Author's Notes:

Golden Zero16- I'm glad the surprise wasn't too obvious! I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I wouldn't say shipping is particularly major component of this story, but I appreciated the fact that Dimitri and Claude both support with Marianne, too. :) Thanks for reviewing!

Chapter 16

Day 14 of the Wyvern Moon, Imperial Year 1180

"Good work today, Dedue," Dimitri said as they left the training grounds. Dedue insisted on walking him back to his room. "You're looking sharper than ever. We'll need that for the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. That said, I feel we must work out strategies for how to deal with archers. The other classes, especially the Golden Deer, have a numerical superiority at a distance. We shou-."

"Your Highness! Dedue! We were just about to go looking for you! Come in here, quick!"

Dimitri looked over to see Annette peeping her head out of the door to her room. He and Dedue obeyed, and the door was swiftly closed behind him.

Annette's room was startlingly full of young women. Besides Annette, those present included Ingrid, Mercedes, Petra, and Marianne.

"I… is something the matter?" Dimitri stumbled.

Annette shook her head. "Of course not, Your Highness! It's just that Ashe's birthday is in a few days. We're planning what to do and seeing if anyone has any more gift ideas. We want to make sure it's special. It's been a hard year for him, as you both know."

Dimitri smiled. "Yes, I did remember. I already bought some sweets he likes from the market, but I would be happy to hear what is being planned."

"Oh dear!" Mercedes exclaimed. "I was going to bake him some treats, but maybe I shouldn't if you've already taken care of that."

Annette's eyes widened. "What? There's no need to change your plans, Mercie! Nothing from the market is going to match what you make!" Her eyes somehow widened yet another factor. "Oh! No offense, Your Highness!"

"None taken," Dimitri said with a laugh.

Mercedes covered a chuckle. "That's very sweet of you, Annie, but I hope you aren't just saying it because you're counting on me giving you the extras!"

When Annette could only laugh nervously, Dimitri asked, "Where are Sylvain and Felix? Shouldn't they be involved in this conversation as well?"

Mercedes smiled uncomfortably, while Annette and Ingrid shook their heads adamantly.

"Excluding those two was intentional, Your Highness," Ingrid explained. "The reasons why are probably self-explanatory. I'm sure Sylvain at least will come up with… something to help Ashe celebrate the day. I'm already dreading the possibilities."

Changing the subject, Ingrid held out a book for Dimitri and Dedue to see. "This gift is from Petra and I. Turn it to the first page."

When Dimitri opened the cover, his gaze was returned by an impressive drawing of a knight who brimmed with animated motion as he swung his blade.

Ingrid described, "It's a depiction of Kyphon. This book is a lesser-known account of his life that Ashe mentioned once. I commissioned a fellow classmate, who would rather stay anonymous, to make this for us. It turns out he's quite good at drawing knights when it's actually in context."

Petra added, "It took much searching, but I had finding of this book from a village merchant. I even used Ashe's secret techniques for many savings!"

Dimitri complimented them and then turned to the others. "Annette, Marianne… What are you bringing?"

"Umm…" Annette began with a blush. "It's a bit awkward. I was trying to sneakily get some ideas from Ashe, but he caught on to my plan and told me not to get him anything. But he agreed for me to help him study every night this week! And since I'm leading the plans for the celebration, that goes for something right?"

"I think so. What do you think, Dedue?" Dimitri asked, hoping to pull his retainer out of his long silence.

"Of course, Your Highness," Dedue agreed unhelpfully.

Everyone in the room then looked to Marianne. She was already standing in the corner, but she seemed to sink further into it with all attention on her. She held something in her hands that looked like a medallion, but she fiddled with it rather than displaying it for everyone to see.

"I made this… It's a token of sorts. I'm sorry, but it's not very good. I'm sure he won't like it."

Petra began, "Marianne, we will need to be seeing it to decide whe-."

Marianne pulled the medallion to her chest and closed her eyes. "No! You would all just be embarrassed. I'm sorry for coming here." She then hurriedly walked past the others and out the door.

Once she was gone, Dimitri noted, "To be honest, I was surprised to see her here at all. What happened?"

Ingrid shook her head. "I heard her mention needing to make up to Ashe for something she said, so I invited her. Obviously, that wasn't such a good idea in hindsight."

The conversation progressed onward with little more attention paid to Marianne's behavior. Dimitri found himself dwelling on it, though. He had only infrequent opportunities to interact with Marianne, but his eyes were frequently drawn to her whenever they shared a room. She had a particular ability to always look alone, no matter the size of the crowd, as if she lived in a reality that no one else around her could comprehend. And in this reality, she seemed to hold herself responsible for every slight inconvenience inflicted upon the world.

Dimitri wished he knew how to reach her. Much like, in a way, he wished someone knew how to reach him, too…

The Abode of Lamentation - Day 6 of the Horsebow Moon, 1186 (Fódlan Calendar)

"Wait… you know her?" Ariella asked incredulously.

No one answered. Dimitri, Marianne, and Khalid were all frozen in disbelief at the reunion.

Marianne was always disheveled back at the academy, but she now somehow looked even worse. The shadows under eyes had grown deeper. She no longer made any effort to put up her hair, which now reached past her shoulders. Its red color was just another mystery.

Marianne finally gathered herself. "Claude, Dimitri, I… I have to keep working!"

Dimitri agreed. He finally grabbed the vial that Marianne desired, and her work began. Marianne asked for help from each of them multiple times- grabbing various medicines, applying balms and bandages, and holding certain limbs still while she used spells. Dimitri wasn't following the purpose of all of it, but he trusted that Marianne knew what she was doing.

After they redressed the king and moved him from the table to a bed, Marianne said she would be able to handle the rest on her own. Dimitri, Ariella, and Khalid gathered at seats around the table at that time. These chairs were hewn in the style of Fódlan, which was a pleasant surprise for Dimitri.

"If you remember, Ariella, the plan was for you to head back and help the others find the way here," Khalid told her. "It sounds like now is the best time. Obviously, it would be ideal to send you with the final report, but it's more important that we get everyone here sooner."

"I understand," Ariella said as she stood. "I'll be on my way, then. I'm taking our horse, so I hope you don't need it."

"Do you need me to send Dimitri with you, or are you comfortable going alone?"

"Thank you, but I can handle it by myself. I feel fine. Well… a bit shaken, but you know what I mean." Before closing the door, Ariella made a final wave to assure them that she would be safe.

Khalid didn't say it, but Dimitri knew another reason he wanted Ariella to leave immediately and alone was so the three former classmates would have the room to themselves. It would be a while yet, though, before they finally had the chance to talk. Marianne remained focused on her work.

Dimitri reflected on the past several hours while they waited. When Khalid requested help transporting the king to the Ashen Angel, Dimitri managed to gather up his scattered thoughts enough to grasp where he was. Even so, his mind was still very much consumed by Duscur during the ride there. The voices of Father, Stepmother, and Glenn denounced him the entire time for allowing history to repeat itself. For coming out unharmed while those around him did not.

When he saw Marianne, though, all of those voices ceased. He was no longer the bloodstained child at Duscur; rather, he was once again the student from the Officer's Academy that others depended on and looked up to.

He surveyed his surroundings. The room was a reflection of its owner's state of mind. It was shoddily built, with various places for rain to leak through. The various books were positioned to avoid any areas that water might pool, but there was no organization beyond that. With the exception of a few equestrian tools, there was nothing that conveyed her personality besides being a healer.

After putting a damp cloth on Faruq's forehead, Marianne finally left the chair by the bed and walked towards Dimitri and Khalid.

"He's going to live," Marianne said demurely. Khalid livelily sat up straight, but he refrained from cheering when he realized that Marianne's voice was not particularly triumphant.

"But…" Khalid offered.

"… The cut was quite deep. When you brought him here, was he able to sit up on his own weight?"

Dimitri answered, "Somewhat. Why?"

"That's good," Marianne muttered, ignoring the question. "Did he move his legs at all?"

"… Not that I recall, but he was barely conscious. Why ar-."

"He's paralyzed, isn't he?" Khalid reasoned somewhat curtly, looking to cut past the temporizing.

Marianne looked at the floor and said regretfully, "His spinal cord was severely damaged at his lower back. I did everything I could, but I… I doubt he's going to walk again."

Khalid's eyes turned stormy for a few moments. He appeared on the verge of begrudging Marianne for a less than total success, but after closing and reopening his eyes, his countenance was more at peace. "We will have to wait and see. I… know you did your best, Marianne. Thank you for saving his life."

As fortunate as Faruq's survival was, paralysis of any kind would be an ugly outcome. Dimitri knew two people from his childhood who were paralyzed- one from a riding accident and another from a battle in Gautier territory. Both struggled with health complications and died within a few years. Of course, it was not the time to mention any of this to Khalid.

Marianne pulled several wooden cups out of a cabinet. She then poured the contents of a cold kettle into three of them, handed two to her guests, and joined her friends at the table.

"This is some tea if… umm… you're thirsty. It's not very good, though," she explained.

Dimitri was unable to taste it, so he couldn't give a truthful answer one way or the other. Since Khalid did not appear to react negatively upon drinking, though, Marianne was likely underselling her talents.

"Who is he?" Marianne asked as she glanced at the wounded man.

"He's my father," Khalid replied. "He's also the king of Almyra."

Marianne nearly coughed up her tea. "Claude is… an Almyran prince? And you, Dimitri! What are you doing here?"

Khalid answered for him, "He's my retainer now. We had to flee Fódlan after we lost a battle at Gronder Field. No one knows his heritage, though. If anyone asks, he's an appraiser's son from a small port in Faerghus, alright?"

"R-right. But what about this battle? I heard rumors that the war reached the Alliance. How are the others? I'm worried Lorenz or Leonie were probably pulled in."

Marianne did not immediately process the meaning of the crestfallen expressions displayed by both men. "… Ignatz? Raphael? Lysithea?" she asked more unsteadily. She then laughed in denial. "Hilda should be fine, right? She would stay far away from it for sure!"

"Marianne… You and I are all that's left of the Golden Deer," Khalid finally disclosed outright.

Dimitri was ready to catch Marianne's cup of tea as her hand weakened in a swoon.

"B-but… No, that's… It's just… How is it, that I of all people, outlived all our friends?" Her whole body shook as if overcome by a strange force. "Oh, Goddess… Must I drink the full cup of your wrath?"

Dimitri would have comforted her, but Khalid apparently thought it best to help her focus on something else. The prince asked, "How did you get here, Marianne? We were told you took your horse and ran away from home. Everyone thought you, well… decided to end it all."

Marianne squirmed a bit and held her arms across her waist. "I did run away. I left to wander the forests in Edmund territory. I thought that if the goddess would not take me… then perhaps the Beast would. I'm not brave enough to do it myself."

Dimitri and Khalid glanced at each other in concern, but Marianne continued, "I snuck into the Eastern Church to pray about a week later. While there, I heard reports of an Almyran raid happening nearby in an obscure mountain pass. I followed to go heal the wounded. The battle was already over when I arrived. The Alliance detachment had pulled back to recover, but I found some wounded Almyran soldiers that were left behind. I decided to help them. They then asked me to aid some of their friends deeper in the mountains."

Marianne shook her head. "When I realized I had crossed into Almyra … I saw no reason to go back. It was only a matter of time before my adoptive father found me if I stayed in Fódlan. No one here would know who I am. I could just do the goddess's work in peace. The Mikdash seemed like the best place to do this. There are few outsiders looking in, and many people who need help. After all this time… it's strange to be called Marianne again."

"I hate to ask… but why the red hair?" Khalid inquired.

Marianne glanced at a few strands in front of her eyes as if she had nearly forgotten. "Its original color made it obvious that I was from Fódlan. I didn't want that kind of attention. This was the only color of dye I could find."

It would have been too cruel to ask much more of Marianne, so Khalid instead explained in more detail the circumstances leading to their arrival in Almyra and the king's injury. Marianne looked overwhelmed, but she did not complain or ask for clarifications. She kept glancing at Dimitri's eyepatch but did not dare ask the reason for it.

Khalid was just about to explain how they knew where to find the Ashen Angel when a rumble was heard from outside. They watched the door until it burst open.

James and Abbas were the first to step inside. The brothers' faces brightened upon seeing the king peacefully resting, but Abbas quickly turned his focus towards Khalid. He clutched his brother by the collar and pushed him onto the table.

"You did this! I'll kill you! I swear on all of the go-."

Dimitri ripped Abbas off of Khalid and thrust him across the room, where he crushed a shelf of flasks upon impact. At that point, James helped subdue the eldest prince.

"Easy, Abbas!" James pleaded as he held one of his brother's arms. "We don't know anything."

"I know those bandits never came within twenty feet of our carriage. What do you suppose that means?"

"It could mean a number of things. You've just picked the explanation you like best," Khalid accused.

James added, "By your logic, Abbas, you and I could be just as guilty."

"We had seven years of peace until Khalid made the mistake of showing his face again. That's no coincidence. He had a servant leave the estate last night that could have given the orders. That no coincidence, either."

"You mean the servant that just helped save Father's life?" Khalid asked. "Just stop for one second and actually think."

"What is going on here?" someone at the door asked testily. It was Queen Tiana. Her delayed entrance, probably the result of having to give orders to everyone else outside, had caused her to miss the confrontation.

Everyone else seemed uncertain how much of the fight should be publicized, but Dimitri had no qualms explaining, "Prince Abbas assaulted Prince Khalid and swore to kill him."

Tiana's hand twitched, but she otherwise maintained her composure. "Is that true, Abbas? For your sake, I hope that's an exaggeration."

Abbas snorted as he shook his head. "I'm done caring about what you think, you foreign whore! First he killed Shahid, and now your son nearly murdered my father… our king! And I don't understand how everyone in this room continues to defend him!"

Queen Tiana scowled and strode towards Abbas resolutely. He made a swing at her, but Tiana deftly dodged it and bound Abbas in an armlock. She then walked him towards the open door.

"I should have done this years ago," she mumbled. She released her grip on Abbas and kicked him outside.

Abbas landed on the ground hard, but he quickly rolled over and rose to his knees. He sneered, "Don't like being called a whore? Imagine how my mother felt after your war, then."

"Call me what you will. I couldn't care less. But come within arm's reach of my son again, and you'll quickly regret being born."

Tiana then threw the door shut. The disintegrating frame was having a rough day.

The queen spent no more time thinking about Abbas before rejoining the others. "Now, how is Faruq? Ariella said he was improving. Is he going to be fine?"

The question was directed at Marianne, but the young woman was understandably anxious about classifying Faruq's condition as "fine" or not. Khalid stepped in to help.

"He's going to pull through, Mother. But you should both know… due to the nature of the injury, there are some serious concerns about his ability to walk."

There was a miserable silence for a moment or two. The queen then slumped into the chair beside Faruq's bed. "You poor fool…" she muttered into her hands as she covered her face.

James took on a blank stare at the news, but he soon moved beside Tiana. He looked like he was about to wrap an arm around her or something, but he awkwardly gave up at the last moment and just crossed his arms. He quietly addressed her, "Stepmother… I know it's been a taxing day. But if I could ask… please forgive Abbas when he's ready. He didn't mean what he said. He's just stressed by what's happened."

"Aren't we all?" Tiana replied. "That doesn't excuse his behavior, especially when that behavior is part of a lifelong pattern."

James, Abbas, and Tiana were the first to enter Marianne's humble abode, but they were not the only arrivals. The door was not shut for even a minute before people began to peek inside. Many of them had received relatively minor injuries and were looking for aid.

"Please, stay out!" Tiana ordered in evident frustration. "This room is serving as the king's infirmary, and it can't hope to fit many more people than it already is."

Many of them backed away out of respect, but Anthony was willing to vocalize what the others were thinking. His thigh was bandaged, and he walked with a limp. "We mean no disrespect, Your Majesty, but we have many wounded out here. I humbly ask that once the king's health is secured, you allow us to borrow the Ashen Angel's services."

When Tiana hesitated to answer, Khalid put a hand on her shoulder. "Father is going to be fine. Please, let her help the others." James nodded in agreement.

"… Very well," Tiana agreed. "But please, try to keep the noise down outside. And tell Khatereh that I wish for her to join us."

Anthony assented with a gracious hand on his heart before leading the others out. Marianne looked to Khalid anxiously, who motioned for her to follow. She ducked her head, assembled a set of supplies, and trailed the wounded.

At this point, Dimitri was beginning to feel rather out of place. Since Ariella was apparently now trapped outside, he was the only person of marginal status left in the room. He half-expected to be ordered outside, too, but perhaps helping save the king earned him a bit of goodwill.

Khatereh slipped inside behind Marianne. The commander of the Shakiriyya immediately knelt on one knee before her queen.

"Your Majesty… I am forever shamed for my dereliction of duty. Let me carry the full burden of responsibility for the king's injuries. I will immediately offer my resignation upon our return, and I hold myself at your mercy if a more severe punishment is desired."

Tiana put a comforting hand on Khatereh's head. "No. The fault is mine," The queen said as her voice cracked. "He should never have been hit by that blade. He turned his back just before the swing because he heard someone trying to open the door on my side of the carriage. If I just held the damn thing shut, none of this would have happened. There is no need for punishment, Khatereh, and I reject your resignation." She then helped Khatereh back onto her feet. "I would ask, though, that you take my seat and watch over the king for the rest of the night."

Tiana stood up just long enough to trade for a spot at the main table. Dimitri, Khalid, and James all joined her there, while Khatereh secured her previous post.

"Just what was the final tally of casualties?" Khalid asked the women.

Khatereh answered, "Five deaths in total. Two soldiers, two domestic servants, and Lord Qadir. Fourteen were injured, including King Faruq. Most of those injuries resulted from the initial blasts. All things considered, the sum of casualties was low given the number of assailants we faced. It goes without saying, though, that the harm inflicted upon the king and the Custodian of Istakhr is incalculable."

"And what do we know of the assailants? Did we take any prisoners?"

"No," Tiana answered, sparing Khatereh any further embarrassment. "They're all dead. Every single one we found took their life before we could get our hands on them. I'm sorry, Khalid."

"Unfortunate, but hardly surprising," Khalid muttered. "Don't blame yourselves. Our best chance would have been to capture someone right at the start, but that obviously wasn't anyone's first concern."

The queen allayed, "We're still going to find out everything we can. I left a contingent behind led by Demetrius to investigate the scene and survey the bodies for anything that might tell us what happened."

Someone knocked on the door twice before Khalid could ask any more questions.

"Nousha, I thought I ordered you all to leave us alone," Tiana reminded the newcomer, trying her best to not vent her frustration. She was only halfway successful.

Nader's daughter seemed to be in a constant state of annoyance for as long as Dimitri knew her, but on that occasion, she looked genuinely diffident about interrupting. "I apologize, but I must ask, Your Majesty… What happened with Prince Abbas? He and his retainers just took off. When I asked him where he was going, he said he was riding west."

There was a stunned silence before Khalid noted, "The only logical answer is that he's on his way to join Ghalib, but even that doesn't make much sense. Abbas despises his uncle."

James corrected, "Not as much as he despises you, apparently. He really thinks you're responsible for what happened. But… to join Ghalib… There's no coming back from that."

Tiana was not as sympathetic. After thanking Nousha and asking her to leave, the queen reminded the princes, "Abbas is a grown man. If he chooses to stand against us, he'll have to face the consequences. I hope you're both ready for that possibility."

Khalid and James glanced at each other uncomfortably. Dimitri understood why. To fight one's own family… it was an ugly thing.

"If we can quickly figure out whoever did this and make a convincing case, it might not be too late to prevent anything from happening," James pointed out.

"There's no need for coyness on this," the queen interposed. "The 'whoever' that ordered this was your uncle Ghalib."

"Well, I know we all have someone in mind, but we should consider every option before we let our biases run wild," Khalid reasoned. "As I see it, we need to consider everyone that meets three conditions. They must have the motive, they must have the resources to fund it, and they need the ability to coordinate with the people who live here. For example, Justinian has motive, that being the desire to weaken Elam to expand Meteora's influence, and he has resources. But I don't see him having channels to communicate with the people living in the Mikdash."

"Who says locals did it? They could have been soldiers dressed as bandits," Dimitri noted.

"Well, for one, they sure didn't look Meteoran, so I still think Justinian is out. Regardless, those bandits didn't fight like trained soldiers. They could have been feigning a lack of skill, sure, but the simpler answer is the more likely one. It's somewhat difficult to cover up a whole army regiment suddenly disappearing after the attack. But peasants from the Mikdash with no documentation to trace? Nearly impossible for us to investigate."

Khalid took a breath, giving chance for everyone to catch up. He then continued, "So, why would the peasants get involved? There're only a few options I can think of. One is that they feared the consequences if they didn't. Maybe whoever called for the strike threatened harm to their families if they did not participate. But given that there's not much executive power out here, it would have been pretty easy for these bandits to just slip across the friendlier border, expose the plot, and ask for protection. It's also possible that they were radicals who were ready to die in exchange for the king's life. I haven't heard of any discontent in the Mikdash for a turnout of this size, though. That really just leaves money as the motivator. Of course, these bandits obviously had no expectation of coming out of this alive, so the wages must have been guaranteed to their surviving families. To me, that is the most likely choice given what I know of the Mikdash."

Everyone took a minute to process his logic. Tiana finally broke the peace by saying, "That all makes sense. So, it probably has to be someone from Elam or the Tabarzin with deep pockets. But whom?"

"Khalid, Abbas, and I are going to be popular names to accuse," James contributed. "We have the motive for wanting to stop Ghalib from being formally named successor. But despite being royalty, we don't have much money directly under our name. It would only really be possible if father granted enough to our custody, which he can quickly disprove once he's in health to do so."

When everyone agreed with this, Khalid moved on to the next possible suspect. "Taxes in Elam went through Qadir, so he would have possessed the money. It's also feasible that his servants could have communicated with people living on Elam's side of the forest. He hated my guts, but I don't see any reason why he'd want Father dead. I guess if he believed he could manipulate the new king to hand him more power, but it's a stretch. And though I never thought he was the premier mind of Elam, surely he wasn't stupid enough to get himself killed in his own raid."

"That clears the big names of Elam," Tiana concluded. "As for the Tabarzin, it doesn't have much in the way of a bureaucracy. Ghalib is the only one that could run the show from there."

Khalid looked to his brother. "I hate to ask, James, but this did take place near the Attali's. Is there any reason they might have gotten involved?"

"It's fine. You're right to ask," James sighed. "The Attali family is rich, but I doubt they're rich enough to fund something like this. I don't see them being anything more than colluders. Now, it's no secret that the Mikdash is poor. Is it conceivable that someone in my mother's family sympathized with their plight and felt the need for a regime change? Yes, it's possible. But there's no reason to blame Father in particular, and there's even less reason to think that Ghalib would be better. Even if Ghalib made them promises behind the scenes… at the end of the day, my family is already well situated. Risking that would be foolish."

Tiana clapped her hands together. "So, we've come full circle back to Ghalib. Have we satisfied our curiosity?"

"There's something you all should know," Khalid revealed. "During the encounter… one of the bandits was about to attack me, but when he saw who I was, he quickly scampered off."

"That doesn't come as a surprise," his mother exhaled. "You know why, right?"

Khalid answered, "Because they were told to leave me alive. Whoever ordered this wants to pin the blame on me. Like James said, the story will go that I needed to kill Father before he made his endorsement of Ghalib official."

"And in actuality, the mirza called the strike before King Faruq could clarify that the succession was not determined," Dimitri finished.

Tiana nodded. "If Faruq had died, Ghalib's plan may have succeeded with little resistance. But assuming Faruq agrees that Khalid is not responsible, the mirza's position is greatly weakened."

Khalid shook his head. "Father's survival is indeed critical, but that doesn't mean my uncle has lost. He can claim that the king is being manipulated by me and that he must ride against Elam to purge the court of traitors for the king's own good."

"That would mean war," James observed.

"Yes. It would."

Everyone, including Khatereh, looked at Khalid like he said something forbidden, even though all he did was confirm what everyone already knew. The silence that followed spoke louder than words.

As everyone contemplated the future, someone knocked on the door and entered. It was Demetrius, who breathed laboriously before finding a seat. His face was blackened with soot. Seeing his sorry state, Dimitri poured out a cup of Marianne's tea for him.

This time, Tiana was too confused to be angry at the new arrival. "Demetrius… What in the world happened?"

Demetrius wheezed several times before answering. "Look towards the eastern sky, Your Majesty, and you'll have your reason. If you get a vantage through the canopy, you'll see that the sky is lit up in red."

"A forest fire?"

Demetrius nodded. "I don't know what caused it, but the timing was too remarkable to be natural. Might have been delayed explosives or something. It seemed to encroach on us from almost every direction. Needless to say, it was chaos."

"Is everyone safe?" James asked him.

"Of our soldiers, yes. But we weren't able to get any of the bodies out. There won't be much left when the embers settle. We had already grabbed a few handfuls of trinkets off of them, but I don't think that will be enough for identification."

Khalid groaned as he rubbed his eyes. "And there go our hopes of a full investigation. They really thought this through, didn't they?"

Tiana joined in, "And getting home is going to be a pain now. Don't worry, Khalid, I brought Failnaught with me before I left the scene. I wasn't going to leave that lying around for others to play with." She then asked Demetrius, "Should we be worried about the fire consuming this place, too?"

The acting Grand Agha responded, "I don't think so. The wind is blowing to the north, so the fire should be pressed up against the banks of the Shahrud River in short order. And since the area was old growth with minimal underbrush, it won't spread quickly. If we divert some to the south, we'll have nothing to worry about."

Tiana nodded. "Very well. Demetrius, I need you to handle things outside. Everyone could use some rest, so set up camp here until morning. We'll decide then what to do once we have a better idea of the king's health."

Demetrius stood after downing the last of the tea. He bowed and proceeded out the door.

"I don't want to keep you in suspense that long," a voice moaned weakly once Demetrius was gone.

Everyone in the room immediately huddled around the king's bed. His eyes were still closed, but the others trusted that he was conscious.

"Faruq… how do you feel?" Tiana tried.

The king mumbled through his words, but he was responsive. "Like the carriage flattened me. And then backed up over me again for good measure."

"And your legs… do you feel them? Can you move them?" James asked.

There was a pause before the answer. "I… I don't know. Maybe not. I can't move them, but I just feel so weak…"

"That's fine, we expected you to be tired. Don't worry about. Just try to rest, okay?" Tiana comforted as she put a hand on his clammy brow.

Faruq finally opened his eyes slowly at the sense of her touch. While his gaze was focused on his wife, Khalid reached down and grabbed his father's feet. He massaged them for a few seconds, but Faruq made no reaction. Khalid looked to Dimitri and James grimly before stepping away.

"I'm pretty sure staring at him while he's trying to sleep isn't going to make the task easier for him. I'm going to head out for some hopefully fresh, unsmoked air," Khalid informed. He motioned for Dimitri to follow him.

As they walked towards the door, Khalid told Dimitri, "We need to see how Marianne is. Finding her is the sole lucky draw we've had, and we can't let it go to waste. We need to convince her to come back to the Dunya with us."

"Of course. Because your first priority is to get her into a healthier environment and state of mind, correct?" Dimitri replied sharply.

Khalid knew there was no smooth recovery and just admitted, "Yeah, that too. Sorry."

It took some searching to find Marianne. The immediate vicinity was crowded with various soldiers and servants. Some were eating, some conversed lowly, and some tried to find reprieve in sleep. Two were crying, though Dimitri did not know if it was because they lost someone dear to their hearts or if the stress of the day had finally caught up to them.

Marianne had finished her work and was sitting on a fallen tree trunk while squeezing a used rag. She looked up when Dimitri and Khalid approached.

"Many have come here for help in the past five years, but there were never so many hurt in such a small timespan. It looked like a battlefield," she said quietly.

Since Khalid was the leader of the Golden Deer, Dimitri allowed him to lead the conversation.

"How about the three of us go on a walk?" Khalid suggested. "Does that sound alright, Marianne?"

"Umm… okay."

It was remarkably dark, but Marianne carried a lantern that she used while tending to her patients. Khalid first led them towards the other side of the lone house, presumably to get as far away from the others as quickly as possible. Marianne's horse had been moved further away than Dimitri remembered upon arrival, probably to keep him distant from all the noise.

"This actually is Dorte, right?" Khalid asked as they walked by. "It would be awkward to get this wrong a second time."

Marianne nodded weakly. "That's right. When the monastery fell, Ferdinand asked Edelgard if I could be given Dorte. She agreed to it."

"How thoughtful of her. The only things she ever gave me were a few dressing-downs and a personal introduction from Kostas and his friends."

Seeing that Marianne had no intent to continue that discussion, Khalid changed the subject. "So, no one has called you 'Marianne' in year, huh? What do you go by, then? Surely people don't say 'Ashen Angel' every time they want to talk to you. It's a bit of a mouthful."

"I tell people that there's no need to address me by anything. Some will say 'gvirti' to get my attention. It's like being called 'miss' or 'lady' in Fódlan. If they insist on a name, I tell them 'Miriam.' It's one of the first names I heard here, and I can usually remember it."

Khalid must have decided that the quota of friendly small talk was met, as he then delved into what he came for after a rest. "Marianne… What you saw back there is just a small sample of what's to come in the next few months. We're staring a real war in the face- one on the scale that killed our friends. And there's quite literally no one in all of Almyra with as much skill in healing as you."

"What are you telling me this?" Marianne asked, though she surely knew the answer.

"We need you, Marianne. All of Almyra needs you. I have no doubt you've been of great benefit to the Mikdash, but there's a higher cause now. As it so happens, we already have an open room for you to use. I think you'll find it a bit more comfortable than this place."

"I…" Marianne hesitated. She then shook her head violently. "I can't! You should forget you ever found me!"

Khalid told her, "I'm sorry, but that's not how memory works, Marianne. Even if I somehow forgot, you've got a hundred people outside your door that will be looking to drag you along. I know that seeing the wounded isn't pretty, but you have to understand that those battles are going to happen whether you're there or not. You and you alone are in the position to limit the harm. You can't change the past, but the future is yours to decide."

"No, you don't understand at all, Claude!" Marianne insisted. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you! I'll be useless!"

"Bu-."

Dimitri interrupted the prince by asking, "Khalid… May I speak to her alone?"

Khalid looked uncertain for a moment, but he then nodded. "Okay. Think about it, though, Marianne."

Once Khalid was gone, Dimitri turned his attention to the remaining companion.

"Marianne… I'm sorry if our question upset you. Guilt for one's mistakes might seem like as a motivator for correction, but I've found the opposite to often be true. If unchecked, it can be a pathway towards a cycle of self-destruction."

"Guilt?" Marianne repeated as if confused by the change in topic.

"Ah. Perhaps I projected my own misgivings on you. Do you mind if I talk a bit about myself?" Dimitri asked as they began to walk again.

"It's fine."

"Very well. You see… the past nine years of my life have been a story of constantly accumulating guilt. Guilt that I survived the Tragedy and could not prevent the Punishment. Guilt that I could not stop Edelgard or save the monastery. Guilt that I failed to protect my land as it ripped apart at the seams."

Articulating his past weighed Dimitri down enough that he had to pause before continuing. "Then my friends found me, and I stumbled into possession of an army. I could have done right in that moment. I could have reached out to Claude or Byleth. I could have reconnected with my friends. But instead, I wallowed in my pain. As a result, my army was destroyed, and everyone I had left died. It seems counterintuitive, does it not? I finally had a way out, but I instead buried myself deeper. Perhaps it's because that guilt told me that I didn't deserve to get out."

"It does sound a little familiar," Marianne admitted. "When Claude told me what happened to my friends, I felt responsible for not being there. But my first thought wasn't to make up for it. It was to hide and forget."

"I suppose we have something in common, then. Except for one major difference, Marianne. I chose to hurt both my enemies and my friends at my lowest. You, though… you chose to help and to heal. That strength of character is a gift."

"Please, don't talk about yourself that way," Marianne begged. "You are helping Claude now, right? That's an act of good. That is, if doing so was another form of running?"

Dimitri laughed weakly. "The circumstances for that decision were a bit different. At least, I think."

For the first time, Dimitri saw Marianne smile a little against the light of her lantern, even if it only lasted a moment.

"It's more than guilt, though," Marianne explained. "Even if I tried to help, all I would do is make things worse. It doesn't matter what I chose."

Dimitri put a hand on his chin. "I now remember something you once said back at the academy… that you believe you herald bad luck wherever you go?"

"Yes. For my entire life, all I've done is brought misfortune on all those around me."

"Misfortune? If we hadn't found you, the king of Almyra would have died today. Vile people would have come to power. Marianne, you've quite literally changed the course of history for the better. I hope you understand that. Not to mention, seeing you again has lifted my spirit a good deal."

"Dimitri… I… But…" Marianne trailed off.

Dimitri sighed softly. "Marianne… I'm not sure there is anything I can say that will change way you feel. That's sometimes how feelings are. But I hope that if you cannot trust yourself, that you will try to trust what I believe. I believe you have a kind soul and that you still have much to offer this world. Even if you don't have the strength to stand on your own right now, let us help you back on your feet. You don't have to walk alone anymore."

Marianne's head lowered. After a long silence, she finally looked up again. Dimitri was not quite sure how, but her expression seemed to have changed.

"I see… If you and Claude have faith in me, then… I will try to let that faith bolster my own. I want to see if what you say is true… So… I will go with you."

Dimitri smiled in relief. "Very well. Would you like to continue walking, or would you rather head back?"

"Maybe we should rejoin the others. I need to check in on Claude's father."

They walked wordlessly on the way there until Marianne timidly asked, "May I ask you a question, Dimitri?"

"Yes, anything."

"What happened to your eye?"

Dimitri chuckled. "I'm afraid it's not as interesting story as you might guess. But when we have the time, I promise to tell you all about it."

Conflict seemed inevitable, but for the moment, Dimitri tried to appreciate this drop of succor that had been hidden away in the strangest of places.