Chapter 13: Bittersweet Chocolate Budino
Ingredients: Bittersweet chocolate, chopped (8 oz), 1 oz milk chocolate, chopped, 2 cups heavy cream, 6 egg yolks, 6 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp unsalted butter, fine sea salt, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp bourbon (optional), unsweetened whipped cream
Recipe: Melt chocolates together in one bowl, being careful not to overheat or burn. Warm the cream in a separate saucepan on low heat until it steams, but do not boil. In separate bowl from chocolates, whisk eggs and sugar together then add heavy cream slowly and continue mixing. Pour this mixture into saucepan and cook on low-medium heat until thick (it should coat the spatula). Strain then stir in butter and allow to cool. Add this mixture into the bowl with melted chocolate and mix together, then stir in sea salt and bourbon if desired. Pour into cups/jars/bowls/desired presentation kitchenware and top with whipped cream and serve.
Note: Budino is a type of Italian chocolate pudding!
Also, s/o MathAtMidnight for giving me ideas that I used for the theme of this chapter!
Edelgard's eyes flitted between the book on her lap and the girl sleeping in front of her. She sighed and placed a bookmark before snapping it shut.
Not like I'm going to be able to focus much anyways.
She sat up as the girl began to stir, turning onto her side.
"Lysithea?" She reached out a hand and rested it on Lysithea's shoulder. The girl's eyes cracked open the slightest bit.
"H-hi, Edelgard. What-where is this?"
Edelgard patted her hair gently.
"Don't fret, you're back at the camp. They cleaned up the wound on your head, but they just wanted to observe you to make sure there wasn't anything more serious. How are you feeling?"
Lysithea's hand slowly rubbed the bandages on her scalp.
"Killer headache, but otherwise, I'm alive." She carefully propped herself up. "Did we lose?"
"I-." Edelgard looked away. "Yes. We lost." She pursed her lips. "You know, we won all our battles with the Professor, and it's been so long since we failed, I almost thought it wasn't possible. I thought as long as we were all together, we would win. But...now I see. We weren't all together. The Professor wasn't there." Her eyes turned towards Lysithea, mouth curling into a sheepish smile. "What a fool I was, thinking I was his equal."
Lysithea reached out her own hand and placed it over Edelgard's.
"Don't say that," she said. "We're all still here. We all believe in you still. And even if Byleth isn't-" Her voice cracked for a second. "Even if he's not here with us physically, his lessons will always be with us. We'll keep learning and getting better."
"But we lost this one because I let...I let my pride and emotions dictate my actions. The Monastery holds so many cherished memories for me. I'm sure it does for you. And…" A tear slowly coursed down Edelgard's face. "I wanted to capture it. So that we could have our reunion that we promised to have. And because of that, I put all of you in harm's way…"
Lysithea chuckled.
"Really? You wanted to capture the Monastery for our reunion? Edelgard, if that's your goal, we have five more years! There's no need to rush at it now."
"But-"
"And we will take it back. But we'll also learn from this. When I got stuff wrong on tests, you know what the Professor would tell me?" Edelgard looked up expectantly. "He'd say, it's okay to make mistakes. It's alright to screw up. What matters is what you learn from it, or, perhaps, in a more pragmatic sense, how you respond to it. And besides, I don't think a war was ever won without losing a couple battles along the way."
Edelgard smiled briefly.
"That does sound like something he would say. Thank you, Lysithea." Edelgard closed her eyes, settling into her seat. "You're right. I can't give up because of one setback. I'll need be more careful next time though, especially since we're out of mass teleportation crystals."
"Oh. Well...hopefully that's the last time we'll need one." The two girls shared a laugh, before Edelgard suddenly wrapped an arm around Lysithea, squeezing her gently. "Huh? Edelgard, I don't play for that team, you know."
Edelgard grinned, only gripping her tighter.
"I'm just really happy you're alright, Lysithea."
"Are we interrupting here?" Dorothea winked at the girls as she entered the tent, followed by the rest of the Black Eagles.
"No, shouldn't you be attending to Ferdinand or something," Edelgard quipped back, leaving the singer scarlet and stammering.
"I-he's-well, he's healing now and needs his rest. Anyways, we're not here to see you, Edelgard, we're here to check up on Lysithea."
Petra and Caspar held up plates of food as everyone settled around Lysithea's cot.
"Before anything, I would like to-"
"There's no need to apologize, Edelgard. We all decided to follow you here, and we're not changing that just because we lost one battle. We'll just have to train harder so that we can stand with the Knights on the same battlefield." Caspar folded his arms across his chest as the rest of the Eagles murmured in assent.
"Everyone...thank you. I have already mentioned this, but...having you all with me makes me happy." She smiled, a true smile that Lysithea had rarely seen on her face.
"Aww, is Edie getting emotional? We need to figure out how to bring out this side of her more often!"
"Is Edelgard doing the crying? I have never seen this before!"
Guffaws rang out until one of the nurses ran over to hush them, Emperor or not, lest they disturb some of the other patients. Edelgard watched as the Eagles gathered over dinner. Linhardt was snoring, of course. Caspar was exaggerating about some feat of strength on the battlefield, trying to demonstrate in the cramped quarters; Petra had to pull him back before he would slap a nurse straight in the face. Even Bernadetta was talking today, though she was mostly espousing how nervous she was only having a tent, and not a room with a locked door. Ferdinand, wrapped up in bandages from head to toe, joined later, and instantly began droning on about how nobility needed to know how to handle defeat with grace, to which Dorothea responded that there was no grace in having dirty clothes before launching into a rant about how the stream wasn't sufficient to clean all her garments. A bemused Hubert asked how she had brought an extra change with her, as he had been wearing the same thing for two weeks. Everyone slowly shuffled away from him after that statement. Edelgard closed her eyes briefly, and almost felt as if she was back at the Monastery for their Friday lunches as a class together. Though one prominent voice was missing, it was still comforting to know that though so much had changed, their bonds still had not.
Lysithea's right. I'll have to be a better leader from now on, but at least...we're all still here.
Even you, my teacher. Though you may have left us, you have changed us all for the better. We will never forget you.
Evening fell, and the students left to let Lysithea get some rest after being there for the better part of two hours. Lysithea leaned back into her cot, exhausted but a smile on her face.
"You should go to bed." Edelgard carefully pulled the blankets up to her chin. "They can be a handful, huh?"
"Yeah. Though it's nice to know everyone cares. It's nice to feel like I'm one of you guys. You know, I never really planned on fitting in with you all. I just joined because I wanted to learn more about magic."
Edelgard leaned back and frowned. "Why do you feel that way?"
Lysithea cocked her head in thought. "Well, I guess now that we're not at the Monastery, it's ok for people to know. Just keep this quiet, okay?" She waited for Edelgard's nod of agreement before continuing. "I-I have two Crests." Lysithea proceeded to tell her everything about the fateful night, when she had lost her siblings and her normal life.
Edelgard's eyes only grew wider as she listened.
"Lysithea, could you describe the mages that were there that night?"
"Of course. Like I could ever forget. Their robes were black as midnight; it almost seemed like they extinguished the light around themselves, making everything darker. Their faces were pale as a sheet, and their touch cold as ice." Lysithea shivered. "Otherwise, the embroidery on their robes was gold, with all these weird occult designs I'd never seen before or since. Like weird eyes, all sorts of shapes."
Edelgard's mind churned.
Could it be...Them?
"Anyways, that's why. I never really cared too much about being good friends...I mean, what's the point if I won't be here much longer, right?" Lysithea blinked. "Sure, everyone might be sad initially, but in the end? They'll all just move on with their lives anyways," she finished bitterly. "Only Byleth..he promised…"
"I will take on that promise." Edelgard's voice was firm.
"Edelgard...thank you. Really. But it's just not-"
"With the archives available at the Empire, and the mages and scientists and historians we have at our disposal, I'm sure we can find a way if we dedicate enough time to it. And as Emperor, I will make sure it becomes a priority. I won't let a friend resign themselves to such a fate without doing everything I can to change it. Besides, after this war, I need someone to do all the girl things we're missing out on with me."
Lysithea chuckled mirthlessly.
"Edelgard, we both know that's not our type of thing."
"Really? Speak for yourself; I can't wait to gossip and try on new clothes, and have my nails done once all this fighting is over. Ooh, maybe I'll even decorate my axe." Edelgard kept a straight face, making Lysithea giggle.
"I can't tell if you're joking or not!"
"Ha. Well, you'll have to stick around till the end of the war to find out. Now, you really should get some rest. It's late, and you need to recover. Good night, Lysithea."
"Good night. Thanks for hanging out with me today."
"Of course." Edelgard made sure she was comfortable before leaving the tent, her mind still racing.
It has to be Them. I wonder if Hubert knows? But if Lysithea recognizes them on the same side as us…she's too smart not to. I'm already lucky she didn't recognize Solon's goonies' garb...Perhaps it's time to rid my hands of them. I have never felt comfortable with their methods, anyways…
She flashed back to the events at Remire. She had thought it was an aberration then, that Solon was the problem. But…
What if that is who they really are? I need to talk to Hubert about this.
She made her way to his tent and gently tugged on the flap.
"Yes?"
"Hubert, it's me. I have some pressing issues to discuss."
"Regarding the battle yesterday? Our planning was sound; unfortunately, we overestimated our own ability. We may need time to develop our own skills before we take on the Knights again, but I am confident we will be successful with better preparation."
"No, not that. It's about...Them."
"Yes?"
Edelgard took a deep breath.
"I...I need to know what you know. About the experiments that were done."
"And what brings this about all of a sudden?"
"I had always heard that experimentation was done only on the dying who had agreed to it. But is that true?"
Hubert's eyes narrowed.
"Forgive my impudence. But if it were not for those experiments...would you not wield the power you do now?"
"I didn't ask for this power, Hubert." Edelgard's eyes narrowed. Hubert never dodged questions; he must have known she would not like the answer. "Tomorrow, you will send Them back to Enbarr. They will only assist us when and if I say so."
"But-"
"The more I have seen of them, the more I despise them. That is my final word on this matter."
Hubert looked as if he wanted to protest, but thought better of it.
"Very well. It will be as you wish."
"Thank you." Edelgard turned heel and briskly left the tent for her own. She stripped off her tunic and changed into her nightgown before settling onto her cot and closing her eyes, drifting off into sleep.
Rats. She cowered in a corner far away from them. A swarm of the black creatures, with their long, sinewy tails, had congregated on the cold basement floor, squealing as they fought over the crumbs left on her dinner plate. She had lost track of how long she had been in here; when every hour of every day was spent in an all-consuming darkness, time became a forgotten concept. What she did know was that her siblings, one by one, had been taken out, never to return. Were they free? Being held somewhere else? Were they...dead? She had no way of knowing. But now, she was the only one left. She knew it was to be her turn soon, and she began to cry at the thought.
The rats soon finished their meal and scrabbled back into their hideouts within the cracks of the walls. Edelgard finally let her knees drop away from her chest, extending her legs out and relaxing the slightest bit.
The sound of the basement door being unlocked reached her ears.
This is it, she thought. Now I'll find out where my siblings have gone…
Someone walked in, and gruffly picked her up by the collar of her shirt. She screamed out in pain as it dug into the nape of her neck, but the man ignored her. She shielded her eyes as they exited the basement; after all the time spent in the darkness of the basement, even soft candlelight burned her eyes. She was thrown onto a carpeted floor, and she felt a foot stop her rolling.
"Well, Edelgard. Aren't you lucky to be the last one. Now you will be able to hold a second Crest without dying, like all your brothers and sisters."
Edelgard let out a horrified gasp.
Dead..?
Whoever was talking laughed.
"Did you think they survived? No, we used each one to perfect this recipe. We used all the others that we tested on as well. You should consider yourself lucky; this one should bestow untold power upon you, and with our refinements, shouldn't kill you anytime soon."
She opened her eyes a bit and saw a purple flame approaching her chest.
Edelgard woke up in a cold sweat.
Strange...it's been so long since I had that dream. Then again, perhaps it's not so strange. Lysithea...her siblings...my own siblings...how many others had to go through unimaginable pain, just for this Crest? How could I not have known until now?
She berated herself. She knew, of course, that something was wrong with Them.
Those who slither in the dark. With that name, of course there can't be anything good.
But you listened to them anyway. For your ambitions, and your dreams, they were a necessary evil, a nasty voice whispered in her ear. She couldn't deny it. Some of the decisions she had made were not easy ones. She had always been willing to do whatever it took to achieve her goals; aligning with the Slitherers was just one example. Now that she had heard Lysithea's story, however, the idea of continuing to work with them repulsed her more than it had before.
I have to, though. For the sake of everyone's future...for a world without this outdated system of Crests and nobility. But from now on, I will only use them if absolutely necessary. I'll make these decisions and I'll live with the consequences, so that no one else will have to suffer them. Lysithea...if you ever find out, I hope you know that everything I did was to make the world we wanted. I didn't want you, or anyone else I cared about, to make these decisions, so I did. I hope you understand.
She opened her eyes, having rediscovered her resolve, and climbed out of bed.
Lysithea fumbled with her blanket.
I need to check if Claude did send the stuff from my room…
She glanced around the infirmary. It was still early; the beds had been lined up two per row in the tent, and each bed was occupied with an injured soldier who was still asleep. Beside each bed lay an assortment of medical supplies; bandages, salves, ointments and the like depending on what injury each had suffered. Lysithea's head turned as she heard the tent flap being opened, and she saw Edelgard walk in. She waved.
"Morning, Edelgard," she whispered.
"Morning," the girl whispered back as she carefully maneuvered towards her, careful not to disturb any patients. "How are you feeling today?"
"Much better." Lysithea pointed to the bandage on her scalp, which was clean save for a small drop of blood. "Say, Edelgard...I wanted to ask you something."
"Ask away."
"Would it be okay for me to return home to Ordelia for a couple weeks?"
"Huh? Of course it would be fine; we're going to be spending some time to regroup anyways, but why do you need to return home?"
"I asked Claude to send some important items from my dorm back to my house. I need to check if they made it, and I want to see my parents before we start fighting again. You never know what could happen."
"I see. Well then, once you're ready to, you can start making your way there. Ordelia's a bit of a trek, isn't it? I'll send a group of our best soldiers to escort you."
"About that, I was rather hoping you all would serve as the escort. You know...the Eagles. I want my parents to meet all of you." Lysithea's eyes looked away shyly. "T-they always complained that I didn't have any friends! So I wanted to prove them wrong." She flushed slightly at Edelgard's knowing wink.
"We'll be there with you. We should be able to make the trip completely through Empire territory, so it should be a safe journey. I'll let the others know; I'm sure no one will object. Now, would you like some breakfast? I can bring some if you'd like."
"Ooh, yes! I'm famished. Can you bring me double portions?"
"No, Lysithea, you can't binge eat like that."
"But I want to," she whined loudly. One of the patients stirred, and a nurse ran over to Lysithea's cot, scolding her.
"Sorry," Lysithea said sheepishly. "Okay, fine one and a half portions?"
Edelgard grinned.
"I'll see what I can do," she said as she left the tent, leaving the nurse to continue scolding Lysithea.
Tried to spend a bit more time writing as I've got a lot more spare time with rotations being moved to online courses, and just finished a mock exam that I did alright on, so got this update out sooner!
So I decided to take a chapter to really try to flesh out more of Edelgard and Lysithea's relationship, as well as Edelgard's personality. I tried to emphasize not just how close they've become, but why they've become so close. Initially, I leaned on their shared characteristics: both are driven and ambitious, albeit for different reasons, and this added on with their shared tragic pasts allowed their relationship to blossom organically as I tried to depict in this chapter. But more importantly in this chapter was figuring out Edelgard's character. As I've mentioned, her ambition and work ethic are mirrored in Lysithea, but what sets them apart is that Edelgard is, for lack of a better word, ruthless. Hearing Lysithea's story affected her in some ways here, but I had to hammer home that aspect of her by having her instead strengthen her resolve, that the decisions she was making were necessary evils in order to achieve the greater good. Hopefully you guys all got at least some of that from this chapter!
Half-beastdragonsoul2013: Welp. Let's just hope there's no pandemic in the Fire Emblem universe ever xD
BrandedKing: It really is tough, and I don't think the game does this part of the story anywhere near enough justice. By all accounts, Byleth was basically revered by all his students; I'm sure that thinking he was dead would have a significant effect on all of them, but instead we just get a timeskip. I also thought it was hilarious to use teleportation again, but I won't be doing that again (as I had Edelgard mention in this chapter). It's just too much of a cop-out and I feel guilty if I abuse it. I'm glad you're enjoying it, and hope you're staying safe!
MathAtMidnight: I really took your suggestion to flesh out Edelgard's character and her relationship with Lysithea here; I figured this would be the perfect time, especially since she's tertiary, to focus on it while Byleth is out of the picture and before the whole timeskip. Hopefully I did it justice, though I would be willing to dedicate parts of future chapters to developing this further if needed.
As always, please R&R, and stay safe and enjoy!
-elementaryprincess