Seclusion was not a foreign concept to Lysithea von Ordelia. She thrived within it, in fact, as it granted her the tranquility of peace that allowed the best results from her studies.

More importantly, it also meant she did not have to suffer the presence of other human beings, who weren't her closest family members.

As a result, isolation was something she grew to love.

Her current contour of confinement provided what she loved, but the reason for her segregation was one out of her control.

Regardless, she did not dislike the remoteness. The repercussions of being in such a location, however? That was something she was not looking forward to.

Any hope she had for a quiet school life had long since dispersed. That hope wasn't exactly large to begin with, but her parents had begged her to be optimistic.

Her parents... What would her parents think of her if word got out?

They WOULD find out, of course. The Church of Seiros would inform them even if she ended up escaping this damp, dark place.

The thought horrified her. Would they assume the worst? What would the church even say to them? Would they at least think something wasn't right?

It would be the latter. It would have to be that. Once they heard the circumstances of her situation, they would definitely side with her.

...right?

Doubt was a horrible thing. All it took was a single thought containing it to easily consume any rationality.

Lysithea wasn't one to usually be targeted by such a thing, but her parents were the only meaningful thing left in her life.

They were the only ones who did not look at her with diabolical eyes. The eyes of her parents... they were full of nothing but unconditional love. Imagining them was like a light in the darkness and always gave her some hope no matter the situation.

Some people were better at hiding their dark thoughts than others, but she had learned to see the truth in a person's eyes. It was a horrible gift at first, but she figured knowing the truth was far better than living a life of lies.

"Excuse me..."

The voice was quiet, but thanks to the seclusion of sound, it snapped her out of her thoughts.

Lysithea was used to a world of light, not one surrounded by darkness. It had been an hour since she last saw the sun, but this meant her eyes had now somewhat adjusted to the darker location.

This additional sight allowed her to notice the man next to her - and the countless chains holding him in place. She could see the outline of his body, though whatever he was wearing under his neck was jet-black in color and difficult to see in detail.

But there was one part of his body that wasn't.

His hair.

A luminescence white.

It was beautiful; it rivaled the moon itself in its allure.

Lysithea once thought the same of her own, dangerously similar hair, in spite of the circumstances behind the hue.

There was only one man known throughout Fódlan to don a garment of black while possessing hair that was the exact opposite in radiance.

The White Wolf.

The most dangerous criminal known to the entire continent.

And Lysithea von Ordelia was locked away in the same cell as him.

"...may I ask for your name?"

Garreg Mach Monastery was known for its clear skies and abundant sunlight.

However, despite being secluded away within the central mountains of Fódlan, this place of tranquility was suffering from an unexpected plague. It was a sickness that shattered the student's expectations of their new homes.

It brought horror to nearly all of them, with many allegedly dramatically declaring that their world was coming to a tragic end.

At least, that was what a young girl recalled one student's description of the current situation. As dramatic as their wording was, she couldn't blame them for thinking that way. The level of misery amongst the students was likely equal to what it would be during a real calamity.

The girl looked up from her desk and watched as droplets of water swam down each individual window in her dormitory. As she adjusted some loose strands of silver hair that had crept into her view, the echoes of thunder shook the foundations of her room ever so slightly. Ordinarily, such an act would unnerve the white-haired maiden, and it certainly had done so on the first day. But now? On day three?

She felt nothing but utter frustration every time she heard the heavens roar.

For many, it was their first week living within the loving embrace of Garreg Mach. Students were required to integrate themselves into the monastery's community two weeks before classes formally started. This offered these new additions a chance to adapt without instantly being nudged into the classes that would shape their futures.

Most of these pupils consisted of nobles from across the continent of Fódlan, and some from even beyond the mainland. Even a few not originating from a pristine bloodline had enrolled, all thanks to scoring high grades in other notable schools, securing them a spot in the illustrious Officer's Academy.

Another key part of these two weeks was gifting students time to mingle amongst each other and form friendships. Countless were destined to inherit territory or become key leaders and friendships being made now between these important individuals would aid in solving potential future conflicts.

It was now day three, with eleven days until classes officially began.

The lone girl wasn't sure if anyone had made any friends yet.

She certainly hadn't.

After all, an unexpected disease was forcing almost every student - aside from the very bravest, to stay indoors. In fact, this infection had made itself known on the day all the students had arrived to move in.

This... calamity showed no signs of stopping any time soon.

So what was the sickness that had struck Garreg Mach Monastery?

A horrendous storm.

Lysithea von Ordelia did not mind the bad weather. At least, she didn't initially. All she could think about now was that this storm had overstayed its welcome. There were too many things she wanted to do that the heavens would simply not allow. For instance, there was no use visiting the library and borrowing a book if it was easily going to get soaked on the way back to her room.

There was a certain benefit to being forced to stay inside, however. It meant no repeats of her first day at Garreg Mach.

Ironically enough, the weather was the only redeeming thing about that day - perhaps aside from learning she would be in the Golden Deer, but that much was obvious.

Lysithea sighed, planting her face onto her desk and stretching out her arms. It was best not to recall that day too much, even if it was very fresh in her memory.

What if someone knocked on her door right now and she answered, unknowingly revealing a tear-stained face? They would think she was some sort of pathetic child.

Something like that was unlikely, of course, but she couldn't rule out any possibilities.

She let out a sigh, followed by a miserable sounding and drawn out "I'm bored," to no one in particular. Her words naturally fell on deaf ears, but she felt a little better venting out her frustrations.

All she could do was watch the rainfall.

Compared to moments before, the weather looked like it was quieting down a little. She was no fool though. Nature was a cold mistress and used this tactic to deceive those who would dare venture out, showering them in a downpour soon after they departed.

The girl's thoughts amused her and provided a bite-sized piece of entertainment, but it was short-lived.

Rainfall was a soothing sound. It was hard for Lysithea to not lose her consciousness to the comfort of its composure. The warmth of her shelter only added to that cozy feeling.

It made the silver-haired maiden recall times that had long since passed. She remembered when a terrible thunderstorm had struck Ordelian territory six years ago; her father had succeeded in calming his little terrified girl by giving her a teddy bear to hold and squeeze. Despite the crashing of thunder, a younger Lysithea slept calmly with her new friend by her side.

She did not bring that teddy bear with her to Garreg Mach Monastery. She didn't want to think about what would happen if someone saw it! What she wouldn't admit to anybody was that she deeply missed it.

Despite its absence, the sound of rain was enough for her to fantasize a little. Daydream that it was still with her. It made her feel at ease. It was the first time such a warm feeling had made itself known since her arrival at her new home.

But when one becomes accustomed to a sound, the appearance of a new one is very, very noticeable.

Commotion. It was not pleasant against her ears; to make matters worse, it was getting increasingly louder. Lysithea felt her pleasant feelings get washed away and replaced by incredible annoyance - a familiar feeling.

Something had stirred up the students outside her personal quarters and they showed no signs of quieting down.

Her grievance grew with the situation, but so did snippets of curiosity. Why were the students being so ludicrously loud all of a sudden?

Perhaps this was a chance: a chance to escape from the prison that was boredom.

Lysithea knew she had to be cautious though. She had no desire to engage in any sort of conversation with anyone; she was certain they shared the same thoughts about her as well. The Ordelian girl let out a sigh at her negative thoughts, instinctively playing with her hair as she contemplated what to do.

When the uproar started to get even heavier, the extra dose of curiosity gained from it was enough to solidify her decision.

A small peek at the outdoor world wouldn't hurt, would it?

Lysithea still had no desire to contribute to whatever was causing this mess. All she knew was that it legitimately sounded like a riot at this point. And so, she barely opened her door and peeked her head through the gap.

She was greeted with a dramatic increase in volume, which consisted of incomprehensive shouting, backed up by the weather's relentless assault.

"What is happening...?" she murmured to herself, attempting to comprehend the sheer anarchy that was outside.

Were the students actually starting a riot against the Church of Seiros, using the rain as a shield to launch a surprise assault?

Was there something in the rain causing some insane bloodlust?

Had the students just lost it after not being able to talk to another being for so long? After all, they too were stuck in their rooms; there were bound to be some literally dying for attention or interactions.

The thoughts amused her. At this point, she was reaching a level of curiosity where she really, really wanted the answers to her questions.

She speedily scanned her nearby surroundings, making several equally speedy observations. Lysithea put her masterful mind to work, several theories forming internally.

Some were in a similar situation to her, standing outside their rooms and watching the chaos unfold from the safety of the roof above them. It was hard to tell if they knew what was happening. A few looked on with curiosity, while others were laughing at the chaos. However, most were sprinting out into the rain.

The presence of the knights intrigued her and they were easy enough to spot. After all, their armor was covered in that distinct white. They were definitely... attempting to stop the running students, but their numbers weren't enough and many slipped through their sloppy formation.

What she found interesting was that they were all heading in a single direction. A few sizable groups of students were maneuvering their way past the fishing pond, the knights still failing to stop them.

Lysithea was certain now. They were all heading towards the place where goods were bought and sold: the marketplace.

But why?

Perhaps there was some ridiculous sale going on that justified heading out in this weather?

But what could possibly…?

The Ordelian girl hated to admit it, but she couldn't receive any more answers if she lingered in her room. She let out a sigh.

Crowds were not her thing, but the current commotion and the rain would be enough for her to blend in very well.

Lysithea retreated back into her room and gathered some additional layers of clothing, including a coat that would be able to shield herself from the rain. While she didn't want to be drenched in the slightest, she found it more important that these layers covered up as much of her snow-like hair as possible.

The only hint of her mane was her slightly exposed fringe. The rest was safeguarded by her protective clothing.

"No repeats of the first day. Not until I can at least... prepare myself." She spoke, once again to no one in particular. Her efforts paid off though, as she felt a little more confident.

The Ordelian girl adventured out, making sure to hastily integrate herself into a crowd heading towards the monastery's entrance. The knights were still attempting to stop them, but all it took was a few rowdy students to distract them from the main herd.

As she walked, Lysithea kept her head down low, focusing more on listening to what people in the crowd had to say. She didn't wish to be identified - not that many were paying attention to the people around them anyway. Most students had understandably put on some additional layers too, covering up what would usually be distinctive features, which made her secondary goal even easier.

She ended up hearing very interesting things.

"We need to see this for ourselves!" a girl yelled out with an excited tone. Vague, but added credibility to her theory of something valuable being for sale.

"Yeah, I can't believe it either." a man next to her shared his agreement. Still too vague.

"I can't believe the church actually captured him! This is big news!"

What?

That was not what she expected to hear. Someone had been captured? Before she had time to truly process what that meant, the man responded to his female companion.

"The White Wolf is going to be executed, isn't he?"

Hearing two certain words used in conjunction with each other was all that was needed to change everything.

Lysithea's eyes widened. Her movement, unbeknownst to her, began to dramatically slow down.

She had heard that title before. She had heard that title too many times before.

She knew what it meant. Especially to her.

One leg began to wobble, followed by the other. A single awkward step and she knew would end up tumbling forward.

She was caught in a crowd of people who took no notice of her. Not one was paying attention to their surroundings, meaning a collision was inevitable.

It came quickly.

A man behind her, oblivious to his surroundings, barged right into her.

Lysithea fell forwards, managing to catch herself with her hands. They twisted somewhat awkwardly, but the pain was bearable enough to ignore; there were bigger things to worry about now.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" An obnoxiously loud voice called out to her. The girl instinctively moved her body around, locking eyes with a larger man whose own screamed irritation and displeasure.

All this took place within a matter of seconds, not giving the Ordelian girl enough time to act fast and prevent the upcoming worse-case scenario from occurring.

The man's fierce face hastily morphed into one of confusion and curiosity.

Lysithea had seen that look on many before. It was on the first day. That horrendous, horrifying first day.

The man had noticed.

But how?

Within the corner of her eye, she saw the clutch of cold water that was dripping down the left side of her face. Then the right. Then the left again.

Gathering her bearings slightly, she moved a hand to the roof of her head, feeling the drenched texture of her exposed hair.

"...isn't that...?"

A few had taken notice of the confrontation, but most simply maneuvered their way around the blockage.

However, the same could not be said about the students who had just left their personal quarters. The deer stood out and many took notice.

Lysithea desperately, desperately wanted to escape, but found herself frozen against the ground's frozen embrace.

She knew what they were going to say next. She was no mind reader, but she knew.

"Don't bring attention to it... don't bring attention to it..."

"White hair?" The man questioned with a tone of disbelief.

"Hey... isn't that the creepy girl from a few days ago? The one who picked a fight with the church?" A female companion asked her friend, tugging on his shoulder and moving her body to hide behind him. "You don't think she's going to…?"

"No..." Lysithea let loose a scream inside her head. "Why did they have to recognise me? Why… why did they have to recognise me?!"

The growing terror manifesting itself within her body froze the girl's arms and legs. She could only watch and allow those familiar words to come. Once again, she was powerless.

Commotion.

She hated its brutal harmony.

But right now? Lysithea couldn't be more thankful for the sudden increase in volume.

There were cries of frustration and annoyance growing behind them. Something had happened to those who dared adventured towards the marketplace that was causing a stir.

"Attention!" somebody with an authoritative tone called out. Lysithea made no attempt to turn around to see who was speaking, but she did notice those in front of her had migrated their eyes elsewhere. "All students must return to their personal quarters immediately! The Knights of Seiros need no pointless distractions!"

Her only guess was that somebody with competence within the church was actually quieting down this riot.

Lysithea watched as the students walked away, all of them passing by her.

The only acknowledgement of her existence she received was the brief glares of students passing by her as they returned to their rooms. Their eyes told her all she needed to know.

Many made sure to keep their distance as they maneuvered their way around her fallen body. This left a consistent sizable gap between herself and the rest of the herd.

Lysithea had heard the rumors that discrimination against her kind was worse in the Kingdom and Empire territories.

That was a lesson she had learned on the first day. She was relearning it now.

Her curiosity over the initial commotion had gone. Her hope that she wouldn't have a day as disastrous as the first had all but vanished.

Her hands curled into fists and she resisted the temptation to punch the ground.

The White Wolf had involvement in this pathetic state of affairs, didn't he?

Of course he was involved. He was always going to be involved. He always had been and he always would be.

"It's always him…. It's always him! IT'S ALWAYS HIM!" She vented inside the confines of her mind. Her hands began to shake.

Lysithea lost track of how many walked by her, but she knew too many had glared at her with those menacing, vile eyes - perhaps memorising her form so they could torment her at a later date.

Every stare sent a chill down her spine.

She had only been at Garreg Mach for three days. Three days was all it took for the White Wolf to make a mockery of her not once, but twice.

That didn't count the multiple moments of dread she had to endure back home.

She hoped the rumors were true and that he had been captured.

If he was set to be executed, she'd even attend the execution herself if she could.

Perhaps some of her suffering would stop with his death.

The rainfall intensified to levels she had only witnessed from the safety of her room. Despite feeling the difference as it tickled her skin, she made no effort to move.

The heavens themselves roared with fury, lightning threatening to strike at any point. Despite hearing the deafening volume as it screeched into her ear, she still made no effort to move.

Why even bother?

There was nothing that would make her feel worse at this point.

Lysithea lost track of how long she had been sat on the ground. Her eyes dashed towards the clouds beyond the monastery; towards the direction of Ordelia.

Perhaps the waters would wash her away and she would wash up at the only place she could call home.

Who was she kidding?

She was never lucky.

"You are Lysithea von Ordelia, are you not?"

Whoever was calling out to her was the same person who had quelled the uproar. She cared little for who they were beyond that; she had no desire to respond to their question either.

"I see." The male voice said after some time had passed. She heard several faint footsteps as the church member began to move. Lifting her head slightly, she managed to glance at the person who was trying to communicate with her. The man stood in front of her, watching with eyes she struggled to read thanks to the turbulent atmosphere.

She had seen this man during the opening ceremony that welcomed the students. He had stood next to the archbishop, watching vigilantly as she spoke.

"...what do you want?" She forced out some words, emphasising her annoyance in their tone. This man was definitely at least a high ranking member of the church, but she cared not for respect at this moment.

"Your attitude speaks volumes towards the accusations that have been made against you."

The voice turned harsh and a little aggressive. It was a tone she was too familiar with. "Perhaps you sound bothered as you have been caught?"

Those words played over and over in her head. They were unbearably cryptic.

"...what are you talking about?" Lysithea managed to ask, her words coming out awkwardly as her body shook.

"As I am certain you are already aware, the students of Garreg Mach Monastery managed to receive classified information about a criminal secretly being escorted through monastery grounds." He answered, resuming a more neutral tone.

Lysithea's mind was an incomprehensible mess. She could not figure out why she was being told all this.

"We have yet to locate the person who leaked this information, but fortunately, we may find that out soon enough, won't we?"

The increasingly accusing tone was back; it only helped to create more questions that desperately needed answers. Lysithea found it suddenly hard to swallow. She moved a hand to her chest, trying to calm the sudden pain that had made itself known.

Was this really happening?

"...are you accusing me of causing this... mess?" She muttered, her question leaking her utter disbelief. She noticed her voice was sounding unbearably off. She couldn't even believe she could sound that way.

"If you are referring to you being the person who leaked the information to the students," The man started, keeping up his assertive voice. "Then you are precisely right, Lysithea."

Lysithea von Ordelia had been through plenty of ordeals throughout her life. She had endured so much.

But a person can only be pushed so far. Her protective wall, the very thing keeping her from breaking down and losing herself to despair, was close to shattering.

"This has to be a nightmare." She thought the only thing that could salvage this situation; the only thing that could keep her sane. "It has to be. It has to be!"

"Multiple students have labeled you specifically as the person who instigated this discord."

This was worse than a nightmare.

Lysithea grunted through her teeth and gathered any remnants of energy she had left, forcing herself to her feet. She glared at the green-haired man in front of her, whose posture and facial expression was hard to read.

"They're lying!" Lysithea yelled at him. She no longer cared for the state of her voice, nor that it was becoming increasingly more difficult to speak. "They're lying! They're... lying..."

By the end, her words had morphed into miserable sobs.

The man didn't even react.

Her legs cried for relief, begging to take a break from all they had suffered from. Despite the vigorous sound of the rain, she didn't need to place a hand on her chest to hear how unstable her heartbeat currently was.

She tried to look at the man, but found his features blend into each other.

"Why is it becoming difficult to see? Is it… the rain…?" Her mind asked the question she knew the answer to, but refused to acknowledge. She took a step forward, but her body ached in response.

"Calm yourself, child." Lysithea heard the man say.

"How could he say that, after all this...?"

The member of the church let out a sigh after noticing the girl's increasingly erratic breathing.

"If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear. Should no evidence of your involvement be found, you will be freed with no punishment." He explained, his voice a little gentler. "All I ask is that you come with me and answer a few questions. Do you understand?"

Lysithea wanted to yell at him.

She wanted to yell at him and tell him how stupid he was!

Even if she was proven innocent, word would get out. All it would take was one person in the wrong place at the wrong time to see her being questioned. What little reputation she possibly had left would be gone in an instant. Everyone would know who she was then.

What would they call her? The weird girl who was attacked by a member of the Church of Seiros on her first day? No, that would be too complex.

Maybe they'd just call her a witch? The witch responsible for the onslaught of rain they were all suffering from. Everybody would believe it! After all, the rain only started shortly after she arrived! It made perfect sense!

She wanted to cry.

But somehow she hadn't noticed she already was.

It was then that a powerful thought entered her mind.

Garreg Mach Monastery was never, ever going to accept her. But there was a place that would. A place that had come into her mind too often ever since she moved here.

She had come to the Officer's Academy with such optimism, hoping to learn as much as she could so that she could return home with that knowledge. Then, she could make the lives of her parents as comfortable as possible.

Ironically, she wasn't looking forward to the academy at first, but it was her parents who helped unravel those seeds of doubt, making her legitimately excited for her new journey.

It would be tough to return to Ordelia empty-handed now, but she just didn't know if she could survive living at Garreg Mach.

If three days was all it took to reduce her to such a pitiful state, where would she be in a week's time? What about in a month's time? Or a year?

She prepared herself to make a run for it.

But where would she run to? She wouldn't be able to escape. This was territory belonging to the Church of Seiros!

If she was caught, it would be an admission of guilt and they would likely lock her up.

Terrible scenarios played in her head. What if her parents got involved? What if they were drastically affected by her actions?

She wished for anything but that. Everything she was doing was for the future of those who raised her. Everything was her burden to withstand; nobody else's.

She would have to brave it. She would have to be strong, just like her parents had been when she was a mere infant.

With a faint but noticeable nod, she complied.

"I thank you for your understanding." Seteth acknowledged her response. Lysithea began to ponder what was going to happen next when her ears were met by the sound of a drawn-out sigh.

She didn't like the sound of that sigh.

"Guards, seize her."

"What…?" was all the girl could let out before she heard loud footsteps, subsequently followed up by hands gripping her shoulders. Two knights had answered the call.

"My apologies," Seteth followed up, his face positioned a little away from the young girl. If Lysithea wasn't too shaken up by what was going on, she would wonder why he was avoiding eye contact with her. "It is not my wish to imprison a student of the Officer's Academy, but I must do so until the archbishop is ready to talk to you."

Lysithea had assumed that the worst she would get was a firm interrogation.

But they were going to imprison her first.

The thought was equally terrifying and absurd. Any attempts at trying to calm her trembling body ended in failure. Her mind called herself foolish for even thinking she'd get let off that easily, even if she knew she was an innocent person.

The church would find a way to declare her guilty. That was the only way her day could get worse, after all. For that reason, it was bound to happen.

Perhaps this was retribution for ever thinking she would have a good time here.

"We also cannot risk the possibility of more classified information being leaked." He continued. If any part of her mind was still thinking with a clear conscience, Lysithea would acknowledge that their actions made some sense. "Besides, we have the case of your hair to worry about."

As soon as Seteth finished speaking, she finally felt the tears that had been drizzling down her cheeks.

How long had she been crying?

So even the Church of Seiros believed the superstitions.

That had to be the true reason they were suspicious of her.

Lysithea loathed how she had to endure hatred from the local townsfolk back in Ordelia.

They would always stare at her whenever she was present, but never dared say a word due to her status.

She was never oblivious to their watchful eyes, however.

Of course, she was no mind reader, but she could tell what they were thinking.

When she arrived at Garreg Mach, that level of torment increased tenfold. Not only would many glare at her with those vicious eyes, but many would confront her. No longer was she safeguarded by her status as a noble, for she was now surrounded by them.

Not to mention the Church of Seiros, who seemed to not fear a person's heritage.

So led to the infamous first day, where a bigoted member of the church brought attention to her presence and utterly humiliated her in front of an enormous crowd.

The lone maiden had isolated this man as a single case, not foolishly believing that the church thought the same.

But she had been proven wrong. Once again, she had been a fool.

She had truly come to a place of misery. A place where her life of torment would continue.

Any lingering optimism vanished.

The students hated her.

The church hated her.

There was only one thing she knew for certain now. Something that could never, ever be proven wrong.

Lysithea von Ordelia hated Garreg Mach Monastery.