Chapter 6: Pink Champagne Truffles

Ingredients

Cake mix: 1 box vanilla cake mix, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup pink champagne, 3 large egg whites, 15 drops pink food coloring

Frosting: 3/4 cup butter, 3 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup pink champagne, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 5 drops pink food coloring, kosher salt

Coating: 4 c white chocolate chips, 1/4 cup coconut oil

Recipe

Cake: Preheat oven to 350. Mix cake mix, oil, champagne, and egg whites together, then fold in food coloring. Bake ~25 minutes and allow to cool.

Frosting: While waiting for cake to bake/cool, beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat again. Then add champagne, vanilla extract, and salt and beat again. Lastly, add food coloring and beat.

Crumble cooled cake into frosting and stir until mixed. Form cake mixture into balls (roughly 1 inch) and refrigerate for ~1 hour or until firm.

Coating: while refrigerating cake balls, melt white chocolate and coconut oil in 30 second intervals (prevents burning) then dip each ball in white chocolate. Place on a tray to allow to harden. Drizzle any remaining chocolate on cake balls and refrigerate ~15 minutes.

Lysithea was worried about Byleth; since returning from Remire, he had barely spoken to the students, and even classes had become less jovial.

She asked if anyone had spoken to him, but none of the other students seemed to have the courage to, so she took it upon herself.

After all, he already told me a bit about his past, didn't he?

She knocked gently on the door to his quarters.

"Professor, it's me, Lysithea. Do you have a moment?" The door opened to let her in. Byleth had changed from his customary uniform into a simple tunic and loose pants. He looked haggard; his hair was unkempt, and dark circles pooled under his eyes. "Professor! Are you quite all right?"

He nodded, returning to his desk and thumbing a list.

"I...the number of names that I recognize." He held his head in his hands.

"Professor...I know nothing I say will bring them back. So I won't try. But you don't have to go through this alone. I'm here with you, you know. And you're free to knock on my door whenever you need someone with you." She pulled a chair and sat next to him, expecting him to cry.

But he didn't. He merely stared at the list, clenching and unclenching his fists over and over again, saying nothing. She stayed with him for what seemed like an eternity, before awkwardly patting him on the back and stepping out to give him time to grieve alone.

I really don't know what to say...but that doesn't mean I can't be there for him.

Lysithea decided to visit him each day after classes, at least until he was showing some signs of recovering. Concerned that he wasn't eating, she was soon bringing meals from the dining hall, and they would eat them together in silence. She didn't want to make small talk, or force him to move on before he was ready; only on the rare occasions where he initiated conversation would they speak over the meals.

Two weeks passed, and Byleth finally seemed to be recovering. He had discussed her studies for two straight meals, something he hadn't done before. Satisfied, Lysithea packed her things.

"Goodnight, Professor. I'll be returning to my room now."

"Lysithea...thank you. Really. You don't have to come tomorrow; I think I'll be alright now."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, and she poked him in the stomach.

"Good, 'cause you're getting a little round around the middle from all this moping," she teased, dashing out before he could retort. She was glad to hear a light laugh behind her as the cold winter air hit her face.

Lysithea hurriedly pushed open the door to her room, dropping her books onto her desk. She quickly changed into her nightgown, grabbed An Encyclopedia of Sweets, and folded herself into her blankets, princess doll and bear stuffy at her sides. She was well into a new recipe when there was a soft knock on her door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Edelgard." Lysithea rolled out of bed and let the girl in.

"What brings you over?"

"I was wondering if you had heard of the ball that Lady Rhea had announced for the end of the month."

"No, I hadn't; I've been checking up on Professor Byleth after class for the past two weeks. So do we have to dress up and everything? Oh...and are boys going to be asking us to be their dates," she groaned.

"I don't know about the second part, but I assume there will be dresses and dancing. Anyways, we're all meeting to talk about this at the Black Eagles classroom; care to join us? I think the Professor is feeling better, since he agreed to come as well."

They hadn't had a class gathering since the events at Remire. She was glad that everyone was returning to some semblance of normalcy. Even Byleth was there, laughing along with everyone else; it was the first time she had seen him smile since Remire.

"So, the ball is in a week. Though I don't remember many similar events...I must admit, I am rather looking forward to it." Edelgard had an embarrassed look on her face and flushed slightly. Hubert nodded.

"Yes...I also look forward to holding back all the unsuitable men who will undoubtedly pursue Lady Edelgard." His already scary-looking face twisted into an evil grin.

"Hubert, it's a ball; please try not to kill anyone." Dorothea shook her head. "If you want no one to pursue Edelgard, why don't you ask her to be your date?"

"Oooooh", was the collective reply. Hubert turned his head away as everyone burst out laughing.

"So, Dorothea, how many men have asked you?" Lysithea was curious; the former opera singer was always keeping some interested man at arm's length.

"Oh, I lost count. But I haven't said yes to any of them. Perhaps I will simply dance to enjoy myself."

"Yes, we all see dance as a chance for romance, but we forgot it can also be for one's own enjoyment!" Ferdinand stood up and began dancing with an invisible partner, accidentally stepping on Linhardt and waking him up.

"Sheesh, Ferdinand, your positive attitude is quite impressive. Although...perhaps I will participate."

"Nope! Not me!" Bernadetta squealed and shook her head vigorously. "You wouldn't catch me at a ball sooner than you'd see a fish in the sky!"

Caspar chuckled and slapped her on the back, leaving Bernadetta gasping for air.

"You do flop kind of like a fish on land, you know." He turned back to the group. "Speaking of dancing, though, do we get to pick who we dance with?" His face flushed red. "Just...wondering."

"In Brigid, dances are...quite different. I am also wondering how partners are chosen."

"Well, at all the balls I went to when I was with the opera, we would be free to dance with whomever. But if you do have a date, there are certain songs you have to dance with them for, like the first and last songs." The group delved into a detailed discussion, gossiping over who could ask whom. The talks meandered deep into the night, without any conclusions being drawn.

Linhardt yawned.

"While this has been fun, I do rather enjoy the comfort of my own bed. Shall we turn in for the night?" Everyone nodded and stifled their own yawns.

"Hang on," Edelgard said. "Professor, everyone...I just had a thought." Everyone's attention turned to Edelgard; her face was glowing and she was beaming more than Lysithea could ever remember. "In five years' time...let's return here. Exactly five years to the day from the ball. Who knows where we will be, or what we will be; but let's make a promise to return here, so we can all see how we have grown."

Everyone's hands reached in to seal the promise. Lysithea hesitated.

Who knows if I'll still be here?

"Lysithea?" She quickly reached her hand in and plastered a wide grin on her face.

"Of course!"

Classes were significantly less intense for the week that followed, as most everyone's attention was focused on the upcoming ball. All around, students were pairing up, or nervously trying to work up the courage to ask another; Lysithea lost track of how many love notes she'd been asked to ferry around the monastery.. Byleth seemed to understand this, as well; Lysithea noticed he was giving significantly less homework for the week. After exams on Friday, which Lysithea also noted were easier, she prepared to head to the library. Dorothea had just started badgering Byleth about his date; such had been the routine after class every day for the past week. While Lysithea was curious if he did have a date, she shrugged it off. She had studying to do, after all.

She had decided to use the week to get ahead; while she had mastered Nosferatu, she wanted to at least begin studying the next white magic spell, Seraphim. She returned to her room and sat down, textbook in hand.

Seraphim is the essence of pure light harnessed in a spell. While useful in general, it is especially effective against those heavily practiced in or influenced by the dark magics.

Like those mages and crazed villagers, Lysithea thought with a shudder.

The use of such a spell requires one to have practiced their faith in light. Seraphim requires not only the correct state of mind required of all white magics, but also a state of belief. Those with insufficient faith will never be able to cast this spell, much less higher level white magics such as Warp and Abraxas, which will be discussed later.

"Seraphim!" Lysithea yelled out for what had to be the hundredth time that night, but still nothing happened. "Gahh, why can't I get this to work?" She stomped her foot impatiently, deciding to ask Byleth, as had become her custom when she was stuck. She walked over to his quarters and knocked gently.

"It's me again, Professor." The door opened to let her in. "I'm sorry to bother you on a Friday night, but I was trying to study ahead, and I got stuck on casting Seraphim."

"No worries, Lysithea. Now, where are you stuck? And shouldn't you be resting? It is rather late; I hope you haven't been practicing all this time."

"I've been trying to cast Seraphim all week, but...nothing is happening. It's like Heal all over again!"

"Perhaps your faith is not quite strong enough. Seraphim is a manifestation of the powers of the light; tell me, when was the last time you were at choir practice?"

Lysithea frowned; she couldn't honestly remember, it had been so long ago. Byleth nodded knowingly.

"Attending that will be a good start. Faith is showing the goddess your belief; if you haven't attended any church sessions in so long, it is without a doubt that you would struggle to cast such a spell." Byleth smiled gently. "But we shall practice another time. It is late, and tomorrow is the ball. I'd rather you not be too tired to enjoy it; with the state of things, we never know when we will have another chance to partake in such an event."

"Thank you for helping me with my training, Professor. And I appreciate your concern. But...I'm going to keep at it a bit longer. You should get some rest; I'm sure you're far more tired than I am." She turned to leave.

"Lysithea, you really should get some-"

"I can't," she snapped. "Not...not when I'm on the cusp of using my power to greater potential. Just...d-don't…" Lysithea could feel herself getting dizzy. "What the…" Her vision blinked, and she blacked out.

Lysithea awoke in her room, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dark.

I must not have been out very long...but how did I get here? She turned in her bed and slowly sat up.

"You're awake."

Lysithea's head dropped.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I should have listened to you. And now I've made a mess, and we're both going to be exhausted for the ball tomorrow. I just...you forget to rest when you realize your time is running short." Her eyes looked out the window at the night sky, dotted with stars.

Byleth's head snapped towards her quizzically, and she sighed.

I guess I might as well tell him. He did tell me about his past at Remire, after all.

"When I was five...House Ordelia was involved in a civil disagreement with the Empire. We responded to House Hrym's call for aid. As punishment, many of those in House Ordelia were surreptitiously killed and replaced with Empire spies. And then, one night…" Lysithea took a deep breath. "My father tried to hide us in the storm cellar, but the spies knew of its location. And so they pulled us out, and...one by one, used us for their experiments. I was the only one who survived. I watched each of my siblings die in front of me."

"Lysithea…"

"You know, my hair wasn't always white. Weird, isn't it? For a teen to have gray hair. But when their experiments were finished...I lost all my pigment. The mages were ecstatic, and tests confirmed it. I…" she took a deep breath. "I had two Crests. But the mages also informed me that my lifespan was greatly shortened. If I was lucky, perhaps I could live until twenty, or twenty five."

"How awful," Byleth muttered.

"Yes. All I want is for my parents to at least have peace before I leave this world...but I'm running out of time. That's why I work so hard, Professor. Even though they went through the pain of losing all of my siblings, they worked hard to hide it, to show me as much love as they could so that I could grow up happy. This is the least I can do for them."

"But...if there were a way to remove your Crests, could you live a normal life?"

Lysithea shrugged.

"I gave up on that long ago. And I wouldn't be much use without my Crests."

Byleth shook his head.

"No, Lysithea. Your talent isn't your Crests; remember what I told you when we first met. And even if it was, there's much more to you than just your magical abilities. I promise you...I will do my best to find a way to remove your Crests." Byleth's face was steely and determined; Lysithea was taken aback by the emotion clearly brimming to the surface.

"You know, Professor...your resolve makes me want to believe you. Perhaps there is a way." Lysithea's attention turned back towards the night sky, a faraway look in her eyes. She allowed herself for a moment to think of what it would be like

To love, to grow old with someone...

"By the way, Lysithea. I found this lying on your bed when I brought you back here." He held up her copy of An Encyclopedia of Sweets. "I didn't know you were into baking," he said. She blushed scarlet and snatched at the book .

"Professor! You're not supposed to look through a lady's things, you know that! But..yes. It's mine. I used to...well, before I came to the monastery, I would bake with my parents. Every weekend. During the week, we would pick out a recipe from that book, and then get the ingredients so that we could try making them on the weekends. Now that I'm here, I don't have an oven I can use, but I still read a new recipe every week. And whenever I write home, I tell my parents about a couple of my favorites, so that they can try to make them." Lysithea yawned. "How curious; being around you makes me tell you things that I usually keep closely guarded. I wonder why that is?" She could feel herself starting to doze off. "Professor, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to rest now."

"Of course." Byleth stood to leave. "Good night, Lysithea. And thank you for confiding in me. I promise I will do everything I can to help you. "

"Good night, Professor. Thanks," she mumbled, as her eyelids began to droop. She vaguely felt the covers being pulled carefully up to her neck before dropping off to slumber.

"Lysithea, sit still!" Dorothea pushed on the squirming girl's shoulders. Lysithea glanced at Edelgard, who was fixing her hair. Further down the row, Bernadetta had smoothed out her usually unkempt hair into a neat bun, and Petra had changed to a traditional Brigid dress. Lysithea, meanwhile, was struggling against Dorothea's attempts to slather makeup on her.

"Edelgard, help me," Lysithea whined.

"Oh, but you simply have to do this for the ball! We all let Dorothea do our makeup, you know. She's rather good at it!" Dorothea leaned towards her face with a brush, winking at Edelgard.

"Don't you want to look cute for the Professor?"

"I-you-what?"

Dorothea smiled knowingly, and suddenly the rest of the girls in the room were listening attentively.

"There's nothing going on! He's just helping me with my studies, that's all." The other girls all nodded sarcastically.

"Well, not yet, but...there's clearly some sort of connection. You know, Lysithea, have you heard the rumor about the Goddess Tower?" Lysithea shook her head.

"What's it say?" Maybe if I change the topic, they'll stop teasing me.

"Oh, well, it's rather simple. If a man and woman exchange vows at the top floor of the Goddess Tower, there's a legend that it will be guaranteed by the gods to come to pass! Isn't that romantic?"

"Umm...sure," Lysithea said.

"We have a similar tradition in Brigid; it seems most places have some variation."

"And that's why you need to be all adorable! Maybe the Professor will take you there tonight," Edelgard tapped her shoulder and grinned.

"Edelgard, since when did you turn all lovey dovey? I never knew you were like this!"

They shared a hearty laugh as they continued their preparations for the ball. Dorothea finally released Lysithea, who changed into her dress. It was the only one she owned, seeing as she had never been one for pageantry, but it was special. Her mother had made it for her before she left for the monastery. It was a deep shade of velvety purple, contrasting with her snow white hair and light pink eyes. Two thin straps lay over her shoulders, and the dress ran just past her knees, swishing in the wind and with each step she took. The back of the dress was left bare, swooping suggestively just above where her back ended; Lysithea was embarrassed about this, but her mother had convinced her that it would be fine.

"Wow, Lysithea, you should dress up more often! You look beautiful!"

"Really?" Lysithea was aware that the other girls were all staring at her. They all nodded.

"You look fabulous, Lysithea. I'm sure the Professor will love it." Lysithea blushed.

"Do you-I mean-can we stop with that? Come on, he's like...five years older than me. But anyways, we should be going. The ball will start soon, and I'm sure you all don't want to be late for your dates."

They continued gossiping even as they slipped on their shoes and walked to the Cathedral where the ball was being held. Lamps had been lit throughout the walls, the red glow mixing with the soft gray moonlight and bathing the Cathedral in a warm shade of orange light. Students milled about, all nervous as the ball was about to begin. Dates frantically sought out each other, lest they miss the opening dance, while those without dates scrambled to find someone, lest they risk being alone. The first notes of the organ's opening song soon began reverberating throughout the walls.

"Lady Edelgard, if I may." Hubert approached the girls, dropping to a knee and holding out a hand. Edelgard took it and pulled him back to his feet.

"Of course, Hubert." They joined hands and began to dance. One by one, the girls went off with their dates. Lysithea watched as Ferdinand invited Dorothea, then Caspar and Petra, and finally Linhardt and Bernadetta went off to dance. She chuckled as Caspar and Petra whirled around the dance floor, some interesting mix of Petra's "vigorous" Brigid moves and Caspar's natural exuberance. Edelgard and Hubert were dancing in a rather more subdued manner, seeming to be discussing something even as they whirled in each other's arms. Linhardt and Bernadetta were hidden away in a corner; Linhardt's eyes seemed to be barely open, while Lysithea could practically see beads of sweat running down Bernadetta's face. She smiled as she retreated to the refreshments.

Everyone looks so...happy. This is what I want for my parents. This...this is why I need to continue to apply myself to my studies. Lysithea watched as students from all over the monastery, and professors, twirled around the Cathedral floor. She noticed a line of girls had formed, and knew what they were waiting for. She guffawed at Byleth, who was trying to dance with each girl in the line, so as to not disappoint any of them. But his dancing was robotic; clearly, he had never been taught how to dance.

I'll have to talk to Professor Jeralt about that. On cue, Jeralt walked up to the refreshment stand, pouring himself a cup of water.

"Oh, hey there, kid. Not your type of thing either, huh?"

"Good evening, Professor Jeralt. Not really...but it doesn't look like your ideal environment either."

"Damn right," he said, throwing the water down in a big gulp. Lysithea laughed softly.

"It doesn't seem to be Professor Byleth's, either. That man simply cannot dance. Did you never teach him?"

"Hah, so you've seen. No, I taught him how to survive as a mercenary. Things like dances, and entertainment...rarely came up."

"Speaking of that...After the battle of Remire, I heard you say that maybe you should have never left Garreg Mach. But...Professor Byleth told me that he was born after you left, in Remire."

Jeralt's eyebrows raised.

"Damn. You're just as bright as he said." He glanced around. "You got a date for the ball?" Lysithea shook her head. "Good. Come with me; we can speak of this in private." Lysithea followed him out of the Cathedral, into the cool breeze. She shivered and hugged her bare shoulders.

"Here, take my coat." Jeralt tossed his coat over her, and she stumbled from the weight of the thick fur coat. "I'm giving this to you since...well, I think he's taken a shine to you. He's taken a shine to all of his students, but there's something different about you. He talks about you often, you know. He's worried that you aren't taking care of yourself; that you study too much, and don't go out and have fun like someone your age should. Anyways." He pressed a thick book into her hands. "It's my journal. Read it, then return it to me when you've finished. When the time comes, I will hand it to him...or, should something happen to me, I'll leave it to you to show him what is in those pages. I'm sure if it isn't me, you're the one he would want to learn these things from."

"Professor Jeralt…"

He hushed her, before pointing back towards the cathedral.

"Look, there he is. No doubt exhausted by the barrage of women asking to dance with him." Jeralt sighed, and Lysithea could see some of her own father in him. Just a proud dad, watching his beloved child. "Why don't you see where he's going; maybe he needs someone to talk to. I trust you more than anyone other than myself to get him to open up, especially after how you've been checking on him since Remire."

"A-are you sure?" He nodded, and she returned his coat before walking as quickly as her heels would let her towards Byleth. Jeralt watched her go with a tense smile.

I've got a bad feeling, for some reason. There's something weird going on at the monastery. Should something happen to me...she'll be able to explain to him.

Byleth made his way towards a tower and started climbing; Lysithea followed him until he reached the top. He leaned out against the open window, dropping his head into his hands with a deep sigh.

"Um...Professor?" Lysithea stepped out shyly from the staircase. He turned around to face her.

"Good evening. Why aren't you at the ball?"

"I saw you wandering out, and decided to follow you. With everything that's happened when I run into you at night, I was worried there was going to be an enemy, or something," Lysithea teased. "You know, you're surprisingly popular. Everyone wanted to dance with you."

"That surprises you, doesn't it? Though, to be honest, it surprised me, as well. I'm not the most sociable person, am I?"

"No, you're not. Well, not to be rude, of course. But I think it's something else about you. Like I've told you before, you just understand people. Perhaps that is why all the ladies have taken a fancy to you."

Byleth shrugged.

"How do you fare in such matters, Lysithea?"

"Er…," Lysithea turned away. "I've no time for such things. I've already told you about my past; I'm here to become the best mage I can be, not for frivolous things like romance. They were gossiping for the whole past week, and everyone wanted to come to some tower-wait...this is the Goddess Tower, is it not?" Byleth nodded, and Lysithea gasped. "We need to get out of here, before rumors start. Of course, there's nothing to worry about, but we are here alone...so they may wonder what our aim is." Lysithea made to leave, but Byleth didn't move.

"There's no need to panic, Lysithea."

"Huh? Oh, I get it. Everyone thinks of me as a child; You're treating me like one, too, aren't you? So there's nothing to worry about. You wouldn't be in love with a child. Obviously, there's nothing! So if you want to sit here collecting dust, I'll do that too." Lysithea felt crushed, and she slowly realized for the first time that all the rumors were true.

I...like my Professor, she thought, mortified. And I pretty much just made it super obvious to him, too, didn't I?

Byleth's face was still facing the window.

"Lysithea...would you like to dance?"

"Would I-what?"

"Would you like to dance?"

"Professor…" Every fiber in her screamed yes, but she was wary of the consequences. "I-is it really okay? I mean, won't the other students think it's odd? And the professors?"

Byleth finally turned to face her, the window focusing the evening glow like a natural spotlight on him.

"I know. But at least here, tonight, we can be alone. We can have this moment together…" He held out his hands, inviting Lysithea. "And it can hold us until a more appropriate time. Perhaps at our reunion in five years."

"Professor…," Lysithea stepped forward and took his hand with hers, and they wrapped the other around each others' waists. "When did you become a silver-tongued devil?"

And where did this come from?

"Your hands are awfully cold, Lysithea." Byleth removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders. The music from the cathedral was soft, but the beat was audible. Lysithea guided Byleth slowly as they waltzed, ignoring that he was constantly stepping on her toes. She stared into his face, and saw a genuine smile. "I haven't seen you smile like that since...well, ever," she whispered, laying her head in his chest as the music continued. "Why me, Professor? You could have had your pick of ladies on campus."

Byleth shook his head as they continued to twirl. He extended his hand so that Lysithea could spin under, catching her on his arm.

"Would you like me to list my reasons?" Lysithea nodded and beamed into his robe.

"Keep it coming!"

"Very well. There is your singular dedication to everything important to you. I see someone who, at a young age, has already grasped what is important to her, and will do everything in her power to protect it. You also took the time to learn more about me; after Remire, you asked why the village was special. You were there when I was hurting; you checked on me every night for two weeks. As a professor, it's my job to be there for my students when they are in need. But you remembered that I am human as well and, at times, needed someone to be there for me. There's also an adorable side to you; the way you stomp and pout when you get stuck studying, or how you sleep with a bear stuffy and princess doll, or how you like to bake. And, well, I do find you rather beautiful. Especially tonight."

Lysithea was grinning ear to ear, and she was sure she was burning a hole through the front of Byleth's robe. She wished the song would never end, but the notes were already slowing and fading in the wind.

"Professor…No, Byleth. Can I call you that for tonight?" He nodded. "Are you really willing to wait? What if we don't find a way to remove my Crests?"

"We will. It is that pursuit, and the memory of tonight, that will occupy and motivate me while I wait. Lysithea. I promise." His eye stared into hers, and once again, Lysithea was shocked by the passion in them.

"You again with your resolve. Very well then." The final note had just played, the organist holding it for added effect. Lysithea tiptoed so that she could reach Byleth's face, kissing him briefly on the cheek.

"There," she whispered into his ear. "Now the promise is sealed."

So I was writing this chapter and it kind of became a mega chapter; originally I was going to split it into two, but I finished editing and it happened to be valentine's day when I finished, so I released it together so that nothing is left hanging. Hope you all enjoy it! I thought it would be interesting to introduce their romance early, and try to write it in a way that they find ways to strengthen and reinforce their feelings for each other before actually becoming a couple. But we'll see how that goes. I know this is a big filler chapter, but it was really necessary to phase out why Lysithea and Byleth kind of started to develop feeligns for each other. I think Lysithea as a character goes far beyond just the stereotypical hardworking student; she's the kind of person who just sees something and does it because she thinks she should, a quality that is incredibly endearing to me, especially since I have so much trouble being straightforward when dealing with others. For those of you that want action, don't worry, it's going to kick up soon ;)

Jameyboy: Thank you! Hope you'll stay along for the ride :)

Pink champagne truffles are one of my favorites to cook for romantic occasions; if you've never tried them before, I highly recommend them (if you're of age, of course; if not, just remove the champagne from the recipe).

As always, please R&R, and enjoy!

-elementaryprincess