Only two weeks have passed since they won Fodlan as their own. The battle against TWISTD is well on its way, but most of that is being taken care of by Hubert, Shamir, and their gaggle of spies. Whenever the fighting comes, Byleth is being promised to lead it still. Though, with the way her conscience is now with her beating heart, she's not exactly sure she'll be as ruthless as she once was. Dorothea and Lindhart seem to think that's a good thing, nonetheless.
Today she's spending some time with Happi out in the merchant's market deep in Garreg Mach. Edelgard saw it fit to put a lot of resources into the town now, rebuilding it so that Byleth and her can use it as both a school, and a glorified council meeting-ground. So far, the entire territory looks better than it ever did. Besides that, the Abyssians have been allowed to live freely on top, even if their debts or other troubles still persist.
"Chatter-box. I'm not a flower buff, but look at these." There's a florist among the merchants now, something new Happi's found. Byleth hurries over, her eyes already locked on the perfect bouquet. It seems like her friend is about to say something, but Byleth looks at the florist woman and points with a bag of change in her palm.
"May I get these?"
"Of course, dear!" Happi crosses her arms, a small knowing grin on her face as Byleth pays and then, finally, sniffs the bloom of crimson carnations. When the teacher notices her friend's gaze, she can't help but clear her throat. She's found herself embarrassed far too often lately. Complications of the heart, she often tells herself.
"For emperor-what's-her-name?" Happi boredly assumes, her head already looking in a different direction to get some food.
"You know her name," Byleth sighs, smelling the flowers again.
"Yeah and you know we're gonna be out here a whole 'nother hour so those are going to be a pest to carry around." Byleth just shrugs, a silly smile on her face as she imagines how pleased Edelgard will be when she gives them to her. Happi gags. "You are so in love, and it's disgusting."
"Love?" Byleth balks, ignorant of her feelings still. "Says who?" Happi glares at the older woman as they walk, the mage leading them to a little hole-in-the-wall bar for some fish and chips.
"Says everyone, you blind idiot." Byleth frowns at the ground as they go in.
—
Once Happi is back in the Abyss, and of course, after Constance and the others tease her about who her flowers are for, Byleth makes her way up top, passing by some of her friends as she heads towards the office Edelgard has settled into.
"Nice flowers," Lysithea comments from somewhere to Byleth's left. She was just walking past the classrooms to find the young woman on her knees petting a grumpy looking black cat. "Edelgard will love those." Byleth shakes her head, grinning up at the sky. She's been smiling so often lately, it's actually starting to hurt her face.
"She will. I assume she's upstairs, right?"
"No actually. She was looking for you," Lysithea says. "We just ate some pie together in my room. She might be in the green–ok? BYE!" Byleth had started sprinting in that direction before Lysithea had even finished. Lysithea frowns and pets the cat, finally getting the animal to purr. "Edelgard this, and Edelgard that," she mocks under her breath.
"You are beginning to see the problem." Lysithea squeaks, surprised by Lindhart looming over her with his eyes closed like he's sleep walking again. "How Fodlan is run by those two fools is beyond me."
"You're brave to be calling the emperor a fool…"
"I only state the truth," Lindhart hums, shrugging very dramatically before walking away.
"And what problem?!" Lysithea asks, though he doesn't answer as he slinks away and throws himself behind a bush to sleep. "Can you jerks stop walking away when I'm–" The cat leaves. "No!" She hurries after it.
—
When Byleth cautiously opens the door to the greenhouse, the keeper loudly greets her, giving away her presence to Edelgard who's standing beside Petra, in front of the Brigidian blooms. Byleth can't help but notice the way the emperor's smile lights up as she greets the teacher, something that sets both of their hearts pitter-pattering.
"Hello," Petra calls first.
"Hi," Byleth says back, bowing her head even though she hasn't taken her eyes off of Edelgard, and Edelgard hasn't taken her eyes off of the bouquet. "These are for you," the professor says quietly, gently placing the wrapped stems in Edelgard's gloved hands. The emperor takes them like they're precious, and she whines as she brings them up to her nose for a sniff.
"The edges are ridged, a bit like the ones in Enbarr." Byleth nods, remembering that being on the tag she took off. "Thank you, my teacher. I will immediately set them in a vase." Then Edelgard turns to Petra and asks, "Will you hold these for just one moment?" The Brigidian queen nods and comments,
"These are quite exquis–exerci–"
"Exquisite," Edelgard corrects softly, looking only at Byleth as she opens her arms.
"...I really get to hug you?" Byleth asks, sounding as though she never thought such a thing was possible. They hug loosely first, but soon Edelgard quirks her brow and tries to pull back, yet her teacher's longer arms hold her close and with purpose. Edelgard's heart leaps into her throat.
"We have hugged once before."
"Yeah. But…" Byleth doesn't finish her thought, too distracted as she bumps her nose against the side of Edelgard's head, near her ear, and lightly breathes her in. "You smell good."
"...Thank you," Edelgard says with a light laugh that makes the teacher's stomach tumble over itself.
"Your laughs are really cute–er–nevermind." Byleth clears her throat loudly as she pulls back, pulling her very calloused hands behind her own back. Edelgard just about hicks at the fact that the professor finds anything she does that. Neither of them pay much attention to Petra who is very much remembering all of this to tell Dorothea later.
"...Cute?"
"Sorry. Know you don't like that word so much," Byleth murmurs, fixating on a bird that passes through the window. "Oh, that bird was cute too. Their cheeks were red." Then Byleth grins sort of wearily and looks at the emperor from the corner of her eye. "Kinda like yours right now." Edelgard groans and immediately covers her cheeks with one hand, rubbing at them with dexterous fingers.
"Are you teasing me?"
"No."
"Then what if I was the only thing I wanted you to think was cute?" Edelgard claps her hand over her mouth and cringes afterwards. Byleth doesn't seem to get even the slightest bit flustered at what Edelgard thinks is the most embarrassing thing she has ever said in her life, and she's just about frying on the spot.
"Well that's true," Byleth murmurs, her eyes narrowing as she smiles genuinely. Apparently Petra doesn't have to wait to tell Dorothea anything, because the songstress is walking in like the cat that ate the canary. At her arriving hum, Edelgard and Byleth part further, and the emperor graciously takes back the bouquet, holding it against her chest protectively.
"Wow, more blatant flirting," Dorothea sing-songs, spinning on her heels playfully before hugging Petra with one arm.
"We are not just flirting," Edelgard insists, then tiredly shakes her head at her own words once they come out. Dorothea snickers and Petra sympathetically says,
"Not 'just,' Edelgard. Very lovingly flirting." Byleth and Dorothea both choke out laughs before swallowing them down. Edelgard looks entirely offended.
"Shush, both of you. What is wrong with friends giving each other gifts? As for the banter, well, even Hubert is a very capable verbal sparrist."
"That's true," Byleth shrugs, always trying to back Edelgard up… nearly to a fault. Dorothea has none of that and waves them both off.
"You two are more than friends. Who are you kidding?" Edelgard groans and starts to head for the door. "Edieeee, there's no reason to leave now."
"Oh but there is," Edelgard remarks, one hand waving in the air. "There is work to be done, and," she sniffs her flowers once more, "I must be setting these in water. Professor?" Byleth's chin lifts like a dog. "Care to come with me?"
"Of course." Byleth forgets to even say goodbye to the others as she follows after the emperor. Dorothea and Petra both chuckle to themselves as the door slams shut because Byleth forgot that happens anytime you don't hold the handle.
"She really takes that teacher with her everywhere now. I miss my time with the professor, too, you know?" Petra purses her lips and sets a hand low on Dorothea's back, her thumb rubbing against the skin.
"I like to be alone with you as well."
"...Careful," the songstress purrs, "I might get ideas."
—
"You cut the stems much better than I," Edelgard explains as they take the steps up on the floor of the library.
"Sure."
"I mean it," Edelgard argues, and Byleth finds it rather sweet how Edelgard has nearly bumped every step with her toes because she's so fixated on the flowers.
"How come you like carnations so much?" The emperor grins inwardly and nods to the few foot soldiers who bow to her.
"I appreciate their message."
"What do they mean?" Byleth asks as she closes the door to Edelgard's office. The younger woman just smiles and holds her hand out for the teacher to hand her the water-filled vase they acquired along the way. She dutifully gives it to the emperor who sets it right on her very messy desk before she unwraps the flowers and hands Byleth scissors. Neither of them say much as Byleth cautiously cuts the stems. It isn't until Edelgard sets the bundle in the vase, her eyes transfixed, as she intimately says,
"Whether it is familial, given to you by a friend, or a romantic partner, the person who gives you carnations loves you." Byleth swallows and her face certainly becomes warmer as Edelgard glances at her over her shoulder. "You are the only one who has ever given them to me." Byleth has to look away, that lilac set of eyes too much for her as she processes that information. "And so with every flower you have given me," Edelgard continues as she pets a single petal, "I have tried to give it as much love back." Byleth's lips tremble frustratingly before she says,
"I didn't know they meant that, but… it makes a lot of sense." This time Edelgard is the one who swallows. "I–Y-You mean a lot to me." Edelgard presses her tongue against her cheek and keeps her back turned from the teacher as her eyes grow a little misty.
"And you know how I feel in that regard."
"I do," Byleth answers with an audible smile. The both of them let out little breaths of laughter, and soon, Byleth makes herself comfortable on one of the office chairs she insists on tipping back and lifting two legs off the ground even though it severely stresses Edelgard out. "So. What's on the agenda today?" Edelgard's shoulders drop dutifully as she explains.
—
The Following Afternoon:
Every time Edelgard has some big meeting with nobles and leaders from different territories, she briefs with Hubert and then chats with Byleth. She seems especially antsy today, something that Byleth picked up on since the second she saw Edelgard this morning.
"Professor," Hubert announces, nodding politely. He looks down at her hands where she's holding a small tray of tea. "Wise decision." He doesn't spend time dawdling and she says goodbye as he shuts the office door behind her.
"My teacher, thank goodness you're here."
"I have to save the day as usual," Byleth teases, setting the tray down on the safety of the other table in the room next to the massive stained glass window that lets in brilliant green and white light. She remembers Edelgard saying she didn't care much for the Sothis depiction in it however. But she really does look like a child, Byleth had said once, much to Edelgard's confusion. "What're you going to be talking about today?" Edelgard's face twists as she sits down and Byleth grins as she hands Edelgard her cup. "Nevermind then. Let's talk about something else."
"Yes. Wonderful idea."
….
"Well I figured you'd think of something," Byleth mumbles.
"I can only think of the one thing that is indeed bad, so… pass." Their feet bump accidentally, and the little mumble that falls from Edelgard's lips spurs Byleth to purposefully bump her again. Edelgard rolls her eyes, but does it right back.
"We could talk about," she glances around the room, not seeing much but the same boring view Edelgard always suffocates herself with. Her cornflower blue eyes peer out the clear window behind Edelgard, and it just so happens that Ferdinand and Bernadetta are racing pegasus's out in the sky today. Byleth grins and explains what she just saw.
"That oaf is certainly dragging her out there," Edelgard grumbles, shaking her head fervently. "Even if Bernadetta did want to train her stead today, there is no way he didn't force some sort of competition on her."
"I thought he only liked competing with you," Byleth offers, sipping her tea calmly.
"No, we ended that. Mostly. I ended that after he–nevermind," the emperor sighs. She taps her finger in an odd rhythm on the table before she says, "I noticed that lately if you are not with me, you are often with Mercedes." She seems to pause and look Byleth very directly in the eye for a reason that goes right over Byleth's head. So Edelgard goes on, a little irritated. "Jeritza has told me she prefers women."
"What?" Byleth asks in surprise. "That's a weird thing for him to know."
"He only knows because she talks to him mostly about you," Edelgard emphasizes, and Byleth nods, figuring it's just because they both have that in common at least. Edelgard sighs, apparently very irritated now as she sets her cup down abruptly. Byleth quirks her brows in that innocent way she does. "A lot of other people are talking about you actually. I suppose it is not anything new, it just… bothers me." Before Byleth can ask why, Edelgard seems to perk up as she brings up something else. "Oh! Did you hear that Hubert and Shamir seem to be getting quite close? I find it an interesting match."
"At least then he won't be after you," Byleth murmurs, more to herself than Edelgard.
"He… He only said once that he had any sort of feelings for me." Byleth's eyes bulge at the knowledge and she hides it behind the lip of her cup as she gulps down the rest. This swell of something terrible sits in her chest at the thought of Hubert and Edelgard, together. "Anyway I am sure that is all over now."
"Pfft." It's Byleth's turn to set her cup down loudly. The emperor stares at Byleth who stares back, both of them irritated now. This really isn't how either of them wanted this to go, so Byleth forces her thoughts to clear, and she tries for a joke. "You're kind of a gossip, huh?"
"What do you expect? You were gone and you left me with Dorothea." Byleth chuckles and shakes her head in understanding.
"Did she ever stop hitting on you, by the way?"
"What? She never–" Byleth just shoots her a look. "I seriously never thought she was…"
"Edelgard," Byleth chuckles, dropping her head into her hand. The way Byleth said her name, all breathless and familiar, causes Edelgard's stomach to lurch. Of course the emperor tries to play it off.
"I suppose that makes two of us who dislike hearing about the other being sought after." It's so blunt, but neither of them necessarily try to figure out why it is that that's even the case. "Will you bring tea here again once the meeting is over? I will need to decompress."
"Sure. I'm not that sure I'm helping you decompress though," Byleth sighs, feeling a little put out by how she's acting. "This stupid heart is making me weird."
"That 'stupid' heart is keeping you alive, and allowing you to be yourself," Edelgard corrects, leaning forward compassionately. "That heart of yours is amazing."
"I just–"
Knock Knock!
Edelgard's softened features turn hard again, and she stands up as Hubert comes in.
"I will meet you here in an hour?" Edelgard asks, smiling curtly as Byleth nods and grabs the cups to clean up for now. Noticing that Byleth is still a little put off, Edelgard motions for Hubert to go, which he does. "Thank you, my teacher," she says as she sets her hand on Byleth's shoulder. It feels good, unusually so, for Byleth.
"Good luck," the teacher says, resting her hand atop Edelgard's. When the emperor finally leaves, Byleth can finally exhale, and she deflates against the tabletop. "Anything you feel, I feel." What, now my stupid heart can sense other people's stupid emotions? How is that fair?
—
An hour goes by rather quickly, and Byleth spends it helping clean the stable before brewing tea in the kitchen. As she waits for it to boil, she notices a few people who must be a part of the other territory leaders Edelgard is meeting with. They look incredibly stuck up, covered in gold and the finest silks. None of them fit in, yet they occupy an entire table on their own. The two loudest ones are the ones closest to her, chowing down on dishes Byleth didn't even know were available here. She looks at the kitchen staff, exhaustedly cleaning up after the foreign table and then notices the insane stack of groceries the women must have used to cook these elaborate meals. I doubt they even said thank you for all this. Byleth's fist tightens. I'll have to get the staff some flowers later.
"They say the emperor is weak for another woman," one of the men says loudly, snorting at the end. Byleth's ears perk up, and she turns her back to them while she listens. "There goes the hope for any royal children."
"She doesn't even want children," Byleth mutters to herself.
"Come now," a lady comments, "Those are all just rumors."
"Well there's also the rumor that it was not even the emperor who commanded her troops in the last year of the war." Byleth sucks in a breath. "What an incapable bit–"
"-Shh! Are you insane?" A different man asks incredulously.
"Seriously," the lady laughs.
"As if I care," the first man scoffs. Byleth feels her stomach burning with anger, and then the kettle starts to screech. The table goes mostly quiet, and Byleth works through her aggravation, putting the hot water in the pitcher to stew the bergamot leaves. The sword on her hip is specific of course, even if it's relatively useless in its power. She has no crest, though, only the Black Eagle Strikeforce knows that secret. Byleth carries it as a precaution and as a message. "...That's the woman," he whispers, still loud enough for Byleth to hear and roll her eyes at.
"Really?"
"Yes," he barks, forgoing whispering as he imagines she is just there, ignorant to him and probably everything else. "Imagine. A mercenary cumberworld just–taking up space on the emperor's side." Byleth freezes mid pour.
"Mm," the woman grossly hums, "It is improper. Even if the stories of her fighting prowess are true." Byleth grits her teeth as she pours the tea in each respective cup. Their eyes are still on her, and she can feel them snarling at her back. One of the kitchen ladies rushes forward, a deep frown on her face.
"Professor," she whispers, angry tears lining her lower lids as she busies herself with cleaning the stack of dishes. "They say the rudest things about you and-and Her Majesty–all without a care! I am sick of these bastards."
"They have no place here," Byleth growls, glancing at them from the corner of her eye. She picks up on the loudest one, although he is very handsome, saying,
"She is a busty woman, isn't she?" Byleth just about grinds her teeth down.
"What time is it?" the teacher asks.
"Nearly one," the woman answers, wiping her eyes. Byleth puts her own feelings aside just to rest a hand on the worker's back.
"I have to meet with Edelgard, but I'll bring you something later. I'm sorry you have to deal with them." The lady smiles and wipes her nose.
"You are so kind, Professor." Byleth shakes her head and grabs her tray, saying goodbye. She tries to hurry past them but is stopped dead in her tracks when she hears him say,
"-r Majesty is absolutely a sight for sore eyes, my friend. If all goes well, I would be a very lucky man to take that beauty to my bed, you see." Byleth coughs, gaining the attention of the entire table. Now that they're looking at her, she can't hold her tongue. She rounds the table and stands right before the brazen man.
"Why are you here?" The man looks at the others and just laughs as if it's inconceivable that someone doesn't know something. Byleth, louder this time, repeats the question.
"My entire house is here," he explains aggressively, waving his hands about. "My father is with the emperor now, explaining how we will better protect our territory, and how," he smiles, "She should marry me for the better of Fodlan." The tea set shakes, and Byleth realizes it's her shaking it. Any of the boiling over anger she had is tossed aside for something else that tightens her throat and burns her chest. She loses the fight in her and books it for the door. "What? You just leave now, you wench?" His words don't even meet her ears as she just about sprints past anyone and everyone up to Edelgard's office. Said woman has yet to arrive, and Byleth drops the tray on the table, not even caring about how it spills.
The seething anger comes back, and she throws herself into the chair, smacking her arm into the wall as she stares through what she can of the stained glass, and waits.
—
When the door finally opens, then shuts, Byleth can only face the wall and bite down on her tongue as Edelgard sighs and heads towards her desk.
"I can officially mark that as the worst meeting I have ever had." She says it almost jokingly, sounding a lot less aggravated than she did earlier. Bitterly, Byleth thinks; Good cuz now I can carry that anger for both of us. The teacher is nearly vibrating with it in her seat. Edelgard sighs again, long and loud as she bends past Byleth to sip the tea while standing. "This tastes lovely as always. Thank you again."
….
"Professor?" Edelgard calls, finding it odd that Byleth isn't talking or looking at her. She frowns as she notices that the professor's foot is tapping against the floor as well. The emperor slowly takes her seat and is shocked to see Byleth as angry as she is, eyeing her with piercing dark eyes and a cocked jaw.
"So you said no?" Byleth grits out. Edelgard blinks, her cup shaking slightly in her hand before she pulls herself together.
"Someone told you about the meeting," Edelgard deflects.
"That someone should have been you," Byleth remarks, sounding a lot deeper than usual. The emperor turns her head, honestly overwhelmed by the aura the teacher is giving off.
"Why are you so angry about this? Of course I said no." Byleth laughs, though there's nothing funny about it.
"Yeah I probably shouldn't just hang around with you nowadays, right?" Every word is shockingly filled with malice. Edelgard's jaw drops as she holds her cup still. "I'm just a commoner–worse than that actually. A mercenary. So. No one will respect you if I'm around," Byleth finishes with a self-deprecating laugh. She flinches the slightest bit when Edelgard slams her cup down and the handle shatters in between her gloved fingers.
"Who said that to you?!" Edelgard barks. Birds that had gathered outside the window fly away in a mad rush. "You would never have put that thought in your own head, nor would any of the others who matter." Byleth just looks at her, still from only the corner of her eye. "Bring me who said that to you! Now!"
"It's fine," Byleth mumbles, pushing her own cup away before trying to clean up the tea Edelgard spilled with her own handkerchief. Without any warning, Edelgard grabs a hold of Byleth's wrist.
"You do not need to clean my messes. You will never have to serve me in any way," Edelgard stresses, her brows knit together tightly. "This is not fine. Please tell me who said that to you, because they need to be the lesson all others will learn from," she explains hotly. "No one in all of Fodlan, all of the world for that matter, will ever speak ill of you again."
Byleth's face can't express the awe she feels at that raw sincerity before her, but her face sure tries, expressing maybe every emotion under the sun as Edelgard quietly watches, holding her wrist as tightly as she can without it hurting. Jeralt had only stood up for Byleth when a situation became dangerous, but because he was so used to the negative attention and the insults people would toss at him due to his mercenary status, he told Byleth to be like him, to just not care. If only he tried to understand what it was like for her, especially as a woman in a field of mainly men. With her heart the way it is now, she can't bear to recall some of the things people have said to her. But now someone, the most important person, is telling her she can care, it changes her entire world.
"Maybe you are a little possessive after all," Byleth jokes, feeling a lot better than she did just seconds ago, "Like Ferdinand always says." Edelgard scoffs.
"Why are you joking at a time like this? Professor, come on. Tell me who–"
"-It was the bastard you were supposed to marry," Byleth says. With a start, the emperor stands up, but Byleth gets up as well. "Wait. Can I hit him?" Edelgard chuckles but stays otherwise serious.
"That is quite tempting to allow, but no. Follow me." Edelgard leads the two of them down the stairs, both promptly ignoring the nervous looks from those they pass. Of course, when Edelgard and her step into the dining hall, nearly everyone goes still; that is, except for the poor excuse of a human with a big mouth, completely blind to his surroundings just as pampered nobles who have never once faced a real battle tend to be.
"Barnett von Karma." He turns, a sleazy grin still on his lips before his eyes light up at the sight of the emperor.
"Your Majesty! How are you fairing?"
"Poorly," she flatly states, a defiant hand on her hip. "First I sat through a meeting with your stuck-up and frankly useless father," Barnett's eyes widened, "And then he had the gall to ask me why I would deny allowing a snobbish, arrogant, low-life like you to take my hand." She smiles at the end, amused by his full-body twitch. "To top it all off, the person dearest to me says that you not only disturbed our kitchen staff, but had the utter nerve to question the place she has here."
"Ugh," Barnett gags, not noticing how the other members of his house are dropping their heads, embarrassed like normal people would be. "You and that woman really are together." Byleth crosses her arms, still standing just behind Edelgard who's smug smile shifts into something like a sneer.
"And if that were so, our union would be bound beyond whatever chicken scratch you and your entire house could offer Fodlan. You truly forget your place, coming here and demanding anything of anyone!" The kitchen staff and some of the other workers trying to eat watch on, proud and humbled by Edelgard's defense of them.
"You forget how disgusting a union between two women is then." Edelgard and Byleth both feel the air leave their lungs.
"B-Barnett!" one of his family members yelps.
"Shut up!" he snaps, clearly embarrassed and trying to make a point as she rounds on Edelgard and Byleth alike. "You make a mess of Fodlan, and then you–Just how much more do you think you can force your immoral beliefs on the world, woman?!" Edelgard nearly bursts a blood vessel as she opens her mouth before her shoulder is being brushed and Byleth is zipping right past her.
SMACK! DFF!
"Gyah!" He flies to the ground as Byleth's fist connects with the side of his face. He's certainly never been punched before and he bounces up off the floor with a pathetic whimper before Byleth kicks him back down.
"Professor!" Edelgard yells in surprise. But Byleth doesn't care, the anger in her has officially boiled over and she has to act.
"You wanks! HELP ME!" Four of the people sitting at the table are in rather flimsy looking armor and they quickly get up, only their fists available.
"Hold on," Edelgard growls, stopping the four as Byleth hits the noble again. Caspar happens to walk in, always attracted to a commotion.
"What the–Woah, Professor, let me in on this!" Byleth picks Barnett up by the back of his neck and throws him into his chair, even though he topples it over and falls back to the floor. The weaker and civilized members of his house get up and throw useless apologies at Edelgard.
"You all need to leave. Fetch Lord Barnett and go," she orders. Caspar fast approaches, looking like he's ready to do some damage as he sizes up the four armored men who haven't moved. "I said to fetch Barnett, and go," she says to the four. Apparently feeling his ego now, Barnett pushes himself off the floor and spits the blood in his mouth at Byleth's feet. Caspar loses it. He punches the noble in the back, and with the force, he flies into Byleth who backhands him and then grabs his throat. "None of you will have a house to go back to, either," Edelgard adds, satisfied by the whines of the entire family.
"You have four guards for what? Well. Nothing but to carry your busted ass out of here." She and Caspar roughly toss him at the guards who scurry away, struggling to carry the crying Lord of their house.
"And don't come back," Caspar yells, following after them waving his fists like a gorilla. "I will beat you guys up and kick you into the water and–"
"-What on Earth happened here?" Hubert asks, very alarmed as he surveys the broken chair, bloody floor, and angry faces. He looks to be accompanied by another man Byelth doesn't know.
"Sir Claudio," Edelgard says, sounding exhausted now, "Your presence is no longer welcome here. Goodday." Hubert looks just as confused as the foreigner.
"It was my son wasn't it…?" All Edelgard does is nod with her eyes closed. "Apologies, Your Majesty. Even if that means very little." The man clutches his neck and goes away, not trying to fight it at all.
"Your Majesty? Is all… well?" Instead of answering, Edelgard looks at Byleth who's finally not frowning and seems somewhat content.
"My teacher?"
"Yeah. Thanks for sticking up for me," Byleth says, smiling at last. Her grin is infectious and Edelgard mimics it, her hand brushing against Byleth's face to get some dirt off of it. The teacher doesn't realize that she leans into it, but Hubert sure does. He can hardly contain the shake of his head.
"You know we had plans to use them, yes, Your Majesty?" Edelgard drops her hand with a huff.
"We do not need them. In fact, I will be disbanding them as a house entirely now."
"Ok," Hubert chuckles, tucking his tie in properly. "Then thank you for whatever mess you just caused, Professor. I never liked them much." The three of them chuckle then, the atmosphere immediately lighter.
"Edelgard," Byleth calls, "Do you still want that tea?" The emperor's eyes go soft and she nods excitedly.
—
The next meeting planned is a much better one, only for the Strikeforce. A lot of it is a discussion of what's happening with TWISTD, all delivered by Hubert and Shamir. Complications have arisen, of course, they always do.
"The emperor's rocky relationship with Faerghus is causing problems. Again. Go figure," Shamir states, her expression as bored as her voice. "Our spies can't get any information there because of the royal house and its subsidiaries still controlling so much."
"And that's why I always say spies suck," Caspar blanches, only aggravating Shamir into saying nothing else. "We need to bust some heads, not go dancing around in the dark."
"Great idea," Hubert mocks, "Why have I not thought of that?"
"Be nice," Edelgard murmurs, smiling at Byleth who was already chuckling to herself.
"I am also with the idea of killing the people blocking our path," Jeritza adds darkly. He seems… a little more gloomy than usual today. Byleth figures she'll take him to get ice cream after this.
"None of that," Mercedes chides, slapping his wrist and causing him to… hiss. Dorothea shakes her head and drops it into her hand. The others seem to talk a bit more, trying to figure out many different plans. Byleth looks at Mercedes then at the tank of a fighter sitting next to her, and then Felix who's crossing his arms and intently watching as Lysithea swallows cake.
"I have an idea," Byleth says a few minutes later after the others seem to be getting more and more fed up. "Felix, Mercedes, you still have connections there, even if they are strained." The two seem hesitant, but Byleth continues on. "If you, and Jeritza too, go there under the cover of checking on your house's, no one will really question it. Spies can travel with you, and the three of you will be able to ask questions in places not even they can."
"I hate going back there," Felix spits, "But if I have to, I will."
"It might be nice to see some of my friends again," Mercedes says, looking at her brother who's wrinkling his lip. "Emile–"
"-Do not call me that."
"-I used to talk about you to them all the time." Jeritza's chin raises and he actually bothers to look at Mercedes who never stops smiling at him. "It might be a good thing for you to be acquainted with some different people."
"Yeah since all of us are encouraging you to be so weird," Lysithea murmurs, actually getting a chuckle out of Felix who hides it after everyone looks at him.
"...What?"
"Fine," Jeritza sighs. "I will go with you."
"This'll work, don't you think?" Byleth asks Hubert who nods curtly.
"It will. I suppose Shamir and I have a bit of planning to do then." At her side, Edelgard smiles and pats the chair Byleth's sitting in.
"That is exactly the sort of idea we needed," Edelgard exclaims, her voice more pitched than usual. "My teacher, you are my absolute favorite." Sure, it's a simple statement that could be just sweet and earnest, but the fact that the emperor said it here in front of all of their friends, in front of Hubert, Byleth has to duck her head and turn to hide the terribly dopey smile that lights up her face. Too bad Dorothea is sitting right next to her and that Hubert is glaring very boredly in her direction now. Noticing this, Byleth just whimpers into her hand and looks at anything but Edelgard for the rest of the meeting because if she did, she'd be smiling at her with stars in her eyes.