Once again, Edelgard woke with a scream in the early hours of the morning. She panicked even more when she felt somebody next to her. Who was it? Who would be—
"El, it's me. Juliane. The empress. Please calm down." She felt arms wrap around her in the darkness.
Juliane? So she was free? The bed and blankets did betray that it wasn't in the freezing cold dungeon that she'd been kept in. Plus, nobody had offered her any sort of comfort down there. Well. At least from what she could remember. Most of it was a blank. It was so hard to remember anything. Though the tortured screams of her siblings still rang in her ears.
She rested against Juliane and nodded. "Sorry for freaking out…" She was safe now. Why wasn't she out of danger mode? She ought to have calmed down by this point… She couldn't remember being returned to normal life, but she was safe now. Why was her mind acting like she wasn't safe now? It made no sense. She wanted life to go back to normal now.
"It's all right, El. I got you from your room yesterday. I'll be keeping you with me until you're feeling better." She felt Juliane run a hand over her head. She frowned. Why did her hair feel so short? She never cut it shorter than her shoulders. She got trims a few times a year, but never like Frauke had worn hers. Why did it feel like Frauke's?
"Did you want to go back to sleep?" Edelgard shook her head. It was too scary. She didn't really remember her nightmares, but she didn't want to be back in that dark place. Juliane sat up and pulled Elelgard into her lap. "All right then. Would you like me to read to you, then?" She frowned as she thought. She wasn't a small child anymore. She could read for herself.
But the silence.
It made her shudder. "Okay." She really didn't want to be left in the silence. Her own mind would consume itself if she left it to the silence. She could tell that much. She really didn't like silence anymore. It reminded her too much to being in her cell and hearing the tortured screams for hours on end.
Juliane lit a candle and took Edelgard over to her bookcase. "Choose whatever sounds good to you, El." She looked over the titles. Nothing sounded good to her. She was so used to rereading her favorite titles that were in her room.
"My books are in my room." Juliane's books were all politics and history. She liked books about animals, weather, and some of the fantasy stories she'd found in the library. She knew she needed to learn about politics and history. She might take over the empire someday, unlikely as it was. It was important she learn about as much as she could. But she wanted the comfort of titles she knew best. She might fall asleep again if Juliane read boring books to her.
"All right then. I'll have Hubert get some of your books. Do you have any specific titles you want?" Edelgard shook her head. She just knew she wanted the comfort of her books. She really wasn't sure what titles she wanted though… She could remember Dimitri giving her some Faerghus books she'd like though.
Juliane walked with Edelgard to the door but she hovered in the doorway."Is something wrong, honey?"
"I don't want to leave." The world was scary now. She really didn't know what waited for her outside of that door. She really didn't want to leave. Not even seeing Hubert felt worth it.
Juliane cracked the door and made the request. With that, the settled back on the bed, Edelgard in Juliane's lap. "Until he gets back, how about I tell you some of my hunting stories? My eagle has made some stupendous flights over the years." Edelgard blinked but nodded. That sounded like fun. The hunting expedition with Tobias had been a little traumatic in its own ways. But she was still looking forward to learning to hunt with eagles.
Juliane started to tell her tales of some of the hunts she'd been on with Edelgard's father. Edelgard leaned against the empress, looking up at her. She was an excellent storyteller and kept her attention. It felt like only a few minutes until a soft knock came on the door. Edelgard sharnk against Juliane. "Empress, I have the requested books." Oh, it was only Hubert. She climbed off Juliane's lap and the empress got the books.
"Here we go now, El." Juliane smiled and lit the lamps around the room. It felt a lot better than being in almost pitch back with only the light of a single candle. She was glad to be out of the dark now. He'd grabbed some of her favorite books. He knew her so well even after her being gone for so long.
"This one." She held one of up one of the books which had been read so many times it'd had to be rebound. It was for little kids, but right now, it felt like the best. It was her favorite book by a long shot. She probably should have given it up by now, but she loved it so much. It was a lovely little story that wasn't too hard to read. Plus, it was a comforting book about a family.
Juliane chuckled and nodded. "Okay, El." She opened the book and started to read. She leaned against Juliane, listening as the woman read to her. She was so glad to have the empress in her life. She really didn't know what she would do without her at this point…
Three months later…
Edelgard rolled over, the rays of the sun starting to peek through the curtains. It was morning already? Juliane hadn't woken up yet at least. It was rare for her to wake before the empress. She wasn't really sure what to do with her day. She hadn't started academic lessons again, but she knew she should. She was the only sibling remaining with any sanity left intact. Tobias, Ernst, and Alina had survived, but they were completely mad by this point.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She got dressed and headed out to the hallway. What should she do? The castle was large, but she had exhausted almost everything it by this point. The library was still an option, of course, but she was tired of reading. It was almost all she did anymore. She wanted to be active today. She had resumed combat lessons, but those were the only ones she'd taken back up. Maybe some archer? She really did need to practice her form and get back on horseback.
She went to knock on Hubert's door. "I'm up." She didn't receive an answer for about ten minutes until he opened the door.
"Forgive me, Lady Edelgard. I didn't expect you to be up so early." He bowed to her and she shrugged. She was mostly up after sunrise now, but it wasn't his fault. Maybe this was a sign she was getting back on track. She still wasn't fond of leaving Juliane's room, but the empress had managed to get her to leave bit by bit over the past month and a half. And Tobias really did need his mother. He was wasting away and there was no telling when he'd die. Same with the other two.
"Excuse me for a moment, Your Highness."
"Huh?" Before she knew it, Hubert had withdrawn into his room and she could hear him rifling around in it. But he came back out a moment later, something held in his hand.
"Would you mind opening your hand for me?" She blinked but nodded and did so. He dropped something in her hand. It was a little heavy and it tinkled slightly. Wait. That sound. She would recognise it anywhere.
She looked and saw that it was the eagle bell that Tobias had given her. But instead of the old leather band, it was attached to a silver bracelet. "I thought you might appreciate having that back. I had the royal jeweler make the bracelet while you were still…away. I had forgotten about it until now since it'd been so long. Please forgive my absent mindedness." He bowed and she smiled, though it was a bit sad.
"It's okay, Hubert. I hadn't even noticed it was missing." She had basically moved into Juliane's room entirely at this point. She didn't know what was in her room and what was missing at this point. She hadn't even thought about the beloved bell. She had worn it everyday from the day she had gotten it. But with as rattled as she'd been since being released, she hadn't even thought about it. Still, she put it on her right wrist and jingled it. It was nice ot hear the familiar sound again.
That did give her an idea of what to do with her day after she had breakfast.
#
After breakfast, Edelgard headed down to a more secluded part of the castle grounds. Of course, Hubert followered her at a little bit of a distanced, not letting her out of his sight. She had never been down here herself. She had been barred from it. But she was a teenager now. She was able to handle feats of strength better now than she had as a child. It did help her strength had been augmented magically by the slitherers.
She did slow down a bit as she saw what looked like a bunch of jail cells. However, she did see birds behind them. Why were the royal eagles kept in jail cells? She wanted to cry but she forced it down. She couldn't cry now.
"Eh? Who's there?" An old man approached them and sighed. "What do you dern kids want? Dontcha know I'm busy?"
Edelgard hesitated and Hubert spoke up before she could. "I would highly suggest you change your tone, Mister Heidric. Do you really not recognise the crown princess?" Hubert's voice was low and she saw the man blanch. She could always rely on Hubert to help protect her. She was glad he was around.
"O-Oh, forgive me, Your Highness. I've never seen you down here before." The old falconer's face was white as a sheet. Hubert really was effective at his job. Sometimes he did overdo it, though… He really didn't need to be quite so scary to the falconer. Kids weren't really allowed down here without adult supervision. She was a teenager now, but she was still very much a child in the eyes of those around her.
"It's my first time down here. I probably should have come with one of my mothers but…" She frowned. Julaine still did have some duties to attend to in court. She'd put them on hold for the better part of three months just to take care of Edelgard. Her two other mothers had their hands full of taking care of Tobias and the others. They perhaps had only a few months left… She wasn't looking forward to burying her siblings.
"How old are you now, Your Highness?"
"Fourteen." Tobias had said a long time ago to make sure Evelin had offspring for her to fly. Had he ever done that? She hadn't been able to keep up on it unfortunately. Or would she have to fly a passage bird? Then again, there were probably an excess of eagles now with her family so decimated.
"You're actually right about the proper age to start learning to fly them. With so many of your siblings gone, you have the pick of the litter. I've kept most of them in good shape but…" He looked over at a particular cell. He led her over to it and she wrapped her arms around the bars. The eagle hunkered down on its perch, feathers and wings spread out. It moved side to side, crazed eyes locked on Edelgard and the falconer. "Lord Tobias' eagle went mad about two years ago. I've been lucky to have not have talons put through me."
Edelgard frowned and gently jingled the bell around her wrist. Evelin looked up, eyes practically confused. But she returned to her previous posture with her wild, crazed eyes. What had happened to her? Tobias and her had flown together for so long. How had she been subject ot the same madness that overtook her handler? It hurt ot see the once-regal bird reduce to this. She could still remember seeing the bird take jackrabbits on the hunting expedition from all those years ago.
"Sad thing is she's a great bird, but she's become absolutely mad. Haven't been able to replace her furniture in two years or cope her. She goes after me when I replace her bath pan in everyday. All I can do is toss food in to her. She's lost all her fitness by now." The falconer sighed.
"Could it be possible I might be able to help?" The sound of the bell had gotten Evelin out of her madness momentarily. Sure, she'd mostly watched Evelin from a distance on the hunting trip. But she was Tobias' sister. Maybe the bird could recognise some of them in her. It did sound kind of asinine when she put it that way, now that she thought about it…
"That bird is a lost cause, Your Highness. You have no experience with eagles. My family's been in service of House Hresvelg for generations. I think I know my stuff when it comes to golden eagles." He did shift uncomfortably. "My name is Ueli, by the way."
"I'd like to try, Ueli. Maybe she needs an outside touch." She had only interact with the bird once. Sometimes, someone needed an outside helper. Only goddess knew what would happen if Juliane hadn't stepped in for her. She might have followed the same path as her siblings. Or possibly worse. There was no telling what would've happened to her if not for the empress.
"I doubt it, Your Highness. I'm lucky I haven't bene attacked. Only the rope holding her to her perch has saved my life." She looked down and saw a fraying rope attached to her leg straps. All of it looked thin and worn out. It wouldn't be much longer until those snapped and she was free.
Edelgard frowned and opened her mouth to speak again though Hubert spoke first. "Do I need to report to the Empress you're not doing your job properly?" Once again, the color drained from Ueli's face. Edelgard looked at Hubert. He really didn't need to go this far. Anselma hadn't wanted her to be spoiled and had done everything she could to make sure she wasn't. Now Hubert was trying to make sure she got everything she wanted.
"Hubert…" He really didn't need to do this.
"What is it, my lady? He isn't doing his job correctly if he can't tame down an eagle that was once capable of being worked with. I think His Majesty and Her Majesty should know if he isn't doing his job properly." Hubert looked at the pair and Edelgard sighed. She supposed he had some sort of point. Still, she wanted to try to help Evelin again. "But maybe I can overlook it if Her Highness helps."
"Please don't report me! I ain't got anywhere else to go. My family has taken care of the royal eagles for generations. We don't have any transferable skills. I'll let Her Highness help if she wants." Ueli looked desperate. She gave him a sympathetic look. She wouldn't be able to survive out of the court. She had no skills that could be transferred anywhere else. She was a noble and wouldn't survive in the wider would were something to happen.
"I'll see if I can think of how to help her. When did she start acting like this?"
"In the summer a couple of years ago. All the eagles flown by the royal children were upset, but Evelin was the most effected. I managed to calm the rest of them down, but she never really recovered from whatever happened." Edelgard frowned at that. So it was when the Crest experiments had begun. Why had he been able to calm the others calm down but not Evelin? It was a major mystery. With her lack of understanding of falconry, she probably wouldn't be able to get to the bottom of it.
"I see. Well, I will need some training in falconry before I can effectively work with her. Is there a good, steady bird in the lot that would work well with a beginner?" That was probably the best place to start. She knew a few things she'd picked up on from books, but she wasn't trained at all. She should've really started the year before. But with everything that had happened, it wasn't even a remote possibility that she could have done it. She was locked underground and had nearly lost her mind. She really hadn't been able to do anything other but cower in fear.
"Well, normally, we start you young royals out on a peregrine falcon. A much different bird than a golden eagle, but less dangerous than one. Get footed by an eagle and it can be game over." Edelgard grimaced at that. Yes, they were powerful birds that probably weren't beginner friendly. Still, she wanted to work with her brother's eagle. It was dangerous, but she'd experimented things more dangerous than a golden eagle at this point. Her flesh had been torn asunder and stitched back together… The scars on her body left tales untold, lost to the darkness beneath the castle.
"Though, er…" Ueli shifted back a bit. "With your…petite height, I'm not sure if Her Majesty will be able to handle the power of a golden eagle."
"I can more than handle it." She searched around and found a moderately sized rock. She crushed it easily into dust and showed it to Ueli. The man stared in clear astonishment. The Crest experiments had significantly enhanced her strength. A golden eagle wouldn't be any problem for her.
"…Ah, I see. Still, I''ll need to get a glove made for you. Would you mind following me, Your Highness?" She looked at Hubert who narrowed his eyes. "I-I mean you no disrespect, Your Highness. I need to get the leather measured out and the easiest way is to do that directly."
"Very well." Edelgard followed the man to a workshop outside of the main area the birds were kept. It was cozy and smelled strongly of leather. It wasn't a bad smell and reminded her distinctly of Tobias making the leather strap for her. They got her all measured up for the glove and she sighed internally. She really had no idea what she was getting herself into. She was working with dangerous animals that could hurt her if they wanted to.
"All right, Your Highness. It'll take me a few days to make, so you'll have to wait until then to be able to fly anything."
Edelgard frowned but nodded. "Okay." She didn't want to wait that long, but she needed to be able to trust the words of the falconer. He had other duties to attend to instead of focusing on one thing. "Can I still visit?" Hopefully that would be okay. She wouldn't interact with the birds directly. She could talk to them through the bars and watch them. Although actually… "Could you teach me to make the glove?"
Ueli's eyebrows raised at that. "You don't need to worry about making furniture, Your Highness—" He paused. "—b-but if you want to, we can show you." It didn't take a genius to figure out that Hubert had given him a stern look. She was interesting. She was royal, but that didn't mean she couldn't learn skills outside of what she normally did.
"I wouldn't mind learning how to make everything if you'll have me." She wanted to learn more. She might have no need to use it, but it didn't mean she couldn't learn things. She really wanted to do something constructive with her time. Plus doing something semi-active that would keep her hands busy sounded good.
"Okay, Your Highness. I can introduce you to my wife and she can get you started on hood making and the like." They left the workshop and Ueli knocked on the door of a nearby house. "Helen!"
A black-haired woman opened the door and tilted her head. "What is it, Ueli?"
"This is Her Highness, Edelgard. She wants to learn leather working." Ueli glanced over his shoulder and past Edelgard. Hubert was really going overboard today…
The woman looked shocked and shifted uneasily. "Are you sure? Your Highness, you don't need to worry yourself with such menial labor. We can take care of that for you."
Edelgard nodded. "Even if I end up never using it, it's okay. I just want to learn." She would definitely leave the gear making to them. She was going a bit stir crazy by staying inside and reading all the time. She needed something to do that wasn't books. She was so bored of books. Learning a skill first hand from somebody would help break up the monotony of the past three months. She would still have to attend her combat classes, yet, but she could spend time down here.
"Very well, Your Highness. Please, come in." Helen moved aside and led them to a small room at the back of the house. Once again, it smelled heavily of leather which she didn't mind. Hubert sat in a chair in the corner, obviously keeping an eye on the woman and Edelgard. Thankfully, Helen didn't seem to mind and launched right right into teaching.
For the next several hours, Helen put Edelgard through her paces. She at least knew how to sew and embroider which was an okay starting place. But they started with jesses which were the easiest type of furniture to make. They were strips of leather with small slits in them and were used to keep a bird under control. A bird couldn't easily be controlled without jesses. They attached to the leash which attached to the glove. It was insane how complicated falconry was, just looking at the furniture. She would get messed up with holding and tying the birds for the first little while. Oh well. She wanted to do it.
A clock clanged in the background and Edelgard frowned as she realised what time it was. Well past dinner. Juliane would probably be worried. "Oh my. It's gotten quite late. I need to cook dinner. Do you two want to hang around here and eat with us commoners or go back to the castle?"
Edelgard looked down and heard her stomach gurgle. "It'll take too long for the cooks the cook something…" It was seven and dinner was at five. She'd have a roughly ten minute walk back to the castle, then have to go to the kitchens, then wait. None of that sounded appealing. She'd still have to wait for Helen to cook, but it'd take less time than going back to the castle.
She looked at Hubert and recognised that look on his face. He was wrestling with something. "What are you thinking about?" Might as well ask him. He clearly had something on his mind.
"Her Majesty is probably beside herself right now." That…was a really good point. Juliane was used to Edelgard being back by now. They always took dinner together in her room. She was probably trying to find Edelgard right now. The falconer's home was really the last place Juliane would think to look. It was so far outside of where Edelgard would normally be or do. She would never think about it.
"If she's searching the castle, even you probably wouldn't be able to find her, Hubert." Mobile people were a tough bunch to find. Especially if somebody was searching frantically. Hubert was good, that much was true, but even he would have trouble finding someone moving around erratically in somewhere as large as the castle.
"I suppose Her Majesty will have to wait." Hubert sighed.
Edelgard looked at Helen. "Do you think you could teach me a bit?" Again, she had really no need to learn to cook. But she wanted to pick up new skills after being cooped up for two years. Plus…she would be going to Garreg Mach in a few years. Who knew what skills she'd need while there? She vaguely knew there were forays away from the school so having some cooking skills might not be remiss.
Helen blinked but nodded. "Okay. Follow me to the kitchen."
Edelgard looked around when she got there. It was so much smaller than the royal kitchens… She was used to having cooks and servants running around. It was so odd to see such a quiet kitchen. It wasn't bad, though; just strange.
"Do you know how to use a knife, Your Highness?" Edelgard shook her head. She head learned to use swords, axes, and daggers, but she had never held a knife before. That dagger that somebody had given her proved useful in self-defense a few times, but she had never before used a knife in the kitchen before. "Would you mind if I taught you how to hold the knife by manipulating your hand?"
"Go ahead." Most people would never see, lt alone touch a member of the royal family. Her combat instructors constantly touched her to make small adjustments to her grip or form. She really didn't mind. With that out of the way, Helen manipulated Edelgard's hand to show her how to properly handle the knife. Edelgard did struggle a bit once they started actually working, but she kept her brows creased in concentration. She would never be good at as kill starting out. Nobody was. She wouldn't be discouraged by her slow, rough, uneven chopping. Helen didn't say anything in regards to the unevenness, simply encouraging her.
Once done, Edelgard sat at the table with a slight smile on her face. "Not too bad for a first timer, Your Highness. You have a long way to go, but everyone has to start somewhere."
"Thanks…" Her smiled turned a little shy. She was doing her best day by day. Some days like today could be really good. Other days, she backslid and couldn't leave Juliane's room. Today at least was a good day. She hadn't heard the tortured screams of her siblings or anything like that at all, so she would definitely call that a win. "Hopefully I'll get better with time."
"You will. Everyone has to start form square one at some point in their lives. I'm just sorry it isn't as opulent as you're used to…" Helen moved some of her hair behind her ear.
Edelgard shook her head. "It's okay. My meals tend to not be too much the past few months." Some days she could barely eat anything. She ate more frequently through the day rather than a few big meals. She had barely put on any weight since being freed. Eating a lot was a struggle even on the days she felt really hungry. Some days were just so very hard. "I probably won't eat too much tonight…"
"That's fine, honey." Helen froze, her entire body going rigid. Edelgard tilted her head. What was she so afraid of? There wasn't any reason to be so upset. She really didn't understand. Juliane called her honey and dear all the time.
The tension crackled in the air for a little while but it eventually eased. "You're…not going to say anything to me, Your Highness?"
Edelgard shook her head. "Why would I? Mother Juliane calls me that all the time." Why get upset by it? It was silly to do. Sure, they were stranger, but it was how Helen spoke. WHy get upset over something as simple as a term of endearment? She really didn't get it.
"What's got you so interested in falconry if you don't mind my asking?" The question took Edelgard off guard and she looked down, squeezing her hands together. Tears welled in her eyes. She knew it was pretty sudden, but she wanted to maintain her connection to her brother. He lost weight bit by bit and it wouldn't be long until he wasted away into nothing. If she could get Evelin flying again, she'd have a keepsake of her brother for decades to come.
"I want to see Evelin fly again." It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either. She didn't want to break down crying in front of this complete stranger. Though that did raise the question if she knew. "Do you know if Toby ever put Evelin up for breeding?"
Helen looked at her. "I don't believe he ever did. Why do you ask?"
"He told me once he would do that so I'd have my own bird to fly by time I was fourteen." She could still remember the promise as clear as day. But if he had gotten distracted or even forgotten, she couldn't blame him. It had been when she was even… Still, she didn't mind the challenge. She wanted to maintain the connection with her brother since he wasn't much longer for this world…
"If you want a bird to fly, you shouldn't be going for Evelin. She's a lost cause. Though her furniture isn't going to last too much longer…" Helen sighed.
Edelgard shook her head. "She's Toby's bird. She's worth it." Even if she has no idea what she was doing. She really didn't know what to do. She knew what some of the furniture was now, but she didn't know anything about bird thought patterns, instincts, or behaviors. She wanted to see Evelin fly free again. She had been so beautiful and regal when she'd been taking down jackrabbits from a stoop. She'd seen the pure joy on Tobias' face when she'd wrestled those rabbits to the ground.
Helen muttered something under her breath that Edelgard didn't catch. But it didn't sound particularly kind. She really didn't understand what she was getting into with this. "Well, if Ueli needs help replacing her furniture, I'm probably strong enough to hold her. I know I'm not tall, but my strength is greater than you think." She didn't want to break anything in the kitchen to prove it to the woman. That would be cruel.
"Golden eagles are powerful birds, honey. You don't look like—"
"She's done crushed a rock with her bare hands, dear." Edelgard looked over and saw Ueli come into the kitchen with a teenager, maybe a few years older than herself.
Helen looked at him. "You're serious, Ueli?"
The man nodded. "It was a normal rock and she turned it straight into dust. If anyone can help me out with Evelin's furniture, it's her." Edelgard smiled.
"If you're sure, Ueli." Helen still looked incredibly concerned. If anybody could handle the strong bird, it was her. She was tiny, sure, but she could crack steel with her bare hands. If it was brittle or thin enough, she could even splinter it in two. It wasn't a huge deal to her.
However, her attention fell on the teenager with Ueli. Edelgard tilted her head and the other girl spooked a bit. "C-Can I help you with something, Your Highness?" She shifted uncomfortably.
Edelgard smiled at her. "What's your name? I'm Edelgard." Well, that much was probably obvious. Still it was polite to introduce herself. She hadn't forgotten her manners. Even commoners deserved respect; they were people too, after all. She would never fully understand then but she had still known hardship in life. She was going to lose all of her siblings soon enough. Plus, the torture of the Crest experiments.
"A-Annika. It's an honor, Your Highness." She offered a curtsy, then looked at Hubert.
"Oh, don't mind tall, dark, and scary too much. He's my protector." Hubert could be quite the kind person when he wanted to be. It was really only toward the other members of the royal family. He almost never let it show to anybody else. He was wholly loyal to Edelgard. He tended to only take requests from others if they were for her. "His name's Hubert."
"I-I see." Edelgard saw Hubert's eyebrows draw together at Annika. Had she done something wrong? He could often see things Edelgard didn't. It didn't seem like Annika was a bard sort though. She simply seemed intimidated by meeting the crown princess.
It was then that a young boy ran into the kitchen with a young girl, both much younger than Annika. "Natalia! James! Stop running around the kitchen!" Helen yelled. The pair stopped to look at their mother before giggling. Edelgard's heart constricted. She remembered Leopold and Alina being much like that before everything went to hell. She missed her family something fierce. "Would somebody mind helping me set the table?"
Edelgard stood up. "I will." She was a guest here so she might as well help more. The other kids would probably be faster and more efficient, but she wanted to help. Helen was kind enough to cook for them. She might as well give back to them.
"You don't have to, Your Highness. The kids can do it themselves." Ueli looked completely off put.
Edelgard shrugged. "You've been gracious enough to cook for me. Please allow me to help again even if it's in a minor way." She smiled warmly at Helen and Ulei. She was now crown princess of Adrestia. She was to help serve the people, not be above them. Some people might beg to differ, but they were all people when it came down to it. Royal, noble, or commoner, they were all made of the same flesh and blood in the end. Crests didn't mean she was any better than them.
Helen handed Edelgard the plates and Annika the silverware. Between the two of them, it didn't take too long for the table to be set. She settled next to Hubert and had to avoid instinctively resting against him. If Juliane, Karola, or Augusta couldn't be with her, then Hubert was there for her. She still didn't like being left alone. It reminded her too much of being in the cell and bring the screams back to her ears.
Ueli and Helen sat the main dishes on the table and looked at each other, then at Edelgard. "We pray before each meal. Do you?"
Edelgard frowned and shook her head. "Never have but I'll listen." Hatred burned in her heat. So much of this was the church's fault especially Rhea's. She had knowledge of Rhea and the other Children of the Goddess planted in her head at some point. SHe couldn't remember how or why they had done that, but they had. It was seared into her mind as deeply as core memories from her childhood. But she couldn't hold it against this family. People believed what they did.
All she did was bow her head as Ueli said a short prayer over the meal. Rage still warred in her heat but she simply offered a smile after the prayer finished. They all started to eat when James spoke up. "Who's the new girl, mama?" He didn't look much older than six or seven. She could hardly look down on him for asking the question.
"I'm Edelgard. I'm going to be learning about falconry under your father and making furniture from your mother." She spoke warmly to the little boy. Oh, how she missed Leopold and Alina. Being a big sister was wonderful. Now she didn't have that. She would forever miss her siblings… How had anyone been so cruel as to do this to another person?
"You're pretty! Your hair's so cool!" James smiled brightly and Edelgard's smile vanished. She had been brunette at one time. It was such a sore spot for her… Hubert had managed to find magic to help her hair grow faster, but that didn't stop it from being upsetting for her. Still, she couldn't take it out on this little boy.
"Thank you." He didn't know. He would never know. She couldn't take it out on him. It was best to lie and make him feel good about himself rather than be angry over something he couldn't understand. He didn't deserve to know about such cruelty in the world at so young an age.
"You're pretty, Miss Edelgard." Natalia offered a soft, shy smile. Her hair was black as night, just like her mother's. Edelgard wished her hair was brown still. The white hair was a visible symbol of what she'd been through. It was something she'd bear for the rest of her life most likely. Hubert was researching the slitherers and was looking for a solution to rid her of the Crest of Flames. So far, though, he had come up relatively empty.
"James, Natalia, speak more formally. This is—" Ueli started to speak but Edelgard shook her head.
"Ueli, it's fine. We're all people. If they want to speak to me the way they do, they can. I'm not going to force submission." She disapproved of ruling through fear. Past emperors and empresses had but she had no intention of doing that. She had known all-consuming fear for the past several months and years. She didn't want her future subjects to treat her as if she were some untouchable goddess. She was a human as any of them were.
Ueli, Helen, and Annika all exchanged surprised glances. Edelgard offered a soft but sincere smile to them. "Really. I mean it. Annika will be my falconer in the future. I would rather have a relationship with you guys based on mutual respect rather than fear." Her father was a man that was irreverent toward commoners. He didn't treat them especially poorly. They kind of existed to him and that was it.
Annika's face flushed and she looked down at her plate. "You're too kind, Your Highness."
"Please, call me Edelgard." She really didn't need to be elevated above them like this. She was human all the same. She ran the same gamut of emotions they did. She absolutely did not require elevations. It was bad enough with Hubert who she considered her closest friend. At this point, he was basically her only friend.
"He won't report us to the Emperor?" Ueli looked warily at Hubert whose expression was unreadable.
"If Lady Edelgard says it's fine, who am I to go against her word?" He shrugged, tone simply asking a question.
Oh. All of this was probably why Helen was so worried about slipping and calling her honey earlier. "I'd rather be called by my name." All she got anymore was Your Highness. When it was clear Tobias could no longer hold the throne, she'd become crown princess. It was so incredibly lonely. Servants that had once treated her warmly now regarded her with trepidation. She missed her old life so much. She wished she could turn back the clock to those carefree days.
"O-Okay, Your— Edelgard." Annika looked at her parents then Hubert whose expression remained impassive.
"You really don't mind the 'honey' bit, then," Helen mused.
Edelgard chuckled and smiled. "Nope! Mother Juliane calls me that all the time!" It brought a warmth to her life that had been taken from her. Honestly, part of her already felt a lot better being around this family than she had in a long time. They were warm, kind, and seemed to be fairly accepting despite everything.
Helen smiled and reached over, ruffling Edelgard's hair. "Well, you're welcome to visit anytime you want, honey." Edelgard leaned into the gesture and smiled. Her family had never been perfect but it had been mostly happy. She loved most of her siblings and most of her mothers. Now the women had scattered to the winds with nobody sure where Anselma was. Edelgard desperately wished she could see her mother one more time before she died… But that wasn't liable to happen.
"Okay. Well, aside from combat classes, I think I might spend most of my days down here for a while. Is that okay with you, Ueli?" She looked at the man. He wore a look of trepidation but gave a slight nod.
"All right, Yo—er, Edelgard. My duties ain't pleasant, so I'm not sure how much time you'll want to spend around me. If you want to spend more time around Helen or Annika, I'll get it." He rubbed the back of his neck. She wasn't exactly sure what that meant. She supposed she would see what he meant tomorrow.
"Gotcha. I'll see about it tomorrow. And I can help replace Evelin's furniture if you want." It was in a pretty sorry state. Honestly, that rope looked like it would snap anyday now. If she was as dangerous as Ueli said, then having her free would make it incredibly dangerous to go into her mews.
"I would 'preciate it. Her jesses may only have a few more weeks before they snap. I sure as hell don't want to be in there when she's free." He scratched his scruffy chin. Yeah, that didn't sound great. SHe would do what she could to help Ueli. He was going to allow her to try to take Evelin down again. The least she could do was help him prevent injury to himself or Evelin.
"It's no problem." She just hoped she wouldn't get footed like he'd described. She didn't want to die. Her mothers had already buried her other siblings and would soon bury the last three. If she died, so would House Hresvelg. Her father and mothers were in no place to be having more children. The slitherers might repeat what had happened to her and her siblings. She had to stay alive for their sakes.
With that, dinner wrapped up and Edelgard curtsied to Helen. "I"ll see you tomorrow!" She departed and started heading back up to the castle. "Today was really nice." She looked up at Hubert who made a noise.
"I suppose. You're too lax with these commoners, my lady. They'll be your subjects one day in the future. If you're this open with every commoner, you'll be walked all over."
"I know but they're human too…" She frowned. Tobias and Jliane taught her everyone was human. Nobles existed to see the people, not lord over them. Granted, most nobles would disagree with her over that point. Most nobles had Crests which marked them as apart from commoners. That shouldn't matter. Blood was blood in the end. If somebody was cut, they bled. That blood would always be red and not have any powers once it left the body.
"Thankfully I don't think that particular family will try anything against you. They do seem sincere in their words and actions. You still need to try to be a little more discerning, my lady."
"You don't need to tell me to be careful, Hubert. I know not everyone can be trusted." Duke Aegir and the other seven were perfect examples of that. Even Hubert's own father had betrayed the emperor. The nobles in Adrestia couldn't be trusted. Even her own mother couldn't be trusted to some degree. She'd attempted something against Juliane which had seen to her exile. Nobles were a bunch of vipers. They couldn't be trusted. Once she took over, she would purge the court of the corruption that had stripped her father of power. Those sick men didn't deserve to live.
She frowned a bit. "When I do take over, where will you stand on your father…?" Hubert was slowly helping her piece her plans together bit by bit. It wouldn't be for years, of course, but having ideas in place would be imperative. She couldn't simply come up with ideas then expect them to be carried out on a whim. They had to be planned far in advance and carried out methodically.
Hubert made a 'tch' noise. "You think I have any sympathy for him? He betrayed the emperor and abetted in regicide. He helped put you below the castle for two years. I will not miss him in your purge."
"Okay, good." Juliane would stand by her side through all the purging. Plus, once she brought at least Mother Katinka back, she would have intel on other noble houses. Augusta would be her main informant aside from Hubert and Juliane. Few people knew how truly dangerous she was. She seemed like a bit of a doormat, but nothing could be further from the truth. She was dangerous and had been the one to blow open Ansemla's plan against Juliane. She was so glad Augusta was a kind woman that wouldn't harm others unless she had good reason to.
They eventually reached the empress' room and Edelgard slipped inside. Juliane was nowhere to be seen. Probably still desperately searching for Edelgard. Hubert sat next to her on the bed. She started to write in he journal, the time ticking away until she heard the door open.
"El!" She heard a rush of air and then arms wrapped around her. "Oh, goddess, I was so worried when you didn't come back for dinner! Where have you been all day?!"
Edelgard looked up at Juliane. "Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I was with Ueli. I'm going to learn about falconry." She rested her pen in her lap and wrapped her arms around Juliane. She felt terrible for worrying the woman. That hadn't been her intent in in the slightest; she had gotten caught up in everything. Hopefully this would be enough to warn her of the immediate future that she might not be back until later…
"Oh, you are? What made you want to learn so suddenly?"
Edelgard held her wrist up and the bell jingled. "I want to fly Evelin." She was resolute at this point. She wanted to see the eagle fly free again no matter how long it took. She would probably have to think outside the box to break through the eagle's madness, but it was possible. She had seen the look in Evelin's eyes when she'd heard the bell. It wasn't an impossible task…
Juliane sat next to Edelgard and shook her head. "Honey, you would be better off waiting a couple years for breeding while you learn basics with a peregrine. She is an incredibly dangerous bird. Honestly, I think she'd be happier in the wild… She's been tied up for two years. She's a lost cause."
Edelgard shook her head. "I'm going to get her flying again. Though do you know why she's mad? Ueli said he was able to calm down the eagles the others flew. But not her for some reason." She didn't get it. Was there something special about Evelin? She was curious…
Juliane nodded. "Yes. We've been breeding golden eagles for centuries now. The ones bred for the imperial family have been selected for intelligence and sociability. Because of that, they're incredibly sensitive to the state of their handlers. But only the crown heir can have one. All others for imperial children are taken from wild stock as eyasses to imprint them. So everyone else's eagle's are wild but Evelin was bred specifically for Tobias. She reflects his mental state." So she was mad because he was. That made some sort of sense, she supposed.
"What's an eyass and an imprint?" She had never encountered those words before.
"Ah, sorry—Katinka taught me much about falconry. Eyass is a baby in the next and imprint is a bird raised from a baby under certain circumstances. Imprints and passages both have their positives and negatives apparently. I've never trained a bird myself, though, so I can't attest to it. Do you know what a passage bird is?"
Edelgard nodded. "A first-year bird without a mate or anything like that." She had run across the term in a book that quickly explained what it meant. She wasn't super knowledgeable about falconry, but she was willing and ready to learn. "Oh! Helen's teaching me to cook too!" The food had been different, now here near as heavily spiced as she was used to, but it hadn't been bad. She'd enjoyed it.
Juliane smiled and kissed her head. "That's wonderful to hear. Did you enjoy it? No injuries from the knife?"
Edelgard shook her head. "Nope. It wasn't very pretty but I learned a bit about knife work." Maybe she could go pester the cooks to teach her a bit more. But she would be with Helen and Ueli most of the day for the foreseeable future. Her combat classes were in the morning, so that cleared up the afternoon and evening to spend with the falconry family.
"You'll probably cut yourself in due time. Karola tried teaching me to cook a few times but I learned I am terribly clumsy with knives in the kitchen. Get me a throwing knife and I can hit a target dead center. But cutting with a kitchen knife?" Juliane shook her head and chuckled. Edelgard snuggled into her. She wouldn't get discouraged if she cut was pretty sure even seasoned chefs could manage that.
"I guess I know who to ask for further cooking instruction." Karola had always been one to cook to do things for herself. She was from House Fenja but it was a small house that had a large family. Karola had learned to be domestic which was pretty unusual due to being a noble. But with limited servants, she had learned.
"Yes, you do. Now how about you finish with your journal, I read to you, then we head to bed?"
"I'll take my leave then. Sleep well, Your Majesty, Lady Edelgard." Hubert took his leave, the two now alone. The evening slowly gave way tonight and the pair fell into a pleasant slumber.