Chapter 43: Romance in the Three Kingdoms
18th day of the Great Tree Moon 1181. Beach near the harbour of Enbarr.
Edelgard sighed in relaxation. The last two days had been hard on everyone. The battle had exhausted everyone, and the clean-up had not made things better. After that had come to processing of prisoners and the burial of the bodies that had been cleared from the battlefield. Then, the army had to be reorganised and made ready for march. The process was still ongoing, but by now, the logistics officers could handle it alone. As such, Edelgard had taken the chance to de-stress a little.
This was why the Black Eagles and company were now at the beach. It wasn't her favourite spot, far from it, but the others had wanted to come.
"I will never understand the fascination people have with beaches," said Byleth from the side.
He was not clad in his usual attire, wearing instead a full-body swimsuit. She was dressed in much the same fashion since she detested displaying her scarred skin for all the world to see. She had other reasons as well.
"Neither will I," she said, "I don't think I ever told you this, but… I'm afraid of the ocean. Whenever I'm on a ship, I have a hard time keeping myself together. I also can't swim."
Byleth was aware that Edelgard was a very guarded person. Had necessity not demanded it be told of, her time in the dungeons of the Imperial Palace would have remained a secret. For her to admit a fear like that unprompted was practically a blatant invitation to connect.
So, he replied, "Even people who can swim should fear the ocean. It is wild, powerful and untameable." He turned his head in her direction and continued, "The location is not quite suited for it, but I can teach you to learn how to swim."
"Th-that is unnecessary," she stammered, blushing a tiny bit.
He thought it looked adorable. For all her imposing presence and composure, Edelgard was sometimes very shy about things that would leave other people barely even affected. Most of them involved romance. It was kind of endearing in his mind, being so similar in that regard himself.
"I insist," he said, "It would be for your safety, and to master a fear you have."
She sighed. "What if I panic and drown?" she asked shakily.
He shook his head and answered, "We'll train in shallow water and I'll hold you. Your head will stay above the water until you're comfortable."
It was a task he was used to, actually. It was surprising how few people could swim, and Jeralt had always insisted that everyone in his company should have had the ability. Byleth had therefore trained most of the recruits in the field. He had a feeling that this would be different, however. The bright red blush on the Emperor's face told him as much.
"W-well, in that case, it might be worth an attempt," she said. After a moment, she asked, "Won't the water be too cold right now?"
"Not here," answered Byleth, "It's often quite warm here when there is still snow near Fhirdiad. It's still frigid up there, but it's quite pleasant here. Something about warm water streams is responsible."
She bit her lip and asked, "Is it really warm enough here?"
He raised a finger and pointed it in the direction of the other Black Eagles. "Ask them," he said with amusement.
The scene was quite humorous. Hubert was glowering on the beach like some caricature of a lifeguard. Caspar was running along the shore next to Ferdinand, who swam a few metres to the side. Dorothea was simply sunbathing. And finally, Petra was dragging a furiously blushing Bernadetta into the water.
"Petra dislikes cold temperatures. If the water is warm enough for her, it's warm enough for you," said Byleth.
Edelgard sighed in defeat. "Very well. Let us begin," she said.
The two of them went to the spot on the beach where the others were. Byleth had scouted it out the day before. He had asked local fishermen for their knowledge on the currents in the area, and they had pointed to a few places where there were none. It was as ideal as the ocean could be to teach someone how to swim.
A minute or so later, they stood in shallow water. It reached up to the underside of Byleth's ribcage, which made it a good fit for Edelgard's arm length. Her movements were a bit shaky as she followed his instructions. Dorothea's giggling from the shore didn't help her in the slightest.
"Lean backwards, kick slightly off the ground and stretch your arms and legs," said Byleth.
She nodded and slowly did what he'd told her to. There was a slight moment of panic when she began to float, but then she felt his hand on her back. She relaxed instantly, trusting him to keep her afloat.
"Good. Stay relaxed like that. Tensing up is one of the worst things you could do. A stiff body sinks faster," he commented.
As the Emperor proceeded to struggle in the water, Dorothea observed them. It was kind of adorable to see those two in action, even if it was also a tiny bit confusing. The (former) Professor and Edelgard two had interacted so little, yet they acted like they had been gravitating towards each other for a long time. Perhaps this was one of the side effects of their Crests she'd heard about. No matter the dubious nature of their seeming attraction, though, they did look like they would become quite the cute couple. Either that, or her career in the opera had given her a false image of romance.
She grimaced as she realised that she had probably had that issue in the past. She had entered the academy in search for a prospective husband with enough money to take care of her in the future, once her beauty had faded and her voice had aged. It had been a fool's hope, she'd realised, and it had made her as undesirable for a relationship as Sylvain's womanising and Lorenz' grandstanding. In hindsight, trying to find an attractive, attentive, caring and rich man, who wasn't superficial either, by flaunting her most superficial qualities had not been a good strategy at all. Flirting and going with so many different guys over such a short amount of time hadn't helped either. The stage really hadn't prepared her for the reality of the situation.
The reality check had come from the Goddess herself, much to her shock. She'd never been very pious since her harsh childhood as a street urchin had made her deeply sceptical of any promises of salvation, but she had prayed maybe once a week. When the Goddess had stated actually conversing with her, the frequency increased and the subject matters became more personal.
"If you want men to like you for things other than your body and your voice, you need to show off your character before those. The way you act now, you come off as a gold digger who likes toying with men. I know that's not what you are, and your friends know it too, but first impressions are quite impactful. Men are a lot touchier about what they perceive to be emotional manipulation than you'd think. They know they're vulnerable to it, and once they notice even a hint of it, they're likely to get angry and resentful, perhaps even aggressive," the Goddess had said.
That togue lashing had given Dorothea much to think about. The mood had lightened, however, when the Goddess had regaled her with the tale of similar talks she had had with both Sylvain and Lorenz. The songstress giggled at the thought of the latter's face contorting in outrage at being referred to as a presumptuous lecher. Still, it had led to a change in attitude, and she had found that the general attitude towards her had improved. Men who were only interested in a quick romp had slowly stopped coming onto her, and quite a few who were more interested in her as a person had come forward. Nothing had come of it so far, but she felt much more relaxed about romance than ever before.
Splashing sounds took her out of her thoughts. When she looked at where they were coming from, she giggled again.
Edelgard had apparently lost her cool due to a little wave splashing soe water on her face, and was now wildly flailing her limbs. That lasted until she grabbed Professor Byleth in a vice grip. The man simply held her, calmed her down and got her into a floating position again. The white-haired young woman still had one hand clasped to one of his arms, but she was slowly getting back in the flow of things.
Those two were adorable to look at.
Dorothea noticed after a few seconds that she was smiling. It was strange, being so unsuccessful in romance, yet happy that someone else had better luck. Well, that, and they were both easy on the eyes. She could get used to that view.
Come what may in the future, for now, she was quite happy to relax and watch things unfold.
19th day of the Great Tree Moon 1181. Alliance field camp in Gloucester territory.
The last few weeks had been hectic for the Golden Deer. Claude had rushed them all to the Alliance, assigned them units, explained his basic plan, and then told them good luck. His audacious strategy had them running ragged as they scrambled to complete the tasks he'd set them. Meeting their troops and reorganising them had the Golden Deer thanking the Goddess for their Professor's lessons. As it was, the rapid redeployment was causing everyone enormous stress.
For Marianne, the only saving grace in that arrangement was that she and Hilda led their detachment together. Formal command lay with the former since the pink-haired girl couldn't be bothered to lead the army. She had the ability and the charisma, certainly, but she lacked the discipline. As such, Marianne had taken the reins of the few thousand soldiers they were leading. Still, she was comforted by Hilda's friendly presence.
Things between them had been a bit awkward for some time after their interaction in the bath. Their friendship was as unshakable as always, but questions had arisen. Hilda had been very unsure if she could have a fulfilling romantic relationship with Marianne, and the blue-haired young woman had given it some thought too. Hilda had been right about spur-of-the-moment decisions, she'd realised. Still, Marianne felt that she couldn't let go of her feelings for the woman she loved.
For that reason, she'd sought advice from an unusual source: Seshamil, the Nabatean whose heart rested in her sword.
"I don't know what to do. I love Hilda, but I have no idea if it could even work. Should I let go and find someone else? It hurts to think about it, but doesn't our blood mean freedom and promiscuity?" she'd asked.
Seshamil had answered, "Indeed, our blood means freedom. It means bondage itself, sex, rage, ravage, weakness, ruin, fatality and evil, but it also means vehemence and effort. Channel these qualities and play them against each other. Bind the negative qualities, twist the neutral ones to your benefit and loosen all restraints on those that are positive. Remember that true freedom is the ability to choose the ties that bind you. A truly unfettered existence is not free; it is merely a slave to its own baser urges."
Marianne had said, "I… think I understand what you mean, but how does that help me?"
Seshamil had replied, "If you have to ask that, you don't really understand yet. Think, girl. You are free of the chains of the past. You were freed of them when Maurice was slain. The only chains that bind you now are those you chose to don for your benefit. The girl you're swooning over is one of those. Do not choose meaningless flings over an attachment that gives you so much more, even if it's not all you might want."
That answer had been a revelation for Marianne. It was so clear now in her mind. Even if Hilda could never love her the way she wanted – and that wasn't even certain yet – she would always stay by her side. Their bond made them both happy, and that was what counted. Anything more would just be the cherry on top.
The question of this metaphorical cherry was what ultimately led her to where she was right now. She was in the tent she shared with Hilda, as was the young woman in question. This was one of her chains, to borrow Seshamil's metaphor. There was a pleasant tingle going through her as she thought about Hilda wrapping her in chains and her doing the same to Hilda, but she shook it off. This was not the time to indulge her Crest-fuelled hormonal fantasies. She was here for matters of the heart, not the body.
"Hilda?" she asked.
The pink-haired young woman looked up from the book she was bent over. She smiled and said, "Hey. What's up?"
"Can we talk?" asked Marianne.
Hilda nodded and said, "Sure. Sit down and tell me what's bothering you."
Marianne did so, seating herself right across from her friend. She took a second to gather her courage, then straightened her back and looked Hilda in the eyes.
"We should discuss what's between us… or what isn't," she said.
"Oh," said Hilda while blinking, "Why now?"
Marianne answered, "Because I've made a decision: I'll stick by you. Whether you return my feelings or not, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. The Professor was a great help, but the one to truly give me confidence was you. It was you who gave me back my will to live. The only thing I can ask of you at this point is clarity. You've already given me everything else."
Hilda's eyes were wide as dinner plates as she listened to her friend's heartfelt confession. She'd known that Marianne carried a torch for her, a big one at that, but this was beyond her expectations. She felt warmth in her chest as its content sank in. She sat there for a few seconds before she realised that she needed to answer.
"That was intense," she said breathlessly. She added, "Give me a second to think."
Quite honestly, she'd already thought long and hard about what had happened between them. She was attracted to men… and Marianne. When they'd had their second kiss, she'd realised that this was the truth, and not some figment of her imagination. The problem had arisen when she'd thought about what she wanted a relationship with Marianne would look like. At first, it had only been memories of her dreams in which she and her friend "thanked" an attractive young man for his help. Over time, that had changed, however.
The more she'd thought about it, the more she realised that she wanted more out of it than a simple fantasy. Marianne didn't deserve to be the third wheel. Oh, she still had those dreams, but they were frequently replaced by ones where it was Marianne who got her "thanks." Naturally, there were also more innocent dreams; ones in which they smiled at each other and had fun together doing stuff couples normally did. Those thoughts even invaded her daydreams from time to time, and she had come to like them a lot. So, while there was still some lingering hesitation about the whole ordeal, she was on board, especially after a confession like that.
With that thought on her mind, she grabbed Marianne's cheeks and pulled the surprised young woman towards her. Their lips met as the sudden movement caused them to tumble and fall. It ended with Hilda on her back and Marianne on top of her.
As their lips separated again, Marianne whispered, "You look better like this than I imagined."
Then, she blushed a deep red when she realised what she'd said. "I'm so sor-," she began.
Hilda cut her off, "Good that you'll get to see me like that a lot, then. I think I like having my girlfriend on top of me."
Marianne's brain short-circuited at that statement. Then it sank in. She looked down at the woman beneath her. In her eyes she saw sincerity, though the massive blush that mirrored her own also spoke of embarrassment. She lowered her head again, and when she saw Hilda smile at her, she closed the gap and laid a kiss on her lips.
She pulled back and said, "You really mean that?"
Hilda nodded and answered, "Yeah. I thought a lot about it. It's still kind of weird for me, but I like it. You're the most important person in my life, too, you know? Besides, I love how our kisses feel. And, as I've just found out, I really enjoy it when you're on top of me. So, I'd be happy to be your girlfriend, if you want me to be."
The answer she received was Marianne's mouth crashing onto hers. Much to her surprise, it involved quite a bit of tongue. That state also lasted a long time, only cut short by the need for air. When they separated again, she was greeted by the brightest smile she'd ever seen Marianne wear.
"I hope that was a clear enough answer," said the blue-haired woman with a flushed face.
Hilda giggled slightly and said, "You may have to repeat it a few times."
Her new girlfriend giggled as well. "I'm so happy," she said, "I feel like I can take on the world."
"How about we do that, then?" asked Hilda rhetorically.
"Yes," answered Marianne.
They stayed on the ground like that for a short while before it became uncomfortable. It wasn't exactly a soft surface. They instead relocated to the furs they slept on and sat down there. That spot was much better to continue their conversation.
"As happy as I am, I have to ask: what made you decide that you wanted to be with me?" asked Marianne, "You've listed reasons, but they sound like they're not what gave you the push."
"You're right," admitted Hilda, "And it was a tough decision. It's not one I think I'm going to regret, but it was tough to make."
She paused a bit before she continued, "I'm still a bit confused. I'm not really attracted to girls, except for you. That's been messing with my head. I've had to ask myself some really tough questions about what I want from the future. I also thought of yours and your House's, but then I realised that if you were adopted into House Edmund, you could just adopt someone else when the time comes. I guess the thing that finally got me to stop dragging my feet was that I do feel something for you, and I'm very curious to see where that goes. Satisfied?"
Marianne smiled. "I think so, yes," she said and leaned in for a kiss.
Hilda smiled back at her and did the same.
21st day of the Great Tree Moon 1181. Kingdom army field camp near Fhirdiad.
A tense air held the capital of the Holy Kingdom in its grasp. The frequent probing attacks of the last week kept everyone on edge. The only thing truly preventing the assailants from making a determined assault was the ground, which had begun to turn muddy thanks to the slowly melting snow. At least that was what the pegasus riders had relayed after their scouting missions.
It was about what Dimitri had expected. Sadly, it meant that Sylvain's cavalry would be all but useless during the upcoming battle, but it couldn't be helped. They would have to stay behind as camp guards. That was going to irritate the red-haired cavalry officer quite a bit.
Speaking of Sylvain, it appeared he was approaching the command tent, and by the scowl he wore on his face, he was not happy. For him to lose his relaxed attitude, something must have upset him quite deeply.
"Women troubles," asked Dimitri with a raised eyebrow.
"You could say that," muttered Sylvain.
Dimitri's other eyebrow joined the other one. His fellow Blue Lion was not behaving as usual. There was no deflection or joke in there, just a glower.
"What's wrong? It's unlike you to be so upset about a rejection," he said.
Sylvain huffed and replied, "It's not about a rejection. You know I'm not asking girls out as much as I used to anymore. No, the thing that makes me angry is Ingrid."
"Ingrid? Whatever did she do?" asked Dimitri.
"Ingrid herself? Nothing. But the nasty rumours going about her in the field camp are irritating," growled out Sylvain.
The Prince's demeanour turned serious at once. "What rumours?" he asked.
Taking a breath, Sylvain explained, "You know that House Galatea is nearly destitute, yeah? Even with the funds from the sale of building materials for the Church, the Count lives very frugally. That's why there's talk abound that he's still trying to arrange a marriage for Ingrid."
"That's… nothing unusual," said Dimitri, "Though I hope to pass some laws in that regard in the future."
Sylvain just scowled again. He went on, "The problem is that people know how desperate Count Galatea is for money. I've heard japes and jokes that he will give Ingrid to anyone willing to give a substantial enough bride price. I've even seen some of the more affluent knights pooling together money to see if they had enough to 'make a decent offer.' They then made raunchy jokes about her and 'riding lessons.' The only reason I didn't deck them was because they were clearly drunk."
Dimitri frowned. "That is troubling. How widespread are these… rumours and jokes?" he asked.
"Very, at least among the knights and minor nobles," answered the angry redhead, "Less so among the common soldiers. They respect her deeply. You get the usual drunken banter you'd get about any beautiful woman – or handsome man – with them, but nothing really malicious yet. Still, the upper class are setting a bad example, and their talk is slowly filtering down to the lower ranks not under Ingrid's direct command."
Dimitri scratched his chin in thought. "What do you suggest we do to combat this? This situation can't go on."
"I don't know," said Sylvain with a scowl, "But you're right; it can't continue. This is Ingrid we're talking about. She's a damn good knight and one Hell of a woman, not some cheap whore or a thing you can just buy!"
"Well, thank you for that endorsement," said a voice from the side.
The two young men turned and looked to the opening of the tent. There stood Ingrid, a frown on her face. She quickly entered the tent and joined her former classmates.
"How much did you hear?" asked Dimitri.
"About everything from when you started talking about rumours. I followed Sylvain because he seemed upset, and when he's upset, he usually gets into messes I then have to fix," she answered.
Sylvain grimaced and said, "It's not how I wanted you to find out about that stuff, but the cat's out of the bag."
Ingrid huffed. "It was never in the bag to begin with," she said, "One of my soldiers was the first to notify me weeks ago. One of the minor lords was even brazen enough to say to my face that he'd pay extra if he could take me for a spin before the wedding. I kicked him between the legs."
Both Dimitri and Sylvain were incensed. "This is outrageous!" growled the Prince, "I will not have my friend treated that way."
"Get in line, Your Highness. I've got a bone to pick with that guy, whoever he is," said Sylvain.
"Knock it off, you two," said Ingrid, "I've already written my father. He'll take appropriate action, probably something about censuring him at the next official gathering of nobles. In need of money he may be, but even he wouldn't give me away to a pig like that man."
Dimitri nodded but said, "Very well, but I'm unhappy about this. If he or anyone else oversteps again, I will take action."
Ingrid shook her head. She retorted, "Don't trouble yourself on my behalf, Your Highness. I can deal with it myself."
"But you shouldn't," interjected Sylvain, "Don't think we won't do anything just because you're stubborn about it. His Highness has an obligation as your liege to see that your honour and reputation isn't dragged through the mud. That, and both he and I have an obligation as your friends to help you."
"I'm not some helpless little girl, you know," said Ingrid flatly.
"Well, you're getting help, whether you like it or not," said Sylvain.
"I concur," said Dimitri, "You are my vassal and my friend. It's my duty to support you in matters such as this."
Ingrid just sighed. "I'm touched, but that's not going to stop those rumours," she said, "Nothing short of an actual betrothal will."
"That's true," said Sylvain, "But I still want to help. Besides, if you do need a betrothal, I'm always there as the emergency option."
He punctuated that statement with a wink.
She gave him a flat look. "Right," she said, "It's not one of your usual pick-up lines, but it's not going to work on me."
"His clumsy attempts at flirting aside-" "Hey!" "-The point he brings up does have merit," said Dimitri.
Ingrid stared at him incredulously. "Are you serious?" she asked.
Ignoring the way Sylvain winced, he replied, "Yes. It might not be optimal, but at least you know Sylvain and he's your friend. If you find yourself about to be thrown into an engagement you think you will hate, he would be an emergency option to escape it."
"And what makes you think he'll stay unattached for that long? He's a womaniser, after all," said Ingrid.
"Well, he is here and has an answer," said Sylvain, "I have a reputation. The only women approaching me are either looking for flings or they want to have a Crest baby so they can worm their way to a higher social status. I think I'll remain 'unattached' for a long time."
That brought the two blondes up short. He had a point there.
"I… will keep that in mind," said Ingrid.
"If nothing else, we could probably convince Felix to fulfil the same role," mentioned Dimitri.
Ingrid winced at the thought. "That would not go over well at all," she said.
Thinking about it for a second, the Prince grimaced. Being a replacement for his dead brother would definitely not be on the dour young man's list of good ideas.
"He'd probably do it, but he'd complain for all eternity," commented Sylvain.
"And like that we're back at square one," said Ingrid with a sigh, "I'll give the idea a bit of thought. For now, I have troops to organise for tomorrow. Take care, Sylvain, Your Highness."
As she turned and made to leave, Sylvain interrupted her.
"Hey, Ingrid. You know we've discussed this just for emergencies, right? If you get the chance, get yourself a guy you actually like," he said.
She paused for a long second and then said, "I'll keep it in mind. And Sylvain? Thanks for the compliment from earlier. No one has ever called me 'one Hell of a woman' before."
With that said, she left the tent, leaving behind the two men to think about what had been said and then make preparations for the next day. Rumours and betrothals aside, there was still a war to fight.
22nd day of the Great Tree Moon 1181. Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, Dominic territory.
There was a smirk on Yuri's face as he enjoyed the prospect of the chaos he was about to unleash on his enemies. That always felt incredibly satisfying.
"Something funny on your mind, Yuri-bird?" asked Hapi from beside him.
Originally, she was supposed to be posted as an officer of the Mage Corps' combat division, but Yuri had requested her as magic specialist for his assignment. Lady Rhea had granted the request, knowing well that Hapi didn't like being near Church officials. And so, the young woman with the acerbic attitude was with him and Balthus now.
"Oh, just the usual. We're going to wreck the enemy's plans, and at such an iconic place, too," he replied.
"Well, I'm always up for wrecking stuff," said Balthus, "Though I'm way less sneaky about it than you, pal."
Hapi added, "It's a shame that Coco isn't here. Causing chaos is with her experiments is her field of expertise."
Yuri laughed and said, "That isn't the kind of chaos we want, though. Besides, you'll see her soon enough. We just need to speak with Baron Dominic first."
"Wait, that's why we're here? That sounds like a really bad plan," said Hapi.
"I got to say, talking with the enemy doesn't sound like that smart thing to do," commented Balthus.
The leader of the Ashen Wolves simply shook his head and replied, "There are enemies and there are enemies. Not every enemy is one by choice. All they need is an opportunity, and we'll give one to the good Baron."
"Huh. Got any details?" asked Balthus.
"I'm running our spy network. Of course I have details," said Yuri with a huff, "In this case, it's that the combined forces of the Empire and the Church have finally pushed through Arundel territory. Enemy forces are now amassing at Arianrhod for a counterattack. Our allies are marching to put the fortress under siege before they can launch it. Count Rowe, like the coward he is, is going to call for reinforcements. If all goes to plan, Baron Dominic will be our ticket in."
"Speaking of counterattacks, any news on Fhirdiad?" asked Hapi.
Yuri shook his head and answered, "Nothing so far. It's not that surprising. Last I knew, the battle is taking place today. Delaying any longer would compromise the defences of the city."
Silence descended on them after that statement. After a while, Hapi said, "This is boring. When is our meeting with Baron Dominic again?"
"Tomorrow," said Yuri.
"How lame," commented the bronze-skinned woman, "I'm off finding something interesting to do."
Yuri snorted, "Just don't get caught."
"Yeah, yeah," she said, "See ya later."
"There she goes," said Balthus, "You sure that we can leave her be?"
Yuri gave a short laugh and answered, "She's wilful, not stupid. You know her. She'll be fine."
"If you say so," said Balthus, "But what are we going to do now?"
A mischievous smirk made its way onto Yuri's face. "You could decide to finally fall for my charms. You know that I like my men muscular…"
"…and your women strong-willed, yeah, I know," finished Balthus with a laugh, "Still not gonna happen any time soon. Keep trying, though. It's entertaining if nothing else."
Yuri chuckled and said, "One of these days, I'm going to succeed. You'd better watch out."
Balthus snorted. "Good luck with that."
It was their usual back and forth. It was no secret that Yuri swung both ways, not that anyone minded. The societies of Fodlan were built on a culture that was accepting of such things. Persecution of any individual based on sexual orientation was considered a severe breach of the tenets of the Church of Seiros. Of course, that did nothing to prevent tension when people with incompatible preferences and interests interacted.
The two of them channelled that tension into their banter. While Balthus didn't really have a thing for men, he was not offended by the flirting. It was silly to get worked up over genuine compliments, after all. Yuri was still convinced that he'd one day wear down the resistance he was encountering, though he refrained from being too pushy. Nothing good ever came of acting like that. For now, everything going in that particular direction was just word games.
"Well, then," said Yuri, "With those words of encouragement, I can't possibly stop."
"Then don't, pal," replied Balthus.
The two shared a laugh, quitting their little game for now.
"Still, what are we going to do until tomorrow?" asked the bigger of the two men.
"There's still a lot to organise and a lot of paperwork," said Yuri, "You could always help me with that."
"I don't know much about forbidden magic, but I know enough to avoid the dark arts of bureaucracy," said Balthus with a flat tone.
"That's how they catch you," said Yuri in response, "You try to avoid it, an before you know it, you're a secretary."
"Dear Goddess, the horror!" exclaimed Balthus with a mocking tone.
"If you're already so accepting of it, you could just compile the documentation of the betting rings for the next fighting tournament in Abyss," teased Yuri.
Balthus gave him a stare and said, "Are you seriously trying to take the fun out of my hobby?"
"Of course not," said Yuri with a laugh, "But the expression on you face is highly amusing."
"Not cool, pal," replied Balthus.
Yuri smirked. "I need to get my entertainment from somewhere," he said, "And with that I now feel properly prepared to tackle the paperwork."
"Wait a second. You weren't kidding about that?" asked Balthus incredulously.
"Being the Savage Mockingbird is a very demanding job. Paperwork is a part of that. The ledgers need to be in order, after all," answered Yuri.
"Huh. Better you than me," commented Balthus, "I don't understand ledgers all that much."
"Hence the debt collectors searching for you far and wide," said Yuri drily.
"Yeah, that doesn't really help the problem, I have to admit," said Balthus.
Yuri chuckled and said, "In that case, I'm off. People owe me debts, and I'd better make sure they're all properly recorded."
With that, he walked off in the direction of his "office" in the stables they were quartering in. Balthus simply watched him go and shook his head. After a minute of silence, a thought dawned on him.
"Wait. I still have no clue what to do."
At roughly the same time. Shared prayer space of Sothis and Hyperion.
Our meeting was irregular when one considered the time of day. It was barely a few minutes after sunrise, after all, but time demanded it. Later this day, I would have to keep an eye on the map to observe the battle of Fhirdiad. Conversely, it hadn't been possible to have this meeting before now since one of the participants had been very busy until recently. Now was the most opportune window of time to get it all over with.
Next to me was Sothis, a calm smile on her face. It gave me confidence in the outcome of this meeting, and it was beautiful besides. Opposite to us stood two women I hadn't thought I'd ever see next to each other in a peaceful manner: Seiros and Kronya. Their potential for quarrel when put in the same room was the reason I needed to draw comfort from Sothis. There was a small but non-negligible risk that this would devolve into shouting, though I hoped that was just my nerves messing with me.
"As you both know," began Sothis, "We've chosen you two as our anchors to this plain in case something goes wrong during the Rite of Rising. We've called you here to give you more details and, in case of an unplanned absence on our side, further instructions concerning our plans for the future."
"This involves the continuation of an action plan we're about to disclose to you. We're entering risky territory as of right now, as we've forced the Agarthans on the backfoot. If they lose the battle at Fhirdiad today, they may very well escalate the conflict. As such, we need a new strategy to counter such moves," I said.
The two women stood straighter at once. It seemed they understood the gravity of the situation. That was good.
Seeing this, Sothis went on, "We have three strategic goals in this war: One, the restoration of peace in Fodlan. Two, the utter destruction of the current government of Agartha. And three, the unification of Fodlan and all its peoples."
"That includes the Agarthan people," I added.
Both Seiros and Kronya were surprised by that statement, for differing reasons, however. Then again, something they both understood was that Sothis and Agartha had been enemies for over 10'000 years now.
Sure enough, Seiros snapped her gaze towards Sothis and asked, "Is this true, Mother? You can't possibly think of sparing them after all they've done!"
Sothis gave her a hard look. "What else should we do? Should we slaughter them – man, woman and child alike? Should we become butchers to satisfy a thirst for vengeance that will turn us into the very monsters we abhor? Make no mistake; there will be punishment for their misdeeds, but there shall not be a massacre!" she said harshly.
I could see Kronya stare at her in relief as Seiros recoiled. It would seem that the pale woman had feared for her people. That she'd been aiding us thus far was all the more impressive in that light. Going by both their reactions, though, we should have talked about that topic a lot sooner.
"There is a reason why we have a capture policy even on Agarthans, and it's not simply for the sake of intel," I said, "If we showed no mercy to our enemies, they would never surrender. And if we stained our souls with something as evil as genocide, we wouldn't deserve our victory."
"Well said, my love," said Sothis.
The way Seiros' lips thinned at that gave me goosebumps. It seemed like she still wasn't quite over that, but at least there didn't seem to be an outburst. She took a calming breath and relaxed. A pensive expression came over her, and I hoped she was thinking about the subject matter instead of tiresome relationship drama.
"I have to ask," said Seiros, "Will that even work?"
"It should," said Kronya. She elaborated, "The field agents are loyal thanks to the Dark Shells or more old-fashioned methods of indoctrination, but the feelings of the average Agarthan differ. If they can get out, a decent portion will."
"Statements from dead Agarthans in the Underworld corroborate that. A lot of resentment towards the leadership has built up over the last two centuries," I commented.
That had come as quite the surprise to me at first. Regimes such as the Agarthan one usually enjoyed great popularity. Upon further reflection, I had realised that the reason for that was that such regimes were usually abolished by incensed recipients of a declaration of war in short order. In the case of the Nation of Agartha, the regime had been around for long enough for the people to see the many downsides of totalitarian oppression. 'Bread and games' wasn't cutting it anymore.
"Leaving that aside, the peoples of Fodlan now also include quite a number of my descendants," said Sothis with in a happy tone.
"Indeed. It is very fortuitous that there are still so many Nabateans. It is with and for them that we want to employ the new strategies Sothis talked about at the start," I said.
"With them? I do not understand," said Seiros, "They do not have any of the training you organised for the Church soldiers."
I shook my head. "The training they will need has to come from you, Seiros," I said.
When her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, Sothis explained in my stead, "Think, Seiros. The Nabateans have been steadily regaining their powers. Cichol will soon be able to transform again. It wouldn't surprise me if Macuil had already regained the ability. Once the Rite of Rising is complete and my power flows through my descendants once more, all of them will be able to transform into dragons. There are now hundreds if not thousands of Nabateans that have never in their lives taken their dragon form. They will need your guidance."
Going by her expression, I surmised that the monumentality of the task dawned on Seiros. She looked like she needed to sit down. I could understand that; it wasn't easy to teach people how to get accustomed to new limbs. I still had trouble with my wings sometimes, and I was still the same size as I had been before my ascension. With dragons varying vastly in size, this would be all the more difficult. I didn't envy Seiros at all.
"What makes them part of those new strategies? I get that a bunch of dragons is a powerful addition to an army, but considering the presence of demonic beasts and Titanus war machines, it's not too much of a game changer," said Kronya.
"While they would indeed be a massive help on the frontline, they're more essential at the back," I said, "And I'm pretty sure you should know what Thales will order once he sees that he's not making a grand comeback with conventional tactics."
Kronya looked pensive for a moment before her eyes widened. "The pillars of light?" she asked.
I nodded. "Nasty things. I can't confirm, but I suspect they're thermobaric weapons, and they can reach anywhere in Fodlan. Any large army or fortified position… or Nabatean settlement would be a prime target. Garreg Mach and Zanado are the only places the missile redirection ward can protect," I said, "Since we lack the technology necessary to make interception rockets of our own, the only effective defence we could employ in a reasonable timeframe is a Nabatean's breath attack or extremely fast, high-powered magic. Since the Mag Corps can't be everywhere, it falls to the Nabateans."
"I see," said Kronya with a frown. "There shouldn't be many left, though, barely a score. I heard Pittacus complain about it once."
"Two of them are enough to completely destroy Fort Merceus," I said.
She gulped. She'd never seen one of those things deployed. Seiros, however, had. The look on her face was stony.
"I will train my fellow Nabateans to the best of my ability," she said.
"I have no doubt that you will, my daughter," said Sothis, "But do take care to get to know them well. They're family, no matter how distant… or recent"
She took my hand as she said that. It seemed like she had given up on subtlety. The sour look on Seiros' face said as much, though I thought I could spot a hint of acceptance in there. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but one could hope. Kronya seemed okay with the situation, at least. The slight smile she wore was not forced. Good to know that I'd been worried about nothing there.
"I will, Mother," said Seiros.
Sothis clapped her hands together. "Wonderful," she said, "I look forward to the results."
"Well, that should cover just about everything for now, I think. There will be more in the future, but that all depends on how things develop," I said. "You know the general goal now. The specific plans can wait a little. Do you two have anything to add?"
Kronya shook her head. "Not at the moment, no. I'll await further instructions."
"I admit that I do have questions," said Seiros, "But I will ask them later in private, Mother."
I saw the subtle dig there, though Seiros didn't appear to be annoyed. My guess was that it would be about Sothis had so unsubtly insinuated.
"I'll see you later in that case," said Sothis. She smiled kindly and added, "Take care."
Both our guests disappeared from the prayer space, leaving us alone. The space didn't dissolve, though. It appeared that Sothis wanted to talk to me about something. I could guess what, and so I opened with my question.
"So, about what you said before… am I family?" I asked with mixed feelings.
It was my biggest hurdle with our relationship. I loved Sothis deeply, and I knew she loved me back, but that particular spectre hung over me all the time. She loved her family above all else, and I longed to be part of it for this reason. I also really liked her children, even Seiros. They were wise and, for the most part, kind. Sadly, it had been made clear to me that I wasn't part of that family yet.
"You recall what I said some time ago, right? That I love you more with every day? You of all people should know that I didn't lie," she said, looking me in the eyes and gently rubbing the back of my hand with her thumb. "So yes, you are family."
My breath hitched against my will. I hadn't expected that. "I'm happy, but why? I don't think I've done anything to make you feel closer to me. It's just the same as always."
She sighed and leaned forward. She put a hand on the back of my head, pulling me closer to hers. Her lips found mine in a gentle kiss. She retreated after a few seconds.
"It's because of that. Romance isn't just about going on dates and having passionate evenings. It's about being happy together in our everyday lives. And you, Hyperion, make me happy every day. It's the little things you do that made me realise how much I want you to join my family; like the way you hold me when we're alone or when you indulge my wishes for a quick dance now and again," she said.
"What changed, then?" I asked, slightly confused.
It felt good to hear that from her, but I didn't quite understand. It was my own words thrown back at me. However, my limited understanding of romance had given me the impression that such things only maintained an existing relationship status instead of elevating it.
A hand came up to cup my cheek as she answered, "My perspective. It took me far too long to realise that I made arbitrary boundaries for our relationship. I kept telling you that you were good enough for me and that you had nothing to prove to me, yet I indirectly told you that you weren't good enough to be family. I'm embarrassed that it took me so long to see the contradiction. It was cruel of me to treat you this way."
I drew closer to her and took her into my arms. "Don't apologise. I don't blame you. You didn't want to hurt me. It's just that love can hurt, and by the Heavens, do I love you. Things like that happen from time to time. I'll mess up one day and hurt you as well without meaning to, though I hope that is far in the future."
Sothis groaned, "At last let me apologise properly!"
"Request denied," I said with a laugh.
She rolled her eyes, and I took advantage of her inattentiveness to dive in for a kiss. It lasted a bit longer than the one she'd given me. I wanted her to know that I didn't hold a grudge, that I loved her and that there was nothing to apologise for.
When it was over, I said, "What matters is that we're together."
She sighed, but she quickly changed her tune. "Alright. But mark my words, I will find a way to apologise in a way you can't refuse! A Goddess needs to own up to her mistakes."
I laughed again. "I'm looking forward to it," I said.
"You better," she replied.
I smiled and my heart felt lighter than before. Even with war raging across the continent, things were starting to look up.
AN: Greetings, dear readers!
This chapter has been a bit experimental for me. I said long ago that I don't have a clue about romance, and that remains true, but I hope I did a decent enough job at portraying it. Sadly, there's not much screen time elsewhere in the story for more relationships. It's already hard to cover the ones I've got going as it is. I know that some will not like where I've gone with Marianne and Hilda, but I ultimately decided to go with it. Sorry if that was not to your tastes.
Speaking of other things, we had another glimpse at the Blue Lions and the Ashen Wolves this chapter. We'll see more of the latter again next chapter.
I also haven't forgotten about Myson. His capture will help in the future, but that is still quite far away for now.
Once more, my thanks to everyone who has supported this story with their follows, favourites and reviews (even if they were technically not meant for me). I'm glad you've enjoyed my story so far.
Until next time. Stay happy and healthy, everyone!
