As the Black Eagles push their enemies back during the training exercise, Artoria starts to get sudden visions of a battlefield that she doesn't know.

"Take this!" - Edelgard yelled as she disarmed another enemy with her axe.

Both of us alongisde our teacher were leading the charge of the Black Eagles towards the knights and I felt like I was doing a pretty good job at it.

I went to disarm another soldier but as I was about to land it... A lance came flying from behind me and did the exact thing I was going to do.

"Pardon me Artoria, but I need to show off my abilities" - said Ferdinand, the son of Duke Aegir. Nice guy, if a bit of a show off sometimes, like this one...

"Is that so? Fine, try to keep up" - I said before continuing my attack towards the knights as I came face to face with another one.

As I prepared to strike, something quickly passed through my eyes. In a second, no longer was I in the forest, but in a hill surrounded by dead bodies, with a knight twice my side swinging an axe directly at me.

I was frozen, didn't knew what to do. With a scream, I was back in the forest, Hubert used his Miasma against the knight to protect me.

"Lady Artoria, what happened there? You froze solid" -

"I..." - I had no words to explain it to him - "Don't worry, let's just finish this mock battle and return to the Monastery" -

Yet, as I said that, the battle was alredy over. Teacher and Edelgard combined their attacks to take down the leader and end the training that they set up for us, after which we started to make our way back to Garreg Mach.

While walking back, my mind returned to that specific moment I saw, myself in a hill about to be struck down by an axe.

"Arty, Hubert told me that you froze during the training battle, did something happened to you?" -

"Oh, Edel, ye-yeah, I think, I just... Got scared for a moment, yeah, that's what happened..." -

"You don't want to talk about it here don't you? Fine, we can wait until we're back, we need to rest anyways" -

She's not letting it go... Should I lie to her or tell her the truth?

I should probably tell her. She's my best friend after all, who would lie to their best friend? But, what will she think of it? Or would she even believe me? This whole thing is...

"Excuse me, you're Artoria right? Daughter of Lord Pendragon?" - someone said from behind me. I turned around and saw a girl with brown hair, dressed in the female clothing of the Academy and wearing a small but cute hat.

"Yeah, nice to meet you. Your name is?" -

"Dorothea. I'm not sure if you remember me, your family once went to watch me at the opera" -

"Sorry, I don't... Wait, when I was little my dad took me to see a singer that he said 'Was given a perfect voice by the Goddess', that was you?" -

"Ah, Lord Pendragon and his compliments, I never forgot even a single one" -

"What are you doing here at the Academy? Aren't you supposed to be a singer?" -

"Just because I enjoy singing doesn't mean I'm not interesed in learning more. Plus, there's another reason but that's a small secret of mine" -

"Seeing a commoner in the Black Eagles house is a strange sight, but I hope we can be good friends" -

"Well if you're anything like your father, we will surely be. Would you like joining me for a meal after we return?" -

"I'd love to, but..." - as I finished saying that, my stomach roared. Couldn't deny it, I was pretty hungry - "Yes, it would be an honor to join you" -

"Delightful!" -

Talking with Dorothea on the way back to the Academy was trully a new experience to me. Her stories about her time as a singer and experinces with both royalty and commoners showed me a side of the world I never saw before.

After arriving at the Academy, Edelgard approached me and said that if I wanted to talk about what had happened. I told her that first I would eat with Dorothea, and that she was more than welcome to join us. She accepted and I took her to the table.

"Have to say, I never expected to share a table with the heir to the Empire" - Dorothea said.

"Please, we're all equeals here. Think of me as simply Edelgard and not my title" -

"You're quite friendly with someone we've never met before Edel" -

"I need to adress who could be of use to the Empire once I become Emperor. Be it nobility or commoner, I will make sure everyone has a spot they deserve" -

"Wow, who would know the heir would have such a mindset? You're impressive Edelgard, or should I say Edie?" -

"Edie? Such a nickname so quickly..." -

"I like doing so, helps me remember people better, and it sounds cute" -

"If you want to give me one, no need, you can simply call me Arty" -

"I planned on doing so anyways, there aren't many nicknames I can come up from 'Artoria'" -

"I know, all too well" -

"Oh, Arty, why did you stayed still during the battle? I saw Hubert and Edie running at you" -

"I did? I didn't noticed, sorry" -

"Really? Because it looked like you were trembling and almost scared when you were fighting the knights with ease earlier" -

"Is that so? Didn't felt like that to me..." -

"Dorothea, it's clear she doesn't wish to talk about what happened, you'd do well in leaving her alone" - before she could continue talking, Edel came to my rescue. I'm so thankful for having her by my side - "Arty, shall we go to my room?" -

"Yes, that would be lovely. Thanks for the invitation Dorothea" -

"No problem, see you later" -