it or not, but I'm a practical person. I'll only believe a curse after I've seen it." The tan-skinned teenager declared.
"Claude, I actually agree with you on that. For the most part, this contempt that Marianne believes she brings because of her Crest, I just…I believe it might be her self-loathing more than anything actual."
"Ah, good to know we're on the same page did." There was a brief chuckle between the two of them at the on-the-nose remark. "Honestly, though, I'm actually a little surprised to hear that though. I hear the people of Faerghus are deeply pious like Marianne, so…"
"I prefer to keep faith as a private affair. Everyone's entitled to their beliefs, though I…personally believe a line has to be drawn between living by those beliefs and being practical. The world does not run on faith alone."
"…Huh, again, I'm a little surprised to hear that coming from you, but it does make me think that the Kingdom's future is bright." As soon as he finished, Claude let out a disheartened sigh. "Just hoping that if we do find something in this book, it doesn't confirm any of Marianne's self-loathing beliefs."
"So there are Crests with some negative side effects." Claude inferred.
"A few," Dimitri confessed. "But I don't believe Marianne's is one of them, nor do I believe that such a curse is insurmountable."
"Heh, I agree. Now then, let's dive into perhaps the darker and more seedier side of Crests, future king of the north." He chuckled as Dimitri's lips twisted into a smirk. Let it never be said that the future King of Faerghus was lacking in a sense of humor, nor was he socially unapproachable.
Perhaps it was because he was the opposite of both of those things he would be able to penetrate the wall around the Golden Deer's most pious member.
Minutes to Midnight…
Marianne was amazed at how lost in her studies she was able to become. She wasn't like Ignatz who diligently threw himself into his studies, or Leonie when it came to combat lessons. Then again, it wasn't like she blew off her academic lessons. She'd been sent to the Officer's Academy for a reason, and she was more or less strained there. If she failed, word would no doubt reach her adoptive father.
In actuality, the thought of failure left something of an unpleasant taste in Marianne's mouth. She had no bright future ahead of her, yet at the same time she found herself trying to make something of herself instead of just attempting to flunk out. Thus, she put forth effort into her studies from time to time. Luckily, sometimes the schoolwork came naturally to her. That was without a doubt due to her adoptive father giving her a foothold. From there, she'd made her way in some areas.
Leaning back in her seat, she stared wide-eyed at the clock. It was almost midnight, approximately fifteen-minutes or so to midnight in fact. Feeling her heart kicking up a storm, she jumped out of her seat, literally. She winced as she grabbed for the chair to steady it and keep it from falling to the ground.
As quickly as she could, she got dressed. At this late an hour, she'd only have a few minutes at best to pray within the confines of the Holy Mausoleum. Honestly, while she'd originally shuddered at the thought of going to the Officers Academy, the possibility of being able to venture into the Holy Mausoleum had been an exciting prospect for her.
If there was a chance for her prayers to be answered, then she was sure that the resting place of Saint Seiros herself would be the place. A long, solitary prayer that she hoped would reach the goddess in the heavens.
A clear night sky hung above her head, bright stars flickering against the dark night canvas. While pleasant-looking, Marianne noted how the weather might make others stay out late to enjoy it.
Twelve o'clock was the absolute curfew for students like her, but that didn't go for adults. It was all too common for many of them to be out into the wee hours of the dawn. Her adoptive father had been that way, though for reasons. Marianne had never stayed awake that long, and the idea of doing so at times frightened her.
She was told that she already looked sleep deprived, staying up such late hours would no doubt only make her look worse. If that were even possible.
"Hey, hey, don't be so down! Even with those bags, you're still one hell of a looker! I've gotten some requests for a date, or at least a meet-and-greet, for you, Marianne! Seriously, some of these guys would love for a sit down with you!"
Unexpectedly, a smile grew along Marianne's face as she thought of her best friend. She could have sworn that Hilda was right there beside her, chatting away instead of no doubt tucked away in bed. If she were beside her, she'd be chastising Marianne for being out so late, and so close to curfew. They did have classes in the morning, including magical and mathematics, the latter of which could be absolutely dreadful. With such things looming, getting some shut-eye sounded incredibly reasonable and no doubt preferable.
The "final sleep" was something that Marianne had been looking forward to, it was what she'd been praying for. She would pray for that again tonight.
THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!
Coming to a complete stop, Marianne looked up to the sky, half-believing she'd see thunderclouds having snuck in. There were none, yet the sound continued to echo in her ears.
"Wait, that sound…it's…so familiar…" Within seconds, she recognized it, the sound of a sword being swung. It was the sound of combat practice. "Who could be practicing at this late hour?" Marianne wondered as she turned away from her intended path. Even in the dark, she knew the way to the Mausoleum; she'd grown familiar enough with the Monastery that she knew her way around, even in the dark.
Helping her was the light of the moon above. Her attention was torn between it and the thunderous cracking that nearly made her heart jump. Whoever was training, they were certainly giving it their all.
Marianne felt torn between continuing on her path and going to investigate. The two impulses viciously teared at each other. One side gained an advantage thanks to the sudden burst of green light that shot upward. It was incredibly brief, lasting for little more than three seconds, but Marianne was fixated on it.
A heartbeat later and her decision was made.
As she wondered just how strong her curiosity truly was to override her deepest desire. Time was of the essence for her. Curfew was just a few minutes away…for her and for whoever it was practicing. Her intuition told her that it was another student like her. It turned out to be right.
"D-D-Dimitri," she whispered standing behind one of the thick stone columns. It served to conceal her from view, though she felt like the blonde's attention couldn't possibly fall on her.
His focus was rightly on the practice dummy bearing two silver swords in its hands in comparison to Dimitri's own steel sword. He held it tightly with both hands, his blue eyes as sharp as his weapon. Bathed in the light of the moon, Dimitri looked every bit the warrior prince his reputation had made him out to be.
Then he moved.
Mouth agape, Marianne watched him do battle with the animated practice dummy. Though wooden, its body was constantly licked by green flames, flames that seemingly called out to her. One look and she knew they were magic, animating the practice dummy and giving it the ability to fight back. Based on the way it countered Dimitri's swings, it was doing so quite well, a little too well.
Professor Eisner. She immediately deduced. She'd heard that he was experimenting with the power of his Crests, but this was her first time truly seeing those efforts in person. It didn't seem surprising to her that he'd focus his efforts on something like practice dummies to help his students improve. It seemed that Dimitri was using the late hours to improve himself.
Her mouth was already hanging open, but it fell further as she saw him tense, his body glowing with energy. Above his head manifested the Crest of Blaiddyd, it too shimmering in the night. Directly across from him, the embers around the practice dummy seemingly intensified, as if sensing the power build up; it probably had.
CLANG!
Marianne's hands gripped the stone column as the two locked swords with each other. Suddenly, everything about the deadlock came into focus for her, Dimitri's tense muscles, the way he held his sword, the stream of energy flowing from him into his sword, and lastly the strain that the steel weapon was under. Dimitri shoved the practice dummy away and went on the attack anew; he wasn't merely slashing away with wild fervor, his every slash was precise, showcasing the combat training that he had received well before coming to the academy.
Within seconds, the dummy was on the defensive, or so it seemed.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
KLINK!
Dimitri's brow knitted in irritation, even as he forced back the animated dummy. It was because there was a chink in his sword. Seeing it, Marianne remembered how he had to struggle with his Crest as well-how his at times superhuman strength meant he was prone to breaking everything. The cracks weren't coming from the dummy but from Dimitri putting too much force into his weapons. He seemed aware of this and moved to correct it; his blue eyes slid shut and his breathing became calmed.
To Marianne, it felt like watching a furious storm suddenly begin to die down. It grew calmer, but did not dissipate. Instead, she watched as it was brought under control and properly aimed.
Clouds continued to drift over the sky, occasionally blotting out the moon. It changed nothing as Dimitri and the practice dummy continued to trade blows. Eventually though, the former's sword did break, something he showed minor displeasure at. Rather than continue to attack him, the dummy patiently waited for him to go retrieve another sword. Marianne was careful in leaning over, seeing the small stack of steel swords that he'd brought with him…and the two swords he'd already broken.
Personally, Marianne didn't think that was too bad considering she heard some stories about how Dimitri would supposedly break dozens of weapons in a single sparring session. She never gave much thought to those rumors, somewhere in her heart not believing them to be true. Dimitri may have broken something every now and then, but she didn't think he was as accident-prone as the rumors made him out to be.
Not mention he was making genuine efforts to overcome that habit.
Marianne admired that about him, and that admiration grew as she watched him continue to train. Her previous thoughts of prayer were forgotten as she watched Dimitri train. It was clear the struggle wasn't between him and the practice dummy, but with the power within him, the power that he'd inherited from his royal ancestors. It was evident to her that it was a marvelous yet destructive power, one whose usage Dimitri didn't want to use carelessly. Marianne had a feeling that he'd accidentally activated his Crest before without meaning to. Sweat grew along his brow as he worked to ensure that didn't happen so often in the future.
Control. She thought to herself. His Crest's power can be devastating if he were to use it carelessly; he knows that, and he's trying to get a grip on it. Whenever she saw the glow of his Crest, even a faint glimmer, Marianne found herself thinking of her own Crest, her accursed Crest. He's still out there at this late hour, even though we have classes in the morning. She couldn't compare herself to Dimitri. Unlike her, he was doing something constructive, learning how to control his Crest instead of letting it ruin all that he touched.
If he can do it, why not you?
Her fingers tightened against the stone column she'd been hiding behind. "I'd like to, but…I'm…I'm not like him. I'm not as strong as he is." Though Marianne wished she were. As she realized that, her heart thundered in her chest as if it had been rung by the clashing blades. In a sense, it had.
No longer was she looking to the sparring match, but the ground. The plain and gray yet clean ground beneath her feet. Marianne was used to staring at it as she normally avoided eye-contact with people, looking everywhere but at their face. How many times had she wished for the ground to simply swallow her up? As she looked at the earth, she kept repeating that question in her voice-if Dimitri could rise above his shortcomings, why not her?
Because unlike him, you are cursed. Another and far more cynical voice sniped at her. She could practically see the face, bestial and savage, bearing its fangs as it whispered to her. Marianne shuddered at the voice. You leave death and despair in your wake. You are a blight on this world, one whose erasure is long since overdue. You are nothing like him. His radiance and your shadowy existence…they're incompatible! Leave him. Leave him before this sparring session brings-
Cra-ack!
The sound snapped Marianne out of her internal debate, reminding her that the world continued to turn around her. There was still an active fight involving swords; based on the sound she'd just heard, one of those swords had been broken.
Wide-eyed, she leaned out from behind the pillar to see one of the practice dummy's two swords had been broken. Dimitri's sword remained hold. Upon seeing that, Marianne felt a sudden surge of relief. Looking back to him, she saw his entire body tensing, an aura of pure power surrounding him as he gripped his sword, readying it for another strike-the final strike. The practice dummy was doing the same, having lost its second sword. The emerald-colored embers surrounding it glowed brighter, the flames dancing across the wooden body.
Once cool night air grew heated as the tension reached new heights. Even though it was just a sparring match, Marianne felt as if she were watching an actual battle between two swordsmen. From the bottom of her heart, when the inevitable clash came, she hoped Dimitri would be the victor.
Her ears popped as the two fighters lunged at each other, their swords flashing bright. Marianne blinked, seeing them in motion one second and still the next, the clash having came to an end.
THUNK!
"A-A-Ahh!"
Still holding tightly to his sword, Dimitri spun about, his face tense and his eyes holding the fierce glint of a warrior. It vanished as soon as they fell upon the pious girl, having stumbled out of her holding place. The sudden impalement of the sword tip in front of her had been enough to shock her out of the shadows and into the light.
"M-Marianne? By the goddess, are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?" The concern-tinged questioned spilled out of his mouth as he ran forth, fearing he'd hurt her.
"N-N-N-No, I-I'm fine, D-D-Dimitri. You're the one that I'm concerned about. You're not hurt, are you?"
He planted his sword down into the ground to look her over. As he did so, he took note of how her uniform jacket had been somewhat hastily thrown onto her. "I-I'm…I'm fine. Though it's clear that I could use something of a shower before going to sleep."
The prince undoubtedly had a point there as his brow was covered in sweat, some of it having grown to stain his undershirt. It was the second time in one day that she'd seen Dimitri covered in sweat, and from so close at that. He projected that same aura of calmness and safety that seemingly drew her in; that's what it was doing now.
Staring into his blue eyes, Marianne felt her mouth suddenly go dry. Blasting into her mind was the awareness that she'd completely deviated from her original objective-the Holy Mausoleum was no doubt closed by now. "I-I-I-I'm…I-I'm…y-your…" While her heartbeat pounded in her ears, she attempted to make her mind work. "I…I'm fine. Y-Y-You're the one that…y-your hands aren't hurt, are they?"
With a little smile, he raised his hands up, revealing the unbruised skin. The sight was actually enough to make Marianne herself smile.
"I'm sorry if I woke you up." The prince spoke.
"N-No, it's fine. I was actually on my way out when I…saw the light from that." She pointed to the split practice dummy, the divine power fueling it having been extinguished with its destruction. "Did Professor Eisner make that for you?"
"Yes, he did, with a little help from Annette. He commissioned its operation for me when he…came upon me earlier." There was a lowering of his voice toward the end, an encounter that didn't want to elaborate.
In spite of wanting to respect his privacy, Marianne let her curiosity lead her to pounce. "Dimitri, were you having trouble sleeping?"
"Correct." He plainly answered. "I…found myself unable to fall asleep, so I decided to come out here and train for a few minutes to perhaps an hour. Heh, I know of our curfew and I've braced myself for a scolding, especially given the heighten tension."
"Heighten tension, so then, those rumors about the Western Church…" Marianne inquired.
"I have received news from home, they've become rather unruly as of late. I'm sure you've heard some whispers from around the Monastery as well." Based on how her eyes flickered with unease, Dimitri immediately deduced that she had. "Professor Byleth has given us the task of safeguarding the Mausoleum. Truth be told, since there's whispers of the Western Church being involved in, I feel it is my duty to investigate."
"D-D-Dimitri, this…actually sounds more like a Church matter." She offered.
"In some ways, yes, but they're still members of the Kingdom. I especially cannot let those guy as they're spouting rather poisonous ideology." The blond retorted.
Curious at his words, Marianne wracked her brain around what he meant. Suddenly, a face came into her mind, dark-skinned and intimidating, yet passive face. Next came several more, the faces of children whom she knew, and who she hoped were doing well at the Monastery. "The people of Duscur, Duscurians."
He gave a grim nod. "For years, the Western Branch has not be receptive to the people of Duscur, who have their own faith. Regardless of the fact that the goddess Sothis exists in the Duscur pantheon, albeit she is joined by other gods."
"You seem to know a lot about the people of Duscur. Did Dedue tell you?"
"Indeed he did." His face brightened at the mention of his retainer. Marianne had seen their interactions; the giant was just as much as Dimitri's retainer as he was his friend. She would have guessed his closest friend since the relationship between him and Felix was considerably more strained. "After the…after the genocide, the Western Church sanctioned attempts to erase their culture, especially since they preached it was heresy against the church's doctrine. There had always been some friction, but most have been willing to let everyone believe as they choose." There was a pause filled with sorrow. "At least…that used to be the case."
"Dimitri," Marianne whispered in sympathy at what she was seeing. Seconds ago, Dimitri had looked the perfect model of a young warrior. Now, he looked like one struggling underneath a mountain's weight. Worse, the mountain was formed from the sins of his own people. Before she knew it, she stepped toward him, sympathy swelling in her eyes.
The moment her warm brown eyes and his sky-blue eyes met, both Crest-bearers froze.
They were standing closer than they had before, practically in arm's reach of each other. Earlier today, as well as long before, Marianne had been the one retreating into sorrow, yet here she was watching it attempt to crush Dimitri. She couldn't stand to watch that happen. That had spurned her to act, just as he'd done for her.
Looking down, she reached out to grasp his hands, only to stop.
"Marianne? What is it? What's wrong?" He noticed the change immediately-the way her body tensed and her eyes widened in what was undoubtedly fear. Looking up, he immediately sensed another presence, deducing it to be the one the source of Marianne's sudden discomfort. Without a moment's hesitation, he stepped in front of her, throwing an arm out. "Whoever you are, come out. If you an issue with Marianne, then you will have one with me as well."
Wide-eyed, the blue-haired girl looked to the blond prince with bewilderment. "D-D-D-Dimitri? W-W-What are you-"
"As I said, if you have an issue with her, step out into the open and show yourself." He commanded again. In a flash, he'd gone from being crushed to demonstrating the valiance that she'd seen on the battlefield, and he was doing it for her. Again.
Intense silence filled the small training arena as the unseen figure weighed their options. After a minute of doing so, a choice was made. Both teenagers heard the sound of footfalls hurrying toward the exit.
"Y-Y-Y-You…D-Dimitri," Marianne stammered. "You…"
Turning to face her, his eyes held nothing but gentleness that made her heart flutter, even as confusion racked her mind. "Do you remember what I said before I left you at the cathedral a few days ago?"
Sealing her mouth shut, she nodded. "You…you were serious about that?"
"Marianne, when it comes to people in danger, I shall never jest about being there to help them. Especially when they're people that I know and personally care about." He answered with a small smile.
Her cheeks heated up as if a torch had been pressed to them. That heat turned them bright red. "I-I-I-I…I remember." Her lips trembled as words built up in her throat. She internally shuddered as she realized what she wanted to do was thank Dimitri for saving her. He had absolutely no idea he'd just put a stop to something she'd been dreading since the Blue Sea Moon began. The opening of Holy Mausoleum brought all sorts of people to Garreg Mach; Marianne knew that included a certain…someone, someone whom she dreaded.
Unlike all those other times, she'd been scared off by her unexpected protector. She was still speechless before said protector, unable to refute him nor thank him for his selfless act.
"Marianne," he called. "Please, allow me to escort you back to your room. I believe it might be better to turn in for the night.
"O-O-Oh, r-r-right. I agree." There was no point in heading to the Mausoleum now. In fact, a part of Marianne didn't truly want to. That same part of her shivered in delight at the thought of being accompanied back to her room by Dimitri. With him at her side, she felt…safe. Happy even.
Neither of them said a word on the blissfully quiet and short walk back. Both teenagers kept a respectful distance from each other, yet they also remained close by. Occasional glances would connect causing them to lock eyes with one another. Still, neither said a word.
Both of their minds were heavy with thoughts regarding what had transpired over the last several minutes. Marianne's were focused on Dimitri's training, and his were on the mysterious stalker that Marianne had. He knew the person had less than pure intentions based on the blue-haired girl's reaction. As much as he would have liked to question her on it, he respected her right to privacy. Likewise, she respected his, and she would as she wouldn't speak of what she'd seen, even though the prince practicing probably wasn't anything too out of the ordinary. Still, Marianne felt like she'd stumbled upon something else, something a little more special than just that. It might have just been her imagination, but that's how she felt.
"T-T-Thank you, a-a-and goodnight, Dimitri." She said as they both arrived at her door.
"Goodnight, Marianne, and I'll…see you in the morning." He concluded giving her a warm smile.
She tried to give him one back, it was the least he'd earned, yet she couldn't. She wanted to blame some of that on her flustering heart. Even as she closed the door and sat down on the bed, it continued to beat so wildly. This wasn't the first time such a thing had happened, and Marianne knew that it wasn't going to be the last. The realization filled her heart with anxiety…and even a bit…excitement.
As she laid back in her bed, underneath the warm sheets, Marianne couldn't help but wonder-had the goddess intervened? She'd gone to pray for forgiveness and release, yet she'd gotten something else in turn. Surprisingly, she'd caught a glimpse of some of the burden that Dimitri bore-great strength, perhaps strength too great. He didn't want to hurt anyone with that power.
A great but burdensome power…I wonder, Dimitri, could it be just a little like mine?
Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. I had a lot of delays including schoolwork and some family matters I had to take care of first. Plus, this chapter gave me a little bit of writer's block as well.
This chapter marked the first of what I guess you can call the "Mausoleum Arc" since most of the focus will be around the now open Holy Mausoleum. In-game, it's the main it's the main event of the Blue Sea Moon and described as a time when pilgrimages are made to Garreg Mach, leading to a lot of activity at the Monastery. Sadly, we never got to see that, so I'm taking a crack at portraying it in this story. Given the importance of the Mausoleum, I think it's safe to say it would draw the pious and a few intellectuals to the Monastery giving me the opportunity to do some world-building and character interaction and studying.
Who the mysterious observer at the end of this chapter was, I'm pretty sure you all could guess who. In addition to that someone, I managed to sneak "Tomas" into this chapter as well. While I didn't plan on it, I figured I might as well add him in given what's waiting in Remire Village, a little build up never hurts. Not to mention doing so did give me an opportunity to discuss how Crests have affected Dimitri and Marianne's lives. While the latter believes herself to be cursed because of it, I'm going to take a different route with Dimitri. His superhuman strength and his struggle to control it could make for some interesting drama, not to mention I always liked how it contrasted to such a gentle person like Marianne.
This chapter was relatively light on action you could say. I wanted Marianne to actually visit the Mausoleum, but I suppose I can save that for next chapter. When she goes to pray, I plan on her running into some interesting people who give her some more food for thought to digest.
Until then, I'll see you all next chapter! Take care until then, and leave your thoughts in the review!