Fire Emblem Three Houses: Five Years War

I don't own Fire Emblem Three Houses, or any of its characters. This will be a series of one-shots concerning the five years timeskip that occurs right as the war starts. It will contain spoilers for the Azure Moon storyline, and the supports of some characters.

I will treat everyone from the Black Eagles as being recruited by either the Golden Deer or the Blue Lion house, except Hubert who's impossible to recruit. I will attempt to put the shipping to the side as much as possible, but here's what you can expect: Dimitri/F!Byleth, Claude/Hilda, Ferdinand/Dorothea, Petra/Linhardt, Caspar/Bernadetta, Felix/Annette, Dedue/Flayn, Lorenz/Leonie, Sylvain/Ingrid, Lysithea/Cyril. It will also contain the Ashen Wolves, who will get a dedicated chapter.

That said, I hope you enjoy your read.

Chapter 1: Ferdinand "The Queen and the Drone"

"There's something that baffles me."

Ferdinand woke up to the sound of the phrase. It was still daytime, the rays of the sun coming from the small barred window up in his cell, the second day he spent in his cell. It had been uttered by a sour looking man, he recognized as one of his comrades. Hubert Von Vestra was standing here, dressed up in a dark cloak, bags under his yellow eyes from all the work he provided to his emperor. "We saw you side with the church, and help the prince try and get his petty revenge. We saw you kill imperial soldiers alongside that damned professor of his. So I must ask something. Why did you come back to Enbarr?"

Ferdinand was shackled in one of the cells under the Imperial Palace. He remembered now that he got captured as soon as he entered the capital, and got a beating for his treachery. He had expected such a greeting after he had decided to side with the Archbishop. The newly crowned emperor had decided to strip him from all his titles along with his father, for a reason he could not see. But he would have fought against the imperial army anyway. "I had the foolish hope I could sway her majesty into considering a peaceful way to change Fodlàn." He hissed, the pain of a broken rib stinging at his side. "But I should have reconsidered it, as she didn't even trust us to tell us what kind of activities she was doing outside of class."

Hubert looked down on Ferdinand with scorn in his eyes. "Because you dare think her majesty didn't think of any other possible way of resolving the sickness consuming Fodlàn's society, before going to war against people she knew and deeply cared for? Maybe she would have listened to you if you had stayed out of the way to the monastery like Dorothea did." He seemed to think of something, and then smirked. "Come to think of it, I find it rather amusing. The only one of our classmates who remained loyal was a commoner. Maybe she feared she didn't have anywhere to shelter herself in case things turned sour. Whatever the case may be, her great powers will be very useful for her majesty."

Ferdinand could hear a deep breath from the other side of the cells, although he had no idea what could cause such a noise. But his attention went back to Hubert, who was still staring him down, as Edelgard walked towards Ferdinand's cell. She opened the door and took a step in, tarnishing her fine red dress with dried blood and dirt. "Ferdinand… You may have chosen the wrong side for the first battle, but you are one of my dearest friends, and I am willing to give you another chance. Everything you did will be forgotten if you rejoin the empire, under my orders." The expression of the emperor was softened by the poor state her friend was in.

He raised his gaze to meet her cold purple eyes, then spoke: "I still remember the day professor Byleth's father died. I was already doing missions with Dimitri's classmates, and this one involved chasing giant beasts. It was the first time I was facing such monstrosities, but the real shock came after captain Jeralt stroke one down. It devolved from a giant rat-like form to one of a student and a crest stone fell off the poor soul's chest." Edelgard diverted her eyes from Ferdinand's.

Hubert frowned "What is your point?" Ferdinand snorted, a sound so uncharacteristic from him, it made Hubert jump "What did you intend to do with the crest stones from the holy tomb, Edelgard?" She looked back at him, her cold purple eyes meeting the hot orange of Ferdinand's once more. "I intended to give them to my allies. What they do with them is beyond my control."

Ferdinand calmed himself down, from what Hubert could see, forcing himself to not sound as sour as he really was. "I admire the fact you can go to such length for your beliefs, but this is something I can't follow you with. You ask me to ally with people who use innocent lives to win a war you caused, which will create more death, because you want a free world? I hope you know my answer, Edelgard."

"I do, Ferdinand, and it saddens me." The emperor said, as she walked out of the cell, her face full of sorrow. "Although I hope your time spent in a cell will help you reconsider." she said on a final note, but not as a mockery of Ferdinand's determination. She walked up the stairs leading to the cells, while Hubert stayed to say some final words to Ferdinand. "I hope your father will enjoy the head we'll send to his cell in Hrym." And with that he left Ferdinand, alone with the deep breath he kept hearing, coming from some other cell.

He had gained a firm belief that, if not the goddess herself, some otherworldly force existed in the universe the last time he had been to Enbarr. His father smiled for once, and his brothers and sisters were playing around, while he was wandering in the streets of the beautiful capital. All the thoughts he might have had at the moment were completely lost on him now, except for the fact that the beauty of what he might have seen burned his cheeks and made him run away. For all he could remember, he had seen a divine beauty take a bath in a fountain, which felt nothing less than ethereal.

He didn't get a chance to witness it again, as it had run away, and the beating he took at the gate of Enbarr made sure he wouldn't see it all these years after. Yet, he dreamed about it in his cell, the capital sending its sweet images directly into his mind. It was as if the rest of the world stopped turning, as if the war stopped existing, to remind him of that entrancing memory.

The figure turned to look into his eyes, whispers resonating loudly in Ferdinand's ears, while he was unable to move even his fingers, paralysed by the beauty of what he could only assume was a divine creature. It opened its mouth, while the whispers were completely shut down, leaving a dreadful silence, to talk in a melodious tone "Are you having sweet dreams, Ferdie?" The nickname made him wake up from its sheer familiarity, he opened his eyes to see the chestnut hair of Dorothea, who had a cat-like smile on her lips. Ferdinand could only offer a dazed smile in return, still stunned from his vision "Well, I won't say it wasn't pleasing."

"But I expect it wasn't for this you came, Dorothea. Did you come to mock my state?" Dorothea conserved her little smirk, as she took something out of her red gown. "Quite the opposite, in fact, Ferdie." She unlocked the doors of his cell, and came to his level to unshackle him. Ferdinand had a lot of questions, but the only one he could ask was "Why are you doing this?"

"Well, it would be easier to stay on Edelgard's side, wait for the war to end, and then to pretend I was neutral, but screw that plan, I guess. How could I face myself watching one of my classmates get killed, while I could do something to prevent it? And to be honest, I also expected you to do such a thing." As she finished freeing him, he chuckled "Well, you know me quite a bit-" but he was cut off by a voice coming from the stairs.

"I must admit that was unexpected coming from you, Dorothea. Aren't you the type to find yourself a comfortable position and making sure it stays safe?" Hubert asked as he went down to the cells. Dorothea simply smiled at him "You, Hubert, are quite predictable, though."

"How, might I ask before I end both of your lives?" he was slowly walking towards the cell, anger written on his tired features. "You are predictable in your suspicion." With that said, Dorothea whispered an ancient word, and the roof crumbled down in front of Hubert, blocking his way towards the two. Dorothea used the spell Thoron on the small barred window letting the moonlight in, effectively blowing a hole leading outside. Ferdinand helped Dorothea climb up the hole, and then crawled up despite the pain of his ribs.

They didn't stay to see how Hubert was doing, and Ferdinand followed Dorothea wherever she was going. He did expect her to have a plan after all, but they were going right towards an imperial patrol. They seemed to recognize them, but instead of lowering their arms to capture the fugitives, they headed towards Ferdinand and Dorothea, and put them both on free horses. Their captain raised his voice "Your grace, the young lady by your side sent us a letter, and we came as fast as we could from where we were." Ferdinand frowned "Are you Aegir soldiers? Then how did you make it in two days?"

The captain went straight to the point "Once lady Edelgard seized the dukedom, your father ordered us to assist you, wherever you may be. We were still in Adrestria's territory when we heard about your capture. We came as fast as we could." They went through the great gate of Enbarr, for what Ferdinand assumed was the last time, although he was surprised by the lack of soldiers in their way. Ferdinand sighed and asked "What shall we do next?"

"We are going to make a beeline towards the port, and then go through the sea between Morfis and Almyra. Finally, we'll go to the Leicester Alliance by crossing the Almyran border. Do that suit you, your grace?" The captain answered. Ferdinand looked up to the night sky, and thought about the prospect of leaving his homeland for good. However, they still had a long night ride to do, and he cleared his mind as he looked to a saddened Dorothea. He had heard she was born in Enbarr, so maybe it was much more saddening for her, than it would ever be for him.

Still, it felt strange that no soldier was following their troop.

"Are you sure that is what you want, my lady?" Hubert said to his Emperor, who was watching the little Aegir troop flee under the great gate from her balcony. "There is still time for us to catch them before they attain the coast. I could order our soldiers to intercept the-"

"No, you will do no such thing, Hubert" Edelgard cut him off. "You will let them flee towards the port and let them go."

Hubert was seething towards his Emperor. "I must ask you why then, Edelgard. I thought you had built up the resolve to even eliminate our old classmates if need may be."

Edelgard frowned "You will speak to me with the respect you owe me, Hubert. And before you ask, there will not be any second instance of such act."

"I hope so, your highness, because if your blade wavers on the battlefield, your opponents will not have such qualm towards you. Even our classmates." Hubert said as he went back inside the palace.

Edelgard looked up at the stars. Petra, Caspar, Linhardt and Bernadetta didn't even bother coming back. Dorothea feigned her allegiance and Ferdinand only came back in the vain hope to change her mind. And she assumed Byleth died in that fall she suffered. But she needed to steel herself as she didn't have much time to ensure a better future for them all.

"Now, where should we settle?"

Ferdinand looked back at Dorothea, while on the deck of the boat. They were now in deep sea, and Ferdinand didn't think the Empire would go to their pursuit now, if they didn't at Enbarr, where they were the most vulnerable.

"We'll go to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. I'll see with Dimitri if he wants our help, although I do worry about his current state."

Dorothea watched the sun rise, as the rays of light bathed both of their faces. "I hope Bernie, Caspar, Linhardt and Petra are fine, at least." The songstress mumbled.

"Did you have any news of them? I did not expect Caspar to show up, as he was likely scared to death with the prospect of facing his father on the battlefield."

"None since the assault on Garreg Mach, you might even know more on their whereabouts than me." She answered with a smirk.

"I hope we'll see them soon enough."

They stayed silently on the deck, waiting for the sun to rise completely.