A/N: I wanted to finish this chapter last week, but this chapter ended up being harder to write than I expected.
Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers!
Also Trigger warning for this chapter as there is a PTSD panic attack in it.
Blue Sea Moon 1180:
Night of the Twenty-Sixth of the Blue Sea Moon:
Byleth was incredible. That was a fact that Dimitri always strongly believed in but witnessing her fighting that night, only made that fact more believable. Felix should have died when the terrifying knight first appeared, Dimitri did not doubt that, and he was sure that the swordsman would agree. It was only by Byleth's unbelievable skill that Felix lived; it was almost like she could see into the future and if that were a power, she possessed, Dimitri wouldn't be that surprised. It was only because of her incredible skill that he had reluctantly accepted that she would face the knight alone; and because he painfully understood that he would only get in her way.
All throughout the battle Dimitri would constantly look over at Byleth, whenever he got a free chance. He knew it was incredibly dangerous and foolish to take his eyes off his own opponents, but he couldn't help himself. It wasn't just because he was worried that he took the risk but because he was in awe of her skill. Despite facing an opponent on horseback, she had elegantly evaded all the knight's attacks as she danced around the open area. It was like watching a beautiful but deadly dance that he could watch endlessly.
She was far stronger than he gave her credit for but at the same time she had seemed so incredibly fragile. In the mist of fighting that gruesome battle, she had still managed to release an arrow that saved Ingrid's life, from an enemy that no one in her little group was aware of. But the surprise and admiration Byleth's action brought didn't last long as he soon saw her coughing terribly. All the amazing things she had done till that point were instantly negated in Dimitri's eyes, when he saw just how much blood she had coughed up.
He screamed out her name as he desperately ran to her, frustrated and terrified at just how far of a distance he had to cover. It was only at that moment that he remembered that Ashe had told him about a similar instance happening in the battle against Lonato. His throat burned as he realized that his selfishness might have cost him everything. If he hadn't been so determined to avoid her, he could have learned if she had a disease of some kind. He could have gotten her help and yet for his own deplorable reasons he had forgotten such a critical point of information.
He fell to his knees when Felix had gotten to her in time. He long since stopped believing that the goddess cared but, in that moment, he thanked her with all his heart, as tears of relief slide down his face. A shaky breath escaped him, when it dawned on him that he would have a chance to make up for his sins.
His relief was short lived when he saw her separate from Felix. His heart dropped when he saw her get into a fighting stance. Her name was a soft whisper on his lips as he couldn't bring himself to call out to her. He knew better than anyone that she would continue to fight and wouldn't listen to anyone that tried to stop her, if it meant she could at least protect one person. It was a trait of hers that he both loved and hated.
The sight of Byleth standing triumphantly over the defeated knight was an image that Dimitri would not be able to forget, because no matter how weak she may seem she was still an incredible force to deal with. It made him wonder if he would ever be able to reach her level and if he couldn't than that was okay. After witnessing her victory, he wasn't sure if he could actually provide her any kind of protection, and while that thought did sting, he was still going to offer it anyway.
He wished he could have been the one to catch her when she staggered. Though he was grateful that Felix did catch her, he couldn't help but feel bitter about it, even when he knew he wasn't deserving to feel such a way. Unable to help her at that moment, he vowed to end the battle quickly so that she may rest.
Felix's complaints had momentarily halted Dimitri's advancement. When he looked back at Byleth, fear gripped his heart when he saw her rushing towards the enemy commander. He wanted to call out to her but couldn't. He wanted her to be more selfish and take care of herself first before worrying about others, but he recognized that it was against her nature.
Regardless if he were a happy about the situation or not, Dimitri watched her, as that was the only thing he could really do at that moment. She was much slower, her shoulders were no longer as stiff, and her grip didn't seem as strong as her sword would constantly bounce, but despite that her stance was still solid and her movements were careful. That night had just been a night of many realizations for the young prince. He always knew that Byleth had been constantly fighting for her life, but it wasn't until that moment that he truly understood what that meant. He prayed that someday she would truly live in peace.
Silently he decided that he was going to quickly dispose of as many of the enemies as he possibly could so that she could hurry up and rest. That was his plan, but it was cut short when he heard several people call for her and he snapped his head back to look at her again. The room fell silent as all eyes were watching Byleth standing tall wielding a strange sword. From the glow that the sword emitted he instantly knew that it was a Hero Relic.
Dimitri and all his childhood friends would one day come to possess Hero Relics, whether they wanted them or not. It was their birthright, many would argue. But standing there staring at Byleth's back while she was wielding that sword, he thought none was more deserving to wield such a powerful weapon than her.
He was sure all his fellow Blue Lions would describe the sight of their professor brandishing a Hero Relic to be captivating. He would describe it that way as well but also heartbreaking. When they were children she had once confided in him that she both hated and was terrified of her crest; and though she hadn't said anything about it, since they reunited, he knew that she still felt the same given her reaction when her crest activated in front of everyone. While many would love the chance to be able to use a Relic, he was sure that she was cursing her fate at that moment. He wished he could save her from whatever fate had instore for her.
Dimitri's guesses were quickly proven correct when Byleth yelled out and discarded the Relic. Despite being fueled by nothing but anger, a new sight for him, she still managed to finish off the leader with ease. He didn't know if the battle was over or not, but he suspected it was or at the very least it would be soon. He didn't care to check or give his friends any warning before tossing his lance aside and rushing over to the woman, he loved.
He couldn't reach her in time before she screamed out in pain. On her knees she looked to be in incredible pain, and he had no idea what to do. In a near state of panic he grabbed her shoulders, though his grip was uncommonly weak. She turned her gaze towards him and her usually strong gaze was gone and instead he was confronted with a weak one.
"It burns," she said so pitifully, and it was only then did he registered the intense warmth she radiated. With a shaky breath, his grip slide from her shoulders to the sides of her arms to support her but his grip was far too light to properly support her or anything for that matter.
She gave him a look that wanted to convey something, but she never got the chance to say or show it. His heart stopped when she collapsed against his chest. His shaky breaths quickly became rapid and uneven as he stared at nothing.
She felt like a raging fire and he could feel that heat searing across his arms and back. Her last words repeated in his minds until it was no longer her voice he heard, but dozens of other voices repeating the same thing but with much more intensity. Slowly his gaze dripped upwards and he was no longer in the Holy Mausoleum but in a scorching field in Duscur. Now fully hyperventilating he returned his gaze to the body, in his arms, but it wasn't Byleth, he saw, it was the lifeless corpse of Glenn, instead.
The sounds of new voices tore Dimitri's gaze away from Glenn and he saw he was nearly surrounded by unfamiliar, shadowy figures. The color drained from his face and it felt like something had gripped his heart as he starred at the figures. His body felt heavy, grounding him to his spot, despite the fierce desire to run away boiling within him.
One of the figures stepped forward and a jolt ran down his spine. "Stay back!" he yelled as he found the strength to stand up, dragging Glenn's corpse with him. The one figure stopped, but another was quick to step forward shouting, but he couldn't make out anything that was being said.
Desperate to maintain a distance from the fierce shadow he stumbled back while still dragging Glenn. His chaotic mind came to a sudden stop when a familiar voice called out to him. Locking his gaze on the one shadow figure that called for him, everything slowly became clear when the shadow melted away and Dedue now stood in the shadow's place.
Blinking a few times, he discovered that he wasn't in the seared remains of a field in Duscur but in the Holy Mausoleum, instead. It took him a few more seconds to register that the shadowy figures were his classmates. With a clearer mind, he was able to see that it was Mercedes, who first tried to approach him, and Felix was the one shouting at him.
He looked at everyone as his heartrate slowly returned to its normal rhythm and his breathing stabilized. Mercedes took another cautious step towards him and he flinched a little. "Please Your Highness," she spoke so softly. "Please allow me to look at the Professor." Tentatively he looked away from her to look at what she had been pointing at, and instead of Glenn's corpse, he was awkwardly holding, it was Byleth.
In shock he nearly dropped her, and his awkward hold of her became worse as he struggled to get a better grip. Felix's shouting his insulting nickname snapped Dimitri out of his panic, and he looked up at his friend. The swordsman glared fiercely at him and was shouting something else, but Dimitri wasn't able to register any of it. Too lost to be able to really think of anything to do, he could only stare at his friend.
Eventually, Felix's patience had reached its end and he was the first to breakthrough the little bubble of space that Dimitri had maintained. Shoving the prince back, he tried to pull Byleth free, only for Dimitri to hold onto her tighter. The swordsman growled out, but it still wasn't enough to register for the confused man.
"Do you want her to die?!" Felix screamed out at the top of his lungs and that pierced through Dimitri's haze. At Felix's words the prince relaxed his grip considerably but when Felix tried to pull Byleth free again, Dimitri held on tight. "You son of a-" Felix yelled with a fist raised high but before he could finish what he was going to do, Mercedes had stepped in.
At the gentle woman's insistence, Felix stepped away, though he didn't move as far as she had suggested. With her calming voice, Dimitri once again relaxed his grip. With some gentle coaxing, he allowed her to guide him to the floor. He still had no intention of letting go but he did allow Mercedes to talk him into turning Byleth over and onto her back and moving his grip to her shoulders.
"Oh no!" Mercedes nearly yelled and Dimitri again increased his grip. Her calm exterior quickly fell away, and she was no longer explaining anything as she threw Byleth's necklace away. "Annie, please come quick!" the alarm in Mercedes' voice had Dimitri even more on edge, and he was desperately fighting the urge to take Byleth back.
Without giving a warning, the healer tore open the rest of Byleth's torn up tunic. If he had been in a calmer state of mind, he might have looked away for Byleth's sake, but he wasn't, and even if he was, he would still have looked because of just how shocking the discovery was. Across Byleth's chest was a massive red symbol that looked like a flame. Both he and Mercedes stared at it for a moment, processing it.
"Wha-what is this?" Mercedes finally asked. Her fingers barely skimmed across the mark before she had to pull her hand back, almost as if the mark had burned her.
"Her crest!" Ingrid answered because she was the only one capable of doing so. It was only then that both Dimitri and Mercedes realized that most of their class had joined them, with Ashe being the only one missing.
"But her crest had only covered half of her chest, right? Or at least that is what I remember being told," Sylvain said. No longer caring about the strange mark, Mercedes went about explaining to Annette what she had to do. Not sure who to focus on, Dimitri's attention was constantly shifting back and forth.
"Her crest was incomplete when we were children, so maybe this is what the completed version looks like?" Ingrid's voice started to lose confidence the more she spoke.
"She did have a similar reaction when her crest first activated, right?" Felix asked in a now calmer tone that was helping to calm everyone else. "She should be okay then, right? She was perfectly fine the first time."
Besides the two woman that were attending to Byleth, all eyes were on the swordsman but when the healer voiced her surprise again, everyone returned their gaze to her. "Where Is her wound?" Mercedes asked obviously to herself, as her hand slid over the upper part of Byleth's chest, carefully avoiding the crest. "I was sure I saw her slashed right here." The healer matched Dimitri's gaze, as if seeking answers. He didn't know what to say and so he remained silent. Eventually she went back to looking over their professor.
"What is wrong?" Annette finally asked the question that was on everyone's mind. The job that had been assigned to her was to try and cool Byleth down some by using her magic to constantly blow a light breeze on the heated woman.
"I…I don't know," Mercedes said after moment of silence. "I cannot find any wounds to treat and yet she's burning up. Nor do I sense any poison coursing through her veins."
Unable to really do anything Dimitri just sat there as Mercedes and Annette did whatever they could. Felix, Sylvain, and Dedue checked on all the bodies making sure that all their enemies were indeed dead or at least out of commission. Ingrid stood protectively over Dimitri, but her gaze would constantly drop to Byleth. Slowly coming back to his senses, he was in a much better state of mind, but he refused to leave Byleth's side.
Suddenly the doors were swung open and everyone was instantly on guard but quickly relaxed when they discovered that it was some knights being led by Catherine and Ashe as well as the Black Eagles and their professor. The knights immediately took over assessing the situation while Professor Manuela and Catherine ran over to Mercedes when she called for them. Gasps and murmurs filled the room when Byleth's condition was made aware to everyone.
As soon as Professor Manuela touched the unconscious woman, she immediately called for Linhardt and the mage rushed over at a pace not usually seen of him. He didn't immediately go about healing, like he was ordered too, and instead stared at Byleth's crest with a gaze Dimitri didn't like. Dimitri's fingers twitched with the urge to cover Byleth, to hide her away from the mage's gaze, but he fought against the urge. It wasn't until Professor Manuela yelled at Linhardt did he go about finally healing Byleth.
The Crest of Saint Cethlean glowed brightly, on the back of Linhardt's left hand, and his magic grew more intense that even Dimitri could faintly feel it. The mage's expression remained neutral for a moment, but it slowly morphed into a frown and his eyebrows knitted together. Not long after that did, he stop healing, despite the complaints he got from his professor.
"I cannot find anything wrong with her," he said but his eyes remained on Byleth. "Despite her high temperature she seems to be perfectly fine."
"We suspect it is because of her crest activating," Dimitri explained, feeling the need to take charge of the situation now that his head was clear. Both Professor Manuela and Linhardt stared at him and he struggled to not squirm under their gaze. After a moment Linhardt returned his gaze back to Byleth and mumbled something under his breath. Once again Dimitri wanted to shield her from the mage's gaze.
Professor Manuela looked over the former mercenary again muttering her own secret words. The healer was now calmer as she looked over Byleth and with her now in a calmer state, it started to spread to the rest of the little group there. Catherine gave a small nod to Professor Manuela when their eyes met, and she left to join her knights.
Loathe as he was to leave Byleth's side, he did so in order to take charge of the Blue Lions, who seemed lost at that moment. His fellow lions had flocked to him, except for Felix, all were awaiting orders. He gave the order for them to assist the knights, except for Ashe, who was to search for Professor Hanneman. Now able to focus on other things he could feel himself relaxing a little, though that was only because he was constantly telling himself that Byleth would be fine.
As he surveyed the area, his gaze landed on Edelgard and Hubert. Edelgard was looking at Byleth with a look of indifference while Hubert almost seemed delighted. He didn't expect for Edelgard to remember Byleth, she didn't remember him after all, but he had hoped she would show at least some concern. He didn't want to think ill of any of his fellow classmates, especially Edelgard, but her and Hubert's reactions were bothering him. He hoped it was just because he was really sensitive at that moment that was making him misread their expressions.
A new commotion broke out when the forgotten Hero Relic was discovered. In glee or nervousness, Dimitri couldn't tell, Annette blurted out that Byleth was able to wield it. Murmurs broke out in the mausoleum and he wished he could silence them for Byleth's sake. He was sure a new batch of rumors about her were going to be floating around tomorrow.
The strange Relic was held awkwardly in Catherine's hand, and he was finally able to notice its current state. The blade dangled in sperate sections; it looked like it was broken, but he suspected differently, given the damages to the roof. Catherine tried a few times to swing the sword to see if it would return to its original position but nothing she did worked; the sword wouldn't even glow dimly for her like most Relics do for crest bearers. With the sword's unique look and Catherine's lack of ability to wield it, the sword seemed to be even more special than all the other Hero Relics, and that seemed to be fitting for a weapon that Byleth could use; even if Dimitri was sure it would be a fact that Byleth hated.
Giving up on trying to restore the Relic, Catherine walked over to him with the strange sword in hand. "You need to discuss what happened her with Lady Rhea," she said. With a frown he glanced at Byleth. He didn't want to leave her but with her out of commission and him being the class leader it was his responsibility to report to the archbishop in her place. When he didn't budge or look back at Catherine, the knight spoke up again, "she will be fine, Your Highness. Byleth is stronger than this." His gaze returned to Catherine, in the form of a little glare. No one needed to tell him such a thing as he was more aware of that fact than anyone else, but it didn't change his desires.
Catherine returned his glare with a sharper one. The look she wore was similar to the one his uncle would use to remind him of his duties. With gritted teeth he gave her a nod and she returned it before she started to leave first.
As Catherine walked away, he spotted Edelgard eyeing the mysterious weapon. The look in her eyes was different from the genuine curiosity Linhardt expressed when he looked at the sword. Her looked seemed more darker, almost as if she wanted to covet the sword for herself. He didn't get to dwell on the strange look for long because Annette had pulled his attention away.
"Do not worry about the Professor," Annette said with her normally bubbly cheer that he desperately needed. "We shall make sure she is safe. You can leave it to us!" What she said should have brought him comfort but it didn't. He wasn't sure if it was even possible for him to be completely comfortable that night.
A loud clearing of the throat from Catherine was the only sign that he needed to know that he couldn't stay any longer. Presenting Annette with a princely smile, he decided to try and focus on the thought that Byleth was in good hands and that his presence was not needed. Right as he and Catherine were about to leave Professor Hanneman and Claude arrived with Ashe. Professor Hanneman and Ashe stopped to give a small greeting, while Claude rushed in. The thought that Claude would get to stay with Byleth while he couldn't, irked the prince greatly.
The trek to the Goddess Tower felt incredibly long to Dimitri and he hated every second of it. Catherine wasn't like her usual self and was quiet all throughout the walk over. At first, he assumed it was because she knew he didn't want to talk but he knew that wasn't the case. He the proceeded to wonder if she was lost in her own thoughts and if so, did her thoughts involve Byleth, since the two seemed to have a complicated relationship.
When they finally reached the tower, he wanted to release a sigh, but it got caught in his throat when he saw Jeralt leaning against the tower's doors, completely unaware of what happened to his daughter. The older man gave a laze wave when they approached but made no effort to stand properly. Tsking loudly Catherine made her way over to the knight captain.
"Jeralt!" Catherine growled out his name when she stood before him, and he didn't seem at all bothered. "You need to take the job of protecting Lady Rhea more seriously!"
"Yeah, yeah," Jeralt mumbled with a small, nonchalant wave of his hand. She glared at him and he just rolled his eyes. "No one is getting past me, alright?"
Before Catherine could say another complaint, Dimitri interrupted them. "Sir Jeralt!" he called for the older man with more alarm in his voice than he meant too. Jeralt now stood properly, giving the prince his full attention. "Byleth collapsed in the Holy Mausoleum!"
"What?!" the father stared at the younger man and when Dimitri nodded yes, he took off running.
"Where do you think you are going?" Catherine yelled and Jeralt stopped, his body was shaking slightly. Dimitri couldn't tell if it was from fear or anger.
"My daughter collapsed! Where in the damn Eternal Flame do you think I'm going?!" Jeralt asked with a fierce glare.
"What about Lady Rhea?"
"You are here! Use that damned Relic of yours to protect her!" he yelled as he went back to running.
Catherine cursed loudly but Dimitri payed her no mind as he watched Jeralt vanish into the night. While he still very much wanted to be at Byleth's side, he could at least take in a small comfort that she would be safe with her father. With Jeralt gone, Catherine had no other complaints to share and took up a guard stance.
Thanks to traditions the archbishop was not to be disturbed and he hated it. There was no reason that he had to leave as early as he did. Someone could have easily fetched for him once the Rite of Rebirth was finished. If Catherine was aware of his frustrations, she never showed it and dutifully guarded the entrance to the Goddess Tower.
Just as his patience was nearing its end the Goddess Tower's doors opened. Seteth was the first to step out and abruptly stopped when he saw two unexpected people. His eyes narrowed but he never got the chance to speak as the archbishop was quick to interrupt him.
A strike contrast to Seteth's suspicious gaze, Lady Rhea wore a soft smile as she greeted both Catherine and Dimitri. The prince found himself relaxing a little under such a warm gaze, though it didn't last for too long. Catherine had remained tensed and it was affecting him.
"Captain Jeralt abandoned his post," Catherine said in a bitter tone.
"Only because Byleth had collapsed!" Dimitri was quick to retort, forgetting his position and manners in the process. Catherine shot him a warning glare, but he wasn't going to back down.
"Easy now," Lady Rhea said in a gentle tone that broke through the tension. "I would like to be informed on the situation. Why has Professor Byleth collapsed?" The concern in her voice in her final question, had returned Dimitri to a more relaxed state, though he remained a bit on edge thanks to the knight, next to him. "Could you please explain what is going on."
"Certainly," Dimitri started as he gave the archbishop a proper bow. "By- I mean Professor Byleth had successfully determined that the attempt on your Holiness life was a lie. Merely a distraction to pull everyone's attention away from their true target, the Holy Mausoleum." Lady Rhea's expression never changed while Seteth arched an eyebrow.
He carefully explained the battle to everyone and made sure to sing Byleth's praise. At the description of the intruders, color left Seteth's face while the archbishop kept up her unwavering expression. He hoped to one day to be able to maintain a level of calm like Lady Rhea could, during difficult times.
Once his tale was nearing its end, Catherine had brought attention to the mysterious Hero Relic that they found. The advisor's eyes widen as he started at the sword and his jaw dropped when he heard that Byleth had wielded it. Lady Rhea had maintained her smile, but for a reason Dimitri couldn't explain, it felt different.
The archbishop carefully took the sword from and Catherine and held it fondly. Her smile grew when she learned that Byleth had collapsed shortly after using it. He felt incredibly uncomfortable at that smile Lady Rhea wore and for her complete confidence that Byleth would be okay.
"Lady Rhea, may I ask what Relic that sword is?" Catherine asked. "It wouldn't respond to me at all."
The archbishop chuckled slightly as she ran one of her hands over the sword in a loving touch. "That would be impossible for you or any other crest bearers unless they possess the right crest." Lady Rhea finally took her eyes off the sword and held it higher so that everyone could better see it. "The Sword of the Creator is a most unique Hero Relic as it can only be wielded by those that possess the Crest of Flames."
Dimitri's heart sank at those words. A long-lost Hero Relic and crest, he could imagine that many would love to be the one to possess those qualities and yet for the one who did, he was sure she would hate that very fact. This fact made a lot of sense given Byleth's situation and uniqueness but for her sake he wished it wasn't true, that it had just been a fluke and that the Relic didn't really react to her at all.
With that little explanation over, Lady Rhea began to lead the group to the infirmary. While he wanted to return to Byleth's side as quickly as possible, he retained a small distance from the archbishop. Byleth had once told him that Lady Rhea had made her uncomfortable and now, he had an inkling as to why. Unlike Seteth, who was shock to hear such news, the archbishop had been calm, almost like she had been expecting for Byleth to stumble upon that sword. As they walked, he recalled how Jeralt had told him that he suspected that the church had done something to Byleth and now Dimitri was wondering if Jeralt didn't suspect the whole church but just one woman in it.
Dimitri tried to keep his hopes in check before they arrived at the infirmary. He wasn't expecting for Byleth to be awake, but he was at least hoping that she would have been in better condition, but that wasn't the case either. Both Professor Hanneman and Manuela were still clueless as to why Byleth was having such an intense activation and their theory was proven correct when Lady Rhea announced that Byleth possessed the Crest of Flames. The announcement shocked everyone, but Dimitri noticed that it wasn't pleasing news to Jeralt, who had immediately turned away from Lady Rhea after the announcement.
One of the abilities the Crest of Flames granted was an incredible healing power, which was even far greater than that of a major Crest of Riegan. A possible small complication from crest healing was a fever, which both the remaining professors believed was what causing Byleth's high temperature and because of how great of a power the Crest of Flames provided was their theory for the severe reaction. Even though Byleth no longer had any noticeable wounds, it had been agreed upon that they wouldn't try and suppress her crest's power as it could possibly be healing an internal injury that none of the healers were able to discover. Dimitri prayed that it was an internal injury that she had and not some illness that had caused her to cough up blood.
It was agreed that Byleth was to remain in the infirmary so that Professor Manuela could keep an eye on her in case something was to change. Jeralt was the only one allowed to stay in the infirmary and loathe as Dimitri was to leave, he at least took comfort in knowing that Jeralt was there. The prince kept trying to focus on that, but it was hard, and he struggled with that throughout the night.
He didn't want to be alone that night but also didn't want to bother anyone else. In the end, his desire to not be a bother won out and he chose to suffer in silence. He was sure he wouldn't be able to sleep that night, but exhaustion had caught up to him in the end.
Flames burned all around a young Dimitri and screams filled the air. Tears streamed down his face, but they couldn't do anything to soothe the irritation that his eyes felt from all the smoke. His lungs burned not just from the smoke but also from overuse as he ran. He obediently obeyed the knights' orders to run but he had no idea where to go. He tried to call out for his father or Glenn, but his voice was lost to all the other sounds that plagued that area. As he ran, he desperately tried to tune out the final screams of loyal knights, but he couldn't, and they would forever echo in his mind.
His short legs were unable to last very long and he fell face first into the dirt. Rocks and gravel dug into his skin, but he didn't care. He didn't want to get up and choose to remain on the ground crying and grasping for air.
A gentle call of his name, had him shooting his head up and he looked all around for the source. Just a head of him was a shadowy woman. He couldn't make out any of her feature, but he just knew it had to be her, and he found the strength to get up and run to her.
"Byleth!" he screamed out her name when his hand finally met her outreached hand. Upon touching her his heart relaxed but only for a very short moment. Violently, she pulled him towards her, and he collided hard against her. The smell of burnt flesh assaulted his nose. Frantically, he tried to pull his hand free, but it only caused her to increase her grip and it was now hurting him. His struggle came to an end when he looked up at her face and was greeted with hollow, dried out eyes.
"Are you going to abandon me too?"
Dimitri awoke suddenly in a cold sweat. His labored breathing and rapid heartbeat were the only sounds that disruptive the stillness of his room. He sat upright for the longest moment staring at the wall before him before he finally buried his face into his hands.
A shiver ran down his spine as the vivid image of Byleth's burnt corpse invaded his mind. He hadn't dreamt of a dead Byleth in years, ever since he learned that she was alive, but even then, she had never appeared in his nightmares of the Tragedy. He tried to remind himself that she was okay, but it was having little effect as his nerves were still on end.
With a few slow, deep breaths he managed to control his breathing and pulled his hands away from his face. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness so he could make out his room. Despite knowing full well that he would not be able to fall back asleep, he did not move.
He had no idea how long he sat there staring at nothing, but the emptiness was nice while it lasted. The little peace was shattered when his nightmare returned to the forefront of his mind. With a small groan, he finally got up.
Standing before his desk, he stared down at it. On nights like this he would seek out a distraction, but he didn't have the motivation to work on anything. With a sigh he looked out the window, whose curtains he had forgotten to close. The main building of Garreg Mach stood as a stark contrast to all the other smaller buildings that surrounded it.
His gaze slowly drifted back to his desk. He didn't want to work. He just wanted to see Byleth, to know that his nightmare was nothing more than that. Looking back out the window, he found the resolve and quickly got dressed.
It wasn't until he was standing outside the infirmary that he realized that he didn't know what to do if he was to be turned away. He was sure he could convince whoever just to give him a moment, but a moment was not going to be enough for him; it never would be. He wasn't sure what would be enough for him as he knew that they wouldn't let him send the rest of the night there.
Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself for whatever time he would be given. Briefly, he contemplated on whether he should knock or not but decided against it, because he feared he could possibly alert a knight to his presence or at least that was what he wanted to believe was his reason. Slowly he opened the door as to make as little noise as possible and he peaked his head inside. Instead of seeing Jeralt, like expected, he saw Claude instead.
He pushed the door more forcefully when he noticed that there wasn't a nurse in there either. Claude glanced at him from over his shoulder but said nothing. The normally cheerful boy lacked his smile. The two stared at each other for a moment before Claude abruptly returned his attention onto the sleeping Byleth.
Dimitri wasted no time in closing the distance. He wanted to ask Claude why he was there but as soon as the prince laid eyes on Byleth that concern was gone. He had hoped that Byleth would be sleeping peacefully, but she wasn't, she looked as if she was in pain, and it bothered him that there was nothing he could do for her.
He was about to brush some of her hair out of her face, but Claude's intense stare, held him back. After a few seconds he decided to look at the Alliance's heir, who instead went back to looking at Byleth. Dimitri didn't say anything and returned his attention to Byleth as well.
"Where is Sir Jeralt?" Dimitri finally asked when the silence got to be too much for him.
Claude was silent for a long while and the prince was almost expecting to not be given an answer. "I convinced Jeralt to take a walk," he said suddenly that Dimitri jumped a little. "It would be easier on him to move around for a bit than to spend the entire night sitting at her bedside. He should be back soon."
"And the nurse?"
"It was time for her lunch, and I promised that I would keep an eye on By for her."
The two fell back into a silence. Claude continued to be without his trademark smile. It bothered Dimitri a little, but he quickly accepted the loss as he wasn't in the mood to wear his princely smile either.
The silence was disturbed when Byleth groaned suddenly. She hardly moved but her face had scrunched up. It pulled at the prince's heart to see her like that. He didn't know she was capable of having nightmares because she had once told him that she only ever dreamt about a long, green haired girl sleeping. He wondered for all the times she had comforted him when he had a nightmare, was she suffering alone in silence.
"By, has a trick to ease nightmares," Claude's voice caused Dimitri to jump a little again, as he had completely forgotten about the other man. "She never shared her technique, but she did say it had to do with some light Faith magic."
The Golden Deer leader reached out to touch Byleth but was stopped when Dimitri suddenly grabbed his wrist. The prince wasn't even aware of his actions and helplessly stared at Claude, who was glaring back fiercely. With a violent shake of his arm, the archer escaped the weak grasp of his captor.
Dimitri opened his mouth to quickly apologize but he never got the chance. "You have forsaken your right to stop me from touching her!" Claude said with such intense venom that Dimitri almost didn't want to believe that the normally laidback noble was capable of such a thing.
Normally Dimitri wasn't confrontational and would usually prefer to peacefully talk over things but something about Claude's tone and words sparked something within him. Struggling to keep his face neutral he stood tall and looked down at the other man, who seemed to have no intention of backing down. Balling his fists, he thought about how if their roles had been reversed Claude wouldn't have allowed him to touch Byleth either.
The two stared each other down. In a provoking stance the Alliance's heir tilted his head upwards slightly, goading the prince to make a move. Gritting his teeth, Dimitri tore his eyes away from the other man to look at Byleth. His anger still burned but he didn't want to fight, at least not there.
Tunning out Claude the prince focused his entire attention on Byleth. Her nightmare, or was it because she was in pain, it was more than likely both had gotten worse and she was now tossing in her sleep. He hated seeing her like that.
It was his turn to reach out to her and have his arm grabbed in the process. He glared dangerously at Claude, who glared back with the same intensity. "If I am not allowed to touch her, what make you think I am going to allow you to touch her?" he asked in a steady tone that only set the prince's anger ablaze.
With ease Dimitri shook of the smaller man's grip. Byleth became a distant thought as he turned his attention onto the unwanted man. "What right do you have to interfere in our affairs?" Dimitri asked calmly and coldly. "I have known By, far longer than you."
Beside the glare nothing else about Claude reflected his anger that he had so openly emitted earlier. "What right do I have?" Claude asked in a flat tone as if he was mocking the taller man. "I believe that I have every right!" His voice quickly became louder and more forceful. "All you seemed to do is to cause suffering for Byleth!" Dimitri flinched but Claude didn't stop and even dared to take a step forward. "She had to suffer under such wretched rumors because of you but despite that she was still beyond happy to have you back in her life, to be your friend again. And what do you do? You abandoned her!"
The Grand Duke's heir's shout awoke Byleth and both men fell silent. Her eyes were glazed over, and she wasn't really looking at either of them. It was clear that she would soon fall back asleep whether she wanted to or not.
Claude's words had stung greatly, and Dimitri could not argue them. His heart sunk as he looked at her and wonder just how much pain he must have caused her. In shame, he looked away, only for a weak hold on his sleeve to pull his attention back to her.
"A…ster?" she asked so quietly that he almost didn't hear it.
It was dead quiet as the men stared at her, while she only focused on Dimitri. He couldn't think of what to say or do. Her weak grip still held onto him and he couldn't even think to return it or to shake it off. All he could do was helplessly stare at her as she held him captive.
All of a sudden, she bolted up right and Claude immediately went about trying to get her to lie back down. She fought against him and none of his words seemed to reach her. Dimitri just watched, still too lost in his little world to be of real use, until she turned her attention on him.
Her grip returned and while it was stronger than earlier it was still incredibly weak. Her glossed over eyes were gone and her gaze was strong, but she looked so terrified. When he saw that look, he finally broke out of his stupor. He grabbed the sides of her arms in a soft grip and tried to guide her back down, but she wouldn't comply.
"Canna! Daisy!" she shouted. Her voice was incredibly horse but that clearly wasn't an issue to her. Her grip tightened but it was still incredibly frail.
It took him a moment to comprehend why she had shouted for them in particular. A soft smile formed on his face when he remembered just how caring and kind she was. His smile must have calmed her as all her fight left her and she allowed him to guide her back to her bed. Her gaze did not once leave his in that entire process.
"They are perfectly fine," he said in the softest tone he could muster. At his words all the tension left her body. "You saved them, remember?" He took the chance to brush some of her sweaty hair out of her face and it still bothered him to feel how heated her skin was, though he made sure not to show it. Slowly, she drifted back to sleep.
Seeing her now sleeping peacefully put his heart at ease. Lost to the world he continued to brush the rest of her hair away from his face. It was in that moment did finally realized just how much he had missed her.
He gladly would have been okay with that moment lasting for all eternity, but unfortunately reality was never so kind to him. He had been trying to ignore Claude's glare, but it was beginning to be too much. Once the final strand of her hair was gone from her face, he finally turned to face the intruder.
The Alliance's heir said nothing and turned his attention back to Byleth. He was back to his unreadable expression. Seeing Claude like that Dimitri felt the last bit of embers of his anger dying out, and so he just stood there unsure of what to do next.
The numbness that Dimitri started to feel didn't last long as the door to the infirmary was open and in walked in Jeralt and the nurse. Jeralt looked haggard and seeing the usually stoic man like that brought back old memories to the prince. He remembered how people used to accuse Jeralt of being an unloving father because of how standoffish he could be with Byleth at times or because of how Byleth had lacked emotions; but as Dimitri saw the man, before him, he had no doubt that Jeralt loved his daughter dearly.
After Jeralt finished his conversation with the nurse he turned to look at Byleth and when he saw Dimitri, he gave the young man a small smile. "Couldn't sleep, huh?" Jeralt asked as he patted Dimitri on the shoulder. "You always would come to see her, whenever something happened. Always caused quite a commotion at that castle when you did that." His small smile grew slightly.
The father gave Claude a small nod before sitting on the chair, next to the bed. As he looked at his daughter his smile began to faulter. "She'll be fine. My daughter is a lot stronger than she looks." Dimitri got the feeling that the father was saying that more for himself than anyone else.
"Yes," Dimitri started in hopes of bring Jeralt some comfort, "she is incredible." His fingers skittered close to her hand, but he never worked up the courage to at least touch her hand. If Dimitri's boldness bothered the father, he never showed it, but his smile became more stable as he looked at his daughter.
"It's late," the nurse said and pulled the young men's attention onto her. "You two need to head back to your rooms and get some sleep." Neither of the young men responded but the nurse didn't seem bothered. "I promise I will look after her. You don't need to worry."
Neither student didn't say anything but they both gave her a nod. Claude left without saying anything, while Dimitri made sure to give a proper goodbye before he left as well. He wasn't surprised to discover Claude waiting for him on the other side of the door. Once the door closed behind them, neither of them dared to move and a stifling silence engulfed them.
Eventually, Claude was the first to make a move and he looked Dimitri in the eye with his sharpest glare yet. "She is only in that state because of you!" After saying his piece Claude walked away, leaving a silent Dimitri behind.
A/N: I am so cruel to Byleth and Dimitri.
Long head cannon notes incoming:
Healing crests are great for healing minor injuries, but it is terrible to rely on them for healing anything major unless they are the only option. Healing severe injuries can lead to a high fever that must be monitored while greatly tiring the person to the point that they can't do anything. It would be better to use Faith magic as it will be much quicker at treating injuries than crest as well as less taxing on the crest bearer.
Healing crest are also unique as they don't glow when activated as they are always activated and ready to heal any injuries that may appear.
The type of crest also determines the healing factors of it.
A minor Crest of Riegan can only heal minor wounds. To heal a severe injury could take up too months if Faith magic is never used and even then, it might not heal much.
A major Crest of Riegan can heal more severe wounds but it will take some time depending on the severity.
The Crest of Flames can heal almost anything in a relative short time, but it will greatly drain Byleth's energy in the process.
Hero Relics weapons can be wielded by any crest bearer but unless the person possesses the proper crest, they will not be able to draw out any of the Relic's true power. The weapon would just be a slight better weapon than average. Also, if the proper user wields the Relic the weapon will grow brightly but for other crest bearers it will be a dull glow instead.
For instance, if Dimitri were to try and wield Thunderbrand it would be a powerful sword, but he wouldn't feel any of the speed bonuses that a bearer of a Crest of Charon would receive.
The Sword of the Creator is unique in that regard that only those that possess the Crest of Flames can use it, of course only Byleth can really use the sword given her circumstance.
Stay safe and healthy everyone!