After what happened with shin. Shujinko trained sitri in her new familiar abilities. She's sick of being weak and frail. After what happened. Sitri felt like she needed to be stronger. She's improved pretty fast in just a month. Of course they have to keep it a secret. Can't have rhea flipping her shit. I spent the month in the infirmary. I got visits from byleth athro and shujinko. But mostly edelgard. I'm going to get a dance with her. Speaking of dancing. The white heron cup came around. Dorothea entered and won. Doesn't surprise me. Dorothea was songstress of mittelfrank. She had the training and experience to win. When the battle of the eagle and lion came around. I was allowed to leave the infirmary.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" edelgard asked.
"My wounds heal fast. And besides. The teachers are staying out of the fight. our opponents are athro and shujinko. And I'll be damned if I let the black eagles lose because I was in the infirmary." i said with conviction.
"He's right. I did a checkup on him recently. He's perfectly fine now." manuela said. She than sighed. "Wish i had that kind of healing." manuela said with envy.
"Just…don't get hurt like that again please." edelgard said. Her voice with worry.
"I will. I promise." i said. We then headed for gronder field. But i couldn't help but notice a couple of ashen wolves among us.
"Slayer. Constance. Why are you two here?" i asked.
"The ashen wolves house got disbanded after that rite of rebirth incident. So all of us joined up with the existing classes. Balthus joined up with the golden deer as a means to repay lord holst. Yuri and hapi joined up with the blue lions because the kingdom is where hapi's home is. And yuri being her boyfriend. Decided to tag along." slayer said. My eyes widened.
"Yuri and hapi are a couple? Guess they do lovey stuff behind a closed door?" i asked. Slayer nodded.
"I wish i could find a lover…though there love would be wasted on me…" constance said. Sounding completely unlike the high spirited noble i met in the abyss.
"What's up with her?" i asked.
"Constance has a dual personality disorder. She gets like this when in sunlight. As for why we're here. Edelgard promised to help rebuild her house. As for why i'm here. I want to see where your path ends…will you be holding edelgard in your arms as you stand on a mountain of dead agarthans. With everyone by your side? Or will your path end with a blade in your heart. Leaving the fate of the future to those left behind? I suppose only the hands of fate will tell." slayer said.
"Then you'll aid me in my path. You're a part of the empire now slayer. And as a member of the black eagles. We watch out for each other. Agree?" i asked. Slayer nodded. And all of us waited for the battle to start.
No ones pov.
An eagle flew through the sky. The knights of seiros blew their horns. Signifying the start of the battle of the eagle and lion. Rhea seteth byleth and sitri all watched from the peak.
"You all should know! That i have no intention of going easy on you today!" dimitri yelled. As he pointed his spear.
"As long as we can pull off the win. Doesn't matter how." claude casually said. As he flipped his bow.
"Our victory must be absolute. No matter what it may take." edelgard said as she flicked her hair. Natsu athro slayer and shujinko readied their weapons. As they looked up to rhea to give the signal to begin
"It is time." seteth said. The knight next to him raised the flag.
"Forward! Now!" edelgard yelled as her soldiers charged.
"For honor!" dimitri yelled as his soldiers charged. Claude just pointed. His soldiers charged.
"Let's go!" natsu athro slayer and shujinko yelled at the same time.
Natsu pov.
Everyone has greatly improved in the past few months. There's no doubt in my mind that we're getting the most defeats reward. But we have to actually win to get that prize. And there was only one opponent left…athro. Everyone else in both her house and mine were talken down. And there was no golden deer standing either. Not even shujinko. Who fell alongside slayer in a battle that ended in a tie. This fight will decide who wins the battle of the eagle and lion.
"It's time for some payback for that mock battle natsu!" athro yelled. She readied her sword. With a grin.
"Will you get your revenge? Or will I just kick your ass again? Let's find out!" i yelled as she and me charged at each other. Despite wielding an incredibly heavy weapon. I was able to keep up with athros lightning fast attacks. Once her barrage stopped coming i smashed my axe down on her. She managed to dodge. And sent a dragon of ice at me. I stopped with an aura spell through it's head. The smoke gave me the opportunity to get athro off guard. I jumped through the smoke and swung my axe. She ducked. But i kicked her in the stomach. sending her a few feet flying. Once she recovers. I went for another swing. Only for her to grab my face and slam me to the ground. I retaliated by judo throwing her. And than german suplexing her. She got up and spat out a tooth. After a bunch more weapon clashing that ended with both of us knocking each other away. We both got back up. But we were both on our last legs. Being barely able to stand. But athro fell on her knees.
"That's enough! The winner of this years battle of the eagle and lion….are the black eagles!" seteth yelled. I grinned.
"YEEEEAAAAAHHHH!" i yelled into the sky. I offered athro a hand up. She took it. But than she gripped my hand tightly…and kicked me in the nuts.
"Athro!" dimitri yelled. Clearly not liking athro's dishonorable move. All the guys cringed at what happened.
"Are you alright natsu?" edelgard asked as she offered me a hand up. Which i gladly took.
"I greatly underestimated how much of a sore loser athro can be." i said. As i was trying to get up.
Black eagle classroom.
After a few hours with a bag of ice. I returned to my classroom. everyone was discussing the dance. After everyone left. Edelgard approached me. Guess she wanted to talk to me in private.
"Is something wrong edelgard?" i asked.
"Byleth…told me everything about the other timelines…i can't believe it. I did so many awful things…i instigated a war…i made dimitri be consumed by hatred…i even sided with the very monsters who put me through that just to gain an advantage…what kind of a person am i?" edelgard asked as tears went down her face. Just like her in the other timelines. She's good at hiding her pain. But this time around. She has someone to open up to…someone who was there at that moment that ruined her life…someone to save her…someone to comfort her. To be the light that saved her from the darkness. I walked up to her and hugged her.
"...those were those timelines…not this one. You're not the same as you were in those other timelines. You only did that because those snakes ruined your life. Just to make you their weapon. But that's not how it went down. I saved you from that fate. Things will be brighter for all of us….and no matter what happens. I will keep you safe…el." i said. She looked at me with a blush. Than a smile.
"Natsu…will you dance with me at the ball?" edelgard asked.
"I was going to ask you…so yeah." i said with a big smile.
Garreg mach ball.
Everyone was having a good time. The dance floor was cleared for jeralt and his wife to have a dance. Sitri wore a beautiful white dress. Everyone was stunned by her beauty. I noticed dorothea hilda mercedes and annette giving each other thumbs ups and high fives. Guess there. the ones who did sitris makeup. They did a fantastic job. After a dance between two long lost lovers that generated such a heartwarming display of love. It was now the students time to dance. I immediately went to edelgard a hand reached out. With a smile on my face. She gladly took my hand and went to the dancefloor with me. On the dancefloor was also athro with dimitri and byleth with claude. I heard sitri giggle when byleth blushed when claude took her to the dance floor. I guess claude's charm still gets to her. Even after all the resets.
I kept a calm look on my face. But my heart was beating rapidly. As i looked into those beautiful violet eyes. And that sweet genuine smile. I danced with edelgard for as long as i could. And enjoyed every second of it. I heard dorothea giggling. I didn't care. I was enjoying this moment with the adestrian princess…my princess.
Goddess tower.
Me and edelgard slipped away from everyone. And headed for the goddess tower for a break.
"Nobody comes here…the goddess tower huh?" i asked.
"Yeah…they say that if two people meet here. They will spend their lives together." edelgard said with a blush.
"Well. it's job is already done. After all. I already vowed to stay by your side." i said.
"...natsu." edelgard said as she took my hand. "Thank you for everything…my knight. You saved me from the agarthans. Protected me from the nightmares. You always remained by my side. You are the light that saved me from the darkness…i love you." edelgard said with a blush. I replied by kissing her on the lips. I felt her arms wrap around my back as she pulled me in closer. For a good five minutes. Our lips were locked. We pulled for air.
"I love you too…el." i said. She smiled and put her head in my chest. I held her close. I was hoping this warmth wouldn't end. But it did by some footsteps.
"What was that?" edelgard asked. I turned my head around the corner. To see athro and dimitri have entered the tower as well.
"Looks like we're not the only ones confessing our love tonight." i said with a grin. Edelgard looked the corner as well. And also grinned. She was trying her hardest not to giggle.
Athro pov
I entered the tower with dimitri. We wanted to get away from the noise.
"Isn't this the tower where two people meet they spend their lives with each other?" i asked.
"Yes…there's something i wanted to say for awhile." dimitri said with a blush. "After what happened at duscur…i was blinded by rage. Sought only revenge. But you were right. I still had things left. Friends. A duty. The voices of my fallen family. They still haunt me…but whenever they get louder. Another voice quiet's them…yours. You kept the dark flames down. And i can't thank you enough for that…i love you athro." dimitri said. I blushed and smiled.
"Come here." i said. i then pulled him into a kiss. Being the queen of the kingdom…not what i had in mind in my life…but i'll take it. I can't help but feel eyes on me. And i know who it was.
"Natsu. Edelgard. How long are you going to watch?" i asked. Dimitri turned around to see natsu and edelgard come out of hiding.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to spy. But. dorothea now owes me a five hundred gold." edelgard said with a smirk.
"So i take it you two are a couple now as well?" dimitri asked with a smirk. Natsu than pulled edelgard close and kissed her on the cheek. Causing edelgard's face to turn red and steam come out of her ears.
"Yep!" natsu yelled with a big smile.
"Is it normal for her to do that?" i asked.
"It's the first I've seen of it." dimitri said. After sneaking by claude making out with byleth. We all went back to our dorms. I blew dimitri a kiss before i went back to my room.
Natsu's room/natsu pov
I felt happy…happier than i've ever been. Edelgard is now my girlfriend. Something i've been wanting for a good long while…i'll protect your smile…el. I thought nothing could ruin this night. I was foolish. After all. The snakes can ruin anything. As I found a note on my desk. It was from them.
"You have disrupted our plans for too long…tomorrow at noon. You will come alone to the abandoned church at the center of the shopping disctrict. If you don't. We will destroy the town and kill every beast there. Signed. Thales." the note read.
"Son of a bitch." i said in rage. My happiness was replaced with anger. Guess i'm waking up and choosing violence. I don't what's waiting for me. But i'll push through. And that abandoned church will be painted black by the time i'm done. I heard a knock on my door. And saw edelgard. Blushing.
"Can i stay with you tonight?" she asked. She had no look of fear. She didn't have a nightmare. She just wanted to cuddle with me. And that made my anger fade…for now.
"Sure. come in." i said. I held edelgard close. Her beautiful lilac eyes soon closed and i was seeing her beautiful peaceful sleeping face really close to me. Tomorrow i'm running straight into an agarthan trap. But at the very least. I can have this. This beautiful moment. With the girl i love and want to protect. My eyes closed. As i let the peaceful breathing of el be my lullaby.