Chapter 7

Day 24 of the Wyvern Moon, 1177 (Fódlan Calendar)

Khalid's favorite section of the Dunya Palace was a stretch of courtyard hidden at the back, far away from public eye. This enclosure was covered in all varieties of growing shrubs and trees native to Almyra. Figs and olives could be freely picked. The greenery was interspersed with flowing fountains. It was next to one of these fountains that, on a late autumn night, Khalid had set up a shatranj board and a set of burning candles on a table. Across the table was a slightly-built girl by the name of Ariella, who was a year younger than he was.

"That's quite the smile you have there, Khalid," she said after moving one of her few remaining pieces on the board. "You might want to wait until it's over before you start celebrating your triumph."

Khalid crossed his arms and tried not to laugh. "Sorry about that, but it's difficult to keep a straight face whenever you fall right into my trap."

"Is that what you think? And what if I have a trap of my own?"

"That's always possible. But when I've beaten you eleven straight times, the odds would suggest that you don't."

"I did not grow up playing shatranj. It will take time to master, but my efforts will eventually yield results. So why not tonight?"

Khalid made his next move. "Like I said, because you've already fallen into my snare."

"Still so confident despite my warnings," Ariella teased while reaching for her final chariot. However, her hand twitched before she grabbed it. Khalid assumed at first that she had finally realized her mistake; however, when her delay persisted and sweat began to form on her nervous brow, he realized that she was on the verge of another seizure.

"Are you okay, Ella?"

"Yeah, I just…" Ariella muttered as she reached forward again. As she did, her hand shook and knocked over an adjacent piece. Several more were toppled as she tried to right the fallen one.

Ariella buried her face in her trembling hands out of frustration, so Khalid helped fix the mess. "We should put a stop to the match if it's going to be this draining," he said.

"No, no, I want to finish!" Ariella insisted. She pointed to where she wanted her chariot to go, which Khalid moved on her behalf. "I really think I can win this time. Just… please move quickly."

Khalid followed the suggestion and rapidly made his next play, which he had planned in advance. He had not taken the time to see if Ariella's move affected his strategy.

Ariella mimicked Khalid's self-satisfied grin as she quickly swiped his remaining elephant off the board. Khalid put a hand to his mouth in shock.

"How did I not…" Khalid trailed off.

Ariella explained, "Because you allowed yourself to get distracted."

"Were you… were you faking all of that?"

"Not quite. The convulsions were real. But I played up my frustration to weaken your concentration."

"But that's…" Khalid sighed. "… Well played, Ariella."

"I learned from the best," Ariella laughed.

"Thanks for the compliment. Even so, Ella… I'm glad you're able to make light of what happened, but I'm sorry if I can't laugh with you. You were hurt for my sake, and that's not something I can joke about."

"You're my master, Khalid, even if you don't like me addressing you as such. Testing that meal on your behalf… well, it was just part of my responsibility."

"You didn't know you were putting your life at risk when you came into my service. Hopefully the new arrangement will prevent it from happening again, but it never should have happened in the first place. You were kind enough to become my attendant when no one else would, and nearly getting you killed is no way to express my gratitude."

"Please, don't make my decision sound so generous. It's not like some pauper from the Mikdash had many options in life. Your father's good heart made it possible for me to come here, but I would not have lasted long without you." Ariella then rubbed her arms nervously. "And I don't know what would happen if you weren't here. If you leave this place… do you plan on taking me with you?"

The Almyran prince played his next move offhandedly, already having accepted his stunning defeat. This new direction for their conversation acted an additional distraction. "What do you mean?"

"I promise I wasn't intentionally listening in, but… I overheard you and the queen talking. Apparently, your uncle in Fódlan died? And that makes you the next heir to your mother's family? I don't know, I just thought the possibility of you going to Fódlan to take that title came up."

Khalid groaned as he slumped farther back into his seat. "Yeah, that was supposed to be private. Listen, Ella. I don't have any plans to leave right now, but I can't say it's impossible. And if I do… no, you probably won't come with me. I'll need someone here to watch over my quarters, and honestly, you'll be safer alone. Hopefully, my troubles will either go away or follow me there, and you won't have to deal with them while I'm gone."

"But… I don't know if I want to be alone. Even if it's safer."

"If I were to ever leave, Ella, I will one day return. This place will always be my home, regardless of whatever it throws at me. So I will be back. … You know that, right?"

"I have known you long enough to recognize your skill in false platitudes. But if you truly promise it, I will believe you."

Khalid put his hand on his heart in the fashion of the Meteorans. He did not usually follow their customs, but it seemed like a good expression for authenticity. "I promise."

Ariella stood and made a quick bow after finishing her winning blow at shatranj. "Then I believe you. Now, allow me to help clean all of this up," she said as she began to snuff the candles.

Fódlan's Final Obstacle- Day 10 of the Harpstring Moon, Imperial Year 1186

Claude sat over a fire on the beach of a cove only few miles west of Derdriu while cooking two skewered fish. He and Dimitri set up camp there after providing a letter to a merchant on her way into the city. This merchant then delivered the letter to their intended recipient. This dispatch was addressed to Claude's retainer Nardel, and it explained the important details of their situation. They later received a reply stating that an expedition to ferry them to Almyra was in the works. The stone cliffs that peaked on either side of the cove protected the pair from unwelcome eyes while they waited for their ship.

The Almyran prince did not necessarily enjoy having to prepare his own sustenance, but when he oversaw the entire process from catching the fish to serving it, at least he knew he had no need to worry about anyone poisoning his meal. Ariella would have been proud to see Claude doing all of the work himself, though he admittedly looked forward to her taking over that duty again. At least, assuming she was still at the palace. Nardel had not been there recently, so he was unable to confirm when Claude asked him. What had become of Ella, or everyone else for that matter?

When the fish appeared to be cooked, Claude pulled the spit off the fire for a closer examination. Happy with the result, Claude dumped handfuls of sand over the fire until it was stamped out. He then cleaned off his hands and left the beach in search of Dimitri. Finding him was an easy task, as Dimitri was talking to himself just a few dozen yards deep in the forest.

"No, Ashe," Dimitri whimpered as he clutched the bark on a nearby tree, slowly crushing it in the process. "Going to Castle Gaspard to find you was impossible. Please, do not hold it against any of them. Please! Blame that woman who started all of this. I promise she will be slain, by hands far more competent than mine. I swear it!"

Claude approached slowly. He hoped to pull Dimitri out of whatever trance he was trapped in, but he also did not want to take a swing from Areadbhar.

"… What do you want?" Dimitri asked unsteadily. He seemed prepared to initially snap at Claude, but he tempered his voice to a something less angry at the final moment.

"Just giving a reminder. The courier that came a couple of days ago said we might expect our boat to arrive today. I wanted to make sure you were ready."

"Is that all?"

"Well, I also made some lunch down on the beach. I thought you might be hungry."

Dimitri did not make eye contact with Claude, but he grabbed Areadbhar and moved beside his guide. "Very well."

"Were you thinking about what we saw when we crossed Ailell?" Claude asked as they walked.

"Yes… When we crossed those graves, it reminded me not only of Ashe, but of all the dead. At Gronder, I never got to see most of their bodies. It almost seemed not quite real, which I know you believe I already have difficulty distinguishing. But at Ailell… there was a sense of finality that wasn't there before."

Ailell was certainly a haunting sight to behold. While Claude and Dimitri did not enter the Valley of Torment, their path gave them a view down into it. It was a smoky mess lit up by the lava fields that flowed beneath the haze. Despite the tenuous visibility, they were able to identify a recent mass grave that had been established just outside the foulest stretch of the valley. Given the harsh conditions at Ailell, it would have been difficult to move all of the bodies very far. Almost all of those who had been killed in the battle between the Resistance Army and Count Rowe's forces were surely buried there- Ashe included.

Claude had no response to boost Dimitri's morale. However, he did at least have some food. He led Dimitri to his beachside firepit and allowed the former prince of Faerghus to pick the fish of his choosing.

While they ate, Dimitri remained fixated on his meal while Claude studied his surroundings. This beach would be the last place in Fódlan he would see for a long time… maybe ever. Its warm, golden sand and pure water made for a striking final impression.

"This is a beautiful area, don't you agree?" Claude asked.

Dimitri nodded. "There are beaches in Faerghus, but they are not so inviting unless you go as far west as the Rhodos Coast. They are usually cold, rocky, and prone to bad weather."

"Almyra has many pleasant beaches like this one, and I'm going to make sure you get to enjoy them. I'd probably end up as stuffy as a knight of Faerghus if I had to live in a place like that, too."

Dimitri was not interested in Claude's offer or jokes. "So… about this boat. How will we gain access to Almyra from a Derdriu ship? Both Fódlan and Almyra have embargoes on each other."

"Almyran military vessels on the northern coast- those from Shomal or owned by my uncle- will recognize the colors of our ship. If not, we should be able to explain ourselves without much issue. Getting out of Derdriu is easy- getting in is much more complicated." When Dimitri indicated that he wanted more details, Claude asked, "Have you ever heard of a town called Sidonius?"

Dimitri had to think for a few seconds. "Is it in Fraldarius Territory? I couldn't tell you more than that."

"Hey, that's more than most people could come up. It's a place of little import. Interesting fact about it, though. The town has a Company of Merchant Adventurers that signed a special pact with House Gloucester. Essentially, so long as trade with House Riegan is banned in their city, House Gloucester will provide Sidonius with exclusive trade rights. They've thrown similar deals at a lot of towns in Fódlan, but pretty much everyone else has turned them down. Derdriu is too important of a city to pass over."

"I don't see where this is going," Dimitri admitted.

"Well, let's picture a particular merchant from Sidonius who decides he wants to bypass the guilds and trade with House Riegan. It would be difficult to visit Derdriu directly, but if both parties were willing to trade goods at a separate rendezvous point, they could work something out. For instance, say the Sidonius merchant makes a quick stop on an uninhabited island off the Riegan coast on the way back to Faerghus after business in Edmund territory. If this Sidonius merchant is bringing in valuable goods and wealth, no one in Derdriu is going to question the legality of the transaction or perform any investigation into the merchant's operation that might risk exposing them. Willful ignorance, you could say."

"If the Derdriu guilds made an investigation, they wouldn't find any such merchant actually existed in Sidonius, would they?" Dimitri asked.

Claude grinned. "Sounds like you're catching on. They'll find a name and an empty room, but that's about it."

Dimitri reasoned, "The ship that appeared on the Riegan coast never came from Sidonius. It came from Almyra."

"To be specific, from a busy port city called Astane. One of the merchant companies in Derdriu is entirely run by Almyrans surreptitiously, and they can bring goods from the rendezvous island into the city itself without dealing with any regulations that could put our imaginary friend in Sidonius at risk. This operation has been around for ages- we're just borrowing it. Seven years ago, I was a smuggled import on one of those ships. We'll be taking one of their ships ourselves."

Claude took a few bites of fish as a reprieve from talking. He then continued, "Astane, which is the beating heart of the Shomal region, will be the first city in Almyra that you'll see. Very similar to Derdriu in a lot of ways, actually. Before I left Almyra, I spent some time in Shomal to prepare me for my new home."

"You must have been quite well off to be able to travel all over Almyra as you pleased."

"Well, I guess you could say that."

"There's no need for coyness. You are not just Almyran; you are Almyran nobility. Perhaps royalty."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"You are no commoner who scammed his way into high society. You can wield Failnaught without trouble, so you must bear the Crest of Riegan. That almost certainly means one of your parents is from House Riegan. And someone from House Riegan wouldn't just up and marry an Almyran peasant." Dimitri chewed for a moment, which made for a dramatic pause. "There was a brief diplomatic conference around a quarter of a century ago that took place in the mountains of Fódlan's Throat. The Almyran royal family and the family of the Alliance's leader met for several days to try negotiating some form of treaty. They also did things like riding and hunting together. It seems like it would have been a perfect opportunity for members of the two families to form attachments with each other, would it not? Especially Duke Riegan's daughter, who vanished strangely not too long after that. It must have been quite the love affair for her to abandon her homeland on such a whim."

Claude blinked several times. His father actually had to sneak into Fódlan and make a series of clandestine visits about a month after that conference to successfully woo her, but still... it was remarkable that Dimitri knew as much as he did. Claude mused, "I'm surprised you know so much about those negotiations. It happened a long time ago, and because it didn't result in much progress, it's not too famous nowadays. You must have spent a lot of time studying."

"I'll admit that I forgot about it until you mentioned your Almyran heritage. But yes, I studied often at the academy… at least, in a way. You see… I wasn't there to study magic or mathematics." Dimitri's visage took on a form reminiscent to that of the demon Claude faced on Gronder Field. "I was there to learn of Fódlan's most recent history. Lords, rumors, motives… whatever might give a hint as to who caused Duscur and why they did it. The monastery library was the perfect source for records."

Describing it as "perfect" was an exaggeration, considering that all of those records had already been personally sanitized and approved by Seteth. Even so, Claude had turned to its wealth of knowledge on more than one occasion.

Though a little intimated to see Dimitri's worse side resurface, Claude was also happy to turn the conversation away from his own history. "And what did you learn from your research?"

"I learned that, if you look hard enough, just about everyone had a motive wanting instability in the Kingdom. There were several suspects that stood out, but in the end, it was just a mad dog that had no issue killing her own mother so long as gave her a potential advantage down the line."

Claude nearly choked on his fish. "Hold up a second… kill her own mother? I think I'm missing a detail or two here."

Dimitri turned his gaze away. "Forget I said anything."

"Hey, I've already given you my biggest secret. Surely you can throw me a bone."

"… Perhaps later. I am in no mood to discuss that woman any further."

"Later, then? I'll hold you to that promise," Claude maintained enthusiastically. "Regardless, the fact that you were able to piece that theory about me together so quickly would indicate you're much brighter than people gave you credit for, Dimitri."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, the other students pegged you as the least intelligent of the house leaders."

Dimitri frowned but continued to eat. "I was unaware of such a reputation."

"Hey, don't take it personally. I was deemed the lazy one. Edelgard, the arrogant one. That's just how it goes when you're in the center of attention."

"How carefree of the other students to have wasted their days prating abou-." Dimitri cut himself short as he abruptly clutched Areadbhar. "We're not alone," he said as he looked into the trees beyond the beach.

"Wait, wait… it's probably a messenger from Nardel," Claude calmed, though he also reached for his weapon. He dropped it when their guest pushed through the brush and stepped out into the open.

"Ooorrrr it's going to be Nardel himself," Claude groaned. "Nardel! What are you doing here?"

Like Claude, his childhood combat instructor Nader had taken on a pseudonym upon his arrival in Fódlan. The leader of the Alliance had called Nader in for assistance at the end of the Guardian Moon when he first heard of Byleth's return and the subsequent formation of the Resistance Army. Based on that bit of news, Claude anticipated that the war would soon break out of its long stalemate, and he wanted whatever help he could get his hands on. Nardel was introduced as Claude's new retainer, and he had proven himself able during their brief campaign against House Gloucester. Claude had left him in charge of Riegan territory while Claude embarked on his march to Fort Merceus.

The elder Almyran man's beard had grown much longer since Claude's youth, and he bore several new facial scares. Other than that, however, he had changed very little over the years. He sustained the same friendly and boisterous personality that had once served as a beacon of warmth back at the palace.

"I came to deliver a message, of course," Nardel said after squinting for a moment, perhaps surprised that the Alliance's former leader was still addressing him by his alias. As far as Claude was concerned, they both needed to limit the use of their birth names as much as possible until they were back on Almyran soil. Even if they were alone and far away from prying ears, he didn't want Nardel to develop a bad habit.

Claude reproved, "Well, sure. But couldn't you have sent anyone from the company to do that? Coming out here yourself… it was risky, Nardel. Is no one missing you back in the city?"

Nardel took a seat in the sand around the firepit. "Nah, I told everyone I was going on a short fishing trip, and no one was going to argue with me. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up, Master Claude! Not to mention that having to communicate by letter or messenger can get aggravating. I figured you can give me much clearer orders in the flesh. And who do you think has a better chance of being caught- me or some scrawny page boy?"

As Claude had his fill of fish, he handed what remanded of his catch to Nardel, who happily accepted it.

"There's something to be said for your reasoning," Claude admitted as Nardel greedily ate. "There's no undoing it now either way. But tell me you won't do anything else brazen once I'm gone, okay? I might need you home soon."

"Are you sure you don't want me to just come with you now, Master Claude?"

"I'm sure. There's still a war going on here, and there's no one else alive I can trust to look after the Alliance. If the Resistance Army is victorious, cleaning things up should be easy. But if the Empire recovers and begins an invasion… well, I'd like someone to be here to make sure that the casualties are minimized. Once there's a new stable government, catch a ride home as soon as possible."

"As you wish." Nardel then cleared his throat emphatically. "I hate to get too serious, but things are already getting crazy back in the city ever since we heard of the Alliance army's collapse. The new heir to House Gloucester survived, retreating in a manner becoming of his father, but the disappearance of the Alliance's leader and the death of the Hero of Daphnel hit hard. There's already been a riot or two, and some people are even burning property so their belongings won't fall into the hands of the Empire."

"Don't be too hard on our good friend Franz Brandt Gloucester. I ordered that retreat, and I don't have any room to talk while I'm still in the land of the living. I can already hear Lorenz berating me for turning tail." Claude regretted that last statement when Dimitri looked at him gravely, perhaps taking the joke a little too literally. "Anyways, have you done anything to keep order?"

"Of course. We've had to rally our guard to suppress the disturbances as nonviolently as possible, and I've even set up daily community assemblies to assure the people that there's no immediate danger of invasion from the Empire. The heads of several prominent families in Derdriu have been leading those, who are more than a little concerned about how the chaos is going to affect their businesses. And really, we aren't having to stretch the truth very much. The Empire's army is in no shape to invade, and they'd have to get through the Resistance Army first."

Claude allowed himself a small smile out of appreciation. "Well, keep up the good work. Hopefully Byleth will move on the offensive again, which should help moderate the fear of immediate peril."

"Yes, that will help for sure. But I've got to say… I'll hate not being back at the Dunya if your lousy brothers start causing trouble for you again."

"I'm much older and smarter than I was back then, Nardel. And besides, I've got someone else with me that they'll have to worry about," Claude said as he motioned towards Dimitri.

Nardel finally looked to Dimitri after having effectively ignored the silent man the entire time. "Yes, you mentioned someone else returning with you but were a bit scant on the details. What is your name, young man?"

Dimitri turned to Claude for assistance, unsure of whether he was supposed to be using an alias.

Instead of providing an answer, Claude glanced back at the forest and then at Nardel. "Are you confident that no one followed you?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Nardel confirmed.

"Good," Claude said. Even so, he spoke in a low voice. "This man is Dimitri, the prince of Faerghus who supposedly died five years ago and then again a week ago. I don't plan on parading his lineage around to anyone back home, which would put him at risk, but I think it's best to not use any pseudonyms for Dimitri. I don't think we can convincingly conceal that he is from Fódlan, and 'Dimitri' is not that uncommon of a name in this land. Given that almost no one in Almyra would even know the name of Faerghus's late prince, there's no reason to make a big deal of it. In fact, if someone slipped up and used his real name, it would just end up drawing more attention to him."

Claude did not go into more detail on that last point, but his concern was heavily based on his doubts that Dimitri could go more than a day or two without giving away his name.

"I have no issue with that plan," Dimitri said.

Nardel laughed heartily but calmed his voice before speaking. "Twice now the reports have been wrong on your death, ehh? Your ability to come back from the dead is quite unmatched, young prince."

Claude couldn't help but be drawn in by the merriment. He explained to Nardel their brief reunion with Byleth. "Poor Teach was told Dimitri was dead, then alive, then dead again, then saw him alive, and then probably had her tale dismissed as fantasy."

Nardel was predictably amused by the account. Dimitri, however, was entirely disengaged from their conversation. Instead, he gazed out to sea.

"Is that our ship?" Dimitri asked suddenly while Nardel was in the middle of telling a story about a servant for House Riegan that had horribly botched a meal several days earlier.

Indeed, a carrack had moored outside the mouth of the cove, and a smaller dinghy was being lowered into the water.

"Well, I'll be!" Nardel exclaimed. "I didn't expect it to be here for another hour or so. Guess we won't have as much time together as I would have liked."

"It's probably for the best, or I'll keep on sharing stories that I probably should have kept private," Claude said as he gathered his belongings.

Once everything was in order, the three stood together on the shore as the dinghy was rowed in. Just before it landed, Nardel gave Dimitri a slight bow.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, prince of Faerghus. We will meet again."

"I wish you the best of fortunes in protecting this land," Dimitri replied.

Nardel then turned to Claude with a voice so quiet that Dimitri may not have heard it. "Stay safe, kiddo. Tell Nousha that I do not go a day without thinking of her."

Claude was not too excited about spending time with Nousha, but he would never ignore her father's request. "Of course. And you stay safe, too, Nader."

Nardel slipped away as the two men on the dinghy motioned for Claude and Dimitri to step aboard. These men then rowed the pair in silence back to the main ship. With each push, the life the Almyran prince had known for so long was slipping further away. Claude von Riegan was soon to be no more…

Once their small craft came alongside the main ship, the men waited for Claude and Dimitri to climb the ropes up to the deck. Claude decided to go first, not interested in being underneath Dimitri if he fell or somehow tore the lines apart with his bare hands.

Claude and Dimitri boarded the ship without issue. As the crew hoisted the dinghy aboard, the new passengers were greeted by the ship's captain.

"It's a fine day to sail, isn't it, Sir Claude?" the captain said as he shook his leader's hand. The man had dark hair, but his skin was relatively lighter than Claude's. He was in his later thirties and was reasonably handsome and well-built. Like Claude and Nardel, he had taken on a name from Fódlan.

"You're absolutely right, Sebastian. I'm glad the wind won't give us any trouble."

"Now, just to make sure I have the details correct- we are to take you to Astane, then our ship is to return to Derdriu. Nardel is to remain in Derdriu for now. Is that correct?"

Claude nodded. "Sounds like Nardel's communication skills are still on point."

"That's too bad. I'm free to rotate off this job and return to Metanoiapolis once Nardel is taken home. I was looking forward to getting to helm a real ship after being stuck so long with this hunk of garbage, courtesy of the Leicester Alliance."

"Soon enough, captain. Just as soon as things quite down here."

"Ehh, I hope you're right. The church better get moving soon." Sebastian then looked to Dimitri. Though he remained polite, his eyes squinted slightly and his voice took on a less natural tone. He was obviously uncomfortable with a native of Fódlan being aboard. "I was told about your friend, too. What is your story for being here?"

Dimitri answered before Claude could step in. "I lost everything during the Battle at Gronder. Claude is my only friend still alive. I hope to enter his service."

Taking in Dimitri as a retainer was the most logical course of action going forward, and it seemed have been implied in their conversations over the past week. Even so, Claude had never directly spoken of it. They should have already addressed the topic, especially considering Claude had already made one incorrect assumption when Dimitri immediately gave his name away to the goatherder, but asking a man of royal birth to humiliatingly degrade himself to the level of a retainer seemed like a bad idea… especially when that man had more than a little bloodlust. Thankfully, Dimitri had apparently come to the same conclusion himself on this occasion without controversy.

Sebastian laughed. "I know you had trouble finding servants back at the Dunya, Claude, but I didn't expect you to get so desperate as to select half-blinded friends out of pity."

Claude's face darkened. "Remember who you are speaking to, sailor. And before you insult my friend, you should know that he is by far the strongest man I've ever met. I would be cautious mocking him within arm's reach."

"Forgive my indiscretion," Sebastian said as he lowered his head. He was not a bad man, but he still suffered from the prejudices that plagued both sides of Fódlan's Throat. "As it were, we should get ready to set sail. I am certain you wish to be home as soon as possible."

As the ship prepared for departure, Sebastian led them towards a room in the aftcastle. The crowded furnishings were of poorer quality than Claude was accustomed to in Derdriu or even his campaign tent, but it was still likely the nicest room on the ship.

The room had three cots, but it appeared that Claude and Dimitri would have the room to themselves. After dropping his belongings onto one, Claude glanced at Dimitri, who was staring at another cot with an uneasy expression.

"Is it not to your liking?" Claude asked.

"It's not that. I… you see, I haven't slept on a bed in an enclosed room in years."

Claude's heart broke a little. Perhaps Dimitri was right- it was difficult to fully appreciate the suffering of a fellow person. "Well… don't worry. It won't swallow you up or anything," he said as his voice cracked with emotion.

The two took to the deck soon after and watched Fódlan pass by as they sailed east. They spent much time in silence, but Dimitri finally spoke up after watching several sailors march about at work.

"This crew… they're Almyran? They seem too fair skinned."

"The ships operate out of Shomal, but most deckhands actually come from a region called Meteora. The appearance of the people from that area can pass as natives of Fódlan more convincingly than most Almyrans. I have a bit of theory as to why that is, but I'll save that for a better time. More important to recognize is that Almyra is a large land, Dimitri. It's not one monolith- you can find a wide range of people and beliefs beyond Fódlan's Throat. Generalizing Almyra would be like assuming Derdriu is a cold, rocky city because you're more familiar with Fhirdiad." Claude pointed to the shore. "Speaking of Derdriu, there it is. I'm sorry I didn't get to take you into the city, but I'll make it up. I'm treating you to the best dinner I can find on our first night in Astane."

"Please, do not concern yourself over an expensive meal. I admit that I always had an interest in seeing the Aquatic Capital, it is of little importance in-"

Before Dimitri could finish his sentence, the captain of the ship abandoned the till and leapt down to the main deck. Sebastian said frantically, "Sir Claude! See that ship approaching us from the harbor?"

Claude had to look to where he was pointing. He had noticed the small caravel in question, but there were several other ships moving about the bay, so he did not think anything of it at first.

"That's owned by the city guilds' port authorities," Sebastian explained. "I don't know why they're coming this way, but it's not to ask how we're enjoying the weather."

"We still have time to outrun it," Dimitri observed as he watched the caravel advance. It was some distance away, but it was now clear that its trajectory was aimed towards their ship.

"That's not a guarantee. Their ship is actually faster than ours. And even if we could, it would spell the end for our entire enterprise here in Derdriu. Not an option," Sebastian opposed.

Claude blanched. "We need to hide. Sebastian, I'm counting on you to cover for us." He rushed back to their room and quickly retrieved Failnaught and Areadbhar while the crew dropped anchor.

"Follow me," Claude said to Dimitri upon his return. He led Dimitri up the aftcastle and then to the very stern of the ship. The aftcastle was gaudily rimmed with wooden shields shaped and painted to represent the coat of arms of the major Alliance houses. Claude gripped the corner of House Goneril's heraldry and pushed. The escutcheon pivoted on a previously hidden hinge, revealing a compartment behind.

After stepping over the railing, Claude held its posts for support. He then slipped into the dark chamber, which was wedged between the stern and their room in the aftcastle. The compartment spanned the width of the boat, but it was thin enough that the missing space in the aftcastle would not be noticed. Claude could barely fit the width of his body in it. It was also not tall for him to even sit up straight in. It would be even more uncomfortable for Dimitri's larger frame.

Dimitri handed Claude their Heroes' Relics before crawling over the railing himself. As he grabbed a post with each hand, however, one of supports broke under his weight. Dimitri's hand flung out erratically and struck the adjacent coat of arms, breaking it off and knocking it into the sea with a disappointing plop. Before Dimitri could tumble into the ocean himself, Claude hurriedly grabbed his flailing arm and assisted him into the chamber. Dimitri was remarkably unruffled by the near disaster.

As Dimitri crawled deeper into other side, Claude stuck his head out and yelled, "Someone fish this thing out of the water!" Had their carrack still been moving, the wrecked coat of arms might have been abandoned and forgotten, but since they had already come to stop, any boarding party would notice it.

There was a flurry of voices and movement until someone impaled the fallen escutcheon on a spear tied to a rope. As the unknown sailor began to lift it from the water, Claude ripped the escutcheon off once it reached his height, tossed it into the compartment with him, and quickly closed the door. If there was no time to fix the broken shield, it was best that the officials never saw it.

It would not be long before they heard the boarding party's arrival. This group's leader walked to the till where the captain stood. Though they could see nothing in their pitch-black surroundings, Claude and Dimitri could hear the entire conversation taking place above.

"Sebastian Wayne, yes?" their guest asked.

"That's correct, constable."

"I must admit some confusion, Sebastian. When you departed the harbor this morning, you claimed to be sailing west along the Whitehorn Sea towards Fraldarius territory. But just now, we saw the same sails reversing course to the east. It seems mighty odd, doesn't it?" the man accused. His voice dripped with the smugness of a man convinced he was far more important than he actually was.

"After only a few miles, we decided that the winds were unfavorable for a western voyage and that we would be better off selling in Edmund markets instead. Adjusting for the conditions is common practice, constable. What is not common practice is being detained after having already cleared your authority."

"These aren't normal times, captain. We have to take every inquiry more seriously right now. What if you are ferrying imperial troops into the heart of the Alliance? Or if you've captured the Master Tactician and are selling him off to Almyra or some other hostile land?"

Sebastian laughed, understandably amused by the irony. "Nothing like that, I assure you. It's a strange time for us as well. We may have continued west six years ago, but with the war slashing sales in the Kingdom, it's just not worth the expenses if the journey is going to take us several extra days."

"Even so, we have to be cautious in these darkest days. I trust you will not be offended if we continue to search your ship?"

"Not at all."

Claude listened as the constable's subordinates rummaged through the carrack in both the adjacent room and the decks below. As they did, the constable paced above Claude and Dimitri's heads.

"This railing has been damaged, captain. You should take better care of your ship."

"We haven't had time to fix that. It was kicked only an hour ago by one of my sailors," Sebastian justified. "He threw a fit when he heard we weren't headed west. He has a special lady in the Kingdom, you see."

"It's not just the railing. You're missing an entire piece of heraldry from your adornments. What happened back here?"

The man was apparently gazing just a foot or two away from the entrance to their hiding place. Claude listened to the board directly above him creak as the man stepped on it.

Sebastian fortunately provided a clever explanation under pressure. "Oh, that one was intentional. We removed it a while back. The missing coat of arms was that of House Gloucester. After all the trouble they've caused us these past five years, why would we want to represent them with our business? Just as soon as they do show us some allegiance, they immediately go and perform terribly in battle."

The constable howled with laughter at the answer. "You make a superb point, captain. Now I feel ashamed that I even had to ask."

Sebastian's joke seemed to dramatically improve the mood up top. The captain and the constable spent the rest of the time chatting casually like good friends until a third person joined them at the till.

"We've searched the entire ship, sir. It's clear," the woman said.

"Of course it is!" the constable exclaimed. "I apologize for taking up your time, captain. May the goddess grant you fair winds."

Several minutes later, Sebastian's voice called out from above, "Can you hear me, Claude? They're all gone. You are safe to come back out."

Claude propped the door slightly open and answered, "You know, it's cozy enough down here. Let's put some distance between us and the city before we come back out. It would be a bother to crawl back in here a second time."

"If that's your wish, sir."

The former leader of the Alliance opened the door a bit more to allow in light and fresh air once their ship was on the move again. It was finally bright enough that he could see Dimitri slumped against the wall on the opposite side.

"You holding up alright?" Claude asked.

Dimitri nodded subtly. "It's actually quite peaceful down here."

He wasn't entirely wrong. There was something soothing about smelling the sea salt, listening to the gawking gulls, and watching the ship's wake ripple. In such a confined setting, it almost seemed like the rest of the world did not exist.

Of course, that confined setting was also less than comfortable.

"It is, though I'll give it maybe thirty minutes before my back starts hurting."

"There is space to lie out," Dimitri noted. "Given how many mishaps we've had since Gronder, perhaps it would be best if we stayed here for the entire journey."

"Heh! You have a point. But as cautious as I am, I think we should finally be in the clear now. We're officially out of Fódlan. I don't know if we'll ever be back." When Dimitri frowned at that, Claude asked, "Are you going to be okay with that possibility?"

Dimitri was slow to answer. "… I don't know."

Claude pivoted to watch the ship's wake as he thought. It was an unfair question, really. He wasn't certain how he felt about it, either. Sure, many of his friends had died, but there were others he wished he could have seen at least one last time. He would never get answers to so many of his questions. And it was certainly nice to not have half the people he grew up with trying to kill him.

Maybe Dimitri was right, and it would be better to just remain in that chamber. They could share old stories as they set out on an endless journey at sea. No one wanted them dead, none of their problems could follow them… There was nothing to fear beyond the calming view outside that door.

Such a life could only truly exist, though, if the prince of Almyra made it possible. And to do that, he would have to face his enemies.

He took a deep breath and then spoke, "You know, Dimitri… I was planning to wait until we reached Astane to say this, but you might as well start getting accustomed to my real name. I was not born as Claude von Riegan. I am Khalid ibn Faruq Al Hafeez, prince of Almyra."