Interlude

Dungeons of Garreg Mach

The first of the Interludes I had planned. These interludes are suppose to be included in the main chapters but I had to cut them out for pacing's sake and it wouldn't fit the current narrative of the main chapters they were meant to be included.

The other reason for these interludes besides being basically cutting room content, is to expand and show different POVs of characters that don't usually have moments in the main chapters to see what they think and feel for what has happened so far!

?th day of the ? Moon of the Imperial Year 1185

Ignatz had lost track of how many days he had been languishing inside the prison cells below Garreg Mach. Has it been weeks? A month or two since he was imprisoned in the dungeons of the school he had once studied in?

Despite the dark and musty cell he was in, it had enough space for him to move around, enough space for a desk and table to be brought inside as well as books stacked together that were routinely brought to him every week to stave off the boredom.

He knew Lysithea is to thank for these privileges that no kind of prisoner of war would experience. He was even allowed to meet with Raphael from time to time who was imprisoned in another cell.

Ignatz didn't know if he should be thankful for the treatment he was given while imprisoned. The one time Lysithea visited him, she told him that Edelgard planned on imprisoning him to less generous conditions since he did attempt to kill Lysithea without reservation back in Myrrdin.

"And I suppose you want me to be thankful for it?"

"I don't expect any thanks for this."

That was their last exchange of words as Ignatz refused to talk to her afterwards, feeling hate for his former classmate and friend who turned her back against him, their friends and their homeland.

All for a cause he doubts that the Adrestian Emperor will even honor at the end of this bloody war. The dismantling of the nobility and the importance of Crests in society, he just guessed that Edelgard merely used those as a platform to inspire those who were disgruntled by the current system in place to fall under her banner, something many politicians had done in the past by stoking the fear and anger of the masses to gain support.

He barely has any news regarding the war, only hearing from a conversation between the prison guards about speculations what territory of the Alliance will Edelgard attack next in her campaign to annex the Leicester region to be integrated in the Adrestian Empire, a step closer for Edelgard to reunify Fodlan under the Adrestian Empire's banner just like the olden days when Seiros crowned Wilhelm as the first Emperor of Fodlan.

"I'm telling you, if I had been part of the army that took Derdriu then we would have taken it faster without a hitch!"

"There you go again with your bullshit, you can't even do shit so how the hell do you think you can even get admitted to the Black Eagle Strike Force under Commander Byleth? Why do you think you and I are stuck with keeping the prison guarded?"

Ignatz' eyes opened widely, quickly standing up and going towards the door with a small window reinforced with steel bars.

"W-What did you say?" He stuttered to ask the passing guards.

The Imperial prison guards turned to the bespectacled prisoner.

"Eh?"

"What happened in Derdriu?" Ignatz asked more specifically, dread starting to well up within his heart as he thought of his parents and friends who were in Derdriu.

"Ah right." One of the guards, a friendly one who would often converse with Ignatz in times of boredom, realized what this means to the prisoner.

"Wait, should we even be telling this prisoner? I mean that's confidential right?" The other guard asked.

"Why would it be confidential if Her Majesty already took down the entire Leicester Alliance with Derdriu's fall?"

"Right, makes sense."

"What happened to Derdriu?" Ignatz repeated with a desperate tone.

"Well, you heard it right. Emperor Edelgard besieged the city and took over it. With Duke Riegan's surrender, the Leicester Alliance is no more. All the lords and subjects they have now owe fealty to the Adrestian Empire." The friendly guard explained which sent shockwaves within Ignatz.

"And Claude? What has happened to the Duke of Riegan?" Ignatz asked, fearing for the worst.

The prison guard blinked. "Oh Duke Riegan? He was let go and departed Fodlan elsewhere, cause quite a stir from Duke Goneril after he took his sister with him."

"Who wouldn't want to sweep that woman away? I heard Duke Holst's sister has quite a body." The other guard said with a smirk.

Ignatz and the friendly guard gave him a disgusted glare before shaking their heads. The friendly guard saw the look of relief in Ignatz's eyes.

"The Emperor took no further action against the former Leicester lords and the inhabitants afterwards and from what I heard, the city was evacuated before we laid siege on it."

Ignatz deeply sighed in relief from the news he had received. Claude, Hilda and safe to assume, his parents weren't killed in the siege that had happened. Although, it saddened him to hear that his nation was no more, crushing him that the homeland he once knew is now under Imperial control.

And there was nothing he could do about it now. He had his chance to make a difference in battle but in the end, all was for naught. Claude had probably signed the papers to cede all of the Alliance's lands and vassals unto Edelgard, putting an end to the existence of the Leicester Alliance ever since its formation in the Crescent Moon War.

"That reminds me, with the Alliance now gone. What are we going to do with these prisoners of war we caught?"

The friendly guard shrugged. "Damned if I know, I don't exactly know what Her Majesty intends to do with our incarcerated friends here considering they're now citizens of the Empire."

"They will be released."

Ignatz saw the two guards freeze up, as if winter had chilled the very blood within their veins at the sound of an all too familiar voice.

"L-Lord Hubert!"

Ignatz couldn't see Hubert directly due to the limitation of the window on his door, merely seeing the two guards stand in attention.

"Her Majesty had officially issued pardons to prisoners of war captured from our victorious campaigns against the Leicester Alliance. They will be released today and be allowed to return home… under new leadership."

Hubert then appeared in Ignatz's sight right after the cold and deceptively one-eyed man said his last phrase.

"Hubert."

The Marquis of Vestra gave him a look. "It seems you have not forgotten about me though you will have to forgive me if I don't recall you as much."

"I find it hard to believe Edelgard–"

"EMPEROR Edelgard." Hubert corrected Ignatz. "She is your liege now and owe your loyalty to her so address her properly."

Ignatz grumbled at the correction, he nearly forgot he now has to call the person he doesn't believe in as the head of state of his homeland. It was jarring for him but then again, he had no choice in the matter.

"You find it hard to believe that Her Majesty has decided to give you all mercy?" Hubert surmised what Ignatz was about to tell him. "You give her little credit."

"With how she had plunged the entire continent into war. Yes." Ignatz was firm in his opinions towards Edelgard in this matter. "Many lives had to be and will be trampled because of this… revolution she speaks of against the Church of Seiros."

Hubert merely smirked mockingly at Ignatz, finding his opinions regarding the Emperor amusing despite his usual stance against those who would speak ill of her.

"Did she expect the rest of the Alliance to just bow down to her?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Hubert said with confidence. "The former duke of the now defunct House Riegan had urged everyone to play nice. At least Claude knew when to give up, which is quite unfortunate that King Dimitri hasn't seen the errors of giving Rhea asylum now that the Empire has the power of the Leicester region at its beck and call."

"I do not expect you to understand what it is the Adrestian Empire is fighting for. All I know is that you have to thank Lady Lysithea for all the leeways and luxury given to you." Hubert continued.

Ignatz scoffed at the mention of Lysithea, it also irked him to hear how Hubert addressed her as Lady, she truly had been integrated into the Empire by how Hubert addressed her without any tone of apprehension.

"Scoff at it all you want, she's the only reason why Her Majesty didn't have you and that buffoon of a friend you have, be executed. Both of you are key commanders in the defense of Myrrdin, you should have died with Judith on that day if only Her Majesty did not consider what Lady Lysithea feels."

Ignatz narrowed his eyes but the look in Hubert's eye was already warning him to tread lightly with his next words, as if just waiting for Ignatz to say something against Edelgard or Lysithea to issue an order that would mean the end of him.

"Despite your attempts to kill her, Lady Lysithea had the heart to appeal for your lives which means that in some manner, you are viewed as something to be worth sparing even if I and Her Majesty thought the opposite. For sentimental reasons, you have been granted safety from the executioner's axe."

"Why?" Ignatz questioned. "Why do Lysithea's words hold so much sway to the Emperor?" He questioned, unable to wrap it around his head that the word of a heiress of a failing noble house holds so much weight with the Emperor.

"Simply for the fact that she is Her Majesty's friend. A close and cherished one at that. Did you honestly think the professor was the only reason why she stayed with us during our time in the Academy?" Hubert rhetorically questioned Ignatz. "Her Majesty and Lady Lysithea both found common ground and fondness for one another. And the fact that you tried to kill Her Majesty's friend, with little to no hesitation I might add, didn't really sit well with Her Majesty."

Ignatz simply looked down, unable to speak any further after being told off by Hubert.

"I could have done worse, you know, I could have had your family strangled without them knowing why they died. So consider yourself lucky that you are even alive today and to experience freedom once more outside of these wretched cells."

Hubert gave him one last cold mocking smirk, relishing at the fear he had instigated within Ignatz as he took his leave.

"Release them and have him sent back to Leicester. The Emperor orders that they must depart the monastery before the sun sets."

"Y-Yes, Lord Hubert!"

The friendly guard then took a key from the keyrings strapped on his belt, inserting it on the hollow keyhole of the door to Ignatz's cell, unlocking it and opening it for Ignatz.

"Boy, that was chilling. Lord Hubert really scares the shit out of me whenever I'm near him." The other guard commented with a scared look. "The fact this guy is even alive or has the balls to talk to him and the Emperor that way surprises me."

"Stop talking and do as he commanded, and it's Marquis Vestra, not Lord Hubert." The friendly guard corrected his comrade before turning to Ignatz.

"Well, by the grace of Her Majesty, you are now a free man." The friendly guard said with a smile, trying to raise the spirits of the prisoner he had grown fond of conversing with, having learned a lot from him on various matters in their conversations.

"T-Thanks." Ignatz murmured, clearly shaken by what Hubert had told him. He had just realized how he had been dancing with death earlier as well as gambling his own family's lives for his words regarding Edelgard.

The tone and look Hubert gave him were nothing to disregard. He was serious when he meant every word of that threat.

What puzzles Ignatz now is why does Hubert seem to care for Lysithea when he spoke about her? There was respect… and something else with how he referred to her.

Regardless, it wasn't his business anymore. Ignatz had to check on Raphael so that they could both get home to their families, assess the situation and see what direction their lives would take following the fall of the Alliance.

"Ah there you are."

Hubert stopped in his tracks to see Lysithea approaching him, having just arrived at the entrance hall of Garreg Mach since his little trip into the dungeons.

"Is there anything you need?" Hubert asked, keeping his usual cold calm demeanor he was known for.

"Not really, just that this message came for you." Lysithea then handed Hubert a sealed envelope, the seal of House Vestra being embedded on the red wax.

"Edelgard told me to hand it to you personally."

Hubert recognized the letter's sender almost immediately just by looking at it. He then gave Lysithea a thankful nod.

"Thank you." He said with a sense of warmth in his voice.

Lysithea instead gave him a weirded out look.

"I really am not used to you thanking someone else other than Edelgard."

"Oh? Do I truly sound that disingenuous?" Hubert asked, not even offended but amused.

"It creeps me out." Lysithea straightforwardly said.

"I should be glad you are not similar to Bernadetta, that woman is a stuttering mess whenever she talks to me. Thinks my laughter, no matter how genuine it is, is a thing where nightmares come from."

Lysithea chuckled amusingly at this. "She's not far from the truth you know. Anyway, I must go."

Hubert nodded. "Ah right, I believe you will have tea with Her Majesty?"

"One of your spies told you?" Lysithea accused.

"Her Majesty spoke of it." Hubert said with a frown, it grew more evident after Lysithea laughed.

"I was kidding." Lysithea said after seeing Hubert's frown deepen at her joke.

The raven haired shook his head to dismiss it, his eye looking at the sealed letter for him.

"Her Majesty has been exhausted since we won over the Alliance, do give her a good time to unwind, won't you?"

Lysithea rolled her eyes, dismissively waving her hand to Hubert as she walked away from him.

"And you need to relax as well." She said in finality, not waiting for Hubert to retort back.

Hubert sighed at the snow haired woman before a smile crept to the corners of lips, he then opened the sealed letter and read its contents. Without anyone looking, his lips curled upwards to that of a genuine smile upon reading through the letter.

His eyes then turned to the distance where Lysithea had departed to have tea with Edelgard.

"What creeps me out is how you and her are too eerily similar to how you speak to me." Hubert said with amusement, his eyes darting back to the letter sent by his younger sister back in Vestra lands.

He then set out to his quarters to pen his own response and to have it discreetly sent. Hubert decided to heed Lysithea's half-hearted advice to relax for now.

I got motivated to write this particular interlude after I recently found out today about Hubert and Lysithea's supports in Three Hopes. This was initially meant to be just about Ignatz's encounter with Hubert but I decided to add in a little flavor with that last scene with Lysithea. Check their support for more context if you will.

And yes, I am yet to play Three Hopes, ran out of copies to buy in the local game store here sadly. Anyway, expect more interludes to come, I have a few short ones planned out specifically Cyril and Hanneman. Heavily considering one with Dimitri as well.