Horsebow Moon ~
central Fodlan

They didn't have very far to walk, thankfully. The sun had just reached it's highest when the caravan and knights emerged from the woodland trail and onto a dirt road leading up to a massive fortress on a low mountain.

"Now that's impressive," said Robin.

"The monastery of Garreg Mach," Byleth explained, "the headquarters of both the Church of Serios and their knights, and home to the Officers Academy. Regardless of background, noble or commoner, Empire, Faerghus, Alliance, students come here from across Fodlan." The two of them went up ahead as the knights and merchants parted ways, with many of the merchants giving last-second bows in gratitude. "Regardless of importance, Garreg Mach is actually quite relaxing," Byleth remarked as they strode up a twisted side path to the fortress proper.

"How so?"

"It is, believe me. I've only lived here for a short while, but it didn't take long for this place to feel like home to me."

"How long is a short while?"

"I arrived at the tail-end of the Great Tree Moon, so almost a half-year." And of course they have their own calendar, great! Naga could've at least given him some heads up! They passed through an open portcullis and entered a practice field where both obvious knights and other men-at-arms were training. Trainees? One of the men-at-arms spied the two of them and waved.

"Had fun Byleth?"

"Two demonic beasts attacking a caravan."

"Yeah, sounds like fun."

"My sword got caught on one of them and I was yanked around like a fish." The man-at-arms laughed.

"Something worth tellin' the captain."

"Has father returned?"

"Nay, but he sent word. He'd be returnin' before the Alliance Feast." Byleth thanked the man who returned to his exercises.

"A fellow knight?" Robin asked. Byleth shook his head.

"Not at all. He's one of the Blade Breakers. My father, Jeralt Eisner, is the head of a Blade Breaker mercenary company. Although, before he formed the company, he was one of the Knights of Seiros. Some things happened, he left, and now he's a knight captain again. At least our comrades don't have to worry about new employers for a while."

"So... you're a teacher because your father was a former knight?" Byleth merely shrugged.

"It may look that way; but when I was hired, they just told me they were short a professor and I was more than worthy of the position."

"So it just fell into your lap?"

"More or less." That sounds like a familiar circumstance, not that he would complain. They continued up a set of steps and entered the inner castle beside a small greenhouse. Robin noticed a handful of people, young and old, fishing at a small inlet. To their immediate left was a long row of apartments. Between the man made pond and the apartments was a moderate building elevated on what Robin assumed to be concrete. Byleth gestured up another set of stairs.

"This way, we can save time cutting through the mess hall and head- oh, come on!"

Robin felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and felt cold steel touch his neck.

"That is far enough!" a stern voice announced out of Robin's view. Robin didn't move, not wanting to turn his head and risk getting his eye poked out. Byleth, meanwhile, now seemed annoyed.

"What's the problem now Seteth? And put your bow down Cyril, you're threatening a guest."

"Stand aside Professor! In case you are blind, we have an unknown person in our monastery."

"Of course we do, I invited him."

"Did you?" a tall man with dark green hair and a hawkish expression stepped into view, "so he's an old friend?"

"Not at all, I just met him today."

"You WHAT!?" What is this guy thinking? "You mean to tell me you willingly brought in a suspicious stranger, knowing full-well what has transpired over the past week?!"

"He's not suspicious Seteth."

"How is he not? Just look at him! White hair and dark occult robes. He is more than suspicious!" Byleth sighed.

"Seteth, you know full-well that we dealt with the ones who kidnapped Flayn."

"Not ALL of them, as you yourself should know full-well. That Reaper and his crony are still loose!"

"Yes. Those two are obviously not Robin here."

"Is it seriously just my clothes?" Robin had to ask, candidly gesturing to himself. "I've been wearing these for as long as I can remember."

"You also managed to easily infiltrate the monastery!" the stern hawk, Seteth, snapped.

"I already told you I invited him in-"

"Be quiet Byleth!"

"You trust me with Flayn's well-being but can't trust a young man who risks his life to protect a caravan?" Seteth blustered for a moment before responding.

"I'm not talking about you Professor!"

"Neither am I! Those monsters we were alerted to this morning; I arrived late with the relief party. If it were not for him," he pointed to Robin, "today's caravan might've suffered casualties!" This gave Seteth actual pause. He looked Robin over with a cold glare before making a gesture. Robin felt the steel leave his neck and breathed out in reli-

"You're still coming with me!"

Great.

Through that first building, into the main building and up at least three flights of stairs. Robin was led by the arm by Seteth with Byleth close behind. At a pair of grand doors, Seteth turned round.

"You stay out here."

"Wouldn't Lady Rhea want to hear as much as possible?"

"If this is a case of me being mistaken, then your words won't be necessary." Byleth gave an exasperated shrug, but obeyed. Seteth knocked twice and opened the door, dragging Robin after him.

It was large vaulted chamber, mostly empty save for a tall stained-glass window on the far end. Standing before the window was an elegantly upright woman in long-flowing black and white robes and whose light green hair was held up by a golden hairpiece. Robin would've thought: Emmeryn if the hair was blonde. She slowly turned to face them.

"I do hope it's something important enough to-" Her equally green eyes then widened and her face softened upon seeing them. "Oh? Greetings." She looked to Seteth. "Has this young man done something?"

"Lady Rhea, I found him just inside the greenhouse entrance."

"And?"

"He's suspicious." This guy has a one-path mind doesn't he. "He's a stranger who managed to enter the monastery." Lady Rhea tilted her head slightly.

"He obviously entered by the greenhouse entrance."

"Without any of the guards noticing?" This was getting nowhere fast.

"Maybe it's because they saw-" Robin started.

"I'm talking here!"

"Calm yourself Seteth," Rhea said serenely. "I just saw Flayn with Ingrid and Mercedes not two minutes ago." What?

"Lady Rhea?"

"Seteth, release the young man. I know you're still worried, with all that has happened, but his arm might fall off if you continue gripping him like that." Seteth, opened his mouth, closed it, then nodded before letting go of Robin's arm.

"Thank you," Robin said, giving his left arm a shake before then putting left behind his back, closed his right hand over his heart and bowed forward slightly while putting his right foot forward. "I thank you for the grateful welcome Lady Rhea." She gave him a wide-eyed look before nodding back.

"I bid you welcome to Garreg Mach. I am Lady Rhea, Archbishop of the Church of Seiros. Might I ask who you are?" Robin straightened up.

"I am Robin."

"Just Robin?"

"You can call me Robin of Ylisse if you prefer?"

"That won't be necessary. So then," she crossed her arms, but her smile stayed the same, "would you care to tell me why you came to Garreg Mach?"

Byleth was still standing by the doors to Lady Rhea's sanctum, lightly tapping his foot on the tiled floor. He genuinely believed this Robin to be a good choice of an instructor, and they were short one, with Manuela still bedridden. If Robin ended up in trouble, all because he was trying to be helpful-

The door creaked open and Robin stepped into the corridor.

"Thanks again," he was saying, "I won't disappoint you."

"May the Goddess look after you." The door closed and Robin breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry about that," Byleth said, "Seteth has always been the cautious sort, but his little sister being kidnapped might've made him more..."

"It's okay, he was just doing his job."

"Did Rhea give you much trouble?"

"No, not at all. And I'm used to people like Seteth."

"Are you?"

"Well... one other person in particular. In any case, he said it was okay for me to teach, temporarily, and Lady Rhea gave her blessing."

"Ah, that's a relief. Come with me then, Professor. My House has an extra class today to make up for missed time."

"Missed time?" Robin wondered as they started downstairs. "Do students 'miss time' that often?"

"Oh no, nothing like that. Last week we had to look for Seteth's sister, so we basically lost a day in exchange for a rescue mission."

"I see." They were now strolling down on an outdoor path.

"I think it would be a good idea for you to sit in. That way, you can have a rough idea on what to expect."

"Good idea," Robin agreed, casting his gaze around. "You were right. This place is very relaxing, almost serene even."

"I told you. I'll give you a tour after class."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"By the by; did they give you a room to stay?"

"Yeah, they said they're giving me a spare room in the dormitories."

"Professor!" The two of them turned around to see a pair of students walking up. One was a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes, and the other was even taller with dark skin, like a younger and more slender Basilio with hair.

"Dimitri," Byleth greeted, "Dedue. Are you two headed to class?"

"Indeed, we are," the blonde one answered. Byleth gestured to him.

"This is my House's leader, Dimitri, and his friend Dedue."

"I see," said Robin. He bowed his head. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Dimitri answered back, putting out a hand which Robin took. "Are you a new student?"

"Actually..." Byleth interjected with a finger raised, "Robin here is taking Professor Manuela's place until she recovers."

"Oh! I'm sorry," Dimitri hurriedly apologized, "I had assumed- I'm sorry Professor!"

"No need to apologize," said Robin, trying not to laugh, "it's a pleasure to meet you Dimitri. You as well Dedue."

"Likewise," Dedue replied in kind, putting a hand over his chest.

"Robin is going to be observing our class today," Byleth explained. Across the courtyard, Ashe and Annette poked their heads out from behind a pillar.

"Hey, you hear that? We have a new professor!"

"I heard, a little. You don't think he's going to replace Professor Byleth do you?"

"What are you two looking at?" Mercedes had come up behind them.

"Mercie, a new professor is here! He's talking with Byleth and Dimitri!"

"Oh, then let's say hi!" And before the two of them could stop her.

"HELLO! New Professor! Welcome to Garreg Mach!"

"Mercedes!" Robin was somewhat surprised by that as Byleth and Dimitri chuckled a little bit.

"Looks like my students are taking a liking to you," Byleth observed as Robin gave a small wave at the trio. Byleth clapped his hands together. "Come on, time for class to start."

As the Blue Lions, their Professor and Robin began filing into their classroom, a young woman with snow white hair looked on, frowning at the new arrival. She reached up and fiddled with long strands of her hair that hung down beside her face.

"Is something wrong Lady Edelgard?" Hubert asked.

"It's nothing, let's go." She resumed walking across the yard toward her initial destination. But before leaving the courtyard, she glanced to the door to the Blue Lion class room and saw that young man.

Snow white hair. Could he also be?

The young man saw her, blinked, then gave a friendly wave before hurrying into the classroom.

"You still find him suspicious I take it." Rhea looked to Seteth over her cup of Crescent-Moon tea.

"I don't know what to make of him," he admitted, throwing up his hands. "His story on coming from a land we know nothing about borders lunacy, but he seems genuinely sincere."

"He said he came from the west. You think he's from Dagda?"

"No, he definetly isn't from Dagda. His clothing and physical appearance make that plain."

"Then he's telling the truth?"

"Hmm... partly. He's definetly hiding something." Rhea sipped her tea in thought.

"If he is hiding something, I am willing to wager that it is a small matter. Keep an eye on him if you want, but he is not a concern. And if his efforts show promise at the Battle of the Eagle and Lion, then we may consider keeping him; perhaps as an adjunct professor, assuming he has knowledge of some worth."