This is a silly, odd, nonsensical fic based off a dream I had over a year ago at this point. As I had this dream before the Ashen Wolves DLC, I won't be including them as I would like to stick to as much of the dream as I can, as I wrote everything down as soon as I woke up to eventually turn it into a fic. I typically prefer Male Byleth, but I will be writing Female Byleth as this is more fitting for her. I had considered doing it as a first person point of view type thing, or as an OC, but given that Byleth has a father and a friend I can work around, I decided on her instead of either of those two options.
Sundays had quickly become Byleth's favorite day after she had come to live and work at the Officers Academy. Five years earlier, the rest of the week was spent teaching, coming up with various lesson plans, working for the school to solve conflicts and give the students field experience, and finding and returning lost items. Even now, though her students were no longer in classes, she was working to train them, test them, come up with battle strategies to help hopefully put this years' long war to end soon, all while also helping to clean and repair the formerly abandoned and partially destroyed school. Sunday was the one free day of the week, and she preferred to spend it to herself. If she could sleep in a little, that was even nicer.
She awoke a little later than usual one Sunday morning, stretched, and sat on the bed. The only plans she had were to visit the market for a few things she needed and then spend the rest of the day fishing. If she did not have a dire need for those things, she would have spent the entire day enjoying the quiet of the fish pond. With a yawn, she stood, stretched once more, and changed into her clean clothes. After brushing her hair and teeth, she headed to the door to start her day humming a little tune to herself.
Before she could even enjoy the bright sunlight streaming down onto the school, she heard someone call out, "Ah! There you are! I'm so glad you're awake, now come on!"
"What?" Byleth demanded as that someone, who turned out to be one of the Knights of Seiros, Alois, hurried to her, looking a little concerned but also relieved to see she was awake. "Has something happened?"
"You're late, and your father is going to have my head for this!"
"My - my father?" There was no chance of her father being there. She was there when he died, stabbed in the back. She had held him and wept. "He cannot be here. Do not play such a cruel trick on me, Alois!"
"It is no trick, now please hurry!"
Alois half led, half dragged the young teacher with him as they walked through the school. Byleth hardly paid attention to where they were going but was instead focused on her surroundings. The school looked pristine. There were no broken windows, shattered roofs, or piles of rubble. It looked to be in even better condition than when she and her father had first arrived. As for her father, there he stood in front of a closed door, his arms crossed over his chest and scowling. "There you are," he said when he saw them.
"I am so sorry, Captain Jeralt. I had no idea she would sleep so late!"
"No bride should be late for her own wedding!" Jeralt continued to scold them. "You should have woken her sooner."
"Wait... a wedding? My wedding?"
Jeralt smiled at his daughter and placed his hand on her back, nudging her towards the door. "The other girls are waiting. You need to get dressed. You should not leave your groom to worry about you."
"My groom?" Byleth asked, her voice rising in pitch as all of this was dumped on her at once. "Who is my groom? What's going on?"
Jeralt chuckled and said something about not having cold feet as he opened the door and gave her another gentle push into the room. She whirled around to ask more questions, but the door shut in her face. Ready to fight and demand answers, Byleth reached for the doorknob. Just as she was about to turn it, she heard footsteps approaching her.
"There you are, Professor. Not getting nervous, are you?"
Byleth realized she was completely unarmed as she heard that familiar voice. She tensed up and slowly turned to face the young woman who had not only ordered an attack on her former school, friends, and peers, but had also taken over the Adrestian Empire and named herself emperor. Had this been a trap all along? Was the emperor planning to abduct her? Execute her? Torture her?
There was no malice on Edelgard von Hresvelg's face. She smiled at Byleth and held out an armful of white material. Byleth took it, stunned into speechlessness. Before her stood Edelgard as a student, down to her uniform and house leader badge. Had the last five years not happened at all? Her father was still alive and Edelgard looked like the girl who had needed defending from bandits when Byleth first met her.
Byleth clutched the gown and soundlessly shuffled behind her as Edelgard led her down this new hallway. She stopped outside an open door and gestured for Byleth to step inside. "I need to put my gown on, as well. I'll see you in the church!" With a wave, she continued on to the room at the far end of the hall where Byleth could hear the chatter of some of the other female students.
"Come here so I can do your makeup!" That sounded a bit like Hilda.
"No, let me do your makeup!" That was most likely Dorothea.
"Can you lace my dress?" Byleth thought that one might have been Lysithea.
She looked away from the room down the hall and to the one Edelgard had led her to. She then looked down to the white dress in her arms. It seemed no one was going to answer her questions. She could toss the dress on the floor and leave... or she could go in there and get dressed and find some answers herself. She went into the room and locked the door behind her.
As she looked into the room after locking the door, Byleth knew she had never seen this room around the school before. It appeared to be a mix of a washroom and dressing room. There was a large mirror on one wall above a counter and wash basin. By the basin was a basket with flowers, soaps, and sponges. In one corner of the room was a small bench and armchair huddled around a little table with a vase full of more flowers. In the opposite corner of the room was a dressing screen. Byleth looked again to the dress in her arms, shrugged, and walked over to the screen.
"Oh!" she cried out in surprise when she got behind the screen. Playing on the floor were two small kittens. They were both mostly white but one had large grey spots whereas the other's spots were orange. They looked up at her in unison, meowed, and went back to slapping at each other. "Odd," Byleth murmured to herself. Then she laughed and shook her head. Yes, kittens playing in the school were odd, but not the appearance of Edelgard, who not only looked like she did before the war began, but was also not even supposed to be in the monastery!
She changed into the dress, which felt tailor-made just for her. It fit her just perfectly, though she found the skirt a bit too full for her liking. She folded her clothing neatly and placed them on the chair before she sat down on the bench. Now what? Would one of the other girls come for her to do her hair and makeup? Or was she expected to walk down the aisle to her mystery groom looking as she normally did other than the wedding gown?
The kittens, curious and playful, followed her from behind the screen. They climbed up the side of the bench without assistance and sat by her. The orange one reached out and pawed at her hand. She began to pet them both and scratch behind their ears and under their chins. "I doubt you two could give me answers," she said to the kittens. "All I had planned to do was go to the market and fish, and now everyone is rushing me for a wedding I do not even recall being engaged for!" The two kittens began to purr as they nuzzled against her hand. Byleth smiled at them despite the confusing and somewhat distressing start to her day. "The two of you are very sweet," she told them. She received a meow in response.
A knock at the door startled her. Without thinking of what she was doing, or of getting fur on her dress, she scooped up the kittens and hesitantly stepped towards the door. She unlocked it and opened it a crack. "Claude?" A Claude who looked quite grown up and not like a student, unlike Edelgard.
"Hey, Teach, are you excited?"
"Well..."
Claude laughed and said, "Yeah, I guess one would expect someone to be nervous for their own wedding, even if it is a happy occasion."
Byleth opened the door fully and asked, "Can you tell me anything? At all?"
"About?" Claude then spotted the kittens in his former teacher's arms. "Whoa, let me get these little guys out of the way. Can't have them messing up your dress!" With that, he scooped up the kittens and was on his way.
Byleth glared after him, fuming. Not only had he run off without answering a single question, but he also took the kittens! As she sulked in the hall about her adorable new friends being taken, she then realized something. Claude could not be her groom. Or at least, she thought he was not. After all, the bride and groom were not meant to see each other until they arrived at the altar. Or at least they were not in the tradition she knew. "Hmm." She made a mental note to mark Claude off her list.
But now where should she go? She also realized the room at the end of the hall was quiet. As quietly as she could, she crept to the end of the hall and peeked into the room. It was, as she expected, empty. Where had the girls just vanished to? And was no one going to help her with her hair and makeup? She scanned the room and saw nothing that she could use herself. No brushes, no combs, no compacts, no lip gloss. And there were none in the other room, either. Byleth shook her head and sighed. When she did not think things could be any stranger, something else seemed to surprise her.
"Now what?" she asked the empty room. She could go in search of Claude or Edelgard. There was also the option of just bumbling around until she could find someone else. She turned back and went the way she had come, passing the room where she had gotten dressed and the door that her father had shoved her through. She thought of trying it, but she decided to return to it after exploring the rest of the area.
She found a locked door at first, but the second one she tried took her to another hall. She stuck her head into the hall and looked around. She saw no one, but that did not mean anything. In an effort to remember where she had been, Byleth left the door ajar as she stepped into this new area. She stood for a moment just listening. At the far end of the hall, she could hear voices. That seemed like her best option, so that was the way she went.
Down the hall, she bumped into Lady Rhea, Hanneman, and Manuela discussing the planned reception after the wedding. Byleth could not contain the sigh of relief she exhaled as she realized that Hanneman could not possibly be the man she was to wed. Rhea heard her and turned. "Ah, Professor, we are so pleased to share in your special day. I do hope that if you need anything, you are more than willing to ask."
"There is something I need," Byleth said quickly. "Can any of you tell me what this is all about?"
Rhea tilted her head and looked politely confused. "It is your wedding day. What else could there be?"
With a scowl, Byleth began to recount everything that had happened since she left her room that morning. The first time she had heard about her own wedding was when Alois sprung it on her, then insisted her deceased father would be furious that she was late. Edelgard, who should not have been at the academy, was her teenage self whereas Claude was a grown adult. And no one, not a single soul, seemed concerned that she had no idea what they were all talking about!
Lady Rhea appeared sympathetic. "Did you not sleep well, Professor? Could that explain your confusion? I am not sure if Manuela should give you something for nerves."
"No, I would not want the professor to be in a drowsy state while saying her vows!" Manuela said with a laugh. "I would love to stay and try to soothe the nervous bride, but Hanneman and I should make sure everything is going well. I don't know if I would trust some of these students with decorations, but we need every set of hands we can find."
They left, but Lady Rhea stayed for a little bit longer. She reached out and placed her hand on Byleth's arm. "I understand you may be nervous or anxious, but the goddess has brought the two of you together for a reason. I am certain the two of you will be happy for many long years to come." With a reassuring smile, she left to follow Hanneman and Manuela.
Byleth watched them go for a moment, her hands balled into fists. She was still very confused by all of this, but anger was starting to creep in. "Lady Rhea, wait!" she called before rushing after her. "Someone needs to answer me now or there will not be... a..." Byleth trailed off as she reached the end of the hall. It opened into a wide room similar to the reception hall, but it appeared to be nearly fully transformed. She stopped and stared, her mouth agape.
She felt as if she had stepped into a massive flower garden. Vases and bouquets were on every flat surface. Ribbons adorned the wall, with more flowers pinned every few feet. The ribbons were almost complete. To her right, Ignatz in his student attire held a ladder as Raphael, also looking like he did as a student, attached more ribbon to the walls. Why was it not the other way around? Ignatz surely could not support the ladder and Raphael's heavy frame! "After this, do we get cake?" he called down.
Ignatz shook his head. "I've told you, cake comes after the ceremony. Not only that, but the bride and groom get the first slices."
Well, that answered Byleth's question. Ignatz had Raphael do the work to keep him distracted from delicious cake. She thought of asking them questions, or at least just asking who told them to decorate the school, but she decided not to. No one needed Raphael distracted to the point that he came tumbling down on top of poor Ignatz and whoever else might be unfortunate to be underneath the ladder.
With a sigh, Byleth hurried away, unseen by the two young men. But where did Lady Rhea go? For that matter, where had her father gone? Alois? Both of them knew exactly what was going on, but who knew where they could be in such a large place?
She considered going to the second floor. Her father and Lady Rhea were often there. She had the feeling, however, she would not find either there at the moment. Lady Rhea had followed Hanneman and Manuela, and there was no telling where her father was. As she wandered around, her thoughts racing, Byleth stumbled across Dedue, who she was not surprised to see was the one creating such lovely flower arrangements. She was a little surprised to see he had help in the form of both Hilda and Marianne.
It was Hilda who saw her first. "Oh, hey, Professor! Marianne and I are almost finished with your bouquet! It's going to be so beautiful, just you wait!" Both girls wore dresses and appeared to be their older selves. Dedue, as well, looked older, though he had shed the armor Byleth was used to seeing him in. She was not surprised to note, though, that just in case anything should happen, there was weaponry half hidden under the table where the trio worked to put flowers together.
"These did not come from the greenhouse, did they?" Byleth asked curiously. She knew how Dedue was about the plants in the greenhouse. She also knew some were deadly.
"No, these were all delivered for this occasion," Dedue assured her. "Are they to your liking?"
"They're lovely," Byleth replied as she stepped closer to the blooms on the table. It was covered with all sorts of flowers, some she knew and others that she had never seen before. Pink blossoms, Byleth wondered if that was Hilda's doing, were bunched next to small white flowers no bigger than a fingernail. Large white roses lay next to smaller red ones. Elegant looking greenery added bulk to the flowers once placed exactly how Dedue wanted them. Other flowers, all fitting the pink, red, and white scheme, were smaller in numbers, but they were just as beautiful as the roses. "Were you asked to make these yourself, Dedue?"
"I volunteered," he replied.
"Marianne and I offered to do your bouquet, though," Hilda added.
"You begged to do it," Marianne said softly.
Hilda scoffed, but then she said, "Well, maybe I did beg a little, but this is the biggest event Fodlan has had in a long time. Why wouldn't I want to help create such an important detail?"
Marianne laughed quietly, and Byleth was sure even Dedue was trying to hide a smile for a second or two. She knew Hilda would brag to everyone that she made the bouquet. Would she even give Marianne any credit? Yes, she was spoiled and loved attention, but Byleth knew she also tried to help Marianne out of her shell. She would give credit where credit was due.
"Who did you have to beg?"
Hilda thought for a moment as she absently reached for a long, white ribbon. "Well, Lady Rhea, Captain Jeralt, and Alois were all talking about the wedding, so I guess I asked all three of them."
"Thank you." Byleth praised their work again then excused herself. Hilda's answer told her both nothing and everything. She was sure her father and Lady Rhea were the ones in charge of planning, but Hilda did at least confirm that.
Could they perhaps be in the cathedral? That would be the most likely place in the academy for a wedding to take place, though there were other options as well. A greenhouse wedding would be small but elegant. It would risk damaging the plants, though. And then there was the fishing pond, which would be a lovely scenic backdrop for a couple to say their vows. And there was plenty of room to stand around for observers. There were also some lovely gardens and a gazebo on the grounds, but each location just felt a bit cramped for what Hilda implied to be a huge affair.
Then there was the question of who her groom was. Why was everyone keeping it a mystery from her? She immediately ruled out the men she had come across. No one felt dressed like a groom, and with everyone keeping it secret, she did not believe the man she was meant to wed would just be running around taking kittens from her, putting up decorations, or making flower arrangements. As silly as it might have sounded if spoken aloud, Byleth decided to keep a mental note of the men she had come across. Jeralt and Alois were not options at all, so that left Hanneman, Dedue, Claude, Ignatz, and Raphael also out of the question by her logic. Of course, with everyone treating her as though she was nervous or perhaps bumped her head, her groom could be anyone!
She also decided her end goal would be the cathedral, even though she felt she should really be rushing there for her answers. But she just had to make sure the other locations were not in the question. Exploring Garreg Mach could also maybe give her more answers. There was also a very small part of her interested in seeing the cake that Raphael had mentioned. With the promise of cake in mind, she headed to the dining room.
The first thing she saw was Sylvain holding court with several young women. Were she not in a wedding dress and awash with feelings of confusion and anger, Byleth would have thought she was back to her teaching days. He was dressed in his school uniform, looking just as he did five years prior, speaking to Mercedes, Annette, Petra, and a few other young ladies. Only Annette looked older, and that was another thing. Why were some of the students younger while others looked like their older selves? It made no sense!
Oh, but then her gaze fell on the towering wedding cake. She could immediately see why Raphael wanted a taste. Even placed on a table, she could tell it was larger than she was tall if it was on the floor. Pink and white rosettes cascaded down one side. Each layer, and there were many, had embellishments of white candy pearls, edible gold flakes, and shimmery edible sparkles. She stepped closer to the cake to take in each side, and to try to figure out of she could sneak a taste with no one noticing.
"Professor, is it not the most lovely cake you have ever laid eyes on?"
Byleth nearly jumped out of her dress. She did not hear Flayn approaching. To her, the green-haired girl was a comforting sight. It had been strange to her that Flayn had not appeared to age after they reunited five years after not seeing anyone, but at the moment, when she was not sure if she would see an older version of her former students or younger ones, Byleth fought the urge to hug Flayn. "It is lovely," Byleth agreed, "but don't you think taste is more important than looks?"
Flayn covered her mouth with her hand but could not fully stifle her laughter. "I agree! Even some of the most hideous food can taste amazing." She then bowed her head and said, "I should return to my brother, but I want you to know I am so happy for you, Professor!"
Byleth opened her mouth, but before she could even force a single word out, Flayn had darted away. 'How odd,' Byleth thought. Flayn sure seemed to be in a hurry to get away. And where was Seteth, anyway? If Lady Rhea was working on this wedding, would some tasks also fall on Seteth's shoulders? Perhaps he was working behind the scenes. Or perhaps...
Thinking she might be on to something, Byleth gathered her skirt and raced after Flayn. Flayn was nowhere to be seen, she had simply vanished. But Byleth did see Hubert, sipping a drink and listening intently on whatever it was Edelgard was saying to him. Byleth was not close enough to overhear. When they saw her, Byleth waved and started walking away, hoping she looked like she knew where she was going and what she was doing.
She slowed her pace so she could keep a better eye out for Flayn. It would be hard to miss that bright green hair, but she did not want risk losing sight of Flayn again if she saw her. She also tried to update her check list of the men she spotted along the way.
There was Linhardt, looking just as he did years ago, sitting at a table with his chin propped up in his hand. Byleth was certain he was asleep. She passed the gatekeeper, who she had not seen in five years. He inclined his head as a greeting; she waved and continued on. An older Caspar was playing with one of the many cats in the monastery. She even saw Jeritza at one point! Why he was there she could not say, but she did not question it. Nothing was making any sense, so why not have the Death Knight himself at her wedding? "I should see if I can get someone to keep him away from Flayn and Seteth," she said to herself.
Coming to a bench, Byleth decided to take a moment and rest. She shut her eyes and leaned back for a moment, letting the sun hit her face. It was a beautiful day, even if it was the strangest day of her life. This wedding might not be so terrible. She only wished she knew who she was to marry! The sound of footsteps reached her ears. She opened her eyes again and saw Cyril carrying something and looking for someone. Byleth stood up and walked to Cyril, who did not seem to even see her until she was right in front of him. "Is anything wrong, Cyril?" she asked.
"Oh, Professor. I - " he held up the small box in his hands to show her what he had, "I need to get this to Lady Rhea before the ceremony. Have you seen her?"
Byleth sighed and shook her head. "I was hoping you knew where she was," she admitted. She tried to take a closer look at the box, but Cyril had a death grip on it. No doubt nestled inside were rings, and if Lady Rhea had entrusted Cyril with their safety, he would not allow anyone near that box. "Could you tell her - " Byleth stopped herself as Cyril ran off. Even if she had finished her thought, Cyril would not relay it.
She could follow him, as she believed he would find Lady Rhea, but before she could, the bells in the cathedral began to ring. "Hmm?" She looked off in the direction of the bells, understanding what they meant. It was time to go to the cathedral. "Why didn't I go there first?" Byleth lamented to herself. It did not matter. Her questions would soon be answered. As she, too, walked to the church, she found herself falling in with Ashe and Felix.
"Ah, Professor, you look... beautiful," Ashe said quietly. Felix made a noise, but Byleth was not sure if it was out of agreement or not. "Do you want us to escort you?"
"I highly doubt any harm will come to her on her wedding day," Felix countered, "but since we are all going to the same place, I don't see why we cannot offer you some company."
"Thank you both," Byleth said. The two of them were their older selves, not that it seemed to mean much anymore. She felt at ease with Ashe on her left and Felix on her right. If someone, say Edelgard or Jertiza, were to try something, the two of them could handle it with ease.
No harm came to them, just as Felix had said. The two former students of hers left her with Jeralt, who was waiting at the end of the bridge that led into the cathedral. He held the beautiful bouquet that Hilda and Marianne had worked on. As she stepped up to her father, she noticed several people waiting on the bridge. She even saw another father-daughter duo: Annette stood with her father, Gilbert. She stood on her toes and waved as she saw Byleth looking their way. Byleth smiled at her before she turned her attention to her father.
"Are you ready?" he asked as he handed her the flowers then offered her his arm.
"As I'll ever be." Jeralt chuckled at that and asked if she was nervous. "No," Byleth admitted. "Not at all." It sounded strange even to her, but aside from her feelings of confusion and frustration, she felt calm. The butterflies that swarmed her stomach as they started their walk across the bridge were not from nerves but excitement.
'After all,' she thought, 'I finally get to see this groom of mine. Now, who could it be again?' As she thought of the men she had not seen that day, four came to mind: there was Seteth, Ferdinand von Aegir, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, and Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. As the four names came to her, she felt heat rush to her face. 'Could... could it be him? Could it truly be him?' she wondered. Her heart began to race as they neared the end of the bridge. She glanced over to her father, but his face betrayed nothing.
As they approached the end of the bridge, a loud crash caused Byleth to jump. She awoke with a start and sent a flurry of papers and a large book to the floor. "Damn," she whispered as she looked wildly around the school's library. "Damn, damn, damn!" She looked around to see what could have caused such a noise. Behind her stood Flayn, her hands raised to her mouth, her eyes wide in surprise and fear.
"I am so sorry, Professor," she said meekly. "I saw that you were asleep, and I did not wish to disturb you. My brother asked me to fetch a book for him, but I knocked another over trying to reach it." She apologized again.
Byleth ignored the apologies, folded her arms on the table as a pillow for her head, and muttered, "I'm going back to sleep." Maybe if she fell asleep fast enough, she could return to the dream. One could hope, anyway.