DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fire Emblem. It belongs to Intelligent Systems. This story is a work of fiction. All relations to places and characters, living and dead, are coincidental.
Ashen Wolves
Part I: White Clouds
Chapter 1: The Fourth House
Routing the bandits turned out to be a simple affair. Byleth initially assumed it would have been challenging or at the very least difficult as he was fighting alongside a group of strangers. Fortunately, his fears were unfounded as their skills were not of amateurs. He examined the way they fought as they killed one bandit after another, slowly making their way towards the leader in order to bring an end to this madness.
Edelgard was relentless as she was brutal. Each swing of her ax was done with the intent to kill. At the very least, should it not be a killing blow, she would inflict a fatal wound. No matter how many or who stood in front of her, she merely looked forward and struck without further thought.
Dimitri's movements were fluid and his footwork akin to dancing, but there was a certain bloodlust in his strikes. His strength was beyond anything he had seen as he watched the blonde effortlessly snap the neck of a bandit that he caught in his hands. With a swift motion, he broke them and threw them aside before focusing his attention on the enemy. It seemed to Byleth that, like him, he put little thought about his actions and instead continued forward, his objectives clear.
Claude kept his distance, preferring to snipe his enemy from a distance. However, there was no panic on his face. Instead, he acted as if things were falling into place, purposely luring his foes into the dense areas within the forest where the battle was currently taking place before pumping them full of arrows. His smile never seemed to fade, only growing tense when things were beginning to look grim.
Yuri was the most peculiar. Like Claude, he had the look of a schemer on his face. Like Edelgard, he struck with the intent to kill in a single blow. Like Dimitri, the only thing he seemed to have on his mind was defeating the enemy and nothing more. Each strike was swift as it was calculated, every slash aimed at vital organs and limbs. If he could not kill his opponent, then he would make sure they would never again be able to lift a weapon. More than a few bandits found themselves losing a limb or to, all at the hands of a rather sadistic-looking Yuri who did it all with a grin.
It was unsettling, but at the same time, Byleth praised the action. His opponents feared him, and it demoralized them. They saw the cruelty of his actions and feared standing in his way, lowering their will to fight. That made them easier to kill.
In the end, the bandit leader was defeated, though Byleth was ashamed that he had not noticed the leader's ruse until he finally stopped playing dead and made a beeline straight for Edelgard, his ax primed to cut her down. It was on instinct that he threw himself between him and her, ready to take the blow to his exposed back and hopefully give his comrades the chance to kill the bastard in the moment he was left defenseless.
"You naïve idiot! Are you trying to get us both killed?! Are you a child?!"
To his shock, however, that bizarre girl he met in his dreams had managed to save his life. She had introduced herself properly, giving her name to him and the ability to turn back the hand of time. Sothis, also known as The Beginning, was an oddity that he was not sure what to make of. For now, all he could focus on was taking advantage of the situation and dealing with the matter at hand.
The second the bandit leader lunged at Edelgard, he was already in front of her with his sword in hand. With a swift swing, the bastard was knocked away. Hopefully dead. Seeing their leader defeated, the bandits grabbed his body and made a quick retreat. Their escape would no doubt be hindered by Jeralt's men, so he wasn't worried about them coming for payback anytime soon.
He sheathed his sword and turned his attention to the girl he protected. Edelgard looked stunned, almost shocked by what had just transpired before she managed to regain her senses.
"I… Thank you, Sir Byleth."
Byleth shook his head. "It was no trouble."
"Edelgard, are you alright?!" Dimitri, Claude and Yuri arrived shortly after. The blonde in particular looked the most concerned about her welfare and was relieved to see that she was no greviously wounded. "Oh, thank the goddess you are alright. I feared the worst."
Claude scoffed. "Have to admit, that guy sure was smart. Playing dead until the very last second. Smart move. Still, I'm impressed you managed to see right through it. You some kind of mind reader or something?"
Byleth was not entirely sure how to answer that. What should he tell them? That a girl he had been dreaming about was not a dream and rewound time?
Thankfully, he didn't have to answer that as a boisterous voice cut through the air. "The Knights of Seiros are here! We will cut you down for daring to harm our precious students!" A man in white armor with a large ax on his shoulder had come barreling through like a gallant knight in shining armor. Unfortunately, as he soon realized, there was no one for him to save and saw that the bandits were fleeing. "What in the…? No, nevermind. Quick, after those bandits!"
"Ah, good old Alois." Yuri snickered. "Never a dull moment with him around."
As the armored men around Alois followed their orders, Byleth studied the man as he approached, having taken notice of their presence.
His knowledge of the Knights of Seiros was little, but whispers from taverns and villages told him that they were most likely some kind of mercenary band. Other than that, he knew nothing. Oddly, Alois didn't seem like much of a soldier. His eyes were warm and his smile stretched from ear to ear. His hand was still wrapped around the handle of his ax, but there was no tension or sense of danger.
"Thank goodness you four are alright!" Alois sighed deeply. "When one of the trainees told us what happened, I was fearing for the worst." He looked at the group again and frowned. "Hm? Wait a second… Where's that new professor we hired?"
Yuri scoffed. "Turned tail and ran at the first sight of danger."
"Set the world speed record for desertion, too!" Claude chirped helpfully.
"What?! How irresponsible! The nerve!" A vein above his eyebrow pulsed in anger. Alois shook his head in disappointment, then sighed. "Ah, oh well… What's done is done, I suppose. For his sake, though, I sincerely hope he never runs into Seteth anytime soon. He was the reason he got the position in the first place, after all."
He turned his attention to Byleth and straightened himself out. "You're the mercenary who saved their lives, yes? The Knights of Seiros are most grateful for your contribution! I am Alois. And you are?"
"A bandit." Byleth answered with a straight face. The teenagers looked at him weirdly.
What? Even he had to have his own fun. Contrary to what most people thought, he was not entirely emotionless.
Alois stared at him before he exploded into laughter. "Hah! Oh, what a sense of humor you have! Been a while since I met someone who knew a decent joke or two! Say, might you be interested in coming to the monastery with us?"
"Monastary?"
Before he could receive any answers, Jeralt had arrived on the scene and looked no worse for wear. As Byleth expected, there was not a drop of blood on him save for the stuff on his weapons, nor was there any sign that he had been attacked. Meanwhile, his gauntlets were knicked with dents and small cuts and red stains had formed in the sleeves of his coat.
Clearly, he still had much to learn.
"Byleth, we finished up on our end. Have you-" He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Alois. He appeared to recognize him and promptly let out a low groan while dragging an armored hand down his face. "Oh, goddess. Why him?"
"Is that…?" Alois looked at Jeralt for a moment before his grin grew wider. "It is! Captain Jeralt, it is you! Hahaha! It's been ages!"
From there, Alois proceeded to honest-to-goddess bearhug his father. Byleth stared at the sight in fascination and wondered if there was some kind of history going on between them before he shrugged and turned his attention to the four teenagers.
"Jeralt? As in, the former captain of the Knights of Seiros?" Edelgard inquired. "That is a surprise."
"They say he disappeared after a fire plagued Garreg Mach twenty years ago." Yuri noted. "It seems he had a change of careers." The corner of his lips twitched as he looked at Byleth in curiosity. "Pretty interesting stuff. Say, you're his kid, right? Got any idea why he left the good life and the warm sanctity of the church in favor of blood and steel?"
Dimitri stared at him aghast. "Yuri! Don't be rude!"
"But he has a point." Claude agreed with his fellow. "You can't tell us you aren't interested in this as well. I mean, come on! Who hasn't heard tales of the strongest knight in history?"
Byleth frowned. "I was never told father was a captain for the Knights of Seiros."
"Truly?" Edelgard frowned heavily. "That seems quite odd."
"At any rate, looks like we made it out in one piece no thanks to you." Yuri smiled again. "Pretty impressive moves you showed off out there. Looks to me like we stumbled onto some good talent. If you're coming back with us to the monastery, maybe the archbishop might have you join with the Knights. If you're lucky, that is."
"Monastary?" This was the second time that place was mentioned. Just what was so special about it that it garnered such attention?
Dimitri nodded. "Yes. The Garreg Mach Monastary. It's where the Central Church and the Officer's Academy are located." he explained. "It is also where we are studying." Dimitri glanced over at Jeralt and Alois. The former seemed as if he wanted to be anywhere other than around Alois, especially with how animated the man was being. "And judging by Alois, you may be accompanying us for the time being. If only perhaps to earn a reward."
"Saving a troublesome rat and three big shots will probably earn you a niiice, big fat paycheck." Yuri smirked. "Still, I have to admit, you're pretty handy with a sword. How long have you been a mercenary, if you don't mind me asking?"
How long were they going to keep speaking with him? At best, conversations lasted a minute or so before they realized Byleth really had no idea what to talk to them about. He was not a conversationalist, nor was he sure of what he could talk about with people. That, and those he did feel comfortable speaking with usually looked at him warily, even those among his father's employ.
Son of the Blade Breaker he may be, they were afraid of the Ashen Demon.
"…I honestly cannot recall." Byleth replied.
"Is that so?" Edelgard hummed. "Regardless, I must agree with Yuri. Your skills are extraordinary. I must ask that you return to the Empire with me. Allow me to properly introduce myself, I am-"
"Hold, Edelgard." Dimitri cut-in hastily. "Please allow me to offer my own proposal. Sir Eisner-"
"Byleth, please." Byleth requested. Sir Eisner was his father, not him.
"Sir Byleth." Dimitri nodded. "If you would allow the honor, please come with me to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. We would greatly benefit from your skill!"
Claude rolled his eyes. "And off they go, recruiting somebody they just met. Honestly, have you two no shame at all? At the very least, get to know the man before offering your sales pitch!"
"Oh, and like you weren't planning on doing the same thing, Claude?" Yuri accused.
The dark-skinned teen smirked. "At the very least, I was planning on establishing a long-lasting and possibly beneficial relationship before asking him if he'd want a job with the Leicester Alliance. But, since the question has been asked, let's hear it! Where do your loyalties lie?"
Oh, my. It seems one's place of birth is quite important.
Byleth heard Sothis' voice echo in the back of his mind. Even after the whole mental time-travel event, he could still feel her behind him. As if she was close by, but never here physically. Perhaps she was only a phantom in his own mind. Regardless, she did have a point. One's place of birth typically solidified how people would view them. People of Duscur would be viewed with suspicion, a noble of the Empire would value his position and a merchant from the Leicester Alliance would be cautious.
Even if they weren't born in a country, it was where their loyalties lay that also affected their relationships with other people. That was something Byleth knew well enough that he made sure to trust his father's judgment and his own if the decision laid on his shoulders. A mercenary's loyalties rested with his employer so long as they kept their end of the bargain. Some of the more unscrupulous kinds would have their loyalty lie with coin, stabbing their employer in the back if someone was offering them a better deal.
Byleth met many such mercenaries like that in the time he served with the Sword Bearers. Such individuals earned anger in his mind, as trust was important in their line of work. If you could not trust someone who you knew to be a good man, or at the least of better morals than another, then who else could you trust?
Under their expectant stares, Byleth thought about his answer carefully. Judging by their offers, it was clear they held some level of influence. Perhaps the children of major lords and the like. The Empire's political agendas made him rather wary, especially given that the nobles were the ones who held the power and not the king. The Kingdom, while much more stable, was full of people who valued Crests. He had heard of more than a few stories about nobles casting away children who did not bear a Crest or even attempt a political marriage to gain access to someone who did possess a seemingly rare Crest of their own. The Leicester Alliance was a den of betrayal, every last noble and greedy merchant being vultures and opportunists.
He could never place his loyalties in such places, not unless things changed. With that thought in mind, he gave them his answer.
"My loyalty lies to my father and our employer."
The answer was straight and simple, keeping in line with the code of mercenaries. The three looked disappointed, but Yuri seemed more intrigued. "Is that so? Makes sense, I suppose. After all, a mercenary trusts only those he knows, not a country."
"It looks like you're all getting along very well!" It seemed that, while the five were speaking with one another, Alois and Jeralt had finished speaking. Alois was beaming and looked as if the Day of Rebirth had arrived early while his father appeared to have swallowed a lemon. "It's time to head on back to the monastery."
Byleth looked to Jeralt. "What happens now?"
Jeralt sighed deeply. He looked older than he actually was. "Change of plans. We'll be going with them to Garreg Mach. Of all the places…" Byleth frowned, swearing his father said something beneath his breath before the latter shook his head. "I've already informed the men. Go gather your things. We're heading out immediately."
"Understood."
Byleth Eisner was a curious puzzle.
Being the street rat that he was, adopted noble or no, Yuri recognized the name easily. The Ashen Demon, the merciless shadow of the famed Blade Breaker, said to cut down his faces with little emotion. Some say he even fought like a man possessed, striking down his foes without hesitation. It was as if all focus was on the battlefield and how to best eliminate his enemy.
After seeing what the living legend could do with his own two eyes, Yuri definitely liked what he saw. Even now, remembering the battle was enough to send a shiver down his spine. What must have gone through his mind as he fought, his expression betraying nothing? How guarded was he to possess such an impassive look? Hell, even now in a situation where they were safe and nearing the monastery, Byleth remained stone-faced.
Any conversations they had were short and clipped. In fact, the man only ever spoke a few words and no more. The most he said was seven or eight words in a single sentence. Had he not known any better, Yuri could swear this mercenary could be related to Hapi.
He silently groaned to himself as the faces of his friends came to mind. No doubt they had already heard about the incident and were concerned. And knowing him, he was probably going to get one hell of an earful.
A day had passed since the fateful encounter and the sun was high in the sky. The monastery was already in view, a sight to behold to anyone that didn't know of the hypocrites and holier-than-thou narcissists who claimed to be servants of the goddess. Yuri couldn't say he was happy to be back here, but neither could he say that he wasn't glad to be returning to his friends.
The Knights of Seiros, with the Sword Bearers in tow, entered through the front gates. As they approached the Officer Academy's main gates, Yuri took note of the figure watching them with a sharp gaze.
"That's a rare sight, the archbishop herself coming to see what the fuss is about." Yuri commented. Byleth and Jeralt had left ahead of them, led by Alois towards the main building and no doubt about to meet with Rhea herself. This, of course, left the House Leaders by themselves and making their way towards the classrooms. "I half expected Seteth to handle the proceedings. Makes you curious about what's happening inside that room, don't you think?"
Claude nodded eagerly. "Oooh yeah, definitely. Yuri old friend, what say you to a bit of sneaking?"
"You will do nothing of the sort." Dimitri glared at the two. "While I am just as curious as the two of you, it is very rude to eavesdrop."
"Ah, don't be such a stick in the mud, Dimitri!"
Edelgard sighed and shook her head. "Honestly… Be that as it may, I get the feeling that this will hardly be the last we see of them. While I am unsure of what it was that Alois and Sir Eisner were discussing, I'm almost certain that he will be returning to the Knights of Seiros. I suspect Lady Rhea might be offering Byleth a chance as well."
"It would make sense, I suppose." the Prince of Faerghus rubbed his chin. "A shame, though. I had hoped he would consider joining the Kingdom."
"You have fun with that." Yuri rolled his eyes and turned on his heel. "As for me, I gotta go meet with my house and make sure they haven't killed each other, yet. Or, you know, got themselves into more trouble than they're worth."
Claude snickered. "And I thought I had the most troublesome house. Then again, yours is packed with people from all across the world."
Indeed. The house Yuri led was, in his view, a mixed bag. To the Church of Seiros, it was a gathering of hoodlums and miscreants, but to him, it was a group of people who were abandoned and left for dead by the world. No different than the people who sequestered themselves below Garreg Mach, shunning the light of day. Duscur, Brigid, Dagda, Almyra, even Albinea; his house was the only place they could ever truly find themselves a home.
The existence of the house was one of the reasons why Yuri considered the Church to be hypocritical. They scorned its inhabitants, yet it was formed for the purpose of giving outsiders a chance.
What a joke.
With a cheeky grin, Yuri walked away and waved his fellows farewell for now. No doubt they were going to be in the middle of yet another long conversation in the near future regarding that delightfully curious mercenary. He traversed through the halls and corridors of the academy, occasionally greeting the students from his house and those outside of it. Some of the more welcoming and less prejudicial faculty members were pleased to see him safe and even warned him that his house members were getting antsy.
Yuri eventually arrived at his destination. The Ashen Wolf House classroom was located near the reception hall, sitting at the far end of the row of rooms meant for the other three houses. Beside the door was the house banner, colored gray with a wolf bearing its fangs down upon the world at its feet.
The effeminate teen stared at the door for a moment before he sighed to himself. "Time to face the music."
He pushed the door open.
No sooner had he done so was he swarmed. A burly limb wrapped itself around his neck and pulled him close, slender body struggling against an absolutely massive one. "Ow! Unhand me!"
"Whoops! Sorry, Yuri, thought you were somebody else."
His assailant released him, much to his relief. He rubbed his neck, feeling as though it had been strained to the point where it would snap. Yuri glared at his assailant, a bear of a man wearing the Officer's Academy uniform, albeit colored gray and silver without the dress shirt, proudly displaying his chiseled body to the world. He was much older than Yuri, face gaunt and hair an utter mess.
"Who in the bloody hell did you think I was?" Yuri demanded. "Some kind of common brigand?"
Balthus smiled sheepishly. "Well, we did have some trouble while you were gone. That prick with the bowlcut, whatshisface, tried starting shit with Constance again."
"Indeed! He was being most annoying!" a haughty voice scoffed. "And a broken record! I'm fully aware of my duties, even if my house has fallen on hard times, thank you very much!"
Two women approached. One was dark-skinned, much more than Claude or Dimitri's Duscurian retainer Dedue, her bright red and wearing a silver Officer's Academy uniform, midrift exposed. The other wore a modified outfit with a white skirt and gray blouse, a fan held in her hand. A blue hairband was nestled in her blonde hair, blue eyes full of confidence.
"You're back," the red-haired woman said simply. "We heard what happened. You okay, Yuri-bird?"
"No worse for wear." Yuri shrugged. "Though I admit, I would rather not have this experience again. Tch, safest and most secure area my arse. The knights-in-training practically pissed themselves and that professor Seteth hired turned tail and ran at the first sight of danger."
Balthus whistled. "Damn, sounds like a hell of a shit show. Crack any skulls for me out there?"
"And then some. Even made a new acquaintance." Yuri grinned. "He's here at the monastery getting his reward, but I suspect you guys will have a chance to meet him."
The blonde-haired woman, Constance, laughed. "And pray tell, what sort of person is he that he could have garnered your attention? Allow me to guess! A nobleman passing by, or perhaps a sellsword with similar views as your own?"
"Yes and no on the last one, Constance. He's a mercenary with the Sword Bearers, and he just so happens to be the son of the former captain of the Knights of Seiros."
Yuri grinned upon seeing their reaction. It was rare for Constance to look like a deer caught in lights, but even moreso for Hapi to look interested. Balthus' own grin grew wider, no doubt having finally found a new sparring partner if given the opportunity.
"Wow. That is big news." Hapi remarked before frowning. "Wait, hold on. Didn't the former captain disappear in a fire like twenty years ago or something?"
Yuri nodded. "That he did. And from what I saw on our way back, he was none too thrilled coming back here, and I'd wager the archbishop will reinstate him whether he likes it or not."
"What about his kid?" Balthus asked. "Think he'll join the Academy or the Knights?"
"While I doubt that first one, it would be plausible." Constance offered her own two thoughts. "And if what you say is true, the Knights would certainly benefit from his skills."
She dipped her head as if thinking about something. Yuri had no doubt that some nefarious plot was forming in her mind, perhaps somehow finding a way to utilize Byleth and his skills to return the fallen House Nuvelle back to its former glory. His lips curled as he remembered when she attempted to rope him into her plans, promising to offer him payment for his services after she regained her family's honor. He promptly refused, as he would not take a fool's bet.
Oh, he knew she would make good on her promise, and there wasn't any real reason for him to refuse her. She was a good person, haughty attitude and occasional condescendence aisde. He just wanted to make her work for his cooperation.
He was kind of a bastard that way.
"Anyway," Yuri decided to shift the topic away. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"
Hapi shook her head. "Nothing too interesting. The Knights are trying to figure out how their camp got compromised and the teachers are in a tizzy. People trying to pick fights with us. Same old, same old."
"What she said." Balthus grunted. "Thankfully for us, some of the guys in Claude's class were willing to lend us a hand. That short stack, Lysithea I think her name was? You should've been here to see it, man! Set some poor snob's pants on fire!"
Yuri pictured the scene in his head and laughed. "I always seem to miss the good stuff."
"On the subject of the Houses…" Constance spoke, her attention now on the conversation. "I have heard that the Professors will be deciding who will be in charge of supervising us."
"Really?" Yuri raised a brow at that. "Aside from that mercenary from Dagda and Catherine, the only other people I can think of who could teach us is Hanneman, Manuela and that sword instructor. What was his name again? Jeritza or something?"
"Honestly, I can see them choosing the other three houses." Balthus grunted. "Ain't nobody want to be charge of this bunch of misfits. Can't say I blame them, though. I mean, any teacher who gets stuck with us is gonna have to deal with the crap we face on a daily basis."
Hapi bobbed her head in agreement. "Yeah. Plus, there's probably a lot of people in the house who wouldn't want them in charge of them. I know I wouldn't want somebody from the church being my teacher."
"Well, all we can do is hope for the best." Yuri shrugged. "On the off chance we do get an instructor, we can at least make sure they know what they're getting themselves into." He paused for a moment as a grin made its way onto his face. "Aaand maybe have a bit of fun with them while we're at it."
Seeing the demented grin he was sporting, Balthus couldn't help but pity whoever was stupid enough to want to teach the Ashen Wolves.
The meeting with Rhea had been a short affair, but no less confusing.
Instead of his initial assumptions, like him being assigned to the Knights of Seiros alongside his father, the archbishop had decided he would become a teacher here as per Alois' recommendation. The professor they hired previously had apparently run off during the bandit attack, leaving the students under his care to fend for themselves.
As one might have expected, the man was fired, though Byleth had no idea if the man was even still here.
Regardless, he found himself at a loss. He could not understand why the archbishop had chosen to make him a teacher, recommendation or no. Exactly what made her think a man whose life consisted of stabbing people for coin was a good idea? He could teach them basic combat strategy and leadership, but nothing beyond that. While Hanneman and Manuela were more than willing to offer him their support and make up for the lack of skills, that didn't change the fact that he was not qualified.
He also couldn't understand why his father cowed so easily to Rhea's wishes. It was clear based on his opinions and overall attitude during the whole meeting that there was bad blood between him and the archbishop, but the details were unknown to him. All he knew was that his father knew Rhea and was worked under her, but for some reason left.
The Church of Seiros was another thing that confused him. Why had his father been so determined to ensure he knew nothing of it? It looked as if they had a major influence in the neighboring countries, so why did he make sure that his knowledge of them was limited?
Was it possible Jeralt was afraid of the Church? And if so, why?
Byleth gave the matter a deal of thought, but he ultimately dismissed it. The reasons why his father was so wary were of interest to him, but for the time being, he would follow Jeralt's advice and remain cautious. As far as he was concerned, he may as well have been in enemy territory and treaded as such, making sure that the sword at his hip never left his side.
Rhea had instructed him to get to know the students from the houses and speak with the House Leaders. As it turned out, they were the students he met during the bandit attack. He had already finished speaking with Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude and got to know a bit about the students under their care. Their were certainly a colorful bunch with a few noteworthy faces.
Speaking of colorful, his mind drifted to his conversation with his new fellow professors when they spoke about the houses.
"There are four houses, each home to different walks of life." Hanneman explained to him as they walked, Manuela to his left and he to Byleth's right. "The Black Eagles are home to those who hail from the Adrestian Empire. Their house leader is Edelgard von Hresvelg, daughter of Emperor Ionius and next in line for the throne."
"The Blue Lions are home to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus." Manuela went next. "Their House Leader is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, the Crown Prince. He'll be assuming the throne when he comes of age, which will be when he graduates."
"The Golden Deer is home to the nobles and merchants of the Leicester Alliance, led by Claude von Riegen, the Duke's grandson." Hanneman continued. "It's quite amazing, don't you think? The future Emperor, King and Duke, all studying here at the Officer's Academy. It's certainly shaping up to be an interesting year."
Byleth nodded and took note of this information. "And what House does Yuri belong to?"
"Ah, you mean Count Rowe's son." Manuela chuckled. "Unlike the other three, he isn't from a royal family or alliance leader. He was actually born a commoner from what I heard, but was adopted by Count Rowe, one of the major nobles in the Kingdom."
Hanneman stroked his beard. "Yuri is the leader of the Ashen Wolf House. That particular house is relatively recent as it was formed about fifteen years ago. Unlike the other three, the Ashen Wolves are composed of students from past Fódlan's borders. Almyra, Duscur, Brigid, Dagda, and more recently, Albinea."
"Almyra?" Byleth could not hide his surprise. "I thought we were at war with them?"
"Goddess, no." Manuela looked petrified at the mere thought. "We aren't at war with them, per say, but our relationship isn't what you might call stellar. Every month, whether they came at us with small or large forces, Almyra continues to attack our borders. And they've been at it for a while. As you can imagine, thanks to those brutes, we don't exactly have a good opinion of foreigners."
Hanneman sighed sadly. "It is as Manuela says, I'm afraid. There are also some students among the Ashen Wolves who come from, shall we say, less than stellar backgrounds. In particular, Yuri is something of a point of contention among the Church."
"Why?"
The old man pursed his lips. "I'm not entirely certain of the details myself, but a year ago, he killed a few members of the Knights of Seiros." Byleth's eyes widened at this. "By all rights, the poor boy should have been executed, but the archbishop and another dear friend of ours, Aelfric, intervened."
"Even if he didn't get executed, there were still a lot of people within the Church who called for Yuri's head, or at the very least, his expulsion." Manuela told him sadly. "Aelfric fought tooth and nail to ensure Yuri remained at the Officer's Academy, though he's forced to be under constant watch in exchange. A small price to pay, perhaps."
"Regardless, Yuri and the Ashen Wolves are the pariahs of the Officer's Academy. Outcasts, if you will."
Byleth closed his eyes, a small breath escaping him. Outcasts…
"Well, look what the cat dragged in." He opened his eyes and turned his head. He found Yuri leaning up against a pillar, arms folded over his chest and a Cheshire smile plastered across his face. "It's only been a day, and here we are having a reunion."
Byleth nodded his head in greeting. "Yuri."
"Professor." Yuri greeted back and pulled away from the pillar, approaching the mercenary. "I've heard you managed to score yourself a teaching position here. Not to sound condescending or anything, but you don't look the type who would want to teach a bunch of noble brats."
"You are not wrong." And if he were being honest, he felt as if he had little choice in the matter.
"Have you decided which house you want to teach yet?"
"I have not. The archbishop asked me to speak with the students and the House Leaders first before making the decision."
Yuri smiled. "I see. Well, I'll be more than happy to give you a rundown of what to expect from my house. What do you know about the Ashen Wolf House?"
"Only what Hanneman and Manuela told me. The Ashen Wolves come from all walks of life."
"Indeed we do. And I'm sure you'll love us when we get to know each other better." Yuri chuckled. He was about to continue, but stopped when he saw something behind him. Whatever it was, it was enough to make him smirk. "Actually, instead of telling you, why don't I show you? Come, let me show you some of the more, how shall we say, interesting members of the Ashen Wolves?"
Byleth raised a brow, but followed after Yuri nonetheless. Three people, all wearing gray and silver attire, had gathered close by and were chatting among themselves until they saw Yuri and Byleth approaching.
"Hey, Yuri!" a rather burly man greeted the house leader warmly. He looked older than many of the students, even older-looking than Dedue, Raphael or Hubert. "Hm? Who's this guy?"
"New friend of yours, Yuri-bird?" the red-haired girl asked curiously.
Yuri smirked. "You could say that. Remember the merc I told you about? This is him. He'll be joining the Officer's Academy."
"Ah, so this is the one!" the haughty-looking woman smiled widely. "Greetings! I am Constance of House Nuvelle! Charmed, I'm sure."
"Sup!" the burly man raised a hand in greeting. "The name's Balthus, the Almighty King of Grappling!"
"Name's Hapi." the red-haired woman nudged her head. "Nice to meet you."
"I'm sure the other teachers must have told you already, but the Ashen Wolves come from all walks of life." Yuri told Byleth. "I'm sure once you get to know us, you'll love us. By the way, I'm sure you can probably tell by his looks, but Balthus is older than any of us here. Actually, he already graduated from the Officer's Academy a long time."
Balthus chuckled as he rubbed his nose. "Guilty as charged. I'm not a student anymore, but as far as everyone here's concerned, I'm a member of the Ashen Wolves. I used to be from the Leicester Alliance until I got chased out because of, well, pissing off one too many people."
Hapi snickered. "And wracking up a heck of a debt in the process."
"Yeah, that too."
"Constance is from the Adrestian Empire." Yuri continued and gestured to the blonde woman. "Her house fell to ruin after the Insurrection of the Seven and other circumstances, and she's determined to bring it back. Fair warning, she'll probably intend to rope you into her schemes. Be prepared."
"Yuri, you fiend! I would do nothing of the sort!" Constance glared. "Admittedly, I have considered requesting his services, but that is only if his skills with a sword is as you claim!"
"In that case, should he meet your standard, better get in line. The Royal Highnesses and the Duke-to-be have all staked their claim, so you might wanna hurry." Yuri told her, stunning the woman in the process. He then gestured to Hapi. "Hapi is from Faerghus, like me. As you can see, she's blunt and doesn't mince words, but she's a good person. She also can't remember people's names for the life of her, so she comes up with nicknames."
"I remember your name." Hapi pointed out.
"Fair enough. Anyway, there are plenty of other unique people in the Ashen Wolf House, but as far as being able to handle yourself in a fight or being confident in your skills, these are the people you want in case things get hairy." The effeminate young man smiled. "As for me, I'm the kid of Count Rowe. Adopted, mind you. And I'm pretty sure you've heard more than a few things about me. Allow me to put those rumors to rest. Every last one of them is true. Well, except for a few, still having a hard time trying to tell them otherwise."
Byleth stared at the group collected before them. They were certainly unique. Then again, so were the students he met earlier.
And yet, something about these people…
Later in the day, shortly after the encounter with the Ashen Wolves, Byleth returned to the archbishop's chamber. Manuela and Hanneman were already present, the woman herself standing together with Seteth. The man looked as if he had swallowed a lemon, given that he was against Rhea's decision. He honestly wished the green-haired man would raise more of a stink and help him get out of this mess. He knew how to swing swords and cast spells, not teach children.
"How are you enjoying your time at the academy thus far? I hope you have found our halls brimming with the vitality of well-intentioned souls." Rhea smiled kindly.
Byleth inwardly grimaced. The way her eyes fell upon him, that smile on her lips, it felt so foreign and alien to him. Her whole demeanor made him uncomfortable.
"I suppose it is time for you to take charge of one of our four houses of students." Seteth bemoaned. "I must note that I am personally against entrusting someone as lacking in trackable history as yourself with such a task, but it is as the archbishop desires."
Manuela looked at Byleth, a hint of excitement on her face. "The Black Eagles, the Blue Lions, the Golden Deer, and the Ashen Wolves… All so different. I hope you've made it a point to get to know each of them."
"Since you are new here, we have decided to allow you first pick. Manuela and I will take charge of the remaining houses." Hanneman told him.
Byleth frowned. There were only three of them present, and there were four houses to choose. "Do you not have another professor to spare?"
"Our sword instructor, Jeritza, has offered to fill in the position until we are able to find someone qualified." Seteth answered him. "Until such a time, he will take charge of whichever house is left."
Their eyes fell on him. Byleth pursed his lips and thought back to the students belonging to the houses, as well as those they looked for towards leadership. Edelgard and her Black Eagles, ever expectant and constantly watching him in appraisal. Dimitri and his Blue Lions, the essence of chivalry yet carrying a dark shadow beneath him. Claude and his Golden Deer, a mixed bag of tricks and personalities under the command of a schemer. And lastly Yuri and his Ashen Wolves, those who had no place in the world and rejected it in turn, led by a man with a darkness in his eyes.
He thought back to his impressions of them and their meetings, how he felt when he met them for the first time. And after a moment of thinking, he made his decision.
"I…"
Yuri waited patiently for the new professor to arrive with the rest of his little entourage of friends. Today was the day when some poor, unlucky soul was going to be in charge of the house. Everyone was antsy, wondering who would be their instructor for the rest of the year. While he doubted it would happen, part of Yuri was curious to see whether or not Byleth had chosen their house. He certainly did appear to be taken in by the group's roguish charms, but then again, who wasn't?
"How much longer must we wait?" Constance complained as she paced around the classroom impatiently. "It is rude of our instructor to be late and expect us to fall in line with their schedule! We have our own timetable to follow, do we not?"
"Sheesh, calm down will ya?" Balthus deadpanned. "I'm sure they'll be here soon. That is, if we're getting one."
"B's got a point." Hapi pointed out. "Who'd want to teach a bunch of troublemakers?"
Yuri chuckled. "I suppose we'll find out soon enough."
The wait ended not long after he had said that. The doors were pulled open and their new teacher stepped inside. The four turned and saw who entered, promptly letting their jaws kiss the floor.
Hapi blinked. Once, twice. Then three times before she rubbed her eyes to make sure she was not seeing floor. "…wait, what?"
"Whoa, hang on a second…" Balthus stared incredulously. "Don't tell me the guy in charge of our house is you?!"
Byleth Eisner, the infamous Ashen Demon, frowned. "Is there a problem?"
"W-what? How?!" Constance gaped like a fish before she rounded on Yuri, the latter unable to fight off the vicious grin on his face. "Yuri! Explain the meaning of this! I thought you said he was to become a student at the Officer's Academy, not a teacher?!"
"I only said he was joining the academy," Yuri laughed. "I never said he was joining as a student. Still, color me impressed, friend! Tell me, what made you decide to take us on? Were you perhaps charmed by our roguish nature?"
"Nevermind that!" Balthus boomed as he walked over to Byleth, slugging his arm over their shoulders and grinning. "I may not be a student anymore, but I'm still a part of this house! And today, so you are my friend! So, if you need anyone slugged, just rely on the Inexorable King of Grappling!"
Hapi rolled his eyes. "Well, whatever. For what it's worth, Professor, sorry you'll be caught up in all our craziness. Chances are you'll be wishing you never decided to teach us."
"Not that you have a choice in the matter anymore." The House Leader stepped forward and offered his hand to Byleth. "I do hope you're prepared, Prof. Once you get involved with us misfits, there's no going back."
Byleth looked at Yuri, then at his hand. Without hesitation, he accepted it.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Special thanks go to Starlight's Poet, my co-writer.
I love how I said I wasn't going to be rehashing certain events, and yet here I go and do it again. Granted, Yuri's presence does change it up a bit, but they're still mostly the same.
As for the general consensus about the Ashen Wolves in-universe, since they're more or less the "delinquents" of Garreg Mach, and given their diverse roster of individuals from those outside of Fódlan, it's only natural there would be conflict.
Also, Albinea isn't a made-up continent. It is within the world of Three Houses and is located northwest of Fódlan. According to the Fire Emblem wiki, "It is an intensely frigid land home to rare species of flora and fauna. As the climate is prohibitively cold for agriculture, the population of Albinea is extremely small."
Also, I have closed the poll. The characters who will be joining the Ashen Wolves are Ashe, Bernadetta, and Lysithea. As for how these characters will join the Ashen Wolves, that will be revealed later on.
Lastly, god dammit Mugiwara N0 Luffy. You couldn't have waited like a few more hours before I decided to post this chapter?!
REVIEW:
Starlight's Poet: Glad to be working with you on this. If you need any help on White Horizons, please let me know.
Dracus6: Romance is hardly my priority, so for the time being, I will not be doing any pairings. Also, please offer constructive criticism or honest thoughts about the story instead of just writing these sorts of things or requesting that I write certain stories, otherwise I will continue to report you.
Jay Hayden: Indeed. That's mostly why I had made it so that only one person from each house will join, as I want to give Flayn a bit more focus as she tends to be put out-of-focus in all the other routes.
Guest #1: Byleth is in charge of the Ashen Wolves, Hanneman the Blue Lion, Manuela the Golden Deer and Jeritza the Black Eagles.
James95: Some events really just shouldn't be repeated, even if slightly different with the inclusion of an additional character. And they really wasted a good opportunity by not including Jeralt in the DLC. It would have been a lot more interesting to see how it would have played out, same with Sothis. Well, at least we have fanfictions for that, right?