A Godly Plan, For An Uncertain Future.
There was darkness. Byleth couldn't see anything. She felt so tired, she felt so weak... she couldn't even move. She could feel herself laying on something soft... and a warm aura was nearby. She suddenly heard something... singing?
"In time's flow...see the glow of flames ever burning bright... On the swift river's drift, broken memories alight..." Byleth finally opened her eyes and saw Rhea siting with Byleth's head in her lap with her eyes closed "Professor. You must remain still".
"Where am I?" Byleth asked weakly.
"Everything is all right. There is no need to worry. Those who are trying to harm you are far away" Rhea said before hums the tune she was singing earlier before speaking again "...How lovely...it would be for this moment to last forever... I wish I could hold on to this time we have stolen... that you and I could create a world without end... I have heard whispers of what happened to you. Your appearance... You have received power from the goddess. From the moment you took hold of the Sword of the Creator... I prayed that one day the radiant power of Sothis, which bathes Fódlan in its celestial light, might reside within you. But you are so much more than the light. You are my... Close your eyes, dear one. Sleep, just a while longer." Byleth felt herself drift of to sleep again, she was just so tired "I will be watching over you, always. Always and forever...".
Elsewhere, Akame was also waking up. Not to a song, but to something else. She felt she was resting on something cold and soft, like snow. Yet somehow it was also warm and comfy. She even felt someone stroking her hair.
"I see you are awake, little one" Came a familiar voice, it was Esdeath. Akame had to admit, she was not expecting to wake up in Esdeath's chest, which must've been blessed by the goddess "Don't move around to much. The healers said you hadn't suffered any injuries, but your body is still weak. You need your rest".
"What... happened?" Akame asked.
"No need to worry about that now little one, I am sure Rhea will explain everything later. For now, you can rest, and let your future sister in law take care of you. As soon as I marry Byleth, we will become family. So I think it's time for us to bond a little more" Esdeath said softly.
Akame couldn't help but to smile. She could get used to this more gentle Esdeath, and if Byleth really is going to marry her, Akame wouldn't mind calling Esdeath her sister. Akame yawns and snuggles in to Esdeath's breasts, earning a chuckle from the ice warrior. Esdeath had always liked Akame, but after finally achieving a bond of love with Byleth, she already felt like Akame had become a more important part of her life. Esdeath may be a warrior with a strong belief in strength. But that did not mean she wouldn't protect her loved ones.
She waited years to find love. And she refused to lose it. She will protect it, to her dying breath.
Pegasus Moon: The northern lands are enveloped in a bitter cold, and frigid winds are carried across the sea to the south of Adrestia. When feather-white snow falls on Fódlan's Locket, the fort looks as delicate as a pearl. However...beneath that snowy blanket, her Throat is more treacherous than ever.
A few days passed, and Rhea stood in the Audience Chamber. Seteth was there too and he looked really worked up about something.
"Rhea, please talk to me. What are you hiding? What is the meaning of how that one looks? It is almost as though..." Seteth trailed of.
Rhea shook her head "As I said, there is nothing of which to speak. For now. At the end of this month...".
"I read Jeralt's diary. I happened upon it in his room" Seteth said.
Rhea looked at him in surprise "What?".
"In it, he stated the reason for his departure. The baby thought to have died in the fire...has returned to us. Jeralt realized that you had done something to the child and decided to flee. What did you do to that baby, Rhea? Nothing...questionable, I should hope?" Seteth asked in a pleading tone.
"Seteth, enough. She will be here shortly. No more, I beg of you. I will take our dear Byleth to the Holy Tomb. There...I should be able to see our dearest wishes to fruition. When I was young, I heard her voice there... I'm sure of it" Rhea said before there was a knock on the door "You may enter" Byleth walked inside making Rhea smile "I have been awaiting your arrival, Professor. Now that you have received sacred power from the goddess, there is somewhere you must pay a visit to at once. You must go to the Holy Tomb so that you may receive a divine revelation from the goddess".
"The Holy Tomb?" Byleth asked.
"The Holy Tomb is where the goddess sleeps. This monastery was originally built for the purpose of protecting that hallowed temple" Seteth answered.
"Only a select few know of it, but there is a legend about Seiros and the Holy Tomb. Saint Seiros, the first soul to be gifted power from the goddess, received her revelation there. She was told it was her sacred duty to save the people of Fódlan, and that she must use her power wisely in order to lead them. The words that were handed down to Seiros from the goddess will likely fall upon your ears as well" Rhea explained.
"Prepare yourself to go at once. There, may you find out why you were blessed with such power" Seteth added.
"There will be a ceremony at the Holy Tomb. It is then that you will receive the goddess's revelation. You may share this mission with your students" Rhea said.
"Do you think it wise to bring them into this?" Byleth asked, showing some concern for her students.
"It is said that when Seiros received the revelation, she had holy warriors by her side, protecting her. Your students, who have followed you and fought alongside you through the darkest of times, are well suited to stand by you for the ceremony. Of course, as the leader of the Church of Seiros, I will be by your side as well" Rhea said.
Byleth felt this was a little strange but decided to not voice her thoughts out loud as there was something else Rhea said that worried her "Isn't that too dangerous?".
Rhea smiled at Byleth's concern "The Holy Tomb is a sacred temple that is sealed off from the rest of the world. There is nothing to fear. Even if something were to happen, I am more than capable of protecting myself".
"Much has changed, but your duty has not wavered. Steel your mind for the ceremony, and prepare your students well" Seteth instructed.
Byleth nods at that. But she was wondering if it really would go the way they said it would.
Claude stood in the Advisory Room and looked to be deep in thought "Rhea and Seteth were not their usual selves. What happened to Teach that's questionable, and what really awaits at the Holy Tomb? The way they were acting, I don't think they have any plans of sharing that information".
"What are you talking about?" Claude jumped a little until he saw who it was.
"Akame? What are you doing here?" Claude asked.
"I was on my way to speak to Rhea until I noticed you. What was it you were talking about?" Akame asked.
Claude really put himself in a situation he can't get out of, this is what he gets for voicing his thoughts out loud "I can't say for sure. But I will tell you what I do know. You deserve to know that much".
Akame had a feeling she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear... and she was right.
Later that day, Akame didn't go to Rhea. It was supposed that she was going to see Rhea so she could explain what happened to her and Byleth. But after what Claude told her... that Rhea did something to Byleth while she was still a baby... she was keeping a big secret from them, and Akame felt there was something bad about it. She didn't want to believe that the woman she wanted to be her new mother could ever do something bad... but right now she wasn't sure.
"Akame, can I borrow some of your time?" Akame stopped and saw Edelgard.
"Oh, sure, what is it?" Akame asked.
"I need to ask you to join me on something. There's something I must do. It will take a few days, but I promise we'll be back in time for the ceremony at the Holy Tomb" Edelgard explained.
"Where are we going?" Akame asked.
"It's meant to be a secret, but...I'm going to Enbarr, the Imperial Capital. There is something I must do there" Edelgard answered.
"If it's a secret, then why ask me to come with you?" Akame asked.
"Because you are among the only people I can trust with this" Edelgard answered.
"And you are not the only one" Akame turned and saw Esdeath walk up to them "I have already agreed to go with her. The choice is yours if you wish to come with us or not".
Akame thought for several moments. To be honest she felt she needed to get away from the monastery for a while "Very well, I will come with you two. Give me a little time to tell Byleth and prepare for the trip".
"Thank you Akame, I knew I could trust you" Edelgard said with a smile.
Akame smiled back, but she wondered what this was about. Later she told Byleth that she was leaving with Esdeath and Edelgard for a while. Byleth wanted to go with her, but Akame told her she needed to stay with her students and assured her older sister she would be alright, since both Edelgard and Esdeath were going to be with her. Byleth didn't like it, but she knew Akame needed to make some depressions on her own, or else she will never truly live her own life.
Still, Byleth was suspicious about what this trip was really about. And she was hoping nothing bad would come of it... but what worried her more was Akame's demeanor. She acted like she was upset about something, and Byleth wondered what.
After some time of traveling, Akame and the others had arrived at the Imperial Palace in Enbarr. Safe to say the Empire was really impressive, no matter where Akame looked she could see powerful warriors. No wonder Edelgard is so powerful.
Edelgard addresses her father who sits on the throne in the throne room, Emperor Ionius IX. He looked old and weak, like he could die any day now... Akame wondered how he had managed to rule for this long in his poor health.
"Father, forgive me for asking this of you. I know how much pain you're in-how the burden of the throne weighs heavily on you, and so-" Edelgard began but her father cut her of.
"There is no need to apologize, Edelgard. You must know..." Ionius began before he coughs "That I do not have much time left in this world. The time has come".
"Thank you, Father. Now, to complete the Imperial succession, you must relinquish your crown here in the throne room. The archbishop of the Church of Seiros would normally act as witness, but my professor and my close friend, will fill that role instead" Edelgard said.
Ionius smiled softly at that "Edelgard...".
"From this day forward, the weight of the Empire's future shall rest upon my shoulders. All that I do will be for the benefit of the people of Fódlan" Edelgard said.
Ionius weakly stands up as he removed his crown as Edelgard kneels before him "Edelgard von Hresvelg, the crown is yours. By the covenant between the red blood and the white sword, and by the double-headed eagle upon your head, I hereby pronounce you the new emperor. Are you prepared to take those responsibilities as your own?".
"In accordance with the ancient covenant, and in keeping with the Hresvelg legacy... I swear that upon this throne, I shall use my reign to lead Fódlan to a new dawn and achieve peace for all" Edelgard said as her father was placing his crown on her head.
In all her life, Akame never expected she would see something like this happen. She just witnessed the start of a brand new era.
Ionius sits back down "The Imperial succession is complete. My daughter, I regret that I could not do more for you. When you were stolen away to the Kingdom, when the prime minister did those horrible things, I could only watch in horror".
"I-I understand, Father. In those dark times, your eyes and your fists were my salvation. Within your eyes, I saw true care. And upon your fists clenched tight with indignity, I saw the blood that dripped and fell. Even as I bled, I felt that you, too, must also be bleeding" Edelgard said.
Suddenly a rather chubby man enters "Your Majesty! You must not leave your sleeping chambers in your condition" He noticed Edelgard "Ah, Edelgard. I did not expect to find Your Highness here".
"Prime Minister, you have misspoken. I am no longer Your Highness, but rather...Your Majesty" Edelgard said.
The Duke looked shocked "I-Impossible!".
Ionius smiled "It is true. Edelgard is the new emperor of the Adrestian Empire. We will summon the officials, and prepare an ordinance at once. And you, Prime Minister-".
"Are dismissed. It will be some time before you are allowed to make contact with the outside world again" Edelgard finished for her father.
"No! How can this be?! I- Understood, Your Majesty" The Duke said, clearly displeased.
"Edelgard... My dear El, I leave the fate of Fódlan... in your capable hands" Ionius said weakly. It was clear his time was almost up.
"Father..." Edelgard said in a sad tone. But she didn't cry. She had no tears left to shed.
"Your time has finally arrived, Your Majesty" Esdeath said with a bow.
"I am happy for you, Edelgard" Akame said with a smile.
"You have made good friends Edelgard... never forsake them..." Ionius said with a smile.
Days later, they were back at Garreg Mach. There was still a couple of weeks left before the ceremony at the Holy Tomb, so they still had plenty of time. Once in the Entrance Hall Edelgard decided to speak.
"Thank you for staying by my side, Professor, and you too Akame. Now that I'm the emperor, it's time to grasp my destiny. After the ceremony at the Holy Tomb, I must return to Enbarr. This may be the last we see of each other" Edelgard said.
"What do you mean?" Akame asked in worry.
Edelgard gave her a sad smile "Don't look at me like that Akame, this was going to happen at some point. I am Emperor now, I need to focus my time on restoring my home land and assure a future for the people, this is my destiny" Akame looked like she was ready to cry, and Edelgard took her hands "Akame, no matter what happens, I am happy for all the time we spent together. You were a good classmate, a trustworthy ally... and an amazing friend. And I hope that even when our paths diverge from one another, that I will still be able to call you my friend".
Akame suddenly wrapped her arms around Edelgard's neck as she gave her a strong hug "We will always be friends, Edelgard. I swear!".
Edelgard was touching by her words, and with a sad smile she hugged Akame back... and her hug was just as hard at Akame's. Esdeath smiled and stayed quiet.
There was no telling where their paths would lead them now.
.
Tell me what you think.