Outside of Galatea's manor, within the biting snow, three former Golden Deer students were unloading various crates and bags into a cart. It was time for the Resistance to finally move out of Galatea and start heading over to House Fraldarius. Because of this, all available hands were required to help prepare for the journey in any way they could.

Ignatz, Raphael, and Leonie were sorting out the loading of the Resistance's supplies and weapons. Raphael's colossally huge muscles allowed him to throw in all the bags and crates he picked up with ease. Leonie wasn't having as easy of a time on her end, but she was still able to carry out her tasks without too much trouble.

The only one having any form of considerable trouble was Ignatz. His viridescent cloak was thrown onto the ground as it simply had gotten in his way too many times. He struggled with every item he carried, no matter what was inside. Some were easier for him than others, but they still caused him quite a bit of strain.

"You good there, Ignatz? Need a hand?" Raphael said, turning to his friend after firmly placing down another box into the cart.

Leonie peered over as she carried a crate. "Oh, yeah. You do look like you could use a hand." She put it within the cart, storing it atop the one Raphael just finished handling. The orange-haired girl turned around once she was done. "Look at you; you're sweating all over. You might need a break."

"N-no…I'll be fine!" Ignatz spoke between heavy breaths as he swayed back and forth while carrying a large wooden container. "Just need to get this over there…"

"Are you sure? That looks like a whole lot more than you can handle. I'll take it off your hands so you don't have to worry about it."

Raphael approached Ignatz, the latter's eyes widening in response.

"No, it-it's okay! I can take care of it!" Ignatz lifted the crate into the air, right as his arms and legs started to wobble. "S-see? I can-ah!"

Ignatz' arms gave way. They wavered too much, resulting in the crate slipping out of his grasp and falling straight down onto his boots.

"Agh!" He slipped his feet out from underneath the crate and instantly made to give them a massage. "I'm glad I'm wearing boots, but still…that hurt."

"Maybe you would've avoided all of that if you just listened to one of us." Leonie shook her head in disapproval.

"Yeah." Raphael nodded. "You don't have to carry anything that's too heavy for you. If there's something you can't carry on your own, or you just can't lift anything anymore, just hand it over to me or Leonie."

"He's right. You're not the only person that was assigned here, you know."

Ignatz stared at the snow-covered ground, his brows furrowing.

"I understand. S-sorry. I didn't mean to make you two worry. I'll…stand aside until I get my strength back."

"That'll work. Make sure you get your rest. I don't wanna see you dropping another crate on yourself."

"Right." Ignatz faintly smiled. "I'll get my rest. Don't worry about me, you two can keep going."

"If you say so…"

Leonie shrugged, then went to retrieve another box from the nearby pile. Raphael followed closely behind her, and Ignatz stood to the side. Their work continued, with the two stronger people carrying various wooden containers back and forth between the pile and the cart. Ignatz observed as he rested.

Partway through this change in proceedings, a young-looking green-haired girl approached and stood beside Ignatz. Nobody noticed her presence until she spoke.

"It appears you three are faring rather well with your task."

"Gah!" Ignatz jumped out of sheer terror and surprise. He turned his head, calming down once he realized who it was. "Oh, Flayn…you scared me."

Flayn giggled. "My apologies. I had no intention of instilling fear within you. I approached so that I could learn precisely how you three were faring."

"Oh. Well, um," Ignatz looked over to Leonie and Raphael, who were still busy working. "We've still got some ways to go, unfortunately. I'm only here because I'm resting. I…may have overworked myself."

"I see. Regardless, I am glad that you are not straining yourself any further. It would be most upsetting if you injured yourself."

"Thanks for your concern, Flayn. I really appreciate it."

Ignatz smiled, as did Flayn.

"Are you excited to meet with the Blue Lions?"

"Most certainly," she immediately replied. "I am not as excited as I was to reunite with my former classmates in the Golden Deer, but I would still very much like to meet with the Blue Lions once more. I must thank Rodrigue for allowing us to join forces with him."

"Mmm. Me too. I can't wait until we're finally able to move out. All we've got to do is finish up the loading of these carriages, then we'll be able to go. At least, that's what I remember Claude saying."

Flayn nodded. "I believe Jeralt said something similar to that, as well. It will be a shame to depart from Galatea so soon. However, we will be able to see more of the Kingdom, including another one of the noble houses. It is not every day that you possess the opportunity to do such a thing."

"That's true. Seeing more of Faerghus' natural environment will be nice. I might even get some inspiration for my next painting…"

A loud thud came from the cart. Flayn and Ignatz flicked their gazes over, only to see Leonie having fallen face-first onto the snowy ground. Raphael helped her back up to her feet. As she rose while holding onto his hand, she used her off-hand to wipe off snow from her orange-brown armor.

"Damn it…" she said while wiping. "Got a little too excited there."

"Did ya rush that last one because it was the last one? I've done that before, but with meat and not boxes."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I did. Fell on this damn slippery patch of snow. Whenever we get out of Faerghus, I won't miss doing this, that's for sure."

Leonie turned to see Flayn and Ignatz staring right at her, some ways away from the cart.

"Oh, hey there, Flayn. Didn't see you there. Was kinda focused on the job," she scratched the back of her head nervously. "Need something?"

"No, I do not require anything. Jeralt requested that I come here to inspect your progress." Flayn smiled. "It seems you have already finished! How wonderful! Excellent work, the three of you."

"Thanks, Flayn!" Raphael gave the girl a thumbs-up. "That sure was some good work. Made for some great training, too! I'm raring to go!"

"Most splendid! It is fortunate you are so, 'raring', as you say, because it is very much almost time for us to depart Galatea. Let us make haste!"

"Heck yeah! I'm ready to go meet up with Rodrigue and the other Blue Lions. I'm even more ready to go take out that evil witch Cornelia. She's not gonna know what hit her!"

"Well, she probably is going to know, considering she likely has scouts, and-"

Leonie frowned. "You know what I mean, Ignatz. Let's just get back to Captain Jeralt and the others already."

At Flayn and Leonie's insistence, the four of them left the cart alone, intending to reunite with the rest of their allies. Now that the carts had been loaded, there was nothing left to do.

The Resistance was finally able to get moving.

Soon, they all departed from the gates of Galatea. They immediately headed north, further into the depths of Faerghus. A bridge was crossed, leading them over a wide river and into the northern section of the nation.

Their journey eventually took them to the white forest that partially surrounded Conand Tower. They were never quite within seeing distance of the abandoned tower, but Ingrid - at least - most certainly knew how close it was.

Regardless, the Resistance kept moving. Their horses and the wheels on their carts made a trail through the path they tread, of which cut straight through the forest. At various times, the wheels got caught on a particularly tricky piece of snow, which served to slow them all down somewhat. It wasn't very fun for anyone involved when it happened, but at least it never lasted too long.

Before long, the forest cleared away. The temperature didn't get any closer despite them marching northward and further away from more temperate lands. As Ingrid speculated, this was quite possibly due to the general passage of time with the winter season slowly approaching spring - therefore the world's temperature would be rising - but nobody knew for certain.

That isn't to say that it wasn't freezing - it was very much so. Those unaccustomed to such weather, which was most of the Resistance, shivered all throughout the march.

Fortunately, after over half a week's worth of travel, their destination was within sight.

The Resistance approached Fraldarius. It was quite a sizable town, surrounded by a tall stone wall that protected it from the world. Huge clusters of stone buildings lined the gray streets, with plentiful patches of grass and fountains keeping the town from feeling overly drab.

"Never thought I'd be back here…" Jeralt mumbled from where he was at the head of the group. He turned to face everyone behind him. "Come on! Just a little further."

As per his command, the Resistance continued with the last leg of their journey as the blackness of night began to creep up. They made their way through the remaining patch of snow, only stopping once they reached the gates.

Interestingly, once they got there, the gates were already open. Knights stood aside, seemingly allowing the Resistance entry into their town, but there was one man in their way.

He had long, dark blue hair, and a faint stubble of a beard. A faded green cloak hung over his shoulders, while dark green robes covered his chest and legs. A belt that was strapped around his waist prevented his garments from coming loose.

The man stared at the Resistance with a smile. He stepped forward slightly.

"I see you have all arrived. Welcome to my home, people of the Resistance." He bowed. "It's so fortunate to finally meet with you."

Ingrid landed upon the ground and disembarked from her pegasus. She moved to the head of the Resistance and stood some ways in front of Jeralt.

"Lord Rodrigue! What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in your manor at this time of night?" She asked him.

"Oh, Ingrid. How delightful to see you again." Rodrigue smiled. "Thank you for your concern. However, I shall be fine. I wished to personally welcome my new allies into my home."

"Heh. A proper welcome." Claude stepped to the front, having dismounted his wyvern already. "That's not something you see every day."

"Duke Riegan…no, Claude. We are finally able to meet in person. I'm happy that we are no longer confined to conversing through paper."

"We can always keep up that tradition if you want. But if we're gonna be living in the same place for a while, then there's probably no point in it. That is the plan, yeah? Are you gonna take us in or are we gonna have to stick it out here?"

Rodrigue chuckled. "I would never allow allies to freeze themselves to death. Please, follow me to my manor. I have already prepared beds for everyone, and the stables are ready to receive your steeds. I'll have my knights help you with anything you may need."

"Thanks. Appreciate it," said Jeralt.

"You're welcome. Anything for allies of the true Kingdom."

The Resistance was promptly led inside of the town of Fraldarius. Compared to the village of Galatea, Rodrigue's home didn't quite feel as lifeless. Although it was starting to become night, there were still a considerable number of people roaming the streets, doing whatever they pleased. Life was abounding within the town.

However, the townspeople's eyes were all focused solely on the massive group of soldiers and carriages that were coming into their home. Some seemed nervous, while others noticed Lord Rodrigue leading the group and were thus absolved of any fears they may have had. Either way, the townspeople generally went about their business as normal.

In time, Rodrigue brought the Resistance to the largest building in the entire town. It was several stories high and expanded even further than Count Galatea's manor. Many, many balconies lined the downright ridiculous amount of windows that peered into the insides of the colossal structure.

Claude grinned.

"Nice place. Your house, I'm guessing?" He turned to Rodrigue.

"Yes. This is the place where I was born, and where future generations of the Fraldarius lineage will continue to be brought into this world." Rodrigue looked up at his manor. "It is also the base of operations for the true Kingdom, led by His Highness himself."

"Does that mean the king's inside?"

Rodrigue nodded. "As is everyone else. Follow me inside, and I shall show you what I mean."

The head of House Fraldarius headed up the giant staircase, approaching the large double doors. At this point, most of the Resistance's lower-ranked soldiers had been dispersed by the helpful nature of the knights. Following Rodrigue were all the Resistance's commanders and generals - including Ingrid.

Rodrigue opened the doors and led everyone inside. The regal, stone-filled halls of the manor were filled with wooden doors and torches that helped to light the way. A deep blue, Faerghus carpet was laid out upon the floor, guiding the manor's residents throughout its many corridors and halls.

Not that the Resistance needed it - Rodrigue was guiding them around.

The whole group ended up venturing past two different sets of staircases, indicating they had gone up to the manor's second floor. Down more corridors and around several corners, they all stopped at a particular set of wooden double doors.

"They are all waiting inside this room. They have been waiting for you."

Hilda narrowed her eyes. "This feels familiar somehow…" She mumbled to herself.

"Heh. What are we waiting for, Rodrigue? Let's get these doors open," said Claude.

Rodrigue smirked.

"As you wish."

Both doors were gradually swung open by the hands of Lord Rodrigue.

Inside was a spacious, regal-looking room. It was another war council meeting space, as there was a long, dark wooden desk in the middle of the room. Paintings of royal figures from days long past adorned the walls, and only a single, large window was on the wall opposite the doors.

As Rodrigue and the members of the Resistance filtered into the room, its occupants stopped whatever they were doing. They looked in the direction of their visitors and smiled.

"Oh my goodness! Everyone…is here!"

An orange-haired woman had the most boundless energy of them all. Her smile was infectiously wide, warming the souls of everyone around her. She wore a short, orange-brown cape that hung over her shoulders, as well as a white and blue dress that covered her torso and the upper half of her legs.

"Oh wow! I know we were expecting you, but it's still a surprise to see you all!"

A gray-blonde-haired woman beamed a loving visage at the arrival of her old friends. She was wearing a religious headpiece that cast a white veil around the back of her head. Her white and beige dress was rather large and detailed - it covered a great majority of her body.

"Well. Glad to see you're all alright. And all you ladies…you're looking better than ever."

A red-haired man gave a cheeky wink to all the women that had just entered the room. He had some gray, medium-sized armor on, one that had many lines which created various shapes upon the surface of the armor itself. A small, green cloak hung around his waist and thighs.

"Shut up, Sylvain. This is war. Act seriously for once."

A dark blue-haired man glared at his red-haired friend. His arms were folded and he was generally facing away from the group of visitors. He wore a blue-green set of light armor, one with padded shoulders and white sleeves. Swords were sheathed at his sides - they were ready for use at a moment's notice.

The Resistance's gazes were then cast to the next person. Claude grinned, while Edelgard - whose face was partially hidden by her borrowed hat - stared with furrowed brows.

"Nice to see you again, Your Highness." Claude bowed.

A man with slightly disheveled, blonde hair turned around from his position at the window. His giant, blue cloak swayed as he did so. Midnight black armor with faint, Faerghus blue highlights covered his chest and legs.

Both of his blue eyes stared back at Claude.

"It is…" Dimitri struggled, his eyes closing for a moment as he dealt with his hesitation. "Nice to see you too, Claude. And…"

He focused upon the white-haired woman standing near the Alliance's Duke. His eyes narrowed, eventually widening once he realized who it was.

"El…"

Edelgard nodded and removed the hat from her head, revealing herself in full.

"Dimitri."

The former Blue Lions mostly all gasped. Felix and Dimitri kept to themselves, but Annette, Mercedes, and Sylvain outwardly displayed their shock.

Dimitri continued staring at Edelgard, then he looked over to Claude. A faint grin emerged upon his visage.

"I see…I understand what is happening. As we discussed five years ago, we are now working together, are we not? To achieve the same goal?"

"Only if you're still comfortable with it. Don't wanna force you into anything."

"No, it is fine." Dimitri shook his head. "We wish for the same outcome. A glorious, peaceful future for Fódlan. To bring down all those who would deny us of that world."

"Precisely. That's what we're here for, as representatives of the Resistance. We are a military group that was created to oppose the shadows lurking beneath Fódlan's surface," said Edelgard. "We wish to request you to join us. However, we understand that you have your own conflicts to solve."

"Cornelia…she's been something of a thorn in our side for far too long." Rodrigue turned to Edelgard, as well as the rest of the Resistance. "We have intended to attack Fhirdiad for quite some time, yet we do not have sufficient forces to carry out such an assault. Not on our own."

"That's where we come in." Jeralt sighed.

Rodrigue nodded. "Yes, exactly. We wish for you to join us in our siege of the capital city. Cornelia would not be able to stand against our combined might. Together, we can dethrone her, and retrieve the throne from her treasonous grasp."

Dimitri scowled at no one in particular.

"I will be the one to end that miserable witch's life. She is my prey."

Although everyone in the room seemed disturbed by Dimitri's words, Edelgard was undeterred. She nodded at him.

"Of course," she said. "We'll help to give you that opportunity. None of us would dare to get in your way."

Dimitri turned away, his expression relaxing.

"Thank you."

Edelgard smiled. She turned back to Rodrigue. "As such, on behalf of the Resistance, I accept your request. So long as you join us in our campaign across the Adrestian Empire, and any future battles we may wage for the sake of Fódlan."

"If you are willing to assist us with the liberation of Fhirdiad, then we'll owe a lot to you. We must help you with your battles. It's the least we can do to repay the kindness and help you would have given us."

"Then we have an agreement."

Jeralt nodded. "Yeah, yeah, we're all friends now. What I wanna know is, Rodrigue - when were you planning on attacking Fhirdiad? Tomorrow? A week from now? A month from now?"

"We still need to prepare our troops and supplies. We also have to think of an effective battle strategy for when we arrive at Fhirdiad. For these reasons, I was thinking we should march on the tenth of the Great Tree Moon."

"So, nearly three weeks from now?" Jeralt paused, mulling over the idea. "Alright. Gives us time to rest up and train for the battle. I don't have any complaints with that."

"Neither do I. More time to think of schemes is always good." Claude chuckled to himself.

Felix suddenly frowned. He unfolded his arms and approached the side of the meeting table that was nearest to his position at the furthest wall.

A hand was placed upon one of his sheathed blades.

"Hold on. Before we go any further with this cooperation of yours, I have to confirm something," he said with a serious tone of voice.

His gaze landed on Edelgard.

"Edelgard. Are you with the Empire? Because if you are, then I'll cut you down where you stand."

Small, faint sounds of gasps emanated from the room's occupants. Edelgard's expression remained firm and absolute, unwavering from Felix's determined gaze.

"I am not," she replied. "I refuse to ally myself with the likes of Arundel. He is the source of the darkness that plagues the Empire. Only with his defeat, and my rightful crowning as Empress, can Adrestia see a brighter future."

Felix's expression did not change. However, he did release his hand from his sheathed sword. He then stepped back.

"Good. Glad you're on our side, then."

"Felix…was that really necessary? She's with the Resistance. I think they would've determined her allegiance by now," Sylvain said, raising a brow towards his friend.

"Maybe. Maybe not. I just wanted to see for myself." Felix smirked. "I liked what I saw."

"A-alright then. Whatever works for you, pal."

Felix became quiet, choosing to observe the rest of the meeting in silence. Sylvain watched over him, keeping a close eye on his old friend.

Mercedes and Annette, meanwhile, looked at each other nervously. They laughed it off, although their raised brows continued to radiate a sense of uncertainty. Together, they turned to face the Resistance.

"So, um, how have you all been? What sort of battles have you gotten into lately? Judging from the fact that you're all still alive, it couldn't have been anything too bad, right?" Annette tittered.

"Well…" Ingrid scratched the back of her neck. "We were able to retake Arianrhod from the Dukedom's control. However…"

"However?" Mercedes arched an eyebrow.

Ingrid was about to speak, but she clenched her fist, reluctant to say anything. Sylvain and Felix halted whatever argument they were having in the corner, now interested in what their blonde-haired friend was about to say.

"It was destroyed."

Lucas stepped forward from the crowd, a heavy tone to his voice.

"Cornelia and her allies…destroyed the whole city," he continued. "Using weapons known as Javelins of Light."

Annette gasped, while Mercedes covered her agape mouth with a hand. Not even Sylvain and Felix could contain their surprise.

"Hundreds of people died. Maybe even over a thousand. We saved some of them - they're all in Galatea right now. But most…" Lucas closed his eyes, his face turning into a scowl. "Most refused to come with us. They didn't want to listen to their enemy."

"Including Ashe," said Ingrid.

"W-what?" Annette asked - a hint of sadness in her voice.

Ingrid turned to Lucas, who merely nodded before reopening his eyes.

"Ashe was there. He was defending Arianrhod alongside Gwendal. I fought him, then I…" A shiver shook the foundations of Lucas' body and soul. His breathing became irregular.

"I killed him."

The room became silent. Lucas' allies within the Resistance already knew, which meant they weren't very surprised. Despite this, the distinct feeling of awkwardness prevented them from saying anything.

The Blue Lions were mute, as well. However, they were completely stunned. Shocked and utterly surprised - not a single one of them moved. Even Felix was wide-eyed, but only for a moment. Annette, Mercedes, and Sylvain all had their mouths open. Their attention was locked entirely onto Lucas.

"Y-you killed him? Why?" Annette frowned, her head slightly downcast. "Couldn't you have captured him as a prisoner of war or something? Why kill him, Professor?"

"Annie…" Mercedes looked over to her friend. "I'm sure Professor Lucas didn't mean to do it. All sorts of things happen in war. Maybe the battle was so hectic that killing Ashe was the only thing he could do."

"But Mercie…was that the only thing he could've done? Was killing him r-really the answer?"

Mercedes flicked her gaze over to Lucas, with Annette soon following suit. The black, scruffy-haired British man had his eyes aimed directly at the room's stone floor, away from the prying views of anyone else.

"I don't know," he said with a sigh. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I could've saved him. But that's not what I did. That's giving me far too much credit, Annette."

Annette and Mercedes furrowed their brows, but before they could open their mouths to respond, an audible scoff came from Felix.

"I don't know what you're all concerned about," the Fraldarius heir said once attention was brought onto him. "We all know Ashe wanted to fight for Lonato's legacy. For the memories he shared with that man and all of that guy's beliefs. Siding with the Empire, it's only natural it would come to this."

"I…kind of agree with Felix." Sylvain put a hand on his head. "Ashe left us a long time ago. He made his choice, and now he's paid the ultimate price for it. You girls really aren't about to blame Professor Lucas for this, are you?"

"Well, no, not exactly, but still. I think he could've done something different. Something that didn't end up…you know."

"I agree with that, too. But you gotta understand something, Annette. This is just how war is, most of the time. Sometimes, things just happen. Things that you wish you could go back and change." Sylvain shook his head. "But you can't. Nobody can. Blame it on the war - not the people that fight it."

Felix sneered. "You say that like you know what you're talking about."

"I do." Sylvain turned around - a strained, neutral expression on his visage. "Don't you?"

"I…damn you." Felix huffed. He folded his arms and turned away, becoming silent once more.

Sylvain grinned as he slowly turned back around, no longer facing Felix.

"So, with that in mind, there's no point in thinking about anything Professor Lucas could've done differently, Annette. There's always gonna be things we look back on and think 'oh man, I could've done this instead'. But we'll never know the outcome of what that other action could've been, so why think about it?"

"Mmm." Mercedes nodded. "Don't think about what might have happened. Think about what did happen. Isn't that right?"

"Yeah, you got it, Mercedes. Exactly what I was saying. You get it now, Annette?"

Annette paused.

"I think I do. Still, it's hard for me to believe that he's really dead. First it was Dedue, now it's Ashe…are we all going to die?"

Everyone in the room was quiet. Nobody had any answers or quips regarding the girl's question. Annette nervously flicked between every other person within the meeting room before deciding to retreat to the wall. Mercedes followed her.

The silence lasted for some time. Shattering it was a grunt from Dimitri.

"Another one…" he muttered to himself.

His eyes then shot over to Lucas.

"Professor."

Lucas looked up, no longer focusing on the floor.

"Dimitri," he said with a mix of sorrow and exhaustion to his voice. "Do you need something?"

"Do you long for the heads of those behind this abhorrent war?"

"Uh, n-no. I…I don't long for anyone's heads."

Dimitri scowled at him. "Is that so? Was that what you were thinking five years ago when we were discussing the future?"

"What?"

"Dedue is dead, Professor. That has been the case for many years. I was unable to kill Cornelia, to prove her true, treasonous self before she had a chance to enact her plans. I could have killed her regardless. However, because I trusted you, I adhered to your recommendation."

The blonde-haired man slammed his fist on the table, causing a significantly-sized crack upon impact.

"Dedue is no longer with us, all because I trusted you! I placed my faith in you, and this is what has happened!" Dimitri's volume skyrocketed to a yell. "I should kill you where you stand. Make you suffer the same fate you forced himthrough!"

He pulled out a lance that had an orange glow to it from underneath his royal, blue cloak. Areadbhar was pointed straight at Lucas' throat, though there was a distance between the Relic's pointed end and the former professor's body.

"Your Highness…" Rodrigue stepped towards the table. "Is this necessary?"

"Get out of my way. I will have my revenge for Dedue's passing. It could have been avoided, had I not listened to this fool." Dimitri slightly lunged Areadbhar in Lucas' direction as if substituting the weapon for a finger.

"I…I'm sorry, I'm-"

"Your apologies mean nothing to me. They will not bring Dedue back to life."

Dimitri promptly vaulted over the table, allowing his Hero's Relic to inch closer to Lucas' throat.

"I'll send you to the deepest pits of hell."

He retracted his arm, ready to lunge Areadbhar forward. Lucas closed his eyes and whimpered, making no move to fight back.

Some people around him were about to intercept. Edelgard, especially, was just about ready to use her Sword of the Creator to parry Dimitri's blow. Before she could do so - someone else reached out.

"N-no, stop!"

Marianne held out her arm, which almost reached the stick of the lance. Dimitri was frozen and his eyes were wide open.

"You… " he said slowly. "What are you-"

"P-please, stop. Don't do this. Your heart is burdened by your guilt, b-but that doesn't mean you should kill Professor Lucas." Marianne approached Dimitri, step after sluggish step.

"But he…he's the reason why Dedue isn't here, by my side. If it were not for him…"

"I-I don't think he killed him. Didn't that mage, Cornelia, do it? She's the one you should be focusing your anger on. N-not the professor."

"Ah-!"

Dimitri's eyes shook and his arm trembled. Underneath the sleeve of his armor, his knuckles became white with fury. He lowered Areadbhar and closed his eyes.

"Cornelia. That witch…she was the one that killed Dedue. A piercing spell through his heart, him falling to the ground - I will never forget that moment." Dimitri reopened his eyes, aiming them directly at Lucas. "The professor was the one that allowed that to happen. Why should I not kill him, Marianne?"

"B-because it won't help. It won't take away the pain that you feel inside. All you'll be doing is killing an ally, and that will only hurt those around you."

Marianne walked ever further, eventually reaching Dimitri's side. She placed a hand on his arm.

"Dimitri, please. Don't give in to the burdens within you. I don't know what I would do with myself if you did."

His mouth fell slightly open. Everyone else within the room was observing the scene before them, though they didn't matter. Not to Dimitri and Marianne. Not at this time.

"Marianne, you…are you not afraid? I thought you were concerned about your own burdens. Your misfortune, I remember you calling it. Are you unafraid of getting closer to me?"

She shook her head. "No. Recently, I came face-to-face with the source of my curse. The one reason why I was so d-distant in the past. Through that, I learned something. A valuable lesson. And now, I a-am not afraid of others. It's…warm. Speaking to other people, and enjoying their presence."

Marianne smiled.

"I want to help you realize what I learned. It hurts me to see you suffer like this. For now, please stop. There's no need to fight or to kill. Not now."

Dimitri stared back at the blue-haired woman. His heart raced, beating faster by the second. His stare wavered and his arms began to shake.

"I…I understand. My apologies. To you, Marianne," Dimitri looked over to Lucas, whose eyes were still closed. "And to you, Professor."

He scanned over the facial expressions of the entire room. Most had their brows raised, eyes and mouths wide open, some were even ready to intercept with their weapons of choice. Lucas reopened his eyes when he heard Dimitri call out to him. His face joined the chorus of fear and confusion.

"My apologies to you all. I didn't mean to…I'm sorry. I will take my leave."

Dimitri began walking. He ignored everyone's stares, brushing past them all on his way to the double doors. Effortlessly pushing them open, the member of Faerghus royalty wandered the halls of Rodrigue's manor all on his own.

Glances were shared amongst the people remaining in the room.

"So," said Claude. "What now?"

Rodrigue coughed. "Well, I would like to discuss a potential plan of attack for our assault on Fhirdiad, but I feel that won't be suitable at this moment. Perhaps we can discuss it in the morning, after breakfast."

"Fine by me. I think we'd all be better off with some rest right about now. Uh, where are the rooms?"

"Allow me. I'll ask Gilbert and some of my other knights to help you to your beds. I just hope he isn't too preoccupied at the moment."

Rodrigue departed from the room, having gone to find some people to bring his manor's visitors to their lodgings. He was eventually able to do so. As such, the members of the Resistance were finally allowed to breathe easy. Rest was within reach.

However, for some, sleep was quite difficult to attain. After being brought to his room by one of Rodrigue's knights, Lucas collapsed onto his bed.

His eyes remained open.

Author Notes: Boom, now they're at Fraldarius! And now the Blue Lions have returned to the story (sans Ashe and Dedue)! Next stop, the capital city of the Kingdom!

review responses:

Gilgamesh9999: Thank you, much appreciated! Sorry to hear that your fic met some kind of unfortunate fate, but hey, there's always a chance to try again.

Thanks for the reviews, favourites, and follows, everyone! I'll see you next time...

Actually, no. I've got something to announce. Currently, I'm basically broke IRL. I've been looking for a job for a while, and I haven't quite been able to get one yet. I'm not in a super dangerous position as my family's willing to support me, but I would like to get some money of my own ASAP.

Which is why I'm announcing that I've opened up a Fiverr page! I will officially write you a short story or chapter of a fanfic, for any fandom and for largely any genre! For a price, of course. Please do commission me if you want! I would greatly appreciate it. Don't feel like you have to, though - it's just a neat little thing I can do for you.

A link to my Fiverr page can be found on my profile.

And with that, now I'll see you next time!

If you want a cool place to hang out, talk about random stuff (mainly fanfiction), then the Fanfiction Treehouse Discord server is the place for you! I'm there, as are a whole bunch of writers you may have heard about! Here's the invite code: 9XG3U7a.