Hand after hand.

The rain poured, but he did not falter. Dirt caked every part of him as he knelt in mud. The grave was a pool of water, Dedue's body almost submerged. His father, Glenn, and Rufus watched him solemnly, speaking not a word.

Hand after hand. Each holding mud as he slowly, but surely, filled the grave he'd dug with his hands.

Areadbhar was stabbed into the ground, not far from him, as the storm continued. It watched over them, mocking him. The weapon that caused his friend's death, wielded by another.

"Dedue," rasped Dimitri. "I'm so, so sorry."

He cried, though none would ever see it through the rain. He cried for days gone, ones spent in the company of his best friend. Dedue had always been there for him, at his best, and at his worst.

"I'll be here 'til the end," he promised, looking down at the body. Dedue almost looked peaceful, droplets gliding down his cheeks. Perhaps the afterlife was kind, and his body reflected it. Dimitri could only hope.

Hand after hand. He scooped so many handfuls of dirt that he'd drawn blood on the rocks within the soil. It mixed with the water and he did not care. Pain, pain was nothing. At least, no in the light of seeing his parents die. Or Glenn. Or Annette. Or now Dedue.

And soon, Felix.

It was what kept him going, never stopping. He'd stand vigil for Dedue, like all lords received. A person to watch over the departed so that they may make it to the afterlife. But once he'd done his due, he'd find him.

He'd find Felix, and scatter his blood across Faerghus.

"Something on your mind?" Raphael asked as Yuri stepped into view on the ramparts.

They flinched out of their focused expression with surprised. "Ah, Raphael, apologies. I didn't know anyone was up here."

"Been coming up here to think the past few nights. Wanna join me?" he asked, patting the stone next to him where he sat.

"Why not," Yuri shrugged and took the offered place.

"Anyway, you were thinking something fierce there," Raphael observed. "Wanna talk about it?"

They sighed. "Don't know if you could really help."

Raphael took his turn to shrug. "Can't know 'til you ask, yeah?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but the simplicity of your logic is extremely refreshing," Yuri said with the smallest of grins. Raphael laughed.

Yuri continued. "You ever want to be someone else?"

"Something tells me you're not talking about a profession or something?" Raphael asked.

He shook his head, waving hands to articulate an inarticulate point. "Like, you ever feel like you had an itch to scratch and it couldn't be? And then you finally figure out what's causing it, but it ruins who you were with someone?"

Raphael was quiet for a long moment. "And then by changing it, you're terrified of how everyone will think or treat you differently?"

The look Yuri shot him was of shock. "Are you…like me?"

"Me? No," Raphael said. He closed his eyes. "My sister…Maya wasn't always what we called her." He noticed Yuri's immediate reticence and followed up, "Don't worry, I just know what to look for. Your appearance doesn't say anything you don't want it to."

"Ah…good," Yuri eventually decided to say. "Sorry, I've just never really had anyone to talk to about this."

"Don't know if I'm the best person to talk to," Raphael shrugged. "I'm not all that bright. But I love my sister, and she's my sister."

"If I ramble to you, would you listen?" Yuri asked. And Raphael could tell when someone was desperate. He'd heard plenty from Ig about the Mockingbird, the cold and aloof spymaster of Fódlan. A person who never opened up to anyone. Ig had assumed it was the persona. But maybe it was because there was no one to open up to?

Raphael nodded, turning his body to better face Yuri.

"I loved a woman, once," Yuri murmured. "Hapi. Goddess, she was…everything. But when I…figured things out about myself, it turned out I was someone she couldn't be interested in. Not maliciously, just…Hapi likes women. I'm not that."

They paused, looking up to the sky. "They don't hold anything against me. But I…it's hard to let go of these things when that's the reason they ended. She cares about me, and I have someone else important to me now...but it's hard to shake off something like that. I've accepted this outcome, for better or worse. But I wonder if maybe I wasn't like this, that maybe things would be different. Could be different."

Raphael chimed in. "Well, I don't know anything about love. Never really had any inclination for it, or anything with anyone. Friendship's the only thing I've ever craved. But my sister's said similar things to me, after our parents died."

He patted Yuri's back with one of his big hands. "I'm not all that smart. I don't get love, I don't get sex, I don't get half of what goes on with my friends since it's plenty of both. But I know that me calling her my sister, that makes her happy. Happier than I ever saw her as a kid. So doesn't it make you happy to be who you are, even if you lose what you had?"

Yuri nodded. "It does."

"You're like Ig, you know?" Raphael chuckled. "He always blamed himself for his leg, at first. Got over it eventually, thankfully. But sometimes life just is hard, right? That's not fair to blame yourself for."

They snorted. "So that's the answer? Blame it on fate?"

Raphael shrugged. "It all comes down as a question, really. Would you be happier with who you are now, or who you were then?"

"Now," Yuri said without hesitation.

The smile Raphael gave was pleased, but tinged with sadness. "Then I think you just have to move on. Not like that's easy, from what I see from Byleth. Sorry, again, not the best for these kinds of things."

"Don't sell yourself short," Yuri said. "I think you know more than you give yourself credit for."

Raphael laughed. "I guess even a bird can understand an ocean."

Yuri cracked a smile. "Thanks, Raphael. I figured you'd say something like that, but it helps to hear it from someone uninvolved."

The big man stood up. "Then sounds like we need to cheer you up. You know what goes well with heavy talk? Meat!"

"Oh dear, Ignatz has mentioned you are quite the carnivore," Yuri chuckled, standing as well. "What the hell. Sure, let's go."

Raphael cheered and led the way.

The first thing Dorothea noticed about the red headed woman was the arm she slung around her in the middle of the street. Next came the feral smirk. And finally, the glaring eyes.

"So, you're Do-re-mi," Hapi said, matter-of-fact.

Ah, Hapi the nickname girl. Ignatz had warned her she might hunt her down at some point. "That's me, I suppose. Something you need?" Dorothea asked, politely ignoring the fierceness in her gaze in case she was lucky and it wasn't directed at her.

She wasn't. "Oh," Hapi said, "I just wanted to get a grasp of the woman that Merce left Queen for."

"Queen?" Dorothea asked, shifting uncomfortably.

"Byleth. It makes perfect sense," Hapi declared.

"Does it?" Dorothea asked. When Hapi didn't look amused, she said, "Of course it does. Queen, right. Queen. Um, sorry, what was the question?"

Hapi sighed. "Look, Queen's gonna be mad at me for being an attack dog, but I want you to know how fucking miserable she's been. I wanna blame you and get angry, but Coco says that's not right. But I always bet on my friends, so I at least gotta say that don't you fucking dare say something that messes up Queen again, alright? She just dealt with your lady yesterday and I dunno if she could take another dose of that."

Goddess, this woman was hard to understand. "Okay?" Dorothea said, very much a question.

It didn't take a genius to figure out there was confusion. Hapi took a breath. "Look, just don't make her cry, okay? I hate seeing my friends cry. A lot. Merce left her for you. I don't know you, and though everyone says you're nice, I wanted to case you myself."

"I see," Dorothea said, still very much overwhelmed. "Byleth is a friend, I'd never try to hurt her. I don't think you need to worry, though I can't promise how she'll react to something."

"Guess that's fair," Hapi said, withdrawing. She bit her lip. "Look, Queen's important to me. I'd kill a lot of people for her. She's a fucking mess and makes bad decisions, but I still love her as a sister." A pause. "Sorry if I came off strong."

Strong was an understatement. But she thought she understood. "She's important to me too. We thought she was dead for so long. It's only out of respect for the situation that I haven't gone to see her yet. She's a close friend, family, even."

"Would you have done anything different if she'd been alive?" Hapi asked.

Dorothea soured. "I don't think she and Mercie would have worked out, regardless."

"Least you're honest," Hapi muttered. "Alright, I got things to do. See ya, Do-re-mi." And she left Dorothea in the middle of the street.

"Dear Goddess," Dorothea said, nearly in prayer, "who the fuck was that."

He found her in the stables, caring for her mount. It looked a lot like Jeralt's horse, though it wasn't. Still, the similarity probably comforted Byleth.

"Didn't expect to find you here," Ignatz said, leaning against one of the empty wooden sections where a horse would be housed. "Claude's managed to keep everyone away from you, to give you space."

She raised an eyebrow, turning away from her horse for a moment. "And you?"

Ignatz chuckled. "Got lucky, I suppose. Figured I could bother you for a moment, since it's important."

"Go ahead," Byleth said, looking back to her steed.

"I wanted to say sorry," Ignatz said. "Sorry for not telling you about Mercedes sooner. I intentionally lied."

Byleth stopped brushing and sighed. "How come?"

"A bit of anger at you for disappearing, a bit of uncertainty of how to say it," Ignatz said. "I'm not proud of it."

She nodded and set down the brush, giving him her full attention. "I forgive you, Ig. I'd never hold anything against you, any of you."

"Even Mercedes?" he asked.

Byleth gave him a stern look, telling him to back off. "That's a bit more complicated."

"You know," he said softly, "I don't want to pick a side, but if I had to choose between you or her, I'd pick you."

"No," Byleth spat. "I don't want to hear anything like that. This isn't about right or wrong, me or her. I…I think we both did things we regret and we're paying for them in our own ways. She's just had four more years than me to do so." She closed her eyes. "I really don't want to talk about this right now, Ignatz."

"I understand," he said, though how could he? He and Petra had never gone beyond the single kiss they'd shared in the privacy of moonlight before she left the monastery. He knew nothing of love, and could his loss even be called such without love as its precursor? "I just want you to know I'll stay at your side. We all will."

She afforded a smile. "I know. I am…incredibly blessed to have such a family around me."

That he could understand. "I actually came to find you for something else, Byleth."

"What is it?"

"I had a thought—or rather Hilda and I did. Since we never got to have our five-year reunion after the academy, what if we had a party after taking Bergliez?" he suggested. "We have almost everyone back, could be a good reason to blow off some steam."

She smiled, and this time it was radiant. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."

"Wanna get Claude on board?" Ignatz asked. "He can never say no to you."

"I don't know about that," she said, "but sure."

How little Byleth knew about just how in love Claude was with her. Part of him was glad that she and Mercedes didn't work out. Claude deserved some happiness, and he had a feeling he'd be good for her too.

But he voiced none of it. "He's got a soft spot for his Teach," Ignatz laughed. "Anyway, I'll leave you with that to look forward to. Figured you could use something nice to think about while you had everything else on your plate."

Her expression was appreciative. "Thank you, Ig."

"I'll leave you to it," he said as he departed.

Lorenz smiled. "We can't thank you enough, Mercedes. Truly, you are a blessing from the Goddess."

The woman chuckled, waving him off. "I do what I can, Lorenz. It's more thanks to Marianne that he's healed enough to transport, honestly."

"And I will thank her after this," Lorenz said, "but you kept Holst alive until arriving at Varley."

"True," Mercedes admitted, glancing at the room next to them where the man in question was. "Are you sure you wish to bring him? We could leave him here."

"I considered it," Lorenz said. "But my thinking is twofold. One, I'd rather him kept under watch of yourself, Marianne, and the rest of the healers we have should anything arise. And two, it would not be difficult for someone to assassinate Holst in Varley. At least with the army, we can guard him properly."

"Fair points," Mercedes said. "Best of bad options, for sure. Smart thinking, Lorenz."

He shrugged. "I guess Claude adopted me for a reason."

Her eyes flashed. "I had just heard about that. You are a Riegan now, then?"

"Yes," he said, looking abashed. "I suppose I am."

"You've come such a long way, Lorenz," Mercedes said. "You know, in the academy you irritated me quite a lot."

"I did?" Lorenz said, surprised.

She laughed. "You were quite…a lot back then. But I think you've grown into your own since then. The Lorenz from then would die before giving up on the Gloucester name, not to mention being Claude's brother."

He looked away, embarrassed. "I suppose Claude, Ferdinand, and the others have influenced me to a degree. Hopefully I to them, as well."

"You're a good man, Lorenz," Mercedes said, embracing him. "I'm happy you're at our side. I know what your father did was cruel, in disowning you, but I wonder if it was for the best."

"I…wonder that too," he admitted.

She smiled. "See? You've grown a lot, even in the past months."

"We've missed you, Mercedes," Lorenz said. "With…Byleth, is everything okay?"

"They will be, I think," she said, tired. "I think we each have healing to do."

Lorenz patted her back. "Then it's a good thing the two of you are the most resilient of us."

"Charmer," she teased. "So well spoken, yet you haven't turned that on Ferdinand?"

His cheeks flecked red for but a moment. "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."

"He'd certainly be an excellent partner for a nobleman," she continued, a knowing smirk on her lips.

"Mercedes!" Lorenz yelped. "I rescind all my prior compliments! You insinuate from nothing."

She laughed and laughed and laughed. "Lorenz, it's good to be back."

Anna woke from her nap amidst the boxes she'd been organizing for their departure from Varley. In Holst's absence, Lorenz had promoted her as the entire army's quartermaster. She managed all the supplies now.

It'd be stressful if she hadn't been a merchant all her life, swinging deals within the Leicester Merchant's Guild for well over a decade. Though, of course, back then she'd had her husband by her side.

Jake would never have let her pass out like this, she thought fondly. He would have found her, picked her up, and carried her to their bed. Kisses would be abound once they arrived, with him telling her just how silly she was.

She missed her husband. When Riley had been alive, she'd had company. Jake always told her that isolation wouldn't serve her well. And here she was, doing just that after losing them both so close together.

Claude had offered her his assistance in anything to make up for his lack of tact the day before. Maybe she could leverage finding a friend through that, though she hardly had the desire with so much going on.

"Oh, hey, Claude, can you help a lonely bitch make a friend?" she muttered to herself sarcastically.

"I beg your pardon?"

Oh, right. Someone had woken her up.

Anna blinked, seeing a young girl with fluorescent green hair in front of her. "Sorry, sleep talking."

"You were awake though," the girl said.

"Who are you?" Anna asked, propping herself up against the boxes in her tent better. Gods and goddesses and every deity in between, her back fucking hurt.

"Flayn," chirped the girl. "I'm the Archbishop's sister."

Oh great, holy royalty or whatever that made her. "Can I help you with something?" she grunted, pulling herself up onto one of the crates. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"I just thought you might need help," Flayn offered. "I've tapped my healing reserves out for the day, so I needed something to do. Brother recommended helping you."

"You're tapped out and still want to help?" she said, aghast. Anna knew White magic better than she let on. How was this girl not exhausted? Wait, why was a little girl healing people? "You should be resting."

Flayn just smiled. "I might be a little tired, but I would like to help! Everyone needs to do their part to help the world."

"And you want to help me move and count boxes?" Anna asked.

Flayn giggled. "I think we both know there's more nuance to it than that, Lady Anna."

"Cut the lady," she said, embarrassed. "And sure. But your brother really asked you to help me? Seems reckless of a sibling to have their tired sister keep pushing herself."

The girl just smiled. "What my brother doesn't know won't hurt him."

"But you said he sent you," Anna said, confused.

"Oops," Flayn gasped. "I mean, what he does know…will hurt him? Wait, that does not make sense."

"Look, if you want to help, I won't turn it down," Anna said. "But I don't want the Archbishop to get mad at me."

"Trust me, my brother will not cast any ill towards you," Flayn declared. "Trust me."

Dear Goddess, and she'd thought Riley was a handful. "Alright, alright," Anna said, surrendering. "Let's get to figuring this mess out."

"Huzzah!" Flayn cried, and Anna couldn't help a small smile.

Dorothea greeted her wife-to-be with a kiss before sliding into bed beside her. "Long day?"

Mercedes nodded wearily. "Between Holst and seeing everyone again, I'm exhausted. Goddess, I wish I could sleep late tomorrow."

She could relate, so many people she wanted to catch up with. But war kept them busy, and the time to sit around and have tea was not now.

The songstress wrapped an arm around her. "I didn't get a chance to ask you yesterday, but how did everything with Byleth go?"

She sighed. "As well as could be, I suppose. It was still a lot."

"Are you happy with how it turned out?" Dorothea asked, unwanted tension flooding her arms.

Mercedes noticed it in moments, well attuned to Dorothea by this point. "Hey," she said, reassuring. "I love you, Dorothea. Byleth, while I care for her, is in the past. This further reinforced that. I will be at your side for forever, and always."

"Mind reader," Dorothea teased, but also relaxed. "But are you content?"

She nodded. "I think I am. In time, maybe I'll get my friend back." Mercedes kissed Dorothea's cheek. "From what Lorenz has told me, plenty has been going on. I can't imagine this is easy on her."

"And there's Judith," Dorothea said. Her voice was quiet. She'd never known the woman too well, and neither had Mercedes. But she was a tough old bastard, the kind you'd expect to spit in the face of death and stick around.

"Yeah," Mercedes agreed. "I worry things like that will only grow more frequent as the war continues."

"Then we better get sleep for tomorrow. Better rested, the better we can protect people."

"So kind," Mercedes murmured, curling into Dorothea's arms. "That's why I love you."

They fell asleep in each other's arms, smiles wide.

Lorenz rode out at the front of the pack while Claude flew in front of the army, scouting. He'd done the same on the way to Varley, making sure they would be forewarned of any enemies.

It was all the more important now, with the news of what happened to the Goneril army. Creatures, once people, springing out of nothing. They just didn't know enough to make judgement calls when moving forward.

Claude detested not knowing.

But they had to keep moving. Taking Bergliez before Arundel confronted them would help immeasurably. Best to not have an enemy at their back while dealing with him.

Then there was Aegir. Yuri said they'd have people check it out.

"I'm going to sleep so well after this war," Claude muttered. He was tired, stretched so thin. But he owed it to his dream, and himself, to push forward.

Tishtar's steady beating of wings were a comfort as they continued to fly, leaving Varley behind them.

Time would tell.

Caspar, relieved of his primary duties, retired to his office to finalize some work. His father had dismissed him after Caspar briefed him on the situation within the fort. Victor's army would be slowly moving into the fort, and he had gone to oversee the beginnings of it.

Part of Caspar was relieved to no longer be in command, but an equal part of him was worried at what would be next.

No use worrying.

There was a knock on his door. One of his soldiers that stood outside on guard called out, "Message, commander."

He wasn't commander anymore, but that would take some time for his people to break their habit. Five years wasn't forgotten easily.

"Enter," he bid.

"Milord," the man said as he opened the door. He walked right to Caspar, who stood at the window. His eyes were wide.

"Go ahead," Caspar beckoned.

"Milord, the Emperor is here."

"Tell them—" Caspar spun on his feet, shocked.

"She's what?"

Author Notes: I've written Maya as a transwoman in this story. My trans agenda is leaking through oops. Anywho, she uses she/her.

Editing Notes:
1/31/2022: Minor grammatical adjustments. Fixed one of Yuri's lines to adhere to continuity. Added the Dedue scene.
2/14/2022: Minor grammatical adjustments.