Interlude

Behind Frigid Walls

The Royal Capital of Fhirdiad, Blaiddyd, Faerghus

"I don't know if this war is winnable, if I will be honest. The Alliance has been absorbed by the Empire and they only got stronger…"

"Stop talking like that! Who knows if someone else will hear you talk like that?!"

Before Archbishop Rhea and her Knights of Seiros arrived in Fhirdiad, this kind of talk wouldn't be something for the people to freely discuss. Now, any discussion with some manner of dissident nature, no matter how small, can be one's last conversation. With Edelgard's manifesto spread to every far corner of Fodlan and instilling upon its populace doubts about the Church of Seiros and its tenets, Rhea and her allies are hard at work to prevent such 'blasphemous thoughts' poison the minds of the people of Faerghus.

As such, crackdowns of anyone harboring sentiments agreeing with the beliefs of the Adrestian Empire or speaking against the system of Faerghus or the Church are met with heavy handed punishments. Something that has not been met with positive light among the populace including the nobility of Faerghus.

The two soldiers walking alongside each other within the castle of Fhirdiad immediately froze when a shadowed figure was approaching from the dreary halls before them, single footsteps walking in their direction.

Until the shadowy figure was graced by the cool sunlight of one of the windows in the hall, revealing a young man with brownish Alymran skin and possessing solemn orange eyes.

"Oh, it's the Almyran brat." One of the soldiers said with disdain at the foreigner, replacing fear he once had.

"An Almyran brat who just scared you witless just now." Cyril responded with straightforwardness that it took the two castle guards by surprise.

"You have such barbed tongue for someone like yourself, didn't the Church of Seiros teach you anything, boy?"

Cyril merely glared at him, this wasn't the first time he has been accosted for just his heritage, a heritage that he thoroughly despises as it had brought nothing but persecution and suffering ever since he was brought to this world.

But many treatments such as this stretching as far back as his servitude towards House Goneril, following his capture by them after the Almyrans lose another skirmish, had toughen the young Almyran to the point that the treatment that most Fodlan people gives him, even within the Church of Seiros, does not faze him anymore.

All thanks due to the teachings of Lady Rhea and Shamir's training on both his mind and body to toughen him for battles be it physical or mental ones. This one being the latter that might escalate to the former.

"What is the meaning of this?"

A deep and commanding voice spoke from behind the castle guards which made the two jump up in surprise at the familiar voice.

The two snappily turned around and quickly bowed down to none other than their king, Dimitri, who looked down on his soldiers with disappointment after witnessing their treatment of Cyril, and from what he was guessing, what they were about to do to him.

"Y-Your Majesty!"

"Are you harassing one of our guests here?" Dimitri immediately went straight to the point.

"Guest? Him?" One of the guards repeated while pointing accusingly at the Almyran until the other smacked the back of his head to shut up and stop talking that could land them in even hotter water.

"Yes, Cyril is a guest here alongside the other members of the Church and Knights of Seiros." Dimitri confirmed, even if Camulus was officially offered to the key members of the Chuch of Seiros as their area of residence, they are also welcomed within the walls of Fhirdiad upon short visitations in matters of discussing their next move in the war or other stately affairs.

The guard who smacked his friend was tempted to speak but knew better than to do so, not wanting to risk the ire of one who is known as the Tempest King, a title that Dimitri holds well, feared and respected by either his enemies or allies.

"Now, isn't there something else you two must be doing than just harassing someone?" Dimitri questioned them with an annoyed frown pointed at them.

"P-Posthaste, Your Majesty!" With that, the two guards scurried off into the halls of Fhirdiad with one giving Cyril one last dirty look.

Sighing, the blond king turned to Cyril with an apologetic look.

"Apologies for the behavior of my subjects, Cyril. I fear that even as a staunch ally to Faerghus, foreigners such as yourself are still viewed with such fear and suspicion." Dimitri lamented to the Almyran who merely shook his head.

"I'm used to such treatment, King Dimitri. I don't plan on convincing anyone who views me like that to view me differently." Cyril responded following a nod of thanks to the monarch.

A small frown formed on Dimitri's lips.

"But does it not bother you? From what I have heard from Seteth, even members of the Church of Seiros view you with such ostracizing contempt just because you are not born within Fodlan."

Cyril merely grumbled. It is true that he has gained the trust and decency of Rhea and her inner circle over the years after years of toiling and loyal service but even as he is recognized as part of Rhea's circle of trust among the hierarchy of her Church, he is viewed by the other members as nothing more than a sycophant, a leech and other derogatory terms.

The worst being: "The Archbishop's pet dog"

He just could not please anyone despite personal endorsements from even Rhea and Seteth.

Speaking of Rhea and Seteth, it has been some time since they and the other members of the Knights of Seiros marched to retake Garreg Mach from the Empire, finding that the time of strike is now. To his disappointment, Rhea did not take Cyril with her and had him to continue his training and standby in Fhirdiad until word has been sent that they have successfully taken the sacred monastery back from the heretics of the Empire.

Cyril wanted to be a part of the army that will retake Garreg Mach, eager to finally join the war with everything he has learned and acquired over the years.

"Your Majesty!"

A soldier, a different one from the duo earlier approached the king and Cyril, his eyes focused on Dimitri after bowing in reverence.

"What is it?"

"We have received word about the forces led by the Knights of Seiros in retaking Garreg Mach." The soldier looked like he was hesitating which gave the two a sense of dread on what had befell the Knights and by extension, Rhea.

"And? Speak clearly please." Dimitri requested, seeing the soldier tense.

"Your Majesty… the siege was…"

Cyril repeatedly shot a training dummy within the training grounds, missing many shots as he lacked the concentration to do so, being riddled with grief and anger at the news that had beset the entire capital of Fhirdiad.

The attempt to reclaim the sacred monastery had failed despite the sound plan of striking it while the Empire was still licking its wounds from a tough conquest of the now defunct Alliance.

While the initial attack was a success, Edelgard launched a successful counterattack with capable lieutenants and commanders leading the garrison to repel the siege although it did cost the Empire capable generals such as Ladislava and Randolph to name a few, the Church lost their entire vanguard and their own slew of military officers falling by the sword.

Seteth being the biggest blow as his defeat had driven him into hiding with Flayn after they were bizarrely spared by the Emperor and were subjected to scare tactics of executions that broke their spirits, according to the reports.

Seteth and Flayn may have been spared but the same cannot be said to Shamir.

What he had heard from Catherine herself, that one of the soldiers that were with Shamir was that she was immediately cut down by none other than an old acquaintance of theirs, Byleth himself. The details is that while Seteth was about to fight Byleth, the former professor suddenly took notice of Shamir and slew her without issue, having taken Shamir by surprise.

The very thought that the very person who mentored him all he knows in battle was effortlessly killed by the person he hates the most led to Cyril spiraling into depression. Grief for his mentor had nearly taken him with his hatred for Byleth being the only feeling that's keeping such grief from overwhelming him.

"Cyril."

The Almyran turned away his focus to see Catherine walking up to him, deep within her blue eyes is one of restrained anger and grief, the need to restrain such emotions and put her duty above it was evident.

"Lady Rhea and King Dimitri are going to hold an emergency meeting, she wants you to be there in a few minutes." Catherine said before looking past Cyril to see the training dummy being pelted by arrows and many other arrows scattered at the wall behind it.

"Lady Rhea wants me to be in the war council?" Cyril asked, such news would normally make him jovial as it is a sign of him being accepted into Rhea's higher echelons but he bitterly couldn't take any from this in the current circumstance.

All because he knew he was only filling in the void left by Seteth and Shamir's absence due to either abandonment or death respectively.

His opinion on Seteth had rather gotten murkier following news of him preferring to abandon the cause for his and Flayn's personal safety leaving Rhea bereft of any staunch allies by her side. Memories of the former advisor giving him words of wisdom have been muddied for what Cyril sees as abandonment.

"Catherine…" Cyril called out the Captain of the Knights of Seiros. "When will we be fighting the Emperor?"

Catherine looked bitterly at the sheathed Thunderbrand strapped at the side of her waist.

"I don't know, Cyril but…" Her grip at the pommel where the Crest Stone of Charon was socketed in, tightened, almost threatening to crush it.

"I anticipate it now more than ever." Catherine said with gritted teeth. "Especially after how that betrayer killed Shamir on top of betraying Lady Rhea's trust in him."

Both of them shared the same sentiment for their hatred of Byleth and what they perceived as his betrayal of Rhea and the Church of Seiros after he sided with Edelgard following the confrontation at the Holy Tomb. To think that despite how well Rhea treated Byleth, the latter would end up turning his back against her is an entire level of ungratefulness.

"I hate him." Cyril declared, his grip at his bow tightening in response to his rage, the other hand shaking.

Gnashing his teeth together, Cyril could only toss the practice bow to the training dummy to release the boiling anger beneath him.

"I will kill him. He betrayed Lady Rhea, took away her smile! He and the Emperor deceived so many people including…" Cyril stopped himself as the memory of Lysithea rejecting him had painfully stung him and made him even more bitter.

"And now, he killed Shamir…" Cyril said with a shaky voice as if on the verge of breaking down as memories of his bond with Shamir resurfaced stronger than ever.

From the moment they met when Rhea personally introduced the Dagdan mercenary to him as his instructor after Cyril volunteered to take the rigorous process of becoming a Knight of Seiros, to Shamir having to be a strict mentor to him.

"Always remember to breathe deep and hold it in when you aim Cyril, only exhale after releasing your shot."

"Why? Why do I need to hold my breath?"

"It's one of the fundamentals of shooting an arrow, find the exact reason why later in the library. For now, follow my instructions and try to at least hit the target today."

"But I don't know how to read…"

"Ah, I forgot about that. No matter, just follow my instructions and–"

"I did it! I did it, Shamir! It worked!"

The memories of Cyril hitting his first target and seeing Shamir's slight smile at his enthusiasm is one of the fondest memories he has with her.

"Remember, Cyril. Never fight while you are injured. Only a fool would walk in the battlefield with wounds on their backs."

That was one of her key pieces of advice to Cyril when the time came for battle, something Cyril had only experienced once in a large scale and that was when Byleth effortlessly defeated him, humiliating him by not even breaking a sweat.

Byleth has taken everything good that has happened to him. Source of joy, subject of his love and the one that makes him feel proud.

Catherine placed a sympathetic hand on Cyril's shoulder in an effort to still the emerging rage that boiled from within, the same kind of rage that simmers within her that she so desperately holds back, choosing to instead remain composed even in the wake of grief and hate.

"Cyril, I need you to keep that emotion in check until the time comes when you have to unleash it. We have no use now for flaring emotions, what Lady Rhea needs right now are calm minds and steady hearts in approaching what may probably be the deciding factor of this war." Catherine urged, attempting to instill counsel to Cyril in the absence of both Shamir and Seteth, also since Rhea at the moment is livid upon their recent failure against Edelgard's so called 'revolution'.

As badly as Catherine also wanted to let loose these flaring emotions, she decided to uphold her duty first over her personal feelings.

Cyril took a deep breath, his clenched fists at his side loosening, agreeing with Catherine's words. He needs to control himself to better serve Rhea especially in this hour of her need.

"If you do not mind my language, we're in deep shit." A man resembling Sylvain growled as he finished his statement in the current state of the war.

"Surely we can take some measure of comfort that we have reacquired many of our territories from them with the unified assault?" Baron Dominic said, trying to look for some assurance in their situation.

"Those territories we took back will be for naught." All eyes turned to Rhea, who was not at her seat at the long war table, instead she was standing by the hearth within the room, their main source of warmth behind the frigid walls of the capital.

Some nobles narrowed their eyes at the archbishop as they have been rather displeased and disillusioned that this war to protect the Church of Seiros from the Empire as well as her persecution of the people of Faerghus who shows the slightest agreement with the manifesto Edelgard had spread throughout Fodlan.

"Garreg Mach was meant to be taken in that assault."

"Something you quite clearly failed at." Margrave Gautier bluntly said without fear.

"Margrave!" Baron Dominic called out Sylvain's father for his unrestrained tongue.

"I will not mince words here, Lady Rhea. This plan of yours that we had depended on has put us in more hot water than it is. So you will have to forgive me if I am lacking any form of reverence to you as we discuss the repercussions now." Margrave Gautier continued his pointed criticism to the Archbishop who remained unfazed, her green eyes staring blankly at the fires within the hearth.

At this moment, Cyril and Catherine looked like they wanted to say or do something against the lack of respect in Margrave Gautier's tone when addressing Rhea but both kept their temper in check when they saw Rhea was unfazed by it.

"That is enough, Margrave Gautier. We must not be fighting amongst ourselves now that Edelgard has put such a detrimental dent into our plans." Dimitri reprimanded his subject, wanting to diffuse a situation before it explodes into infighting.

The last thing that Kingdom and Chuch of Seiros needs right now is bickering amongst themselves.

"It is not just that heretical Emperor's doing that has so far been ruining our plans." Rhea corrected Dimitri who deeply sighed first, knowing who Rhea is going to refer to.

"It's him, isn't it?"

Rodrigue grumbled at the mention of the man they are alluding to.

"That man, Professor Byleth was it?" Rodrigue pondered at his last meeting with the mercenary when Byleth and Felix aided him in their troubles against the remnants of Miklan's men. "The man who is equally responsible for our own children turning against their own homeland."

There were visible reactions from Dimitri, Margrave Gautier and Gilbert, who stood guard by the door leading outside the room upon what Rodrigue had said.

"That man is our greatest threat, not Edelgard." Rhea asserted. "His re-emergence alone tipped the scale of this war into the Empire's favor the moment he returned to the battlefield."

"But how can one man make such a difference? I know he does possess the Sword of the Creator but you may have to forgive my ignorance if a mere sword possessed by a man is enough to change the flow of battle."

This statement from Baron Dominic made Rhea turn around for the first time and gave him an incredulous glare, her green eyes glowing with cold anger at the ignorance of the baron.

"Mere sword? Is that what you think of my mo– the Goddess' divine sword?" Rhea questioned as she approached the table and glared down at Baron Dominic from across the table.

Most of the other lords at the table became tense, fully knowing what Rhea was capable of when one provokes her ire but some like Margrave Gautier and Rodrigue were ready to defend Baron Dominic should she try something to cause him harm, both lords being the Archbishop's biggest critics among Dimitri's inner council.

"I meant no disrespect, Lady Rhea." Baron Dominic maintained his composure despite the cold glare Rhea was giving him.

"I am merely in disbelief that a single man can change the flow of battle because of a sword when even those who descended from the Elites with their Heroes' Relics cannot single handedly win battles by their own. Armies and competent leadership win battles, not individuals." Baron Dominic concluded.

"And in our enemy's case, Edelgard's army has all those qualities." Dimitri exhaled with utter disdain at Edelgard and her Imperial army, feeling as if Edelgard's armies are like a locust sweeping upon Fodlan, leaving ruin at their wake wherever they march.

Rhea broke her glare from Baron Dominic, finding his words and doubts towards Sothis' sword well-placed with his explanation.

"But the question now is: When and where will the Empire strike next? We know for a fact that they will reclaim their lost territories the moment the Emperor reorganizes her army and fully integrates the armies of Leicester with her but after that, where to next?"

Rodrigue's question had everyone in the room thinking.

"The obvious answer to that in theory is that with such an army and the Empire's knowledge of the strength of our own forces, it is safe to assume she will march here, in Fhirdiad next." Rhea said. "With Leicester's integration into her military might, Edelgard is more or less thinking that the time to deal the Kingdom a decisive blow has come."

"All of this was supposed to be halted with that planned siege on Garreg Mach." Dimitri lamented his kingdom's situation. What surprised him is besides Leicester's integration into the Empire, was that Claude was spared by Edelgard when he and the others all speculated she would rather kill him to rid Fodlan of any possible political opponent charismatic enough to challenge her.

"It is far too past the point of dwelling into it now, Your Majesty." Margrave Gautier said in an effort to move the conversation from lamentations to what they can do.

"Then, may I suggest we proceed to ready our armies to meet the Empire head on?" Rhea suggested only for Margrave Gautier to give her a stern glare which no one among the lords had the guts to do so.

"With all due respect, Lady Rhea. You are the least qualified to present suggestions in this war council after your latest gaffe." Margrave Gautier firmly said, which took everyone by surprise within the room by how brazen Sylvain's father was in showing his contempt to Rhea.

"How dare you speak to Lady Rhea like that–" Cyril stood up, infuriated at the disrespect of the margrave but the latter glared at him.

"Enough, please." Dimitri firmly pleaded to everyone within the room as it seemed a fight was about to break out between his subjects and allies, something they can ill afford to do at the moment.

Margrave Gautier sighed, acquiescing to the king out of loyalty.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. But my opinion stands, the lords of the Kingdom and yourself must be the ones to plan such delicate plans now more than ever. We know these lands better than anyone else and these lands are our home."

Dimitri nodded in understanding of the margrave's sentiments.

"As it stands, there is little choice but to marshall all our able bodied soldiers to meet the Empire head on. Tailtean Plains is where we will meet them." Dimitri declared as his eyes went to the historical field that changed the course of Fodlan's history twice.

The field where Seiros felled Nemesis and the field where Faerghus gained its independence from the Empire when King Loog became victorious.

How poetic it is that the decisive battle for the fate of Fodlan will be held into such a place once more, it is as if fate had decreed it to happen for the third time once again.

To recreate history in their favor.

As for Rhea, she remained silent as she stared at where Tailtean Plains is in the war table, her eyes fixated on the very name of it in the map.

She had forgotten how Margrave Gautier had spoken to her earlier, her mind drifting somewhere else that warranted more of her attention.

To think that she will march into Tailtean Plains once more to fight a thief who now possesses her mother's power and sword, the same way she did against Nemesis many centuries ago.

She will not fail this one battle as it proves crucial to the entirety of Fodlan's fate. She emerged victorious once in that very place, she can do it again.

As Rhea's eyes stared at the map, the other lords were still ironing out the last of their plans.

"I volunteer myself to gather my forces in Arianrhod to try and flank the Imperial army should they march to Fhirdiad indeed, Your Majesty." Rodrigue suggested to which Dimitri gave him a nod of approval.

"I trust your judgment on this, Rodrigue. I shall send word for Lady Cornelia and Count Rowe to notify them of your arrival, inform them of our situation and our plan for the next battle."

Rodrigue bowed solemnly to the Faerghus King.

"It will be done, Your Majesty."

"And Matthias?" Dimitri turned to the margrave who stood firm before his king. "Can we be assured that Sreng will not attempt anything soon? If they decide to attack us while our backs are turned as we fight the Empire, I fear we may not be able to protect our lands."

The red haired margrave gave Dimitri a nod of assurance.

"Do not fear, Your Majesty. I believe I pushed the Sreng forces hard enough last time that it will take them considerable time to think of attacking our lands again, you have my word on that."

"And how about the people of Duscur, Dedue?" Dimitri asked the Duscur man standing firmly at his side.

"It is rather… mixed, Your Majesty. There are some of my people who still protest why they should be involved in this war." Dedue lamented but at the same time cannot blame his own people for their refusal to commit to the Kingdom's cause in this war as they never should have been involved in the first place if they weren't subjugated by brutal force in the aftermath of the Tragedy that placed a terrible stigma upon them.

Dimitri hung his head low, just when his kingdom needed to be united against the Empire, he fears it is more divided now more than ever.

Besides the hesitance of the Duscur people fighting for him, something Dimitri cannot fault them for due to the resentment Faerghus accrued from their brutal campaign of reprisal against them. Dimitri has to contend with the discontent of his vassals towards Rhea's rather unchecked actions to the populace.

Rodrigue and Matthias were critical of Rhea's authority over presiding and enacting justice in the Kingdom on charges of inciting sedition or blasphemy for even the smallest form. Many times the two along with the support of the other like-minded lords had pleaded Dimitri to confront Rhea about her actions.

And oftentimes, Dimitri finds himself conflicted whether or not he should consider his urging for everyone to unite against the Empire, unable to favor one side due to being at risk of losing the other.

Not to mention that to oppose Rhea is to oppose the very Church that his Kingdom deems essential to be in good graces with, that without the Central Church's support, his right to rule will be questioned.

Ever since Byleth's return, the stalemate that kept Fodlan in a deadlock was broken and for each passing day, the Empire had began to tip the scales of war into their favor and now, they are at the cusp of victory after becoming more powerful than ever after Leicester has been subjugated.

The upcoming battle ahead will be the battle that will decide the future of Fodlan, this is the one battle Dimitri and his allies cannot afford to lose anymore. The very fate of their way of life and their nation's sovereignty hangs in the balance.

All of this just because Edelgard decided that declaring war was the proper step forward, that scheming behind their backs to commit questionable and heinous acts are the ways to usher the age she promised to her people.

To build a future on the foundation of corpses of those who are in her way and the tears of the innocents whose lives were trampled by war.

He cannot allow such ideology to take hold of Fodlan, making it his duty to stop the Emperor from ever establishing her total dominance over Fodlan and spreading whatever honeyed and poisoned promises to the people of the land.

He will stop her even if it means he must kill her. Even if it meant killing the beloved child that his stepmother cherished more than anyone else.

Even if it meant killing the girl he once loved.

Nothing will stop his vengeance for all the people killed.

A sentiment Dimitri shares with Cyril but against Byleth and what he had done against everything he had loved.

I was supposed to finish this sooner but I had a lot of things to do concerning in real life, mostly because I'm the middle of processing the necessary paperworks and requirements to get married. Yes, you heard right, I'm going to get married soon sometime before this year ends.

Right now, I'm suffering from a cold I caught and it's a miracle I got to even write (when I couldn't even play games properly) in my condition.

Anyhow, the next chapter regarding Tailtean Plains will be a combat focused chapter and I both fear and am excited to write this as it's one of my most anticipated scenes to write ever since I decided to write this fic.