Hello, everyone. It's been almost a year since my previous stand-alone Dimitri/Marianne story, "A Bestial Salvation". At the end of it I had this vague idea for a sequel that I finally decided to write, and thus here we are. I highly recommend reading the previous story to get something of a handle on this one. As per usual, the story takes place post Azure Moon and will be something of a character study of Dimitri (and to a degree Marianne too). I hope you all enjoy!
I do not own anything.
In These Hands
Even with its proximity so close to Faerghus, the Edmund territory shared the general climate as the rest of the Alliance. Its springs could exceed some parts of Faerghus' summers by leaps and bounds, and that was to say nothing of its summers.
Dimitri could remember the first time he'd experience summer in the Alliance. While it wasn't quite as hot as those of Adrestia, they were still quite smoldering. His opinion had been shared by almost all of his classmates, his fellow Faerghusians had felt the same way. Especially Sylvain, who ironically was learning to specialize in fire magic. Not even his mystic training had been enough to relieve him of the heat that bore down on them. His friend hadn't been the first to try to beat the heat and somewhat fail, and he likely wouldn't be the last. Some said that heat and Faerghusians simply didn't mix.
Personally, Dimitri didn't quite think that was true. While Faerghus rarely experienced scorching hot summers they weren't strangers to intense heat. Especially if they'd been to the Officers Academy, where they could feel the full brunt of warmer weather. Such experiences had often proved…enlightening; that's how he'd seen it.
Coming to a stop, he looked up at the late morning sunlight, his toes curling within his boots. Closing his eyes, he found himself back in time several years. Instead of buildings trees surrounded him and his classmates alongside their professor. All their boots lay lined up to the side, their pants and leggings rolled up to the knees allowing them all to enjoy the coolness of the lake that had been scouted out for their use, or rather, their relaxation.
What made it especially relaxing was the company, namely the person who'd been beside him.
"Usually, I didn't do this in large groups. This is…this is a first for me, and I'm enjoying myself."
"I'm happy to hear that, Marianne. Truth be told this is my first time doing something like this as well. It's…better than I could have hoped."
The normally withdrawn face he'd came to know split into a beaming smile, highlighted by the midday sun. Now, as he looked back on the memory Dimitri could say for certain that was another point in which he fell in love with Marianne. It wasn't just her physical beauty, there was something else about her that just…caught his eye. Perhaps it was the way that she appeared so natural, so attuned to the world around them. The forest, the river, the birds happily chirping, she was a perfect complimentary to the natural world.
At times it'd be a little selfish and even unreasonable, but he'd tried t recreate those times. Somehow, by the grace of the goddess, he'd been able to, albeit not quite how he'd pictured. The so-called "Adrestian Campaign" had been the last stretch of the war. It was by no means easy, but not as hard or as bloody as it could have been. More importantly, striking into Adrestian territory during the spring had afforded them all the luxury of pleasant weather. For many, especially those of Faerghus-birth, it was like advancing into a new world. Great care had to be taken not to destroy it out of a mixture of vengeance-borne anger. Thankfully, some of its beauty had stayed that.
Sparkling blue streams, vibrate greenery, and a warm sun overhead. The first of which the army eagerly took the time to enjoy. He was no different, especially in wanting to enjoy it with someone special. That someone special was Marianne.
It hadn't quite been the same. Nothing would ever be the same as it was during their academy days. That didn't mean that good times were behind them. It'd taken Dimitri some time to realize that, and some time to amass the strength to make reach out and grasp that happiness. If he hadn't then he never would have been able to invite Marianne to relax by the stream with him. He'd never have been able to wrap his arm around her, to bask in the warm of her body leaning against his. It had been another moment of peace in the midst of the bloody storm that had been the war. He and Marianne had enjoyed it, as they had those before, and they did those that came after them.
"Marianne," he found himself whispering as his gaze had somehow ended up skyward. The bright blue reminded him of the hair of the woman whose presence he so valued. That he felt like he couldn't live without.
"Gah, why don't you just elope?"
"Felix."
The voices of his two closest compatriots gently pulled him out of his thoughts. From the sky to his side, he gazed at his two shields. As per always, they were totally opposites. Dedue's once rare smiles had became more common. His small smile spoke volumes without much having to be verbally said, unlike Felix. The blue-haired swordsman had a scowl on his face indicating he'd clearly read his thoughts and concluded what he was thinking. And as per usual, he had a biting remark about it.
He scowled even more at how Dimitri gave him a nonchalant smile. "I repeat, just elope already! You're the damned king of the entire continent!"
"Yes, but I am still a man." He calmly retorted. When Felix turned his head to the side Dimitri gave a hearty laugh. "Was eloping on your mind when you asked Gustav for Annette's hand in marriage, Felix?" The swordsman's cheeks turned red while his face broke into a grimace. He'd been delt a critical blow that wasn't easy to recover from. "Besides, as you know, since I am king, I have to set a standard for others, now more so than ever."
"Fine then. Can we please just hurry up. There's only so much of this blasted Leicester sun I can take."
"I believe you trained under harsher at the Academy." Dedue nonchalantly interjected. The Duscurian and the king shared short but mutual laughter at the swordsman's expense. With a huff he began walking forward, an act some would have considered an act of disrespect to his liege.
For Dimitri, it was just another sign for him to get a move on. His best friend indeed had a point. It was best to hurry. The last thing he wanted to do was keep Margrave Edmund waiting. Dimitri was fully aware he was heading into this meeting with…a couple of things against him.
Even if he was now king of the entire continent, he still had a bloody and rather appalling history behind him. Everyone told him that his actions had redeemed such actions, but Dimitri had always been slow to believe that. Perhaps a part of him didn't want to believe it. That part of him was always there in his nightmares, whispering to him, shouting at him, decrying him for the monster that he still was. Such a person was undoubtedly unworthy of the hand of someone such as Marianne von Edmund.
Despite that, he was here, on his way to meet with her father to ask the biggest, and most important question a man could ask. Being the king, being the Savior King didn't change how nerve-wrecking that could be. Dimitri had pushed past that nervous, he did so with every step he took. From paved stone to polished wood, he entered the manor, greeting the staff. They'd all known he was coming for weeks, as had the master of the house. Seeing him in the person though was still…awe-inducing for more than a few.
The whispers were polite but tinged with slack-jawed awe. To have the King of Fόdlan in their home, in the flesh, it wasn't something they'd ever thought would happen to them. Then again, more than a few had wondered if they'd live to see the end of the war. The last time he'd came to the Edmund manor many had whispered thanks to him and his allies for ending the war. Of course, such gratitude had already been passed along to him by Marianne.
As he'd heard it, she was the rightful inheritor of the manor and the whole of territory. If things went as he intended then…that would not be the path that things took. Such a thing was an open secret.
Even though he still had his left eye, his vision couldn't always be relied upon. His hearing and sense of smell had been sharpened, practically to absurd degrees. For the latter, it made for a bitter combination with his loss of taste. Even now, as he sipped the finest tea serviceable, he could only taste a fraction of it. Regardless, Dimitri was grateful for that tiny fraction.
"Respectfully, your highness, we're all on your side! Lady Marianne often dreams of you while she is here!" One of the old maids whispered to him after refilling his tea.
The statement caused Dimitri to blush, much to the maid's amusement. "I-I-I see."
"Do does Margrave Edmund, not that he'll say it easily. Worry not, you can do it!" She whispered before hurrying away. "Oh, and he'll be right with you in a moment!"
He nodded in understanding. His courteous nature had remained, much to the relief of many and dismay of some. Dimitri laced his hands together, occasionally drumming them against the backs of his palms.
"At least you're not a flustered wreck like Sylvain." Came Felix's remarkably casual voice. "Then again, it's hard to top that idiot."
"Thank you for the…shot of confidence, Felix. It is appreciated." The one-eyed king responded. After a quick inhalation he turned back to face the two men whom he thought of as brothers. They both thought the same of him, even if they had a little reluctance in saying it. Both of them stood at attention, focused on his next words; they knew something important was about to be spoken. "As you both know…this is something I must do on my own. That said, I thank you both for the support."
Felix said nothing, no biting remark or casually retort. He merely looked away, but the compassionate support of a loyal friend was still written on his face. The same went for Dedue, albeit he gave him a visible smile. Seeing it was striking and reassuring. Dimitri could vividly remember the times when Dedue smiled much less, even when he was happy. Those times seemed so far removed from now; in a sense they were as it'd been years, years since they'd lived through the shadows of loss and pain. They'd all been scarred, but those scars hadn't forever bound them.
"As much as we may wish it, we…can't rewrite the past, not entirely. What is in our power to write is our present and our futures. We decide what they will be through our actions."
Professor Byleth. Ingrid. Sylvain, Ashe, Annette. Mercedes. Flayn. Hapi, and the rest of the Blue Lions, he felt them all by his side just as surely as if they were all back in camp together. When they heard of his endeavor, they'd all given him their support. They all would be echoing their Professor's words-this was his future, and he was the author of it. Second by second, minute by minute, he wrote it. Where he stood now was undoubtedly a major chapter. That didn't just go for him, but for Marianne as well.
The man who'd taken her in and raised her entered the room.
"Apologies, your highness, I'm afraid that I had…other tasks to contend to." Spoke Margrave Edmund while giving him an apologetic bow."
"It is quite alright, I can understand." He responded. Being only distantly related, there was very little resemblance between Marianne and the man who'd served the role as her father for most of her life. The two were opposites, Dimitri would almost say like ice and stone.
Margrave Edmund was a pragmatic and practical man, but he was not without his compassion. He'd originally taken in Marianne for the gain of her Crest, a Crest that no one in the Alliance wanted anything to do with. Ironically, his own accomplishments had gone on to outstrip anything benefits Marianne's Crest might have afforded him. Still, he had took her in as his daughter and that was a commitment that he'd stuck by. It was a relationship that had grown warmer over the years, a fact that Dimitri was quite happy for.
Of course, one would say that warmer relationship had made his task all the harder. Though the Margrave didn't quite publicize it, he cared deeply for his daughter. He wouldn't do anything he believed would endanger her. Like a decent father, that included giving her away to a man he thought of as unworthy of her.
Dimitri knew that judgmental possibility hung in the air between him and the black-haired merchant lord across from him. It had for the last few years.
"Well done, I believe it is time we got down to business then." The latter spoke. He motioned to the servants situated around the room. They nodded and quietly hurried out the door without a word.
Turning his head, Dimitri did the same to Dedue and Felix. They too nodded in confirmation and exited the room. It was just him and the margrave, two men separated by a polished wooden table.
It could very easily be shattered, primarily by a single blow from the King of Faerghus. The same would happen if he struck a man, even one wearing full armor. That had been the case little over three years ago, during the War of Unification. Stories had spread far and wide of the Faerghus Prince's superhuman strength being the death of hundreds to thousands of soldiers. Dimitri would say without exaggeration that those stories were true. The actual number escaped him, but he knew the numbers were at the least in the triple digits. He quite literally had the blood on his hands, a fact that the man across from him knew all too well.
Some of it had been justifiable, A great deal of it…hadn't been.
"I, Dimitri, Alexandre Blaiddyd, have come to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage." The request had been rehearsed a dozen times, all so they could be spoken as plainly and confidently as they just had been.
There was no immediate response, only a calm seeping of tea. Dimitri had honestly been expecting it.
Of all people, it'd been Professor Manuela Cassagranda, or as she was now known as, Manuela Eisner, who gave Dimitri the lesson that he was going to need to make it through this. Though she hadn't had as more social interactions with the margrave than him, she was still far more social adapt than him. Especially in the affairs of love (contrary to one's views regarding her romantic life).
"Once you get down to it, that's what this is. Despite how stony faced he may be, this is ultimately about you asking him to take care of his daughter for the rest of your shared lives. That's not an easy thing to do, Dimitri. Hehehe, hopefully one day you'll understand that when you're in the same position."
Honestly…he agreed with the brunette. Specifically, he wanted that day to come with Marianne being the mother of his daughter, or daughters.
"You know, several years ago…this is the sort of scenario that I would have loved. It's one that I quite eagerly wished for." It wasn't hard to pick up on the degree of self-loathing in his voice. Much like him, that said something about the man he used to be and the man he was now. "Even now, the more logical, pragmatic side of me is happy. To become the father-in-law to the king of all of Fόdlan, countless men would be so lucky as to be in my position. That said…it is not that simple."
Dimitri said nothing in response to that, feeling there was no need to. He knew that this wasn't going to be simple, he'd known it the night he laid awake in bed realizing he wanted Marianne at his side.
"Based on your silence, you seemed to have realized that." The black-haired man remarked, having taken note of his lack of a response, at least a verbal one. "You are the high king of the entire continent, beloved by millions, including the former people of Adrestia. You have the ear of the Archbishop and he has yours, and you both are of rational mind and just character. As far as martial prowess goes, few can match you. Apparently, not even the Adrestian Emperor, another wielder of the Crest of Flames, could match you in battle. Even with the enhancement of dark magic."
Brief as it was, the image of Edelgard's mishappened monster form appeared in his mind. "I did not overcome her on my own, Margrave Edmund."
"No, you did not, but you did the, ahem, lion's share of the work." Rather surprisingly, he laughed at small smile Dimitri gave at the pun. It helped lighten the mood just a little. That cheer died as the margrave's face took on a serious gleam. His dark eyes were locked with Dimitri's lone blue one. Both of them knew what was coming next. "It is not your final battle with Edelgard that concerns me though, it is those you fought before her. Or rather, battles may be the wrong word to refer to some of them. Slaughter is a more appropriate term."
He didn't look away from the piercing gaze of the lord of the surrounding lands. "You would…not be wrong. I…killed many, how many I cannot precisely tell you."
"If I were to venture a guess, likely in the thousands, at least if tallied up in total. That includes your…post boar-phase as I've heard it called." Dimitri shifted somewhat uncomfortably at the phrase. It hadn't been his invention, nor anyone else's…not even Felix's. Many put the blame for its creation on him; Felix himself blamed himself for it. "Frankly, I am somewhat curious how you will have historians om-"
"Nothing about me will be omitted from my biographies." The blond immediately interjected. An eyebrow was raised in surprise at his words. They were no doubt a surprise, and maybe even cause for concern. "I don't want to hide who am I from future generations. I…want them to know who I was, the good…and the evil."
"Such a thing can easily turn on you. A ruler's faults can often overshadow their positives and achievements. For you, well…it goes without saying that your faults are rather pronounced."
"Yes, they are." The spear-wielding king agreed. "However, they are a part of me, and I want future generations to know of me, the person, the man…the beast I was, and the better man I tried to be. The man who was also the faithful husband to your daughter."
Laying his hands flat against the table, Ransley von Edmund closed his eyes in pensive thought. Dimitri couldn't quite tell what he was thinking, he could only hedge his bets on his words having making an impact. "As you're aware, I'm related to Marianne on her father's side of the family. He was…the more direct descendant to Maurice, whose Crest Marianne manifested. When she did, he and his wife abandoned her and ran. From a moral standpoint, it was a horrible thing to do, but given the rumors surrounding her Crest, one could say that they had their reasons." His eyes were tinged with sorrow as he looked to Dimitri. "Then again, one could say the measure of love can be determined depending on one's willingness to face such things. I understand that was the case between you and Marianne."
"…Yes, it was." He slowly but surely admitted. "Staying beside me was not easy, and that was regretfully by my own hand."
"…Would it still be so if I were to allow her to wed you? Marriage can be difficult, and royal marriages can be more so." He was polite in not saying what was on both of their minds, the so-called "elephant in the room" as his teacher said it was called. Albeit in this case, Dimitri supposed it was more like the…boar in the room. "Dimitri, I suppose it's for the best I just skip to the chase." The dropping of honorifics was significant; it wasn't something Dimitri was going to chide him on. "In spite of all you have done, I have my…reservations about allowing you to wed my daughter. In a sense, it's hypocritical of me to say this given my…original intentions regarding Marianne."
"But that is who you once were. You…may not have been the most ideal father to her before, but you have changed yourself in these last several years." His words could have easily been sent as an attempt at buttering the man up to make his request easier to accept. "She openly refers to you as her father, whereas before she had…reservations about doing so."
"Yes, I'm aware…and I never blamed her for it. It is not as if I adopted her out of the goodness of my heart, nor did I do anything to earn a place in hers." The margrave affirmed. "Whenever I think about that, I can't help but feel like laughing at my hypocrisy."
"Respectfully, sir, I believe I can understand the sentiment. Regarding your reservations, they are not without ground. I came to you today to plead with you that…I am not the same man I once was. That am I worthy of her hand."
"When you speak of the old you, I cannot help but think back to when you all helped Marianne slay the Wandering Beast."
There were many things Dimitri would never forget, especially things during the war. Marianne's expedition back to her home hadn't been directly tied to the war, but it would have been a boon to the effort. It turned out to be as by the end they'd gained another Hero's Relic, and secured the support of Margrave Edmund. Perhaps most importantly, Marianne herself had finally found a measure of close…and managed to give some to her ancestor.
"Since we are here, I suppose I can finally ask you in person." Came the master of the state. "Precisely why did you follow my daughter? Is it true that even in the depths of your madness you still cared for her?"
A sudden tightness seized Dimitri's chest. Anxiety gripped him as he found himself praying that his words would be believed, and that they would make sense. On paper, the answer was supposedly easy, simple, but sometimes that wasn't always the case.
"On some level…I did. Marianne was…she was rather insistent on being there for me, even though I tried pushing her away as I did everyone else. Despite that, I…appreciated her presence. She wasted her time on the savage beast I had became. To potentially lose her to the same would have been…I…I couldn't allow it." His hands tightened above the table as the memories immediately flowed back into his mind. They were so vivid, fresh as if the journey and the battle had been days ago instead of years ago. "When we entered the forest and were beset by mist and fog, finding her was my immediate priority. I didn't know it at the time, but I knew that I had to find her. Perhaps on some subconscious level, I…didn't want to lose anyone I loved."
The margrave brought his hands up to his face, still laced together and his eyes shut in pensive thought. They eventually opened and faced toward Dimitri. There was no venomous or cold accusation in them. "So, your heart knew something your mind did not."
"I suppose that is one way you can say it. I…didn't want to lose her. Even though I'd fallen so far, she still reached out to me, as had many others. With her, it was still…different. I do believe it is as you said, my heart knew something my broken mind did not."
"…According to what I've heard, and I've investigated, you never once raised a hand toward her or any of your allies. I am thankful that all your fury was reserved for your enemies. And what a terrible fury it was." Dimitri didn't look away. He'd grown accustomed to hearing his…wrath referred to in such a way. It wasn't like it was far from the truth. "The fact that you restrained yourself while in the throes of insanity is pleasing, but I must know that such darkness will not rise up again and sink its fangs into Marianne. I will not allow such a thing."
Dimitri stared back at the man-at the father-in front of him. "I understand, and I sit here to tell you that it never will. Margrave Edmund, I will not lie to you, the darkness which you speak of is still within me. Even now, I…still experience nightmares, times when it claws at me. However, never again will I fall prey to it as I have before. For the sake of myself, for the sake of the people who rely one me, and for the sake of the woman that I love, your daughter."
There was no hesitation or break in his statement. Each and every word was filled with quiet but firm determination. They exploded like thunder once spoken, albeit their effect wasn't immediate.
There was little visible change in the intense stare of the margrave. Dimitri didn't let that stop him, he simply stared back at the man, bracing for whatever judgement he had to give. Including one that he would have to fight against.
A long, casually seeping of tea from the margrave followed. By the time he was finished Dimitri could see that his cup was empty. As for his own, maybe one-quarter of the original tea remained. It had been a good blend, one he wouldn't mind having more of.
"Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, you are a dangerous, powerful, and complicated man. What about my daughter caught your interest?"
A relatively straight forward question. Dimitri was somewhat grateful for it. "Her heart, a heart that knew my pain, yet still was able to care for others, even those believing themselves undeserving of it. In addition to that heart, a mind as sharp as any blade, yet always directed toward the betterment of others." There was a brief pause as he internally wrestled with himself rather or not to reveal everything that had attracted him to Marianne. His internal debated lasted for seconds, then ended as he exhaled. "She is also…an incredible horse rider, and fighter. Two things that I must admit I find…attractive in a woman."
"And of her physical appearance?" It was minor, but Dimitri saw the upward tick of the margrave's lips. A smile, the makings of an amused smile as he laid a trap for the king.
With a laugh, the Faerghus monarch walked right into it. "She is undoubtedly the most beautiful woman that I have ever laid eyes on." His words transformed the small smile into a full one. Dimitri lowered his gaze, a blush spreading over his cheeks. "I am enamored with all of her, her physical, mental, and spiritual beauty." He quietly added. "To call such a woman my life would make me the happiest man alive. To share my life with her…I would do anything."
"Even give up the crown of all of Fόdlan?" Immediately asked the black-haired man.
"Yes." Answered the blond with unwavering certainty.
"And what would you do if I were to withhold my blessings?"
That too was a question he'd been expecting. It wasn't one he liked to imagine, but Dimitri had always considered it a real possibility. Ever helpful, his circle of advisors and friends had done their best to prepare him for it. Normally, when a parent withheld their blessings to give away their child's hand for marriage, it could cause…complications. Many would say the best answer to those complications was elopement. While that certainly was a possibility, Dimitri knew his position as well as Marianne's didn't make such an option appealing.
Ironically, a few parents, including his own old but honored advisor, told him that sometimes, marriage lay not with the parents but the children in question. Children that were grown and ready to make their own decisions. He had a feeling that if Marianne had been there, she'd have agreed with the old knight.
She wasn't here though, only him. "I would still continue to pursue her. She is the woman that I am certain will be my one and only love in this life. Should she…not have me then I will cease, but my love for her will remain."
"Having said that, would you marry another?"
"No, I would not force another woman into a loveless marriage. Regarding my crown, I would pass it along to a successor worthy of it. Should my bloodline perish with me then-"
"Would you allow such a thing? Before you stands quite a proposition." Challenged the merchant lord.
"It is one that matters little to me in the face of Fόdlan's prosperity." Dimitri responded.
A short silence followed, filling the space between the two men. It was broken when the lord of the manor next spoke. "You have answered my questions like an honest man, a man deeply in love with Marianne. You have been a far cry from the savage lion that was allowed to rampage about through my domain years ago. Even though I was not the best father, I would have scorned the thought of her marrying such a man. The man that has appeared before me now though…I feel safer doing so. The man before me…Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, I feel confident in giving my blesses to you."
Those were the words he'd been longing to hear, and having just heard them left him on the verge of sighing in relief. And jumping for joy. He settled for the former. Visibly relaxing, he allowed himself to look incredibly vulnerable before Margrave Edmund. He chuckled in response to his visible relaxing. From this day onward he could claim he'd had the king of the continent at his mercy, a story Dimitri was sure would be passed down along certain lineages, including his own.
"Might I ask when the wedding might be?"
"I would…like it to be soon. Honestly, I would prefer it if we were to have it next month." The month of the Blue Sea Moon could sometimes bring the hottest days imaginable upon Fόdlan. For Faerghus, the phrase "hottest" certainly didn't compare to either of its former neighbors. Still, the weather was pleasant enough one wouldn't have to worry about freezing. It made for a popular month of weddings; Dimitri would have liked it if he and Marianne could be no different.
"Next month, eh? You'll be breaking many hearts, especially since most have deduced you're not the type to take multiple wives or mistresses. Granted, surely you know there will be countless offers, including of the aggressive sort."
"And when those offers come, I shall do my best to turn them down as politely as possible."
"Things won't always be so easy." A shadow fell over the older man's face as he spoke his next words. "As a royal, as a…survivor, you must know what dangers a crown will entail."
Dimitri breathed out, his body rigid not with fear but more determination. "Indeed, I know. I know that to have Marianne beside me will open her up to all manners of dangers, but I swear on my honor they will not touch her. I swear on my life that as her husband I will protect her with all of my being. That goes for all parts of her, physical, spiritual, and mental."
"Ahh, so the destroyer truly believes he can become a guardian?" Rather coyly mused the margrave. Dimitri didn't respond to the bribe; once again, it was rather on point. He had been a destroyer, a killer, but he'd been trying to become something more. Not just a guardian though, a leader, an inspiration, and now a husband. "Well, that is the duty of a husband to his wife…and eventually a father to their children. Do you expect to have them with Marianne."
"Naturally." Dimitri admitted with a blush. Such a reaction caused a humorous chuckle to spill from his future in-law. "I will not rush things, nor will I ask her for a certain gender or number of children. Just…having one with her would be enough."
Another short pause ensued between the two men. Had the margrave any tea left, Dimitri was sure he'd be drinking it. He could have simple called for more, but he seemed to be refraining for when this conversation was fully over with. "Based on the stories I've heard regarding the Blaiddyd line, including you, I doubt one will be the stopping point." Again, Dimitri blushed, bright red at that. "I'm expecting at least one grandson and a granddaughter." That caused Dimitri's head to practically explode in heated crimson. He could only imagine how Marianne would have responded if she were here.
Crossing his arms, the margrave leaned back, a passively satisfied look on his face. "We're ready for a refill! Oh, and have Marianne come in! Tell her that I have given my conceit!"
The doors on both ends of the room swung open. Dimitri stood up as he gazed upon the sight of the woman whom he loved more so than anyone else right across from him. She only paused for a second, looking to her father in astonishment, then she looked back to him. Her smile was ear-to-ear and her eyes glistened with joyous tears.
In the next heartbeat she'd thrown herself into his arms, he happily returned the embrace.
Occasionally looking up from her, he saw Margrave Edmund looking to them with a genuine smile. It was the sort of smile he always hoped his own father would have one day when he told him he found his future wife. It was also a look that perhaps he would one day have alongside Marianne, watching over their children and their future in-laws.
They had the future, but they also had the present, the calm, happy present that they were going to enjoy.
After several minutes of conversation, the wolf departed, bedding farewell to the couple as it returned to its home in the wilderness. Word would spread as it often did that the "beast-whisperer" had returned, alongside her mate.
Dimitri always took a type of quiet pride in being referred to as such. Marianne did so as well, even though she was at times more reluctant to admit it. One could say it was another aspect of her growing self-acceptance.
Hand-in-hand, the couple continued down the path, their boots softly crunching the vibrate green grass beneath them. Overhead bright, beaming sunlight beat down on them through the trees. All around them the forest teemed with life as was usual for the afternoon. It was a beautiful day…a complete far-cry from how it'd been three years ago, when they last entered the deep forests of Margrave territory.
As they'd learned from the Goddess' Children, the Crest of Maurice had came from a storm dragon, the leader of them. It certainly explained why bearers of the Crest seemed to have an affinity for wind, lightning, ice, and even water magic. It also explained the rather dreary weather that seemed to plague parts of the domain. All that time, it was the effect of Maurice, of the power that had utterly consumed him. That same power had seeped out, turning the local wolves into monstrous beasts large enough to swallow horses whole.
For that reason, Marianne had left Dorte on the forest outskirts, away from the heart of the forest that had became forbidden to enter. She alone had entered it, or what she thought would be her by her lonesome. Walking through the mist had been nerve-wrecking, but she pressed onward with every step, having resolved to do this.
Unknown to her at the time, the man beside her had followed her, resolved to keep her alive no matter the cost.
Said cost was dozens upon dozens of Demonic Beasts, some of them cleaved apart by a blade and others ripped apart by bare hands-Dimitri's hands. Marianne gently held one of those hands in her own. They were worn with wrinkles and scars, but still warm and loving.
His face was a stark contrast to how he'd been that time as well. He'd entered the forest angry, as he always was. Dimitri knew that he'd entered the forest angry and left angry, albeit slightly less so.
"Such ferocity, no doubt, you are Blaiddyd's descendant. He would be proud of you."
It wouldn't be until after Seteth and Flayn had revealed the truth to them would he know the full scope of Maurice's words. Not to mention their accounts of his ancestor. Beast-like ferocity had indeed ran in the family. Somewhere in the corner of his mind he wondered what potential children of his own would be like, if they would harbor that same darkness within him. The thought terrified him.
Then that terror dissipated when he looked to his right, at the blue-haired woman who would be their mother. She had inner darkness of her own, darkness that she too believed would be passed down to offspring, cursing them as she'd been cursed.
As if answering their old worries, the goddess graced them with a warm wind that swept through the forest. They came to a temporary stop and looked around, admiring the beauty of the forest around them. The pair were far from the first ones to do so. After slaying Maurice, a transformation had seemingly befell the forest, the dark presence that had lingered over it was gone allowing light to slowly seep back into it.
The natives of land whole-heartedly thanked Marianne for it. She'd became a hero to the surrounding lands, including to her own father. Personally, she never basked in the notion or tried to sale it. She knew that if it hadn't been for her friends, including her Faerghus lover, she'd have died like hundreds of others had. Still, whenever the topic of the forest's "cleansing" was brought up, she was usually given thanks for it. When he was with her, Dimitri received praise as well. Personally, Marianne always thought it was good for his mental health.
Even when he was lost in the throes of his vengeance-borne madness, he held onto some degree of his morality. Never did his turn on those who had not earned his ire. Even all his threatening talk to her and the rest of his allies amounted to nothing. It was troubling to hear, but it was never followed through on. Likewise, few left him for all their talk of potentially abandoning him. There was undoubtedly a great irony to be found in that, or perhaps something more.
Light could shine even in the depths of darkness, that was a lesson they had all learned going through the war and living on after it.
The couple eventually reached their destination, a destination that had been marked by Marianne herself.
It was a modest memorial. A simple stone headstone that had been overrun by nature's hands, yet it distinctly stood out. The small headstone was engraved with a prayer and finally an emblem, a Crest.
Nabateans would say that it was more than Maurice deserved, far more. Marianne and Dimitri would settle they had a point, but the former couldn't help but feel some sympathy for her ancestor. Not to mention without him, she wouldn't be alive. She was happy she'd been born, and so too were numerous others, especially the man beside her.
Flowers were placed before the small grave. Hands were clasped together and a silent prayer from both blue clad individuals were made. As it ended the two took their seat before the grave. Marianne leaned into the side arm embrace of the King of Faerghus.
"Sometimes I still dream of this battle, if things had gone…wrong." Marianne spoke.
"I know, I've sometimes dreamed of the same. Of my failing you." He was glad they were only dreams. In the years since the battle against Maurice Dimitri had long since realized losing Marianne would be the last straw for him. There'd be no coming back, no stopping him. He'd have likely torn down the entire forest in a rage.
Speaking of which, it was a surprise that the forest hadn't been utterly annihilated in the battle. Even if he was now a feral beast, Maurice had been anything but an easy opponent. He'd been amongst the fiercest monsters that the Blue Lions had ever battled. Not only had he a forest's worth of monsters to aid him, he was a physical and even magical powerhouse. His twisted scales were highly resistance to damage, mundane and magic. Those same scales could be reinforced with magic making him even harder to damage. Even Dimitri's punches weren't as damaging as they could be; of course, he'd just used an incentive to hit it even harder. Marianne had helped in flashing freezing certain areas, then leaving them open for him or the Professor to attack.
Maurice had been kind enough to attempt to return the favor. Even if he seemed to welcome their attempts to kill him, he definitely didn't go down easy. Apparently, his refusal to do so eleven-hundred years ago had been one of the causes for his monstrous state. When he wasn't trying to bite and tear his target to pieces, he was unleashing blasts of pressurized wind and occasionally lightning. The blasts tore through numerous trees and blow away the mist.
Dimitri took several them directly to the chest and the side. An ordinary man would have been dead after one, much less two, but Dimitri had been far from an ordinary man. That hadn't made watching it any easier for Marianne.
"Please, please, Dimitri! Be more careful!" She'd shouted to him after healing him.
He could have snarled at her, tore his face away, or even slapped her away. There were numerous opportunities for him to do so as he could have before, but just like before, he didn't. Instead, he simply stared at her, his gaze unwavering. For just a few seconds he just looked at her with his one good eye. There was no scorn in his eyes, no anger or wrath. It didn't last long though as he grabbed her so they could get out of the way of Maurice's next attack.
"Out of curiosity, how much of our conversation did you hear?" Asked the spear-wielding king.
"Well, it's not like I was intently listening in. I knew the conversation between you two was going to be…private, or at least it should have been. That said, a part of me couldn't help but be curious…and worried. To answer your question though, only about the last bit of it." The way her cheeks flushed red meant that the "last bit" had included the topic of children. Dimitri correspondingly blushed as well. "I want children with you, Dimitri. As many as we can have." Smiling, she reached over and took his right hand, gently caressing it. "You're going to be a wonderful father, Dimitri."
"I…hope so. What I know of parenting I can only take from those I have seen, including Professor Byleth."
"Hehe, well, he did say he'd always see us as his cubs. I've always felt proud to be included in that grouping with the rest of you."
"Because you were, from the day you joined the Blue Lions, you became a lioness yourself." As always, she looked happily embarrassed, something else that hadn't changed in all these years. "And like a true lioness, you will be an incredible mother." The king proclaimed.
"…Thank you, Dimitri. Thank you so for believing in me."
"I have much to thank you for as well. You believed in me as well, even when I didn't believe in myself."
"You did the same for me." Marianne turned over and made herself comfortable in Dimitri's arms. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close as they fell into a short but sweet kiss. As it ended, she rested herself in the crux of his neck. "Thank you."
"I believe I should be thanking you, Marianne. You're willing to share your life with me, even…give me a chance to be a father." Whispered the high king of the continent. The unique tenderness in her voice was always reserved for her. "There once was a time when I believed myself utterly incapable and unfit for such a thing."
"I thought the same of being a mother." The blue-haired woman spoke. "We've both…thought ourselves undeserving and incapable. Things…change, we change, we…grow. That's part of living, something both of us have struggled with for a while. Even now, we sometimes do, but we go on. We find ways to lift our heads up and smile, laugh, all without having to fake or hide anything. Even if pain strikes us, we're strong enough to keep in moving through it." Lifting her head up, she cradled his face, smiling at the light that she saw shining within them. Marianne never grew tired of it. "We'll be there to help our children do that."
With a sigh of content, he reached up and pressed his right hand atop her left. The contrast between their hand sizes was once more pronounced. "Thank you, Marianne. I…feel like I say that so often to you. Once we wed, I…think that I will be saying that to you even more, I hope you won't mind."
With a giggle, she shook her head. "Hopefully you won't mind me saying it to you, for making me the happiest woman in the world." Their foreheads connected. Being in his arms like this was the only way they were ever eye-level. It went without saying that Dimitri's height difference was extremely pronounced. He towered over her as much as he did everyone else save for a few.
"If I may…allow me to say this again, thank you for having faith in me." He said giving her hand a slight squeeze. "As you know, these hands have…killed many people, too many."
"Yes, but they have saved many lives as well. I know how gentle they can be. Those are the hands that I know will give comfort and love to our future children. Those are the hands I look forward to holding every day for the rest of my life."
Neither said a word for some time afterward. They simply rested before the grave, bathed in the midday sunlight. It was a quiet, serene moment, a complete far cry from their previous time in this forest. Just as the light had flooded it, so too had their souls been shined on.
Before he even opened the door, he heard Keith's cries. With a chuckle, he quietly pushed open the door and poked his head in. Light flickered from the bed curtsy of his wife's magic. It naturally enthralled their son, be it a ball of light or a dancing flurry of snowflakes. Some jokingly wondered if Keith would inherit any of his mother's magical aptitude. The prospect of the oldest prince becoming a Holy Knight certainly had its appeal.
Dimitri would have been happy with that, and he would have been happy if his son never picked up a weapon at all. It may have been Faerghus tradition, but he wanted his and Marianne's son to grow up to be whatever he chose to be, whatever made him happy.
He was certainly happy to see him.
"See, Keith, I told you to be a little patient and your father would arrive." Giggled the queen of Fόdlan. Her laughter grew a she watched her son reach out his tiny arms toward his father.
With a smile, Dimitri sat aside the bed and took him, affectionately coddling their son against his chest. The tiny blond buried himself in his father's embrace. While he did so Dimitri leaned over and gently kissed his wife.
"I'm sorry if my absence caused you to stay up late." He whispered.
"No, truth be told I was having a little trouble getting to sleep even before Keith wasn't ready to. Now though," she whispered gently caressing their son's blond locks. "I believe we'll both be able to finally get some rest. Hopefully you'll be able to join us, won't you?"
"Gladly." He whispered.
Thankfully, Keith didn't seem too displeased at his father temporarily removing himself from him. The one-and-a-half-year-old yawned, a sound that his father mimicked. Marianne couldn't help but laugh at the synchronicity between father and son. Keith had came out resembling his father save for his eyes, light brown which he'd inherited from her. Dimitri was quite happy for it, and so too was her own father. Regardless of his eyes, he definitely inherited his parents' taste for blue clothing.
When Dimitri returned dressed in his own sleeping wear, he quickly moved beneath the covers opposite of Marianne. Keith yelped in joy and crawled toward his father, attaching himself to his chest. It seemed that it was Dimitri's turn tonight, other nights it was Marianne's. Neither of the parents kept score too often, not that such a thing mattered to them. Just one of them being there for their son was great, but both of them being there for him during nights of slumber was what they strived for as a family.
Just before he closed his eyes for good, Dimitri took his fill of the sight before him. His wife, formerly quiet and meek, but always possessing an inner strength that could show itself in the right situation. With it was a kindness that seemed as boundless as the sky itself, whose daytime color was the same as her hair. Like the sun, beautiful was the only description appropriate on a sunny day-when she smiled from the heart.
Snuggled up to his chest lay their son, his bright yellow hair akin to his own. At such a young age though it was clear that it was going to be styled more like his wife's, curly and ruffled. It undoubtedly gave Keith a cute and appealing look; like his mother, he shined as bright as the sun when he smiled. Being the bubbly and affectionate boy he was, that was often. His smile was the other one that Dimitri endeavored to return to at the end of every day, or sometimes night. It was also a smile he wanted to ensure never vanished or was stolen away.
His wife and his son, Dimitri held them close in his embrace. Once upon a time all he had to hold close was his spear, often coated in blood. The dead surrounded him, whispering into his ears. They either beckoned him to nightmares or created waking ones for him to endure. Either way, he rarely got anything resembling a healthy goodnight's sleep.
Sometimes that they attempted to creep upon him, but over the years he'd been able to drive them back. No, sometimes it wasn't him but those around him that did so; that especially went for his family. Marianne's soft breaths and Keith's gentle coos banished the baneful howls and lulled into a peaceful sleep. They were always there for him in the morning, giving him reason to rise to greet the new day with all that he had.
Fin
A Dimitri/Marianne fluff piece I've been planning since my last solo one, finally completed, and a little over on the one year anniversary of it. Two games and we still have no idea what Margrave Edmund looks like, though I already had an image in my mind. The idea of him and Dimitri sitting down to discuss the latter marrying Marianne has always been something I've wanted to explore. It's all but outright stated that Margrave Edmund's relationship with Marianne does improve over the course of the game, so I'd wager he's more…protective of her when it comes to marriage.
One of the things that makes Dimitri particularly fascinating is how even after he pulls himself back from the edge of insanity you can tell he's still struggling with his inner darkness. It's a constant battle he's got to work at winning. Perspective people would see that, and when it comes to marriage it's something that would definitely be a factor. That includes his incredible compacity for violence, which I wanted to explore. Personally, I loath the "Dimitri kills woman" meme, but I did want to write someone taking aim at Dimitri's violent history in a serious context. Clearly, Dimitri never would intentionally hurt someone he cared about in his right state, but he would have to defend himself.
I hope you all enjoyed this little fluff piece! Let me know what you thought of and until next time! I've got a few FE story updates coming this month!
