9/22 Horsebow moon
"Finally the city is at sight" commented Dimitri next to him. "Fhirdiad, capital of the Holy Kingdom of Fhaergus and home of my family for centuries"
Byleth could see from the distance the white towers of the castle. In fact, most of the walls were built with the same material, giving the impression of an immaculate city, which contrasted with the barren territories surrounding it.
"The size of the towers is impressive"
"It isn´t the only thing that will impress you, I promise" He smiled to him. He then looked to the sky. "Ingrid, come over here! Send this letter to the guards at the gates." After dispatching her he looked again at him. "Security has been reinforced in the main cities of the Holy Kingdom, if I hadn´t told them in advance we would have wasted some time and that is a resource I have to make good use of. I promise you that when I solve this matter I will guide you through the city"
"I´m looking forward it"
It didn´t take too long until they arrived to the main gates of the city. Soldiers wearing the blue blazon of the Holy Kingdom greeted them as they entered the city.
"Welcome home, your Highness" bowed each one of them to Dimitri as they entered the city. Some of the soldiers joined them and formed a wall between the crowd of curious people that was starting to form and them.
"Make way to his Highness!"
The inhabitants of the city were trying to take a glimpse of the crown prince, shouting Dimitri´s name, overjoyed by the return of the prince.
"The people of the Holy Kingdom seem to have a great loyalty to Dimitri" commented Edelgard, riding her Pegasus next to him.
"Is it different in the Empire?"
"Unfortunately my contact with the people from the capital was cut to the minimum, but that doesn´t mean that I don´t worry about them" she then looked at him. "My promise remains the same my Teacher. One day I will show you the imperial capital."
"I haven´t forgotten" he reassured her.
"I´m glad to hear that" she smiled to him.
They accompanied Dimitri to the castle. An old man wearing a heavy armor approached them in a horse when they had just crossed the drawbridge.
"It´s an honor to have you here again." He said bowing to him. "Your uncle has already been informed about your arrival. He is waiting for you in the throne room.
"The pleasure is mine. Everyone, please have some rest." He then looked at him. "It would be an honor if you could accompany me, Professor"
"I have no problem"
"Don´t worry Dedue, here we are safe. I will be reuniting with you in a short while"
"As you wish, your Highness"
He accompanied Dimitri to the throne room. It was a wide hall with tapestries hanging from the walls representing hunting scenes, although the ones at the bottom of the hall were representing a knight mounting a griffin, the national symbol of the Holy Kingdom.
"You have finally arrived dear nephew" roared a voice.
The owner of the voice was a fat man with blond hair and a blond beard that was starting to turn white. He was sitting next to the throne in a more modest sit.
"You haven´t changed a bit uncle"
"One day you will thank me for this. Ruling is an unpleasant task. Most people just come here to complain. I know that the Kingdom has seen better times, but we can´t just send all our knights out there and leave the capital defenseless"
"You don´t have to worry, I will gladly assume the burdens of my duty when the time comes."
"You really sound like your father" he commented, although by the look of his face Byleth wasn´t sure if it was a compliment or not. "I´m sure you haven´t come here just to visit me. You want to prepare for the succession"
"That´s right. I want to make the preparations for this matter as soon as possible."
"By the way, who are you?"
"He is a Professor from the monastery; he and some of the students had accompanied me here"
"The members of the church had always been welcomed here. However, we should discuss this matter…"
"Oh, a new face! And his Highness has arrived too." Said a woman´s voice.
Byleth looked at the newcomer. She was a woman wearing court clothes that didn´t hide her voluptuous body and was smiling to him as if they were friends that had just reunited.
"Lady Cornelia, I thought you were at the school of sorcery"
"I have already ended my business there. Besides, as your counselor is my duty to assist you in the ruling of the country. My words mean no offense, your Highness; I will serve as loyally as I have served your uncle"
"I appreciate it" Dimitri said, although he looked uncomfortable. "However, I wish to discuss this matter with my uncle alone. Professor, thank you for accompanying me, but as my uncle was about to suggest I should discuss the technical elements with my uncle alone"
"No problem I will accompany your Professor then" offered the woman called Cornelia, approaching him.
They left the throne room behind them. Byleth was unsure about how to handle his new company so he remained silent.
"You are too quiet. I must thank you for accompanying your Highness here. It´s been a while since we had any news from him"
"I have just done my duty"
"Have you ever been to the capital before?"
"No"
"You don´t seem to like wasting words" she laughed. "I am afraid I didn´t present myself properly. My name is Cordelia and I am a court mage within the Holy Kingdom of Fhaergus. I give counsel to the regent until his Highness can assume the throne."
"My name is Byleth"
"Byleth?" she said with a strange change in her eyes. "It is an unusual name. I hope you can enjoy your stay here and thank you for taking care of his Highness. I am sure he is in good hands for the time being." They arrived to the main hall, where the rest of his students were waiting. "What a lovely group of students we have here" she said smiling to them. "I won´t be taking more time from you Professor. I leave you in good company"
"Who was she?" asked a confused Caspar.
"Her name is Cornelia. She helped suffocating an epidemic years ago, as far as I know she has been giving counsel in the court since then" commented Sylvain.
"That was a difficult year, but thanks for her help and the guidance of the royal family we overcame it" Ingrid said.
"My father didn´t let us leave our home when it started, but we could still hear it. The sound of the carts carrying the bodies of the dead is something that I won´t forget" said Annette, a bit sad expression on her face.
Looking at the reactions from the Blue Lions students he could feel they hold her in high regard.
"To fight an illness it isn´t enough to fight its symptoms, but it is also necessary to attack its origin. Don´t you think Professor?" asked Edelgard looking directly at him.
"You are right", although he felt she was referring to a different matter.
After a short while Dimitri returned. By the look of his eyes, it appeared to be that things had gone as expected.
"I´m sorry to have made all of you wait. I will guide you to the guest rooms. You are free to roam around the castle, but please don´t leave it. It will be an honor for me if all of you could share the bread and salt with me this night."
"I hope that bread and salt isn´t the only thing we are going to share" laughed Sylvain. "A good stick will do for me"
"That´s something we can agree about!" laughed Caspar.
"I will guide all of you around the city tomorrow, if you don´t mind Professor"
"There is no problem, I can wait"
"Then let me guide all of you to your rooms"
The rooms reserved for them were protected from the cold of the outside world by sturdy walls. The furniture was simple, yet elegant and the skin of a wolf was used as a carpet. When he opened the small window of the room he could feel the chilly wind hitting its face.
"Please close it quick, I don´t want you to catch a cold"
"It is interesting how well the walls can isolate the interior of the castle from the exterior."
"Since we are free to do whatever we want until we go to dinner, how about doing a bit of exploration?"
"Don´t you want to sleep?"
"I don´t mind being awaked from time to time if it is something interesting"
He left the room and walked through the deserted aisles until he arrived to the courtyard of the castle. The sky was getting grey, but it wasn´t menacing rain, looking at his surroundings he found a strange building with a dome on its top. Without thinking it twice he headed to it. The moment he entered into it he felt a sharp contrast with the temperature from the exterior.
"A greenhouse" he thought. All variety of plants was there, although what surprised him the most was the mist that was coming from a pool in the center of the greenhouse. He found Dimitri there, checking some plants.
"I hope that the room is comfortable enough for you, Professor"
"It is. How is this place so warm?"
"The exterior is harsh and cold, but the land here hides its treasures in the depths. There is an underground mass of water below the castle. The common folk think that its depths are heated by the flames of hell itself, but most scholars think the fires of the earth are what keep it warmth. In a place like this being warm can mean the difference between life and death and we have to take advantage of the scarce assets we have if we want to survive. Of course, these waters aren´t reserved for the castle. There are many watercourses that are of public access. This land, my country, may not be as beautiful as other territories, but I dare to say that it has its own qualities. If you want I can guide you to it"
"I would like to"
Dimitri picked one of the torches that was hanging next to a door and started descending the stairs. He followed him in complete silence. A few minutes later they arrived to a wider room where he could hear the sound of water flowing under him. There was a big pool in the middle.
"This place is used as a public bathroom. Feel free to use it if you want to. It´s interesting how the more you enter the depths of the earth the hotter it gets. According to the annals of history this place was intended to be the dungeons of this castle. Ironically the dungeons are located now in the tallest towers of the castle since a criminal doesn´t deserve such commodities and protection from the elements."
"In Almyra they placed their prisoners in the towers; those who are sentenced to die are hanged from there. Those who are lucky enough break their neck and die instantly. Those who aren´t are devoured by the wyverns that roam the area"
"You must have witnessed a few executions. In the Holy Kingdom the capital punishment we apply is to hang, drawn and quarter, although only against the most vicious crimes. That is the punishment that awaits those responsible of the Tragedy of Duscur when justice comes to them" he said, with a defiant look in his eyes. "However, we shouldn´t be talking about something like that in a place like this. Please accompany me; I have more to show you"
He spent the rest of the day accompanying Dimitri around the castle, when the sun was starting to set he accompanied him to the dining room, where some of the students were starting to arrive.
"Thank you for taking care of His Highness" greeted him Dedue.
"I can´t wait to eat until my stomach explodes!" Caspar shouted.
"That would be…problematic" said Linhardt next to him.
"Have you been done with your tour Professor?"
"Yes. What have you been doing Sylvain?"
"He had been chasing the female servants. What a womanizer" sighed Ingrid. "I still remember when you try to hit on my grandmother"
"Please be more quiet about it, there is no need to talk about the past now" Sylvain hurriedly interrupted her.
….
"Let the banquet begin!" roared the regent. Dimitri and her Professor were sitting next to him in places of great honor, although Cornelia was sitting next to him. The fact that one of them was sitting so close to him was making her feel a deep hatred in her interior.
"Edie, the soup is going to get cold"
"Oh, thank you"
"Are you wondering about something?"
"It´s nothing. I was just distracted."
"The amount of noise around here is something to remark" commented Hubert.
Caspar was shouting louder than usual, trying to tell something to Ferdinand with his mouth full of food. Sylvain was trying to seduce the servants that were carrying the different dishes, although he stopped the moment he saw Ingrid´s face. All of them were enjoying their time together, but the fact she was sharing the table with one of their kind was making her unable to enjoy her surroundings.
The banquet continued for a few hours more with nothing remarkable to say apart from the increasing drunkenness of the regent.
"In the name of my house I apologize for the behavior of my uncle" apologized Dimitri "I hope all of you get some rest. Let´s meet tomorrow at the entrance. What do you think Professor?"
"It is a good idea" he nodded to him.
"If you don´t mind I want to show you a place I forgot to show you before. Would you mind accompanying me?"
"No problem"
After her Professor and Dimitri departed everyone slowly started to leave the room. Caspar and Dedue had to carry Linhardt who was already sleeping. She was about to leave when she felt a presence behind her. When she turned around she could see Cornelia smiling to her.
"I´m happy to see you Edelgard. Would you want to take a walk with me?" she then looked at Hubert. "Alone"
Hubert was about to protest, but Edelgard stopped him.
"Don´t worry about me Hubert. This is the price I have to pay. I will go. Go to your chambers"
Hubert was reticent to her command, but he finally obeyed.
She followed her in silent until she opened a room. When she entered it she realized the room was Cornelia´s personal chambers.
"What do you want from me?"
"Why are you so cold Edel? I thought we were friends" smiled to her Cornelia, although her smile was devoid of all warmth.
"Don´t speak my name so lightly"
"And what are you going to do? Send your lackey to kill me?"
"Tell me what do you want from me or I will take my leave" she was disgusted for the mere fact of sharing the same room with her.
"A weapon should avoid getting so temperamental" said a voice from the depths of the chamber.
"What are you doing here?" Edelgard was shocked to see her uncle Arundel there.
"I just wanted to see my niece" he sinisterly laughed. "You should behave more politely with Lady Cornelia; she is a close friend of mine, after all. Your investigation has been disappointing so far; tell your dog to do better"
"He has a name" she could feel the ire within her trying to leave her body.
"And it will keep it as long as he contributes to our objectives. A crestless creature like him should be thankful to still be alive. You are also ruining my patience, but I guess that fortune is smiling to us. That child of the Goddess had provided us enough materials to work"
"Thanks to your plan I cannot longer use Jeritza. When will you return it to me?"
"The Death Knight, I will give it to you when the time comes, you just need to know that. Besides, I have another task for you. Thanks to the events of this month we have another of us within the monastery. You will have to hand her this" he said, handing him a mysterious sealed box. "Don´t dare to open it since it's magically sealed, unless you want to drown in your own blood. Don´t worry, she will come to you"
"I knew that the unconscious student in the infirmary wasn´t a mere coincidence"
"Keep doing your tasks as usual"
"I will do it as long as it doesn´t interfere with my own objectives"
"If everything works as expected you will have nothing to regret. Leave us alone now; you already know your instructions."
She knew she had no other choice, but to obey, but that didn´t make it easier. She left without looking at them, their mere presence made a particular itching on her right hand appear and she knew she couldn´t get rid of them yet.
…..
"Are you sure she will obey us?" asked Cornelia.
"You don´t need to worry, even if she doesn´t enjoy our company she is forced to help us if she has any hope to make her objectives come true. Besides, we have more important matters to discuss. Did you come in contact with the Professor?"
"I did, although only for a short while, yet I was able to sense a great strength within it"
"Solon says the same about him. When those pigs of the western church tried to raid the tombs beneath the Church they didn´t find the remains of Seiros. Instead they found the Sword of the Creator. Despite the lack of a crest stone this Professor seems to be able to wield it without a problem"
"I´ve heard that too, but it sounds unrealistic. To work properly it would need a crest stone"
"Unless the crest stone had always been there all the time"
Cornelia looked shocked to him.
"Are you implying that the crest stone is inside him?"
"Just like us, if my reasoning is correct it should be near the heart"
"How interesting. How could something like that happen? Is him an experiment from you?"
"I don´t have such honor. It is highly probable that our enemy has applied a similar technology to us. The crest of flames is unique in the world. Knowing her, I´m sure she wouldn´t risk using something so valuable to them without a reason. As you know, a crest by itself can´t generate energy, but it isn´t simply an inert material. I wouldn´t call it consciousness, but it has a range of freedom that no other object has. Even though a millennium has already passed the fact that it is actively reacting to the host body means that our dreaded enemy, the fallen star, still exists."
"That could possibly doom our plans. Should we kill it now?"
"Even if the idea is tenting me, we don´t have the guarantee we will succeed and I don´t want to reveal our identity yet. Even if he is the host of the fallen star he hasn´t awakened all its powers. Solon is confident we could get rid of him with enough preparation, but he still has to come with an appropriate plan"
"Understood"
"How is the situation in the Kingdom?"
"As unstable as ever. The regent is just an idiot and a womanizer. I wouldn´t worry about him, but the little Prince is eager to rule"
"He has the loyalty of his people, but there are some rotten apples in every basket. Continue your works in the shadows. The corruptibility of the humans is an asset in our favor. It still astonishes me that we come from them"
"I will do as you command, I can´t wait for the world you have prepared for us. Humans are feeble, but they are a useful disposable tool. I can´t wait to send my children to play"
"The time to fester in blood will come, for the time being we will have to remain in the shadows, only for a bit more of time"
….
The fury she had inside menaced to overcome her. She felt humiliated and powerless against them. She wished she could kill them all with her bare hands, but she knew that if she did that she could only satisfy her personal revenge and she could possible die in the process. "I´m not scared of dying but if I have to I want to die for something meaningful." The time she had left was her only opportunity to change things. "My father once tried to change things peacefully and it ended with the annihilation of my family. I don´t have the time, not the resources to try something like that". The imperial succession was advancing in complete secret. It was a risky dance on thin ice, but if it worked it would level the balance of power between her and the creatures she had to call allies.
She was so focused on her thoughts and she was so furious that she didn´t realize she was heading to one of the battlements of the castle. Reality came to her when the wind blowing from the north hit her, making her shiver. She was about to return when a familiar voice interrupted her.
"What are you doing here Edelgard?"
"My Teacher, I didn´t expect to meet someone here. Forgive me; I was just lost in thoughts. How about you?"
"Dimitri told me about the views from here and I came to see it by myself. Is something bothering you?"
"Is not something important" she said, hiding in a pocket the little box she had received, approaching him.
"Are you sure? You don´t look like your usual self"
"You see through me. Then let me answer your question with another question. Would you be willing to make sacrifices in order to achieve a better future or do nothing and let things keep their natural course?"
He looked at her what it felt like an eternity before answering.
"If the future solves the problems of our present I don´t see the problem with it"
"Even if it meant destroying the things you hold dear?"
Her Teacher remained silent for a while, looking at her as if he was trying to look into her soul.
"I wouldn´t. If I had to sacrifice my father for it I couldn´t do it"
"Oh, I see". It was a logical response, but she was disappointed by it. "I may be too different from the rest of the world due to my background" she thought.
"I wouldn´t wish for a future where you had to be sacrificed too"
The moment she heard those words leave his mouth she felt shocked, her heart pounding faster.
"Why? Why would I be worthy of that?"
"Because your existence is very important to me. If it weren´t I guess I wouldn´t have protected you that night risking my life"
She could feel a ravaging storm of feelings inside, her heart fighting to leave her body. Her inner fighting was already making her body tremble.
"You have left me speechless, my Teacher. I don´t know what to say to such honest words"
"There is no need to say anything. I know that your burden is heavy. Let me reduce the weight of it for the time being" he said, gently embracing her.
She knew that she may have to eventually face him in the battlefield in order to achieve her objectives, but in the bottom of her heart she wished it didn´t happen.
"Even if the future is uncertain, I´m glad to have met someone like you. Can I stay like this a bit longer?"
"As long as you want to"
She burrowed her face into his chest. She couldn´t hear his heartbeat, but it wasn´t strange since she could only hear hers in her ears. His body covering hers made her feel secure. "Now no one can harm me" she thought. For that fleeting moment she wasn´t the imperial princess, the future emperor or the flame emperor. She was just Edelgard.
She didn´t know how much time she stayed like that, but he was true to his promise and didn´t move.