12/24 Ethereal Moon
"Tomorrow is going to be the night of the Ball. Even though I don´t have fond memories of such events I´m looking forward to this one"
"A day where I have to take care of those stupid enough to dare to dance with Lady Edelgard. I´m looking forward to this time of the year too" Hubert chuckled
"Hubie, I don´t think that Edie was referring to it in that sense" Dorothea sighed. "After all the fights we had to endure I´m relieved to have days like this. If only things could be like this more often"
"I must admit that Edelgard´s skill is something to recall, but that can´t be compared with my own technique" Ferdinand said with a prideful smile.
"Ferdie, even if your technique isn´t bad that doesn´t mean that sometimes isn´t difficult to watch"
"I will show you tomorrow if I have the honor to have a dance with you"
"Oh, that was unexpected, but I don´t really mind" Dorothea said with a charming smile.
"The confidence in your tone is something I can admire. Apart from that I don´t feel like going to dance. It is so annoying. It will spoil my focus on my study of Crests"
"You can continue your investigation about Crests another day, Linhardt. Apart from the Ball I can´t wait to taste some of the dishes that are going to be served, although I would have to pick a fight or two like usual after that"
"You haven´t changed at all, Caspar, but I guess that I´m already used to it"
"I love you too, Linhardt" Caspar laughed.
"Professor, I beg you to let me skip tomorrow´s night! I would be like a fish trying to swim in the middle of a forest"
"Haha, you sometimes really look like a fish out of the water at class"
"Why do you say something like that?! It´s not like I´m a grilled fish!"
"Now that I think about it, to dance I will need a partner or something. Bernadetta, do you want to dance with me?" Caspar said scratching his head.
"After telling me that I look like a fish out of the water now you are asking me to dance with you?"
"Well, to be fair, you were the one talking about fishes. If Flayn was here I´m sure that she would have been enjoying already this conversation" Linhardt said yawning. Monica was also missing since she had a scheduled meeting with Seteth.
"I can dance with you if you want, Caspar. I can show you how we dance in Brigid!"
"Oh, thanks" Caspar said, although he appeared to be a bit uncomfortable with Petra´s genuine smile.
"In case that you wish to dance with me I will be there for you Lady Edelgard"
"Hubie, I don´t think that your services will be required since Edie will be dancing with the Professor, right Edie?" Dorothea said with a teasing smile. "Professor, are you listening?"
"Oh, sorry Dorothea. I was thinking about something" The last days he had been searching about the links between Lord Arundel and the Church, but the more information he gathered the more bizarre the situation appeared to be. It was highly unusual that a person could act so differently in a matter of years and he had barely spent any time in the monastery after he suddenly stopped the funding of it. According to some of the officials of the Church it was surprising to see Lord Arundel again after all the time that had passed.
"You should be paying attention; we are your dear students after all right? Promise me that tomorrow you will enjoy the night as much as I´m planning to do"
"Understood"
"It´s not an order, but I will remember your words, Professor"
"By the way, I have a proposal for all of you" Edelgard said looking at everyone. "How about we meet again this day after 5 years?"
"A class reunion sounds great to me!" Caspar shouted
"In five years the monastery will commemorate the 1000th anniversary since its foundation. It will surely be a date to remember since preparations for that day are already taking place, although I wonder how much we will have changed after all that time" Hubert said with an analytical look to all of them.
"It will surely be a great event. I don´t find any reasons to oppose meeting all of you again, but even if in a few months our paths will be separated for a while it doesn´t mean that we can´t remain in contact"
"I promise to write to you, Dorothea!"
"That´s very sweet Petra, I´m already looking forward to the letters coming from you"
"After 5 years I don´t know what will happen to all of us, but I´m sure about one thing; the moment all of us return to this place the mere fact of reuniting again will be a reason enough to celebrate"
"I wouldn´t hold my breath, Edelgard. I´m not even sure if the Professor will be here after all that time. You were a mercenary, right? Perhaps he will want to go to another place or he will leave in an extremely long expedition" Linhardt said as he looked at him.
"Even if he isn´t working here anymore I´m confident he will return, right?" Edelgard said, looking at him, making his heart ache combined with a strange feeling of sadness. In five years most of them will have already assumed positions of responsibility within their different families, but a part of him wanted to see them again no matter what.
"Of course" he said with a faint smile. "I´m looking forward to seeing all of you once again"
"Don´t forget, my Teacher. Even if the festival were to cancel I will return to this place" Edelgard said looking at him directly into the eye.
"Even if the festival were to cancel" he thought as he looked at all of them. "Even if something like that happened I will be here for all of you"
"It is a promise then" she said with a faint smile.
…
The wind was furiously blowing outside, but the inside of her room was comfortably warm, only the sound of her fountain pen could be heard as she wrote a letter meant to be sent to the capital.
"Your comment was really sharp Lady Edelgard. If our plans are meant to succeed I highly doubt that a festival of such magnitude would take place, but in that case I doubt that all of us will reunite again"
"I didn´t say it with a hidden meaning, Hubert. I really meant what I said, even if it is unlikely that it will come to an end" If the war she was preparing was quick enough they could reunite again, but her enemy wasn´t a force easy to defeat and she wasn´t sure that most of them will react the same after said time had passed. "A promise doomed to be broken, but a promise nevertheless" she sighed.
"In the case of those from the Empire, I´m confident that they will obey your command. I highly doubt that they would dare to oppose us since most of their families reside in the capital. The only ones that give me doubts are Petra and of course the Professor. No matter how much I observe him there is something I can´t completely understand about him. If I were you I would prepare for the time we have to oppose him and the rest of the forces of the Church"
"You really doubt that he can join my cause" she sighed as she continued writing her letter.
"I must analyze every threat to our cause in a rational way. It is true that the Professor appears to be fond of us, even me" Hubert chuckled. "But sometimes the worst treasons can be found behind sincere smiles. The fight we are preparing is something that will not be easily accepted by those with power in the current order"
"If I had an easier way to achieve my objectives I would certainly have tried a different approach, but now is not the time to think about ifs, that time is already gone. In a matter of months I will turn into the next Emperor of the Adrestian Empire and I will need every resource to end the war that is approaching quickly and the Professor could be of certain help on that matter" There were more reasons to it, but she didn´t want to horrify Hubert with her inner thoughts.
"My words about him remain the same. It is a dangerous bet what you are doing, Lady Edelgard. The Sword of the Creator is a weapon of great power, but how can we know that he will lend us strength? The shadow of the archbishop is long on him and we already know that she wouldn´t step out of power willingly by simply asking"
"Even if he doesn´t trust the Flame Emperor, he doesn´t think it was the mastermind behind everything that happened in Remire. As unlikely as it could be, I need all the strength I can gather if I want my dreams to turn into reality. The less we depend on them, the better. Do you know anything about their whereabouts? The fact that they have presence in all the territories make me suspect that there must be multiple bases of their kin scattered across the entire Fódlan"
"I have the same suspicions than you, Lady Edelgard, but my capacity to investigate them is currently limited. However, I have the feeling that their arrogance will be their undoing. They think that they have everything under control, but the moment they expect it the less we will fall on them and make them pay for all the suffering they have already committed"
"The time of retribution will arrive, but for now we will have to endure it" she nodded at him. "And when the time comes what will you be doing, my Teacher?" The thought of facing him in the battlefield was troublesome, but even if he was him who stood on his way, she didn´t plan to back down. "Even if I have to sacrifice everything I hold dear I will continue my path. There is no other option" she thought as she looked through the window. The world was freezing outside, but the absence of clouds made her feel calm.
…..
"Tomorrow is going to be the biggest event of the month at the monastery. By the way some of them are talking it appears to be that it is the mating season" Kronya said before him, her real form disguised under the skin of an innocent girl, a girl that had quite a resilient body when they prepared her skin to be used by one of them.
"Your moment is quickly approaching Kronya. Make sure to transform as many students as you can. I want to be certain about the extent of how many beasts we can turn into our new weapons" The Titanus were certainly a weapon easier to handle, but they were expensive to produce and their mere presence could alert their ancient enemy about their presence.
"Don´t worry, Thales. I´ve made lots of friends during my stay at the monastery. I´m sure they will be lending a hand soon, although I don´t think they will enjoy what is going to happen to them"
"Are any suspicions about our objectives?" Kronya wasn´t an important element within their ranks, but if she was taken prisoner they would be forced to take drastic actions.
"Not at all. A few days ago, a group of knight checked the surroundings of the area, but nothing more. Some of them were muttering something about thieves so I suppose that they were just making sure that there weren´t any thieves that could spoil their celebration. They won´t be causing any troubles. I have been true to my world and I haven´t killed any of them yet"
"It could be that the pass of time had shortened the vision of our ancient enemy" Solon said looking at him. "The fact that Kronya is still allowed to be there it is a proof of it"
"Even if it is true we shouldn´t be the ones to indulge ourselves. They almost destroyed us and the rest of the world once. Even if they are weaker so we are. This is a battle where the patient will eventually win" he then looked at Kronya. "I have high expectations. I hope that you don´t disappoint me. Doing so could end badly for you. You know what happens to those that fail"
"Don´t worry Thales. I will do whatever you order me. I´m all yours"
"Return to your position. We will talk after the experiment takes place" he said as he dispatched her. The forest where they were talking gave them enough cover to avoid being observed but undesirable visitors, but it was risky nevertheless.
"Are you sure to proceed like this, master Thales? The artificial Crest stones we have created are just prototypes"
"In that case the forces of our enemy will be the ones to take care of them. Don´t worry Solon, I have spent quite the time perfecting them, I hope that you have done what I have ordered you"
"Of course Master Thales. I have spent all this time investigating about the Fell Star and its current host. There are no exceptions to the way relics work so it is certain that the only crest of Flames existing in this world is inside him. It is highly probable that they intend to make her appear again, but I have found a possibility to stop its return from happening. A perfect opportunity to end the menace lingering on this world"
"Interesting, tell me"
"We could incarcerate the Fell Star into the void, into the place we have come to know as the abyss of Zahras"
"Zahras" he thought, a name that no matter how much time passed it was still painful to hear. "Once it was known as Zahras, the city of sunlight, the capital of all humankind, a place where peace treaties were achieved during centuries, a sacred place. However, in our arrogance we awakened the shadow, an evil capable of taking the entire world. That place was the result of our ambitions and mistakes and had been sealed to avoid spreading its corruption to the rest of the world for thousands of years" That place was the painful memory of what they could have achieved and how it ended badly for them. It was a place that most of the Argarthans ignored, yet those who knew about it were wise enough to keep silent about it. "That place had been sealed for thousands of years for a reason. Do you think that you can control what is hiding in the shadows? The path to Zahras is hidden by the shadows and in the shadows may rest for the eternity those who disturb the silence of the cursed city"
"You don´t really have to worry about it, Master Thales. I know the risks that entail the spell, but creating a small portal in a place with enough magic energy could be everything we need to get rid of the fell star. That place is cursed; even a powerful being like the fell star would succumb to the pure dark that inhabits that place"
"If there is no other option go ahead with it, but it will certainly take some time to prepare it. Accessing the void had never been an easy task; even if some treasures from our brilliant past are still there countless Argarthans had been devoured by the void as they tried to search for them". He still remembered those painful events as if the city was in front of him. The ivory walls stained in dark and in a spectral green, the screams and the dear ones he lost back in that day. The city of sunlight turned into a living hell and the only option was to seal the place away from the known world. With the loss of the capital of humankind started the decline of humanity, which accelerated when those who are not divine awakened. With their defeat during the primordial war they were exiled into the depths of earth, but some Argarthans still remembered the warmth of the sun as a friend lost a long time ago.
"I will inform you about my progress" he bowed before him.
"Don´t disappoint me. We should be leaving this place. I´m sure that Cornelia will want to inform me about what is currently happening in the Holy Kingdom. War is approaching and we need to have the best use of our puppets until we get rid of them"
"Only a bit more and all our suffering during the different ages of this world will have a meaning. I can´t wait to see the future you have prepared for all of us"
"I will only return the world to what it used to be, before those who are not divine tried to destroy everything we held dear. This world is ours and we will make them realize that no matter how much time passes the time of retribution will come to them" he said as he warped to the cold lands of the north, to the place where Cornelia was waiting for him.
….
12/25
The outside world was freezing but it wasn´t snowing anymore. After all the blizzards they had to endure during the month, it was relieving to see how nature calmed itself. The calm weather contrasted with his surroundings. As he walked around the monastery he realized that lots of soldiers of the Church were making the final preparations for the celebration that would take place at the end of the day. Among them he could see his father.
"Morning, son. Are you prepared to dance with those fancy folks?"
"Good morning father. I will do my best" After all the training he had under the guide of Edelgard he was confident enough to handle a few sessions of dancing, although the fact he would be dancing before all the monastery was a bit embarrassing.
"Embarrassing? That a seasoned warrior like you feels uncomfortable by something like that it is very interesting, but there is no coming back. Let´s see what happens tonight" Sothis said as she got up from her throne.
"I was sure you would be saying something like that" his father laughed as he rubbed his hair.
"Did you find anything in the old Chapel?"
"Nothing in particular. There were signs of someone being there, but apart from that nothing more. Those thieves must have gone to another place. I can´t really blame them. Winter is harsh and some of them may have tried to sneak into the monastery territories to have a shelter to protect them from the fury of the winter"
"Jeralt! In a day like this you shouldn´t be talking about work. You are free to talk about it any other day, but today it is too important for something like that"
"You really are fond of dancing, don´t you Alois?"
"Of course I am. I have a lot of fond memories related to it, but at days like this I don´t mind watching the abilities of those we had been protecting until now"
"You really are an interesting being, Alois" Shamir said joining their conversation. "I wouldn´t expect a warrior to be so refined"
"You are too serious for your own good Shamir. Even though I´ve tried everything to make you smile with my jokes it doesn´t appear to work!"
"That´s only because your jokes aren´t funny"
"Shamir is right about that, Alois. You are a great warrior, but you should stop doing those things you aren´t good at"
"Being praised and criticized at the same time it is really difficult to handle" Alois sighed. "Anyway, we should continue our work. We need to have everything prepared before the day ends"
"We will talk later, son"
"See you later, father"
After leaving the main hall behind he wasn´t sure about what to do. He still had plenty of time to spare and classes weren´t meant to start until the end of all celebrations.
"Where are all the students?" Sothis interrupted him. "I can´t see any of them, only members of the Church"
"They must be preparing for the events of this night" The other day he was able to take a glimpse of Annette and Mercedes chasing Ingrid and talking about how beautiful she will be the night of the Ball.
"In that case why aren´t you preparing?"
"I´ve already practiced and I have nothing more to do"
"Wait, are saying you are going to assist the ball with the clothes you usually wear to give your lectures?"
"Why not? I don´t see any problem with that" His usual clothes were comfortable enough and Seteth hasn´t told him anything about a particular etiquette for the Ball.
"The mere thought that you think it is going to be ok wearing something like that astonishes me" Sothis sighed. "If it weren´t for me you would be in quite a trouble. It is obvious that you can´t assist wearing something like that. You must change your outfit!"
"But I don´t think I have any suitable clothes" He had plenty of battle armor and equipment prepared for his expeditions, but he didn´t have any clothes especially prepared for an event like that.
"In that case the only solution is to ask for help. How about you ask your colleagues? I´m sure they will have spared clothes for you. Hurry up!"
"Ok, there is no need to be so pushy about it"
"If I wasn´t here you would be helpless. You should be thankful instead of complaining" Sothis said crossing her arms on her stone throne.
After his conversation with Sothis he decided to head to the upper levels of the main building of the monastery. He decided to try first with Manuela since she had been extremely excited with all the preparations taking place in this month. Knocking the door of her room he didn´t have to wait too much until the door opened before him.
"Oh Byleth. What a pleasant surprise. I didn´t expect seeing you so early. Has something happened?"
"I planned to go to the Ball with these clothes, but it seems it is unsuitable for such an event and I don´t have any spared clothes to use"
"Were you really planning to go like that? I´m glad that someone has told you about it. I guess that you are a mercenary to your core" she sighed. "Since I´m a woman I don´t have plenty of clothes suitable for you, but I do have some accessories that could look good on you. Wait here. I will go to Hanneman´s place, I´m sure that he will have something to give to you" she said as she ran to her destination.
He decided to look through the window as he waited. The grounds surrounding the monastery were shining because of the sunlight, giving the impression that the soil was trying to compete against the brilliance of the sun.
"Hello Byleth. Manuela had told me that you were in quite a trouble, but I´m glad we will be able to resolve this problem now. I´m sure Seteth would highly disapprove if you were to assist the main event of this month with your usual clothes. This suit is a bit old, but its quality is magnificent. I hope that you can give it a better use than I" Hanneman said as he showed him a black suit surrounded by an elegant aura. The areas of the shoulders had golden motives that gave it a more martial attitude, a decoration he had seen in the clothes of some nobles.
"It is a beautiful suit, Hanneman"
"I´m sure it is. I wore it when my dear sister married, although that marriage brought more pain than anything else" he said as his face saddened a bit. "However, everything is in the past now. I´m sure that it will look good on you, but there are some areas that might require some fixing"
"Not only that, Hanneman. This is the golden opportunity for us to make sure that our handsome colleague is the center of attention of the entire monastery. You must take this opportunity to impress the person you have grown fond of, Byleth"
"It isn´t necessary to make such effort, Manuela"
"Are you feeling embarrassed? How cute! That encourages me to do my best. Will you help me, Hanneman?"
"Of course Manuela. Don't worry Byleth. Your mere appearance is quite solid by itself but there are some things we could enhance for this particular day" he said as he adjusted his monocle.
"I thought I would have plenty of time to spare, but it seems that my free time ends now" he thought.
"You will thank me later. I´m sure that a particular someone will be pleased with the final result" Sothis said with a mischievous smile as she watched the scene unfolding before her.
….
"It took some time, but you are really handsome Byleth! Take a look" Manuela said offering him her own pocket mirror.
When he saw his own reflection he appeared to be a completely different person to the one that had entered the room. The elegant black clothes he was wearing made him look like one of the nobles he had served when he was travelling across Fódlan along his father. The cape he was wearing was also dark, but its inner area was on a crimson color that greatly contrasted with its general outfit as it did the golden motives on his shoulders and sleeves. Manuela had also taken care of his hair, which was unusually tided, applying a substance that made it easier to stay at that form.
"Thank you for your help"
"You don´t need to thank me, Byleth. It was really funny to help you to prepare for tonight´s event. You were already handsome since the first time I met you, but with this appearance…I´m sure that you will captivate lots of hearts tonight. You have already stolen mine" Manuela said with a charming smile.
"Manuela is right; since we are colleagues it is only natural to lend each other a hand. You have provided me so much information for my information that not even an entire lifetime would be enough to compensate for it. Allow me to fix this area just a bit" he said as he put a red rose in one of his pockets, securing it with a golden brooch. "With this all the preparations are completed. I´m sure that you will have an enjoyable night"
"That was a perfect idea, Hanneman. Before the night ends I hope you can give that rose to the person that has captivated your heart, until then take good care of it" Manuela said winking an eye.
"I´m confident that he won´t be the only one to be especially charming tonight, Manuela. Your dress is incredibly beautiful"
"I have reserved it for this time of the year. I have to be prepared to give everything I have if I want to succeed in the battle of love. You are quite elegant too, Hanneman. From time to time, you are really nice"
"I´m usually nice. The only problem is that we have completely different personalities, but today is not the day to spend our time in small quarrels like that" Hanneman laughed as he offered his arm to accompany Manuela outside the room. With no much time left before with the rest of the students Byleth followed them in silence. They arrived in no time to the gates of the main hall of the monastery. The place was completely deserted, since most of the students appeared to be busy with last minute preparations for the main event of the month.
"Greetings Professor Hanneman, Professor Manuela and… Are you Professor Byleth? I almost thought you were a completely different person. You are so handsome with those clothes! I must admit that I envy you" The gatekeeper greeted them. For the occasion he was wearing more comfortable clothes and his usual helmet was nowhere to be seen, allowing him to see his full face.
"Your clothes are really nice too" he said nodding at him.
"If you say something like that I´m sure that lots of people will notice" he nodded smiling.
"It is cold, but the absence of clouds will allow us to witness the beauty of the moon at its fullest. Dancing under the moonlight, how romantic" Manuela said with a dreamy look.
"This month has been colder than the previous year, but since we will be staying inside the building I don´t think we will have any problems. Anyway, I will cast some fire magic to make sure that we don´t catch a cold as we wait outside. Look some of the students had started to arrive" he said as he casted some magic, casting away the cold from their surroundings.
The first ones to arrive were Annette and Mercedes, which were accompanying an extremely embarrassed Ingrid.
"Good evening everyone" Mercedes greeted them with her usual smile. "Professor you are really handsome today. I hope that you can dance with me if you have enough time"
"Count me too, Professor! I´m sure it will be a night to remember, right Ingrid?"
"I don´t even know why I agreed to take part into the preparations for this evening. I´m more comfortable wielding a sword"
"You have just sounded like Felix. Don´t be so boring" Annette complained. "We will see you later, Professor. Until then!"
"Take care"
After that most students started to enter the main building. Even someone like Caspar was wearing what appeared to be its best clothes as he vividly chattered accompanied by Raphael and a sleepy Linhardt. He was also pleased to see Bernadetta, even though she appeared to had been persuaded by Dorothea and Petra.
"Hello Teach. I was wondering who was that handsome guy standing next to the Professors but it was you all along. You really did a good job, Manuela"
"You are really sharp if you know it was my doing, but Hanneman also took part in it. You look really handsome too" Claude was also wearing a suit and in his yellow cape he could see a deer that matched with the colors of his house. With those clothes he appeared to be more formal than usual.
"Sorry for making you wait" Dimitri said as he approached them. His usual cape appeared to be changed by a sturdier one made out of fur. He was also wearing a pair of dark leather clothes and a pendant symbolizing the Blue Lion of its house could be seen in front of his chest.
"Don´t worry, Dimitri. I´m always thankful to have your company" Manuela said with a charming smile.
"With that cape you are really the only one prepared for this weather. Thanks the Goddess that we will be staying inside" Claude laughed.
"I like your appearance too, Claude. Yours too, Professor" he said nodding at him. He wanted to talk with him about Lord Arundel, but he knew that now wasn´t the most suitable moment. "Perhaps I can find a moment to talk with him tonight" he thought.
"My Teacher, sorry for making you wait"
Hearing her voice he turned his head to the origin of it and as he did so his heart appeared to stop.
He had never seen her like that. Her dress was of a crimson color which contrasted with the golden color of the double-headed eagle on it. The area of her shoulders was revealed, but it was partially hidden by her hair, which fell on both sides. He could see that she was wearing the earrings he had seen her bought when they were on their trip to Fhirdiad. Her usual gloves were nowhere to be seen, revealing her delicate yet strong hands. When she looked at him, he couldn´t avoid feeling strange inside him.
"You are really beautiful, Edelgard"
"My Teacher, there is no need to saying something like that in front of everyone" she said as her cheeks stained a bit in red. "Although I must admit that you are especially handsome today" Her words made him extremely happy, the strange feeling spreading through his body.
"So this was the secret weapon of the Empire, uh?" Claude laughed.
"For once you seem to have taken your responsibility seriously, Claude. I must compliment you for your appearance, you too Dimitri"
"Well now that everyone has already arrived it is time to enter the main hall. I´m sure that everyone can´t wait to see its beginning" Manuela said as she offered her hand to Claude and entered the hall. She was closely followed by Hanneman and Dimitri and him and Edelgard. He could feel her warmth as he reached for her hand and followed the rest of the Professors and Lords to the center of the Hall.
As they entered it everyone grew silent waiting for the music to begin. As it started he gently placed his hand on her waist as they started to dance in the middle of the hall. Even though more pairings started to join them his eyes were completely focused on her as if he was victim of an enchantment. The fragrance he had grown fond of was wrapping him as the music continued its course.
"You are doing really well" Edelgard said with a gentle smile.
"That´s because I´m with you" he said as their faces came even closer. He had spent most of his life fighting against countless enemies and he had faced death more than once yet he had never felt as nervous as he did now. "This might be the most difficult battlefield of my life" he thought as they turned around the center of the Hall, most students already alongside them. Looking at her amethyst eyes he wondered how it would feel to drown in them.
"You got really hit by this one here, uh?" Sothis mischievously laughed watching the scene from her stone throne. Your range of emotions has really awakened since the first time we exchanged words" Hearing her words he couldn´t avoid smiling.
"I must admit that I´ve grown fond of your smile. Looking at your smile I feel tempted to indulge myself a bit"
"You are free to indulge yourself as long as you want to, Edelgard. If I´m here dancing it is because of you" He wished they could stay like that more time, but he knew that the melody was coming to an end. As the final notes of the melody resonated through the hall they separated. Doing the same that he saw, he gently placed a kiss on one of her hands.
"Thank you for this dance, Edelgard" he said as he looked at her. The moment he saw her face he realized it was quickly blossoming into a beautiful red color.
"T-Thank you, but there was no need to do something like that in front of everyone" she said as she turned her gaze away from me.
"This dance is already over, Professor" Hubert said appearing behind Edelgard, a sinister aura emanating from him. "There is no need to prolong this physical contact any longer. Lady Edelgard, may I have this dance with you?"
"Teach, how about we dance now? No need to kiss my hands, though" Claude laughed as he offered his hand to him. With no reason to oppose he joined him as the music reassumed.
"Tonight appears to be quite promising, don´t you think? Everyone appears to be more relaxed than usual"
"This month has been atypical to say the least" Recalling everything that had happened during the month, he had to admit that he enjoyed taking all the different activities with his students.
"By the way, Teach. I heard from one of the knights that someone had entered the area known as the old Chapel. Do you know anything about it? It seems to be a place close to the monastery, but I haven´t figured it out"
"It is to the north of the monastery, in an area covered by a forest. I´ve never been there, but my father explained it to me. There is nothing of valor there so Seteth thinks that they are just a group of thieves roaming the area"
"Nothing really interesting then, uh. Thanks for the information. This place is really big. I´ve always had that feeling since the moment we went to help you against the Death Knight and the so called Flame Emperor. I wonder how much of it is still in the shadows" he said with a thoughtful look. "Sorry, even though it is a day like this I was talking about a bunch of nonsense. Let´s enjoy ourselves for the time being". After he had finished dancing with him, he turned around and saw the archbishop gently smiling at him.
"May I have this dance with you?" she said offering her hand.
"It will be a pleasure" he said as he accepted her offering. If people thought that dancing with Rhea was strange, no one told him. Despite never seeing her dancing she appeared to be a capable one.
"I haven´t danced for a long time, but I remember some of it" she gently smiled as if she had just read her mind. The placing or her hands was more intimate that the standard way most nobles used to dance. "I have a question to ask you, have you finally grown used to living here?"
Thinking about all the events that had passed during these months, he didn´t regret staying here with his father, the moments he was able to spend with all of his students holding a special place inside his heart.
"I am. I have no regrets to have chosen to work here" he gently smiled.
"I hope that one day you will be able to call this place home" she smiled although he felt that those words had more meaning than what appeared to have.
As the music continued he had to dance with most of the students although his eyes were always attracted to her.
"No need to be jealous, you can dance with her at any time. I´m sure she would agree to dance with you again"
"I´m not jealous" he thought as he continued dancing with his students.
…
Taking advantage of one of the breaks between the different dances he decided to catch some fresh air outside of the main hall. The illumination from the inside was potent enough to cast shadows in the middle of the night and the moon was in a beautiful shape, almost completely full.
"Why are you running away? I´m sure that a lot of students are still willing to have a dance with you. It must be difficult to be so popular" Sothis mischievously laughed.
"I don´t think I´m popular"
"Really? My eyes tell me otherwise. You had been dragged away not only by the dear students you have been teaching all this time, but also by those of the lower levels. The way some of them looked at you…You are certainly causing more than one headache to some of them. So troublesome"
He was about to reply when he saw Dimitri leaving the main hall as well. Curious about the reasons of him leaving he decided to approach him.
"Professor, what are you doing here? I thought you were still at the main hall"
"I was just catching a break. What are you doing here? Did you already dance with Edelgard?" As the Ball developed he had caught glimpses of him looking at her, but he didn´t see them dancing together.
"There is no need to say something like that, Professor. I´m not that fond of dancing, even though she was the one to teach me"
"She taught you how to dance?"
"Yes, when she was brought to the Holy Kingdom by his uncle. My stepmother is her biological mother, although back at that time I didn´t know about it since she treated me as her own child. Even though our backgrounds and the cultures of our countries are completely different we were friends for a year. When we first met, we didn´t know about the different worlds we came from, but I remember seeing her accompanied by Lord Arundel. Back at that day he frequented the castle of Fhirdiad and was constantly discussing some important matters with my father so we spent our time playing until they finished their reunions"
"Why did they go to the capital of the Holy Kingdom?" he knew that it was related to the insurrection of the Seven, yet he was unsure about the reasons that could have made Lord Arundel run away from the Empire.
"Lord Arundel appeared to be afraid of the possible repercussions that could happen to her niece. The Empire was politically unstable a few years ago with a matter that affected the imperial family itself. I don´t know all the details surrounding it, but Lord Arundel appeared to be trying to permanently establish in the Holy Kingdom, at least that is what I thought when I heard some of the conversation between my father and Arundel"
"But he then suddenly changed his opinion and they returned to the Empire"
"You are right about it. It seems that you have realized that I´m too puzzled by that matter" he sighed. "You didn´t see him back at that time, but he completely changed his opinion about staying any time longer in the Holy Kingdom. What happened between my father and him is something that will never see the light, but there is no point to talk about it in a night like this" he said as he looked to the moon. "As I was telling you, Edelgard taught me how to dance. She was quite an exigent Professor, but I owe her a lot for her lessons. She has always been of a difficult person to deal with, but that is something you must have realized by now since you are her Professor" he laughed. "It is really strange to have conversations of the past, but I don´t regret telling you these things"
"If she wasn´t for her I would have done a foul of myself tonight"
"She is really the strict type, but her teachings weren´t wrong the least. That year we spent together was really funny. It makes me think about a time when life appeared to be simpler"
"The Tragedy of Duscur was a really regrettable event, but I´m glad that you could survive"
"The past really conditions our present and that is what it gives me strength to change the future. That event was really regrettable but the reaction of the Holy Kingdom was excessive. The Holy Kingdom has spent most of these years massacring the inhabitants of Duscur. Dedue is only one of those lucky enough to be alive yet, but the suffering born out of that event hasn´t found its way to all of those that took part into it. When I turn into the next ruler of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus I will make sure that those who committed that atrocious crime will pay with their lives and those who unjustly suffered receive something in compensation"
"I hope that you can bring stability and prosperity to the Holy Kingdom" he said patting his shoulder. "If all of you get along I´m sure that more stability will be brought to all of Fódlan"
"I will try to be a fair ruler to everyone and I will try to get along with both of them, although sometimes I don´t get what is Claude planning to do. I don´t seem to get his way of thinking" he sighed.
"You will get used to it" he smiled
"By the way, do you know what kind of gift I gave to her when our ways departed?"
Looking at him he thought that the thing most suitable would be…
"A dagger?"
"You are really sharp, Professor. I did give her a dagger, but it wasn´t a present without a reason. In the lands of Faerghus it is a tradition to give a dagger symbolizing the wish to cut your own path. It really suits our culture since most of the students here that come from the Holy Kingdom learned to use a sword before they were able to read. I know that she will be the next ruler of the Adrestian Empire and lots of responsibilities will restrict her own liberty, but I have the hope that she can cut her own path. To be fair, I wonder if the dagger that you have next to you holds the same meaning" he said looking to the dagger he was wearing on his belt, a present from Edelgard during his first months as the professor of the Black Eagles. "Although it´s just a story from the past, she must have forgotten by now"
"Looking at her I´m sure that she will be able to cut her own path" he said nodding at him.
"I didn´t expect to talk about the past like that, Professor. I guess that it must because it is this night" he said as he saw Dedue approaching them. "I guess that I will return shortly to the main hall. Will you accompany us, Professor?"
"I think I will stay a bit more here"
"In that case see you later. You must be really tired after all that you have danced" he nodded at him as he left accompanied by Dedue.
"A really fruitful conversation, although I would prefer something more beautiful than a dagger as a departing gift" Sothis said inside his head. "What will you do now? The insides of the monastery must be full of students eager to dance with you. Will you answer to their hope, mister popular?"
"That would be a bit troublesome"
"In that case how about going to a place far away from it? The Goddess Tower comes to my mind as a suitable place for it"
"The Goddess Tower…" It was certainly a place that was usually out of bonds, but according to the gatekeeper at this time of the year had a particular meaning. "Well, it´s not like I will be seeing anyone" he thought as he headed to the Goddess Tower.
…
The surroundings of the Goddess Tower were calm as he entered the tower. The lower level of the tower appeared to be tidied up since the last time he had been there. After climbing through the stairs he approached one of the windows of the tower and looked at the grounds of the monastery. The lights coming from the main building and the moonlight made him able to see groups of students at the surroundings of the main building. He could also hear the faint sound of the music coming from the main building.
"I wonder how they are doing all of them" He was sure that people like Dorothea were enjoying their time, although he couldn´t avoid wondering what they were doing people like Caspar and Bernadetta, especially the latter one. "I hope she can overcome the fear she has" he thought as he looked at the moon.
"So you were here"
As he turned around he saw her standing a few meters from him. She was still wearing the dress of the Ball and the moonlight made her hair look like silver. Why was she here, could it be that she knew about that story related to the tower?
"Were you waiting for someone?"
"I was waiting for you" He wasn´t sure why he said it but he did it nevertheless.
"Without telling me in advance? I´m glad that I came here by coincidence then"
"Do you have something to do?"
"Nothing in particular. I thought about talking with you, but you were nowhere to be seen so I finally decided to come to this place. The Goddess Tower…If I must tell the truth this place has a special meaning for me since it is the place where my parents fell in love. My father studied in this place a lifetime ago. After graduating, he assumed his position as a ruler of the Adrestian Empire and returned a few years later to this place as a formal visit. Perhaps moved by nostalgia he entered this tower where he met my mother, which was a student of that year at the academy. The moment they met they madly fell in love. It was the first time they felt like that, their first love"
"Their first love?"
"My father had already fulfilled his responsibilities as the ruler of the Empire and strategically married. The need for a strong heir is quite exigent in the Empire so he also had plenty of concubines, but his feelings were genuine when he fell in love with my mother. Even if she turned into one of the many concubines he had I´m confident there was love between them"
"How about your first love?"
"I want you to know more about me so I will tell you. A person whose name I´ve long ago forgotten, the child from one of the nobles of the Kingdom"
"A noble from the kingdom? Could it be Dimitri?" he asked. After hearing the story of the first time they met he had the feeling that he could be the person Edelgard was talking about.
"I can´t really recall its name or face since some of my memories from that time seemed to have faded away, but that is in the past already. It is just one memory from simpler times. I don´t have those feelings any longer"
"Even if you were able to meet that person again?"
"Even in that case everything is in the past now. I cannot long for the past, the present and the future is everything I can aim for"
"I see" He admired her resolution but he had the fear that he will eventually turn into a memory of simpler times too.
"Now that I´ve already talked about my past, how about you? Do you have any particular memories you could tell my about, like your first love…" she said looking at him with a renewed interest, as if she was especially interested in hearing his answer.
"That question should count as a critical hit, what are you going to do, Byleth?"
It was obvious that Sothis was right. He had never experienced something like that before, but he was sure now that it could be considered love. However, he was afraid that admitting his feelings about her could create a new distance between them. In that case…
"Could I make you one more question before?"
"I don´t really mind. If there is something I can answer I will tell you"
"When the time comes will you marry for political reasons or for love? In case that you have to decide which one will you decide?"
"That question is certainly a difficult one to answer. If a political marriage can bring a brighter future to Fódlan so be it, even if I have to sacrifice my own happiness in the process" although the tone of her voice was reluctant.
It was the answer he expected, but hearing it coming from her saddened him.
"I wish you could live a simpler life, Edelgard. A life where you didn´t have to sacrifice the things you hold dear"
"The feeling is mutual, but reality can prove to be disappointing at times…Anyway, what is your answer?"
"Please, don´t ask me"
"If you say something like that I feel inclined to ask about it" she smiled
"I´m sorry Edelgard I don´t have any stories to tell you"
"You don´t need to apologize, my Teacher. I´m sure that with everything you have experienced in your mercenary life you have plenty of interesting stories to tell even if they are not related to this topic, but I´m sure that we will have plenty of time to discuss about them" she said as she approached him and looked to the sky. "The moon is especially beautiful tonight and the wind even though it is cold it is gentle enough inside of this tower. I think we should return, plenty of students are willing to dance with you. You are really popular, my Teacher" she said with a fond smile.
"That was highly unexpected"
"Really? I beg to differ, but I think that some of them would hold a grudge against me if I monopolize you any longer" she giggled.
"I don´t really mind if it is you. When you came here did you see any people around?"
"No as far as I can recall"
"In that case would you like to dance with me once again? The last dance of the night" he said as he bowed before her, offering his hand.
"It will be my pleasure" she said as she accepted his hand.
Even if there wasn´t music to accompany their movements it didn't matter as they slowly moved around the central room of the tower, the moonlight the only witness of their dance.
"Your movements have really improved in a matter of weeks, my Teacher"
"You taught me well, if you weren´t here I would have failed miserably at the Ball"
"There is no need to belittle yourself like that. I taught you the basics, but from there you continued to improve. I must admit that I´m proud of you. Your efforts has made you a capable dancer, although I must admit the formality of this kind of dances can be exasperating for those who are not used to them"
"With your guide it was entertaining at least"
"I´m glad to hear that coming from you" she gently smiled as they continued their dance.
After a while they finally returned to the area next to the window, their shadows casted against the wall behind them by the moonlight.
"Thank you for this last dance" he said as he kissed her hand.
"You would be quite a sensation in the court, my Teacher" she said as she toyed with her hair. "Although that would be problematic. Anyway, even if today this is our last dance, I have the hope that we can have more opportunities from now on. If that is ok to you, of course"
"It will certainly be a pleasure" he said smiling to her.
"It is a promise then" she smiled although she shivered a bit as the wind from the outside entered the room. Noticing that, he put his own cape over her. "You should be careful about your health, I don´t want you to catch a cold"
"You are very nice to me, but that applies to you too. In that case we should share it. Will you escort me to my room? I´m already tired and I don´t think I will be dancing anymore"
"Of course, I don´t have any problem with that" he said as he approached her. Together under his cape they left the tower of the Goddess and headed to the dormitories of the students. He could hear from the distance the laughter and music coming from the main hall of the monastery and he couldn´t avoid smiling to the sound of it.
"Most of them must be there yet. I wonder what is going to be the look of their faces tomorrow"
"I´m curious about it too. Most of them had high expectations from it, it was only natural that they wanted to enjoy the night to its fullest" A few moments later they arrived to the dormitories of the students.
"Thank you for escorting me. If you return to the main hall I hope that you can enjoy the remaining time at its fullest"
"I hope that you can get enough rest, Edelgard and thank you for teaching me how to dance properly"
"There is no need to thank me about it. After all, you had been assisting me all this time"
As she was about to open the door behind her he recalled something that wanted to give her.
"Wait a moment, Edelgard" he said as he offered him the rose that acted as a decoration of his suit.
"Oh a rose, is it really ok for me to keep it?" she said as she hesitantly looked at it.
"I would be happy if you keep it. Even if it will eventually disappear it will be a memory of those times we have spent together. Consider it a present for everything that has happened until now"
"A memory of the events of this night… Thank you, my Teacher. I will take good care of it. That way even if the dawn comes I will be sure that everything that has happened was real. Good night, Byleth. I will see you tomorrow" she said with a genuine smile.
With nothing more to do he decided to return to the main hall, although he didn´t want to dance anymore.
"How boring, if I were you I would take every chance I have to dance. You are so lucky to have a body of your own"
"It would certainly be interesting to see you dancing" he smiled
"Are you implying that I can´t dance as well as you? How disrespectful! I would show you, but I guess that I can´t given my circumstances. Look your father and the guy with a moustache are over there"
"You mean Alois"
"Whatever"
His father and Alois were sitting in one of the corners of the main hall, watching the dance of the students that still remained there. Ferdinand was one of the students that still continued dancing with Mercedes. Petra appeared to be showing Dorothea typical dances from Brigid, their lively movements catching the attention of those who were already resting. He could also see Catherine and Shamir throwing daggers to each other as Caspar cheered them.
"Good evening son, you danced quite well. I must admit I was impressed. Your dear students must have taught you well" he said patting his shoulder as he sat between them.
"They really did"
"This year the level has been quite high. I´m really impressed, but I guess that it is only natural with so many interesting individuals that have come to study this year. It is a pity that I couldn´t teach you some of my dancing techniques, but I was pleased to see your abilities"
"Time passes really quickly" Jeralt said as he emptied his jar of beer. Last year I couldn´t imagine being here, but I guess that sometimes we don´t were our paths are leading us. Seeing all these students filled with hope is really reassuring"
"You just sounded like an old man, Jeralt" Alois laughed.
"You aren´t that much behind me, Alois" Jeralt laughed back. "I´ve never been a great dancer, but I´m fond of the times I danced with your mother. Those were good times, even if years have passed I remember those days as if they were yesterday" he sighed. "I hope that one day you can dance like we did with the person you choose to spend the rest of your life"
"When that time comes I will tell you" he said nodding at him.
"It isn´t an order, but I´m looking forward to it. Alois, bring me some beer"
"At this rate you are going to empty the whole barrel, Jeralt!"
"That would mean that tonight´s event was something to remember" he laughed. "I will tell you some of the stories of our past as we empty this barrel that Lady Rhea has graciously granted to us"
"If Seteth could hear you he would certainly disapprove that comment, but I will do it to remember the old times"
He spent some time with them, listening to the stories they had experienced when the travelled around the world as mercenaries. It was interesting to hear stories from a time he didn´t even exist.
"Is there a place where you have never been, Father?"
"The region of Morfis I guess. The people there are really strange. The Almyrans are a people that I can understand more and I have made some friends there after beating them up, but those of Morfis prefer to be isolated from the rest of the world"
"Even though you have experienced so many battles you have barely changed at all, Jeralt"
"That must be because I eat well, but I feel the pass of the time in my bones. In a few years I´m planning on retiring. It is better to retire as Jeralt the Blade Breaker than as Jeralt the rusted Blade. Do you have any plans for the future, son?"
"That is a good question, Jeralt. Will you stay here or return to your mercenary days?"
"I don´t know if I will permanently stay here, but for the time being I don´t mind continuing as a Professor"
"You really have changed" Jeralt said rubbing his hair. "I think I will return to my room. I will leave you with your dear students. Alois, come with me"
"Of course, Jeralt!"
Looking at them, he couldn´t avoid smiling. His father was a veteran warrior, but he was also a figure he could rely on and without him he was sure that all the battles he had to endure would have been harsher to handle.
"It is getting late, are you going to remain there, doing nothing? There are still some students. How about you dance again?"
"I´m ok with just watching"
"So boring, although there is someone that appears to be feeling the same" Looking a few meters from him he could see Rhea silently witnessing the final events of the Ball, although the moment she looked at her she started to take her leave.
"I wonder where she is going, how about we follow her? I´ve always felt curious about her"
Without a particular reason to oppose her he started to follow her from the distance, arriving to the upper levels of the main building. As he arrived to the upper levels a strange melody came to him, a melody that strangely felt nostalgic. He realized that Rhea was singing it, even though he had never heard her voice like that.
"This song… It feels so familiar. It makes me feel happy and sad and the same time…Wait a second, could it be that I was the one to make this song?" Sothis said as if she was lost in thought, wrapping her head. "But if I was the one to make this song, why she appears to know about it? If I am the so called Goddess why I am inside your body? These questions without a proper answer…made me feel exhausted…"
"I feel the same way" he said as he suddenly felt his body heavier. "What is this song? And why I´m feeling nostalgic about it too?" his thoughts were interrupted as he felt his body increasingly tired as he returned to his room, the events of the entire day appearing in his mind as he did so.