23rd of the Great Tree Moon
Dawn would break in a precious few hours. Rhea had passed through long abandoned passages not even the Abyssians had found to reach the chamber unseen. Sitri was there, suspended in time.
An hour had passed. Rhea stood before the door. All that separated the archbishop from her twelfth was a gentle push of the handle.
Rhea felt her fist clench. She turned away, ascending back to the monastery.
Rhea didn't speak as Seteth herded her into the office, and didn't hear a word Seteth threw at her.
It had been a simple exchange. One fading life for a chance to reignite another that had been robbed of the chance to experience the small miracle of existence. It was another chance for Rhea to see her mother again. A simple problem with a simple answer.
But why did Rhea's heart ache when she thought about it?
Sitri had lived a life fuller then many with her constitution. She had every need taken care of in her youth, and had received the best education someone could. Her twelfth had even found love, short and bittersweet as it was. When Sitri had held her living child for the first and last time, she had smiled, and died happy. That was still more happiness than so many poor souls Rhea had seen pass through Garreg Mach in the millennia since it's founding.
Jeralt's return was a reason for the ache. Rhea had never given him the explanation he was due.
Then there was Byleth, the spitting image of her twelfth. Blessed by the Goddess, and assigned a fate Rhea could barely imagine, cursed with a cruelty even Rhea did not think even the Agarthans were capable of. Even a day later, she trembled at the ease at which Byleth had admitted to destroying all that remained of Sothis.
Was this some punishment for Rhea's hubris? Some unseen equal to her mother, another god long forgotten making the world suffer for Rhea's mistakes?
But that couldn't be. Sothis deserved to return to the world. Rhea couldn't understand why anyone who knew anything about her mother could oppose her resurrection. She supposed it could be a punishment for her many failures. But Rhea had always corrected the problem after she stumbled. She killed Nemesis. She made sure there would never be another perversion like her first attempt gone awry at Garreg Mach's dawn. She had kept the continent at peace as best as anyone could across the centuries.
"I did what I thought was right. I always did." Rhea muttered under her breath.
"IT WASN'T!" Seteth shouted as he slammed his hands down on the table. Rhea nearly jumped out of her seat. She had forgotten he had been speaking. "You sound like the Agarthans when they rebuffed Sothis' warning of the terrible price their magic would reap!"
Rhea felt her anger burn hot. "This has nothing to do with those atrocities!" Rhea spat out. "I would never sacrifice hundreds upon thousands like they did. There are a thousand different ways this isn't remotely comparable to the abominations the Agarthans unleashed. How can you dare to accuse me of such…depravity?"
Seteth took a deep breath, before rubbing his temples. "Yes, you are correct. Calling your experiments necromancy was a bridge to far. I apologize." Seteth looked Rhea in the eye. "But that was not my point. You have been keeping things from me." He leaned on the edge of his seat. "Important things. Nigh-futile efforts. You seem indifferent to the potential consequences. For centuries, at the very least."
Rhea's eyes smoldered, but she let her anger subside. "Yes, I apologize."
Seteth stood. "From now on, you will not hide anything from me."
"Yes."
"You should have let her rest in peace." With those words, Rhea felt her anger crystalize.
Rest in peace? All that had been left of her mother was a blade that had been used to destroy the harmony she had built for the world after stupid, foolish men destroyed it all. Sothis had been reduced to a twisted, loathsome mockery of everything she had fought for, while the bones of her children were used to wage human's petty, stupid wars. How could Cichol not see that her mother could never have peace unless her daughter brought her back from such a wretched fate?
Then, he was stomping down the hallway, with Cethleann shouting after him. Distantly, Rhea realized the man had been arguing with his daughter just outside the door. Rhea pushed open the door to her office, and saw Cethleann staring in indignation as Cichol stalked away to his office.
"Cethleann?"
The girl froze, before spinning on her feet, eyes wide. Then her shoulders relaxed.
"Lady Rhea, please, not here!"
Rhea blinked. "Ah. Yes. My apologies. When I reminisce, I forget myself."
"It's alright, Lady Rhea. At least no one was around to hear it."
"Yes…" Rhea cocked her head. Looking down at the girl. "Were you trying to listen in?"
Cethleann scowled- no. Flayn scowled as she brought her hands to her hips. "My brother is always trying to hide things from me. Like I'd wither away into dust if I found something twelve-year-olds pretend not to know."
"Your brother is simply trying to protect you."
"Please, don't you start too!" Flayn's expression softened then. "It is just- I saw that woman. The one you spoke to yesterday. She looks so much like us."
Flayn stepped forward, bold and uncertain all at once. "Lady Rhea, I beg of you. Don't hide me from the world like my- like Seteth. Tell me what is happening, please! I fought in the war too! I saw countless horrors." Flayn took a breath, calming herself before continuing. "I can endure the pain your secrets secrets might inflict upon me! Please, tell me, that woman Byleth-" Flayn paused, suddenly nervous.
"Are there more of us? Are we precious few no longer so alone?"
Rhea stood before Flayn as the younger Child of the Goddess looked up, a hopeful fear in her eyes. Rhea's hand tightened into a fist.
"…Dear Flayn, how many years has it been since we spoke candidly to another? Do you recall?"
Flayn looked down at her feet. "Just after my mother died. It was…good to hear from someone other then…Seteth." Flayn looked up again. "Do you remember what you told me? That no matter what, so long as we tried to make things right, the pain caused by others isn't our fault. Do you still believe that?"
Rhea wanted to believe it. "So very much." She said.
27th of the Great Tree Moon
Rhea stood atop the steps, looking down at the graveyard. Jeralt stood in front of Sitri's gravestone, looking down at the weathered rock.
He turned and walked up the stairs with eyes downcast. As he reached the top, Jeralt lifted his head and looked Rhea in the eyes.
Rhea tried to say something. It died on her lips. Jeralt waited a few moments more, and then walked away.
Rhea turned back to the gravestone. All that separated the archbishop from her twelfth's false grave was a few steps.
Rhea took them one at a time. When she arrived in front of the stone, she saw that Sitri's name had been worn away by time and indifference.
14th of the Garland Moon
"And then he said I would be doomed to misfortune if I approached the young man!" Flayn exclaimed. "Is that true, Lady Rhea?"
"I have met a few such people in my years." Rhea said as she leaned against the balcony, overlooking Garreg Mach. She had begun speaking to Flayn regularly. Mostly, Rhea would listen to the girl speak about her daily life, and then offer her advice on any trouble Flayn found herself with. Rhea found the talks stabilizing, a rock in her demanding schedule and the unformed ground Byleth had forced her to tread.
"You always say something like that." Flayn pouted. "You never commit to any answer, you just speak in generalities."
"Do I?" Rhea wondered.
"Yes! It's quite a contrast to how you acted during the war. You were decisive in all actions, and never backed down from anything."
"Yes, I remember." How odd it must be for Flayn to remember things that happened millennia ago like they were yesterday, while Rhea and Seteth had to bear a thousand years of memory. "The world has changed in the passing of the millennia. Things have grown…calmer. There is less need for immediate responses. More time to think things through."
"I suppose that is true." Flayn said. "I have heard of recent battles, but from what I have read, it has been well over a century since the last great war."
The two stood in silence for a while. Flayn looked out to the horizon. Rhea looked down at the bustle of Garreg Mach.
"Lady Rhea?"
"Yes?"
"Have you talked to By- Professor Byleth since she took her post?"
Rhea turned to look at Flayn. "Why do you ask?"
Flayn hid her jittering by rocking on her feet. "It's just that…Well, I've heard things-"
"From her."
Flayn gave a startled look. Rhea's eyes drifted to the graveyard.
"-Well, it's just…" Flayn struggled even without Rhea's absent stare. "You've…changed."
"It has been a long time. People change." Rhea could not see Jeralt at the cemetery. She had not seen him at her twelfth's false grave in over two weeks.
"Not just that! Ever since Byleth has arrived, you've become…" Flayn struggled to find the proper word. "...Distant. More then you normally are."
"How do you mean? We speak more often now."
"I am not speaking of the number of our conversations!" Flayn said with an irritated voice. "I'm talking about your demeanor! Every time we talk, you are always so distant! When I see you give sermons, I can barely tell if you are awake! I know it's hard, but you taught me that I had to face the past, no matter how hard it was, and Byleth and her father are that past!" She paused for breath, and steadied herself. "It's like you're running from her."
"I'm not running." As Rhea turned back to look out at Garreg Mach, she finally spotted Jeralt, following craftsmen to the graveyard. "I've just learned that some things have to be done slowly."
23rd of the Garland Moon
Rhea slowly descended the stairs. Jeralt didn't turn from his vigil. Like glass shards falling through an hourglass, Rhea forced herself to make her way to his side, and stare down at the grave.
The two didn't look at each other. The silence stretched on.
"The artisans did a good job fixing up her headstone."
It took a moment for Rhea to realize Jeralt had spoken. She looked to him. His eyes remained fixed on Sitri's name.
"I brought this." Rhea reached into her robe, and pulled out a bottle.
Jeralt took the glass, and raised it to his nose. After he breathed in, the knight let out a shudder.
"Where did you find that swill?" Jeralt hissed. "I've been to some dive taverns in my time, but that is too mediocre to even be called a drink."
"It's from the tavern in Abyss."
Jeralt fixed her with a stare. "That would explain the smell. But when other people give gifts, they usually try and get something nice."
"It is…" Rhea forced herself to meet Jeralt's eyes.
"It's what." His words were drier then Macuil's hovel.
"Do you remember the 23rd of the Guardian Moon?" Jeralt's eyebrows rose. "In 1158?" his confusion did not lift. "Sitri had smuggled out a bottle of wine to share with you." Distant realization dawned in Jeralt's eyes, but remained foggy.
"You two had been courting for some time, and you had just come back from that matter with Oswald von Riegan." As Rhea spoke, Jeralt's eyes drew back to the gravestone. "You had been telling her about smuggled Almyran wines, and Sitri had never tasted alcohol. She found her way underground, and brought a bottle to share with you."
"She was so excited for her first drink. She said that you had forbidden it for all her life." Jeralt's tone had turned wistful. "We spent the night trying to hide the fact that we needed to vomit from each other. In the end, we both lost, and she never drank a drop again." He looked back up. "How do you know any of that?"
"She had slipped away from her studies that night. I went to track her down, but found the two of you hiding away in the kitchens."
"And then what, did you cane her for breaking the rules? You've always had a bad temper about that."
"Jeralt, please. I'm not-" Heartless. "-So cruel. I was young once too."
Jeralt studied her for a moment. He drank from the bottle, and then poured a glass worth onto the grass as he fought down an urge.
"So now what?" Jeralt said. "You told me the truth. You've implied you're sorry. You found the nerve to look me in the eye again. You think this makes everything right?"
Rhea pressed her lips together. "Jeralt, please-"
Jeralt didn't let any anger spill into his voice. "You left her grave to fade to dust for twenty years, and couldn't be bothered to fix her tombstone until weeks after I returned. You think just tiding up the stone and sharing some happy memories is going to take away from what you didn't do? I know I was hardly around to tend to it, but I didn't think you'd leave it here to rot!"
"I-" Rhea looked at the headstone. It's polished and hardy stone could last years without much maintenance. "Jeralt, that isn't…I didn't leave Sitri alone, I promise."
Jeralt barely reacted. "You're hiding something."
"…Yes, I am."
"You got the nerve to share?"
"It's…something…" Rhea's eyes fell, and her nails pressed into her palms. "You are marching to help protect the students from Lonato?"
"Seteth hired my men and I."
"It is selfish, but…I would show you after you return. There are other important functions I must attend to, and…." Rhea bit her lip. "…Please, bring your daughter."
Jeralt waited, but Rhea did not finish the thought. He huffed, before walking away.
Rhea walked towards her twelfth's false grave. The artisans had done a remarkable job on the stonework. There were no elaborate decorations or design chiseled on. Sitri had little interest in extravagance.
Jeralt had left the bottle at the foot of the grave. Rhea reached down, and took a sip. It was a terrible, bitter taste.
Firstly, big thanks to Dox over on AO3, who Beta'd this chapter!
If I'm recalling correctly, the only time Rhea and Jeralt ever share dialogue is just at the beginning of the game, and once more when he tells her that he's reporting for duty a chapter before his death. What a waste, am I right?
And I saw the DLC try and retcon Sitri's name onto the grave. Her name had faded away pre-patch, and I'm keeping it and making it into a plot point.
Speaking of DLC, It really kinda screwed up the flow of this chapter I had planned, plus the next few. But I have planned it out to something that'll make sense. You'll also start to see the Ashen Wolves pop up every now and then starting next chapter. What, exactly will be done with them is still percolating, but will settle sooner or later.
As always, reviews always help (my ego)
