Chapter 11: The end of the beginning.
Macuil did his very best to not lose his lunch as he stared at the revolting form of his prisoner.
The stench of her blood reeked even as he did his best to wash the taste from his mouth.
"What was I thinking? Putting one of the traitor's spawns in my mouth!" Macuil raged to nobody in particular, the ghostly legion of his worshippers ever silent at the raging of their personal demigod.
He downed the last of his tea before he turned to the limp form of the girl, quietly observing the small handful of wounds that leaked cursed blood before packing up the rough canteen that held his tea.
"I certainly hope I didn't drink anything nasty by accident." He muttered as he closed his eyes. "First Agarthans. Now I get tangled up with the spawn of the Elites."
"Has anyone seen Ashe or Ingrid or can I eat their dinner?" Sylvain laughed as he entered the command tent, frowning as he found it empty.
"Hey Felix! There's nobody here." Sylvain called out to the swordsman.
"Stop lying." Felix snarled as he entered the tent. "Huh. You weren't lying."
"No guard either." Sylvain added. "I wonder why."
"What a waste of time. No bandits, no wild game, no dinner." Felix grumbled. "Did Ingrid eat everything again?"
Sylvain laughed as he turned about the camp. "If there's no Ingrid, then I'm free to do as I please."
Felix groaned. "No. That's not happening. Last time I got rocks dropped into my boots. Idiots can't even tell our boots apart."
Sylvain laughed again. "Watching you uncomfortable is funny."
"That's it. I'm not going on any more missions with you." Felix grumbled. "Enjoy pulling weeds out of a garden or something."
"General!" A voice shouted as the two men turned around.
"Hey there." Sylvain said with a cheesy grin, the woman recoiling slightly as she seemed to realize who she was talking to."
"Speak." Felix snarled, punching Sylvain on the shoulder.
"There's been a dragon sighting." The woman said.
A psychotic grin spread across Felix's face. "A dragon you say."
Sylvain seemed surprised. "A dragon. This far up north?"
"Might have had a connection with The Immaculate One." Felix observed.
"Oh. Right." Sylvain muttered. "I forgot about that."
"Where are the others?" Felix asked the woman.
"We have not seen General Ubert for some hours. He came to camp to rally his personal guard. General Galatea has not been seen since the morning."
"Ferdinand and Caspar?"
"They are in the city."
"You said that Ashe rallied his personal guard." Sylvain said.
"Yes, he presumably went with General Galatea to hunt the dragon."
"Those idiots." Sylvain snarled. "It took a group effort to bring down The Immaculate One. They shouldn't have gone on their own."
"The rest of us aren't that much use fighting a dragon." Felix pointed out. "None of us are skilled with arrows. And only Ingrid has a flying mount."
Sylvain swore. "Bring us to Ferdinand. Now."
"Yes!" The woman exclaimed, hurriedly turning toward the shattered capital city.
"I avenged Jeralt Eisner!" Leonie shouted as Mortis and Yurius entered the tavern.
"We were there." Lorenz said quickly. "There's no need to shout it to the world."
"But I watched that bitch bleed! I ran my spear right through her!"
"That's rather rude. You should have left her for the professor."
"Hubert dancing was funny." Leonie continued. "Did you see the look on her face when I hit her again?"
"No. I did not." Lorenz replied as he finished a piece of wild duck. "This duck is excellent though. Send my compliments to the chef."
The bartender nodded before turning to take another order.
"Yurius! Mortis!" Lorenz called. "Please, join us."
Slowly, the two Shambhalans joined their new friends at the bar.
"Did your walk go well?" Lorenz asked.
"Enough." Mortis replied, her eyes settling on the drunken Leonie. "How much has she had to drink?"
"Three ales, two shots of vodka, and a glass of white wine." Lorenz replied. "And to think she owns Jeralt Eisner's bar tab."
Mortis sighed. "And I'm supposed to bunk with her?"
"We have one more spare room." The bartender offered. "Well, we had one spare room."
"What happened to it?" Mortis asked.
"We didn't want four people in one bed, so we let your friends Maya and Evi take it."
"Oh." Mortis growled, clearly displeased with the choice.
"In our defense, they requested it. Maya said she wanted to get to know Evi better."
Mortis nodded as she turned her gaze to Leonie. "Does she talk in her sleep?"
"Only when she's been drinking." Lorenz replied cheerfully.
"And tonight she's been drinking." Mortis replied with a look of disgust on her face.
"When she's drunk, she doesn't kick or punch." Lorenz offered.
"If you don't mind, there's a sofa in the central hall." The bartender offered. "It's usually used for people waiting on their guests, but you can crash there."
Mortis nodded. "How much?"
"So long as you paid your full bill, I don't think we'll have a problem with it."
"What do you mean by full bill?" Yurius asked, his tone suspicious.
"Well, your outstanding bar bill needs to be paid."
"That's only six drinks." Mortis replied with a shrug. "A small price to pay for a good night of sleep."
"Ah. But we also meant Jeralt's bill." The bartender replied with a serpent's grin.
"How much gold will that be?"
"Seventeen ales, eighty five shots of hard liquor, a barrel of wine, three chairs, and a steak dinner."
Mortis blinked.
Lorenz coughed.
Yurius fell out of his chair.
"One more drink for me!" Leonie shouted.
"I must organize my finances." Lorenz whispered, his face a ghastly pale. "I only thought the legendary bar bill was a rumour."
"Help me carry Ignatz up." Yurius said as Lorenz staggered past him.
"Of course." Lorenz said quietly. "We need all the gold we can get."
Yurius exchanged a glance with Mortis, who replied with a slight shake of the head.
The three men turned slowly as a pitcher of ale slammed into the bar behind them, a loud cheer from Leonie chasing them up the flight of stairs.
"Are you ready?" Spite asked the cook as she entered the mess hall.
"Yes." The woman replied, a pair of combat boots having replaced the simple slippers from before.
"We will be conducting a full roll call in the machine hall." Spite said as he rose from his position on the bench. "If any of your comrades did not choose to desert, then that's one final chance for them to face a less severe punishment."
The woman nodded as she followed Spite out of the mess hall. "Do you have any idea who murdered the private?"
"No. I don't, but there are greater issues at hand than a simple murder. We are at war after all."
"What did the autopsy reveal?." The woman asked. "If you don't mind me asking."
"Three distinct set of wounds. At least three attackers, but with potentially more who did not participate in the slaying."
The woman nodded as she descended the stairs. "Why the machine hall? Why not conduct the roll call in the mess hall?"
"It's the only place where I can oversee all of Shambhala for a head count." Spite replied. "I never really saw a purpose for it, but if we were to rally to war, I would gather our forces there."
"Will we use the Titanius golems in the hunt?"
"No. The Titanus golems that remain are to be kept as a weapon of last resort. Besides, they are too clumsy to maneuver over rough terrain."
"I see." The woman replied. "How many people are you bringing into the hunt?"
"At least two squads. I must check to see who is missing from our role call before we begin."
The woman nodded as they reached the ground floor of the machine hall, the night sky looming in the distance. "Shall I enter the roll call?"
"No. Feel free to stay by my side for the time being." Spite replied as he turned to the large crowd of assembled soldiers.
Edelgard found her eyes wandering as she strolled down the market streets, the sound of laughter and cheer bringing a smile to her face.
She glanced at the stony, ever observant face of Byleth, his eyes slowly trailing something in the distance.
"Professor?" Edelgard asked as she joined her gaze to his, her head leaning on his arm as she followed his gaze to a distant family, laughing and enjoying the warm summer night.
"Sorry, lost in thought." Byleth replied.
"It's alright. Are you hungry?" Edelgard asked.
"I suppose it's a good a time as any to find someplace to eat." Byleth replied, his eyes no longer looking at the happy family in the distance. "What are you craving?"
Edelgard shrugged. "Perhaps some tea?"
Byleth chuckled as he turned his gaze to a nearby tea house, a half dozen men and women waiting before it.
"Shall we?" Byleth asked. "Or would you rather choose to explore some more?"
Edelgard glanced longingly at the market beyond.
"Let's shop then." Byleth said warmly. "We'll be on the road starting tomorrow anyhow."
Edelgard nodded as she took his hand in hers, her eyes closing as she felt content simply letting her beloved professor lead her through the market.
"Where are we going?" Edelgard asked as she felt Byleth gently pull her to the side.
"Open your eyes and see." Byleth replied in a warm, loving tone.
A fountain of white stone stood before them, the moon rising in the distance, bright against the ever darker night.
"It looks like the moon is rising over the fountain doesn't it?" Byleth asked as he turned back to Edelgard.
"It does." Edelgard replied.
"Shall we return to tea now?" Byleth asked as he brought his arms around Edelgard's midsection, his words a seductive purr against her ears.
Edelgard laughed and tried to worm her way out of the hug, a tiny gasp escaping as Byleth nibbled her ear.
"That tickles!" Edelgard halfheartedly protested.
"Do you want me to stop?" Byleth whispered into her ear.
"Of course not!" Edelgard replied. "Perhaps one day, we can have a full day to ourselves to do as we please."
"When did you become Linhardt?" Byleth asked into her ear, Edelgard grinning widely as she shuffled awkwardly back in the direction of the tea house.
Edelgard refused to reply as Byleth slowed his shuffling to a halt, his arms holding Edelgard in place.
"El, there's nothing wrong with channelling Linhardt. There's also nothing wrong with ruining Hubert's day."
Edelgard laughed at the second comment. "Your majesty! You must keep reading these completely useless documents on your fan mail."
"That's actually an excellent Hubert impression." Byleth said. "But your majesty, you must not eat so much cake. Jeritza stole the other cake the kitchen made this morning."
Edelgard groaned. "Oh no."
"Hmm?" Byleth replied, his eyes following a pale cat.
"When we go to Garreg Mach, we'll have far too many people who like cake in the same town."
"There's you, my charming artist." Byleth teased.
"Lysithea and Bernadetta." Edelgard added.
"Jeritza, Mercedes and Annette." Byleth said a moment later.
"Raphael. Even worse if we somehow find Ingrid there." Edelgard complained.
"Then I have a suggestion." Byleth said seriously as they reached the end of the line at the teahouse.
"What is it?" Edelgard asked as Byleth put his head down on her shoulder, his voice dangerously close to her ear.
"We hide the sugar and eggs." Byleth said with a malicious tone to his voice. "They cannot make cake without those things."
"Surely not. We must hide the milk as well." Edelgard declared.
The man before them turned around, frowned, blinked, and whispered something to the woman next to him.
The woman turned around, her jaw falling down as she stared at Edelgard inside Byleth's arms.
"Lovely evening we are having." Edelgard blurted out quickly, desperate to avoid being outed so early in the night.
The woman nodded as she turned around to her husband, the two sharing a knowing glance as they gestured for Edelgard and Byleth to go forward.
Edelgard shook her head in response. "No, we're content with being alone for a little while longer."
The couple before them shared another glance before a pair of children ran between their legs, their laughter lighting up the air as they played in the warm summer air.
The sun had long since set below the horizon when Gilbert at last reached the relative safety of Dominic territory, his horse breathing heavily as he looked about the land.
To a certain extent, he felt immense pride at the row upon row of corn that blanketed the roadsides, but the corn also provided a hiding place for bandits, rogues, and imperial army patrols sent to take him down.
Gilbert rode on, his horse pausing again as he reached a long, deserted crossroad.
He glanced at the town he was once lord of, dim flickers of flame making the town visible even with the lack of sunlight.
Turning around, Gilbert turned and found the castle he had dreaded to see for so long.
The fortress of Dominic loomed in the background, made of a strong, pale stone.
For a moment, Gilbert felt a slow longing. A painful homesickness that made even breathing difficult as tears formed.
Gilbert hastily wiped his face before he turned to the fortress.
"Lord Dominic?" A voice from behind him called, freezing him in place mid turn.
"Why are you so heavily armoured?" The voice asked with concern. "And where did you find such heavy armour?"
Gilbert cleared his throat as he prepared to do his best vocal impression of his brother before a second voice froze the blood in his veins.
"Thomas! What the hell is going on?" His brother roared. "We were heading into town to turn the rabbit in!"
The man behind him seemed stunned. "Lord Dominic?"
"Thomas!" Gilbert's brother roared again. "The sisters in the town needed that rabbit an hour ago!"
Gilbert turned to the knight, staring down the younger man.
"Lord- Gustave?"
"Thomas what in-"
"Hello Gregory." Gilbert said quietly.
"Gustave. What are you doing here?" Gregory Dominic asked, his face hard as he glanced around.
"The capital has fallen."
"Yes. Thank you for telling me last month's news." Gregory Dominic scoffed. "Why are you here?"
"I have come here to ask for your aid."
Gregory Dominic nodded grimly. "So be it. What is it that you desire?"
"I am obliged by my oath to rally the last of the Kingdom's forces."
"Lovely." The ruling Baron Dominic sneered. "The only Kingdom soldiers in this town are wounded veterans. They tell me that you stood by when Fhirdiad burned to the ground."
Gilbert Dominic tightened his jaw as he looked at his brother. "Is that your answer?"
"Before my hunt, I spent the day consoling men and women who will never be the same again. Tell me brother." Gregory Dominic hissed, the last word hard and close to a snarl. "Did you even attempt to save the civilians whose lives depended on you? Or did you stand by and watch as they burned with the capital?"
The silence that hung in the air was thick as the other man looked on at the sight of the two brothers.
"Get out of my sight." Gregory Dominic hissed, his face stony with rage. "From this day forward, I have no brother."
Gilbert Dominic paused for a moment before he spoke. "I will go into town."
"No." Gregory Dominic replied. "A death at the hands of the imperial garrison here is much better than what you deserve. Depart at once, or I will take your head from your shoulders myself."
Gilbert Dominic glanced at the cold, murderous face of his brother before he turned around.
Gregory Dominic watched silently as the disgraced knight disappear into the dark.
"Let's go Thomas. There are hungry soldiers who need food. They will need care before they can return to their regular lives."
"Yes sir." Thomas replied as he glanced at the distant road that Gilbert Dominic had disappeared down. "What about him?"
"I don't care about him. He once swore an oath to protect House Blaiddyd. But he shattered that oath into a thousand pieces when he chose to let Fhirdiad burn without lifting a finger."
Thomas turned to the older lord before glancing at the dark road again, though all he saw were distant rows of corn. "I-"
"Let's not talk anymore about it. We've wasted our breath enough." Gregory Dominic snarled. "There are more important matters that await us in town."
Thomas nodded as the two men rode into town, rabbits in hand.
Byleth and Edelgard sat in the warm summer night as a waiter hurried to their table.
"What will it be?" The man asked as he smiled at his two quiet guests.
"Cake sampler for both of us." Byleth replied as he flipped about the menu. "Hresvelg Blend for tea. Iced."
The man beamed. "Of course. An excellent choice. Grown locally."
Edelgard nodded as she turned back to the street. "That will be all. Thank you."
The waiter nodded as he turned back around, pausing for a moment. "Would that be the summer platter or the winter platter?"
"The winter platter is too sweet for this time of the year." Edelgard replied. "The summer platter will suffice."
"I have no idea what's the difference, so I'll go with the summer platter with her."
"Of course." The waiter said as he turned away. "Two summer platters. Coming up."
"You do like your cake." Byleth said warmly as the waiter left them alone again.
"That's true." Edelgard replied. "I used to come here as a little girl with my mother."
"Was it always like this?" Byleth asked.
Edelgard nodded. "Even when I came here during the war, this market was still running, strong as ever."
"What's the difference between the summer and winter platters?" Byleth asked as he faced Edelgard.
"The winter platter has a heavy jam component. Berries and fruits don't last long in winter unless preserved. Once preserved, it can be used any time of the year."
"I see." Byleth replied as the waiter returned, a large pitcher in his hands.
"Hresvelg Blend. Iced." The man said. "Will that be all?"
"We'll keep the menu here." Edelgard replied as Byleth poured her a tall glass of the pale tea. "Until then, no."
The waited nodded as he hurried away, his pace brisk.
Byleth chuckled at something a moment later.
"What's so funny?" Edelgard asked as she looked suspiciously at her professor.
"Hubert can't get you to read documents until we get to Garreg Mach."
A bright smile lit up her face. "I'm sure we can find ways to ah- keep occupied."
"Three days on the road does sound painful." Byleth said quietly. "But it is what it is."
"Have we met before?" Shamir asked Hawthorne when Hubert finally left for the palace, the other guests on his heels.
Hawthorne paused as he glanced at the woman before him. "Indeed. We met a few nights ago. In the basement of a bar."
Shamir snorted. "I meant before the war."
"How did you come to Fodlan?" Hawthorne asked as he leaned back into his chair, his face grim as he let out a slow sigh.
"Boat." Shamir replied characteristically.
"From the capital of Brigid. Yes."
Shamir blinked. "You knew then."
"I was rather surprised when I realized you had stowed away on a smuggling ship out of all things."
"You captained that ship?" Shamir asked, surprised.
"No, but I remember a scrawny little girl almost slipping away when the boat reached the dock."
"Were you expecting me?" Shamir asked, frowning at the memory.
"No. I figured the voyage would have been secret enough to not warrant more crew than the absolute minimum. Clearly, I had been wrong."
"What was it that you were transporting?"
"Dried tea." Hawthorne replied.
"You fidget your hands when you lie."
"You remember me from the village of Ochs then." Hawthorne replied. "I was the man who handed you the bow in exchange for the crate you had stolen."
"Were you serious about wanting to hire me?" Shamir asked. "You said it with a straight face at the time."
"You would have been a liability and a potential threat to my organization. So no. I would not have hired you." Hawthorne replied. "Still, I'm glad to see that you are alive and well."
Shamir nodded. "I wouldn't have damaged your organization."
Hawthorne frowned. "I couldn't have known that at the time. I didn't get where I am today by being overly trusting. Still, a bow in exchange for stolen Brigid treasures is a worthy trade in my book."
Shamir paused. "The bow you provided me helped me reach Kingdom territory."
Hawthorne nodded. "I'm glad to know that it served you well."
"I wound up sick. Probably ate something I shouldn't have." Shamir sighed as she brushed a strand of hair from her face.
"There's a considerable amount of plants and animals which are dangerous to your health."
"I know. The Knights of Seiros found me."
"And the rest is history." Hawthorne replied. "Would you like to return to Dagda?"
Shamir frowned. "No. I can't say I do."
"Is there more you have to do in Fodlan?" Hawthorne replied.
"No. I have a contract with the Empire. After that, no."
Hawthorne nodded before he turned to face the night sky. "I see."
"What didn't you tell Byleth?"
"There's a great deal I didn't tell him. I didn't tell him about my whole life."
"But you hid information from him."
"Correct, but it's not my place to tell him when they can tell him themselves."
Shamir nodded. "I understand that."
"When and if they tell him will depend on them. I will not interfere."
Shamir sighed as she too turned to the darkening sky. "When the time comes, there will be a reckoning."
"As it should be. The three of them had one chance to come clean. Not one of them took the full chance. Perhaps there will be a chance in the future, but I doubt it."
Shamir nodded. "Are you going to tell me?"
Hawthorne nodded. "Of course, but I must first see to it that Monica is well prepared."
Shamir nodded as the older man rose to his feet.
"Feel free to indulge in the wine here. It's not like I'll be able to drink all of it." Hawthorne offered as he left the room.
"I must apologize." The waiter offered as he returned to their table with only a single platter of cake. "It would appear that we have run out of cake for the night."
"We can split this sampler then." Byleth replied. "Still, is there anything you have?"
"We have plentiful pastries. Croissants, chocolatines."
"Get us three croissants and a pair of chocolatines." Edelgard said.
"Of course." The waiter said as he turned away, hurrying into the crowd.
"Cake." A voice chirped.
Edelgard and Byleth turned, their eyes settling on a small girl who stood before their table.
"Erm." Edelgard started, a neat cut of cake already hovering in front of her mouth.
"Cake." The child repeated again, pointing at the cake that Edelgard had on her fork.
"Yes. This is cake." Edelgard confirmed for the child.
Byleth chuckled as he similarly cut a piece of the same small cake, his fork gently poking Edelgard's lips as she was distracted with the child.
Edelgard turned quickly, devouring the cake a moment before turning back to the child.
"Do we know her?" Byleth asked as he spared the child a glance. "I don't."
"It's one of the children in line ahead of us." Edelgard replied.
"Cake." The girl said again.
"She wants cake?" Byleth asked Edelgard, his eyebrows rising.
Edelgard replied by lifting the plate off the table, levelling the platter within reach of the child.
The girl made a sound of joy as she snatched a piece of cake from the plate, disappearing into the crowd a moment later.
Byleth and Edelgard watched quietly as the girl disappeared, a slice of cake in her hands.
"What was that cake anyways?" Byleth asked.
"Hmm?"
"The cake that the girl ran off with."
Edelgard shook her head and smiled. "If nothing else, she has very good taste."
"What was it?"
"A cake I can't pronounce, but it was my mother's favourite."
"Is that so?" Byleth asked. "Do you like it?"
"I like all cake." Edelgard replied. "That particular cake just brings back memories for me."
"What do you mean?" Byleth asked. "Also, do you wish for me to get the cake back?"
Edelgard laughed at the suggestion. "The sight of you chasing down a little girl for a piece of cake would be such a silly sight."
"And Hubert winning the White Heron Cup wasn't?"
"When I think about Hubert and funny, I rather think about Deideru."
"Innnnnngriiiid!" Byleth laughed in his best impersonation of the unfortunate man.
"I couldn't hear him, if I must be honest. The wind was blowing too hard."
"Cake." The girl said again.
Byleth and Edelgard turned again as the girl returned to their table.
"Cake." The girl said, her cream covered finger pointed at Edelgard.
Her parents, the couple who stood before them in line, stood slack jawed as their daughter pointed at the emperor of the Adrestian Empire.
"Your daughter likes cake." Edelgard offered quietly as Byleth fed her another fork.
"I'm so sorry that had to happen." The woman stammered, keenly aware she was speaking to the emperor herself. "She was upset that we wouldn't get her cake until after we finished our meal."
Edelgard shrugged. "It was only a single piece. There wasn't anything to it."
"We are sorry either way." The woman said as her husband carried the child away, scampering into the crowd.
Edelgard shrugged as the woman seemed to fret. "There's nothing to be sorry for. It was a piece of cake, nothing more."
"Think nothing of it." Byleth said as he balanced an entire piece of cake on a fork, expertly nudging the sweet in Edelgard's direction.
The stunned woman bowed hastily before she ran away, as if she feared Edelgard changing her mind.
"Am I truly so intimidating?" Edelgard asked as the woman disappeared into the crowd.
"I don't." Byleth said. "But that's only because I've gotten to know you. The world doesn't know the loving artist who dreams of lazy days of sweets."
Edelgard flushed. "Don't mention that to a soul!"
"Sure. I'll tell it to the world. That's not a soul."
Edelgard darkened another shade, no longer willing to meet Byleth's eyes. "Please don't. That's so childish of me to dream of such things."
"But one day that will be reality. So we need to find good cake for that day."
"My mother loved sweets." Edelgard said softly. "I must have inherited her sweet tooth."
Byleth nodded quietly as the waiter returned with their tea, along with promises that the rest of their food would not be long.
"May I pour tea for you?" Byleth asked as he gestured to the large jug that sat between them.
"Please do." Edelgard replied as she sank back into her chair, her eyes fluttering shut.
"Are you tired?" Byleth asked.
Edelgard opened her eyes again, though a single tear slipped from a corner of her eye.
Byleth nearly leapt out of his seat, though his upper body froze in place.
Edelgard noticed Byleth's sudden change and seemed to realize the tear that had slipped out.
"Oh." Edelgard said softly, frantically blinking, as if to desperately avoid more tears. "I-"
"El. Let it out."
Edelgard seemed to flinch at the words, her posture freezing as she fought to get her emotions under control. "I'm fine."
"You aren't." Byleth replied. "Whatever you need to say, let it out."
Edelgard glanced at Byleth before looking at her hands again.
"I thought of it all. My mother, my father, my oath. Everything."
Byleth remained silent for a moment before pausing, the meddling waiter hurrying over with a stream of apologies.
"It's fine." Byleth said with a flick of his wrist. "We'll be back, just make sure the pastries are ready then."
"Of course." The waiter stuttered before slipping back into the crowd.
"El. I have an oath to swear alongside you. Is there any place in Enbarr you know for such a thing?"
Edelgard downed her glass of tea as her eyes wandered beyond Byleth.
"Yes. There's a place I need to go as well."
Byleth nodded as he rose from his seat, a coin of a very large denomination left on the small table.
"We are done here. No change is needed." Byleth said to a stunned waitress, gawking at the large coin.
The mist had thickened greatly when Gilbert finally decided to dismount for the night, grimacing as he realized that the last of his rations were depleted.
He dismounted slowly, a lifetime of scars gnawing at his willpower as he forced himself against a tree, his eyes closing slowly.
A human scream forced his eyes open again, Gilbert grasping at his lance as he scrambled to his feet, his injuries biting into his flesh as he staggered, using the tree to balance his movement.
Gilbert leaned heavily on his lance for a moment, wiping a layer of sweat from his brow. His action was rewarded, and pain tore into him as he felt his blood leak into his underclothes.
Gilbert staggered to one knee as his breathing became laboured, the face of his daughter filling his mind as he tried to desperately remember her face.
Even as his body failed, a single memory rose to the surface of his faltering mind, and Gilbert felt a sense of pride at seeing her, if only for a moment, dragging an injured family from the burning ruins of Fhirdiad.
"Annette." Gilbert whispered as he collapsed, his awkward landing causing him to turn slowly to one shoulder in an effort to block out the pain.
It wasn't enough. Pain still chewed into Gilbert as he forced his eyes closed.
In the dark of his own mind, Gilbert tried again to picture his family, his thoughts fading as Annette's face flickered and failed within his own memories.
With his body failing, Gilbert could no longer force his eyes closed, and his tired eyes stared up at the pale moon.
But it wasn't a moon.
A pale, slender face looked back down at him, an angel having come to claim him.
But somewhere in his dying mind Gilbert recognized the face, though the name escaped him.
They walked slowly through Enbarr's streets, the warm summer breeze gently pushing the wispy clouds along.
"We should be there soon." Edelgard said as they passed a street performance, a half dozen men and women joining a public dance circle.
Byleth nodded as he followed her down a side road, frowning as he realized their direction.
"The graveyard again?"
A sigh escaped Edelgard before she nodded. "Yes. I haven't visited my mother's grave since the war broke out."
"Oh." Byleth replied as he followed close behind her, the air quiet as they passed the stone walls around the graveyard.
They walked in silence as darkness surrounded them, Edelgard leading by memory and instinct.
"We are here." Edelgard said softly as they reached a small stone, unmarked except for the eagle that was carved into the smooth stone.
Byleth paused behind Edelgard as she slowly fell to her knees, her legs folded under her as she sat before the grave.
"Hello mother." Edelgard said softly as Byleth stood vigil. "Hello father. The war is over."
Byleth glanced over her shoulder, a question on his tongue.
"I had cake again today. The same one we had before we had to flee Enbarr."
Edelgard paused for a moment, as if she was looking for the right words.
"The professor. I- well, my feelings weren't unrequited."
Byleth clasped his hands awkwardly behind his back before he lowered himself to the tiny grave.
Up close, the gravestone looked like it could have been carried off by hand.
"Mother. Father, I'd like you to meet my partner. The professor. Byleth."
"Hello." Byleth started awkwardly, glancing down at the tiny grave before him. "I'm Byleth."
The air remained quiet around them for a moment as they both knelt before the grave, waiting.
"Father. I'm not done with my oath yet. When I am, well-"
"Our oath." Byleth cut in. "Your burdens are mine. We walk the same path now."
Edelgard nodded as she inched closer to him. "Yes. That's right."
"Emperor Ionius, Lady Patrica. Our oath to rid Fodlan of the evil that sleeps below isn't complete yet. But we will. No more will Fodlan have to suffer under their cruel hands."
"Mother, father. I'm going on a journey." Edelgard whispered. "I don't know how long I'll be gone, but when I'm back, my- our oath will be fulfilled."
Byleth sat quietly against a tree that had been planted off to the side of the grave, Edelgard leaning into his chest.
"When I-" Edelgard started, her voice failing after two words. "When I met with you today, I realized there was still so much that you didn't know."
Byleth wrapped his arms around Edelgard in turn, and the two enjoyed the warm summer breeze.
"I'm sorry." Edelgard said, pressing her face against the nape of Byleth's neck. "Even when I swore to walk the same path as you, it seems that I had kept you in the dark."
Byleth brought his head down to bear, gently trapping Edelgard in place.
"El. Was there anything about the Shambhalans that I need to know?"
A sigh escaped Edelgard as she closed her eyes, a single tear escaping down her face. "Yes."
Byleth tensed at the tiny betrayal, and Edelgard flinched.
"I spoke with Adrasteia once." Edelgard whispered.
"You did?" Byleth asked, suddenly tense.
"I didn't see his face, he was wearing a mask, but he had told me Hubert had attempted to break me out of the dungeons."
"Would that have been part of Hubert's talk about working with them?"
"He also said that if it wasn't for my mother, he wouldn't have had to waste his time."
"What did he mean by that?"
"I don't know. Even now I haven't spoken even to Hubert about it."
"Do you think that Hubert may have seen his face?"
"I don't know. I never saw Adrasteia's face, and I only spoke with him once."
Byleth nodded as Edelgard yawned.
"I-, it's been a long day."
"For both of us." Byleth replied as he pressed his head back to the tree.
Edelgard blinked again as she paused.
"Professor, if I fall asleep, could you wake me?"
"I will." Byleth promised, sighing as Edelgard sunk back into him, her breathing becoming slow and peaceful as sleep claimed her.
For a few precious minutes, Byleth savoured the warm Enbarr night, marvelling at the quiet forest around him.
"I lied." Byleth said as he gently pulled Edelgard's legs to one side, his other arm supporting her back as he raised her up, her head still resting on his chest.
He left the graveyard slowly, the city around him still alive, with thousands of candles and lights refusing to yield to the night above.
Edelgard shifted in his arms as they passed a particular intersection, her voice tired with a mild hint of annoyance.
"Professor, I asked you to wake me."
"I declined." Byleth replied as he planted a small kiss on her forehead. "Besides, I don't think you mind this, do you?"
Edelgard buried her head into his chest in response, her words lost to the celebration of Enbarr's citizens.
But Byleth could tell what she had said, even as he gazed up, into the dark.
"El, let's just enjoy this one night together. Tomorrow, we can get back to the warpath."
Edelgard didn't reply in words, but the slight shift of her body against his was enough.
Part One. Complete.
AN: Very little has been changed in this chapter over the course of the mini-rewrite.
