Chapter 3
"This feels the same as the last time." Byleth thinks as she observes the forest in front of them. The silverwalls are some of the tallest trees in Fodlan and one look at them can tell you why—they can easily overshadow a five-stories building. The body of a normal mature tree can take up to 3-4 men to hug and a single trunk is as big as a human.
Byleth has only seen them once before, when she just beginning officially fight alongside Jeralt, her father just signed a contract to protect this forest from bandits during spring. The first season of the year is the time where the trees are most suitable for harvest so it attracts too many grubby hands.
Now, they're not here to kill bandits and thieves, though.
As if reading her mind, Dimitri squeezes her hand. He smiles at her—today, he is also very handsome. Both of them have opted for more practical outfits than can both protect them from the bitter cold while leaving enough freedom for them to do what they must for the first trial: Chopping down a tree to build their own bed.
"We can do this," he says. "I will make sure to prepare the best bed for you."
Byleth nods. Her lips curl upward so easily. "For us. And you won't do it alone, remember."
"Ah, oh, pardon me, of course." Dimitri chuckles sheepishly. He turns to the leader of the wood camp of this forest and his loyal retainer Gustave. "Gustave, Ebert, we are ready. Will you give us permission?"
Ebert, a small old man with hair as white as the snow, dips his head with a pleasing look. "Gladly, Your Majesty. But before you begin, let me explain everything to you two again for safety reasons."
All the people around them gather to listen.
The assistants next to Ebert spread out two large drawings as his boss explains. "Your Majesty and Your Grace only need to work on a single tree we've marked for you. You need to cut it down and separate it into pieces with these general shapes and sizes. You will have carpenter and instructors to help you during the later part. After you're done, we shall take up the rest. Be sure to follow these guidelines—one wrong step and you may lose all of your hard work."
Gustave, who now wears a scarf and cloak that identify him at the elder and the judge for their courtship procession, pickups up from there "This first trial is to prove that both of you can cooperate together to lay the first brick of your married life.
"You were to construct a household item that both of you will use together in your new life to symbolize your matrimonial harmony. As you have both agreed to build a bed that will the foundation for the next generations, I commend your decision. May the Goddess and our ancestors watch over you."
The large crowd of soldiers, woodsmen, hunters, knights, and nobles cheers. Their voices disturb all the woodland creatures around them adding even more noises to the place.
Byleth, meanwhile, suddenly feels hot in her stomach at the mention of "building the next generation". Dorothea's "gift" is really getting to her.
She sucks in a breath and asks Dimitri, "Ready?"
"Of course," He replies with a hand patting the giant ax on his back.
The tree in front of them is wide enough that even if Byleth and Dimitri try to hug it, there would still be leftover space. The bark is actually quite pretty viewing it up close—The smooth, white surface simmering against the silver-grey leaves that blend with the snow around it. Standing here, one could think that they're still in the middle of winter.
"Pretty, isn't it?" Ebert muses, hand patting the tree. "Once you cut it down, it loses its sparkly appearance. The wood turn darker but becomes stronger than before. And it has such a lovely smell that calms your soul. My father back then even said that it can ward away evils. Just like a good marriage, eh?"
"Yes, we certainly hope so," Dimitri agrees excitedly while Byleth gives a firm nod.
Ebert chuckles, "Obviously, only you Blaiddyds would choose silverwall as material for your marriage gifts. Most men would go for more sensible choices like oak or mahogany. Then again, most men don't accidentally destroy their bed when they're having fun." He wiggles his eyebrows at them, earning two bright red faces and some sputters.
Trying to ignore the heat in her face, Byleth gets into a secure but still comfortable position. Focusing her power into a single place, she creates a blade of fire, pressing it against the mark on the trunk.
After a few minutes, the wood turns red and soften. It's incredible how this organic material can act so similar to metals. Once a sweet smell forms in the air just as instructed, Byleth nods at her love while still keeps her magic going.
Dimitri swings his axe. His mighty strike embeds the blade of the tool deep into the trunk with a booming sound. Gasps and cheers erupt behind them at that.
"Incredible! As expected of a Blaiddyd."
"He cut that much in one strike. I can't believe it! Our strongest cutter can only cut just a third of that."
"The Archbishop isn't too bad either. I've never seen anyone heats up the bark that fast."
"She must have great control over her fire to keep it so steady even with such a blow."
"Hoh, I think they may finish it sooner than King Klaus and his bride did."
"Too soon to say. Let's see if they can maintain this long enough."
The words at the end give Byleth enough warning to space her power out evenly. Dimitri prepares another blow at her signal. This time, she doesn't use as much strength as the first, knowing how to keep it going even as her lover's strike is still as powerful. Once again, the axe buried straight into the cut.
Dimitri looks at her understandingly and waits for her to adjust the heat before rising his axe again. Just like that, they work as a team focusing solely on cutting the tree. She provides the heat and he strikes, back and forth until 2 hours have passed.
Byleth is sweating furiously as if she is in a sauna instead of a near-frozen massive forest. Dimitri doesn't fare much better, his blond locks stick to his face and neck, and he keeps loosening up his collar while panting like a horse. They had cleared almost half of the trunk but it will be a long while before it will fall down.
Glancing at each other, the couple starts taking off their cloaks. Dimitri eventually gets to his shirt. Byleth is afraid of the cold, though, so she only loosens her collar and fold up the sleeves of her shirt beneath. The cold air contacts with her hot skin feel quite pleasant.
The moment Byleth lifts her head to check on Dimitri, her eyes immediately glued to his bare chest. His bare, perfect, as smooth as bronze statue chest. Her gaze traces the tight muscles on his neck and shoulders, the strong and somewhat wiry arms connected to the defined collar bones. She then pay attention to the bulging chest down to muscular flesh of his ribs followed by a v-shaped that framed his navel and disappeared into the waistline with the barest hint of golden hair.
"Shh, Your Grace, if you stare any longer, His Majesty will die for sure." Ingrid's sudden voice next to her ear jolts Byleth away from her trance.
Dimitri seems like he's preparing to dig a hole to hide. His whole skin is red while he fidgets on the spot. His face is a mix of embarrassment beyond belief with a tiny bit of excitement. His mouth opens and closes between babbles of ahhs and uhms.
Behind them, the crowd is snickering, commenting about the vigor of young love and maybe they should add more guards before the wedding. That only aggravates the king even more that Byleth has to speak up.
"I'm sorry." She tells him, "It was rude of me."
"No, please don't be. I shouldn't have overreacted so much."
Her beloved quickly responds and take the blame to himself as always. And she knows what could calm him down.
Byleth grabs Dimitri's hand and squeezes. She gives him a small smile. "Then we are even. Let's get back to work. I want to finish this part before lunch."
He nods with a smile and preparing his axe again. Before focusing on her own task again, Byleth muses that both of them certainly are not quite used to be so affectionate in public yet.
xxXxx
Shouts and orders spread through the part of the forest they are in, warning people to avoid the falling path of the tree. Dimitri is looking more determined than ever, just a tiny bit more and it will be theirs.
With a nod, Byleth pushes for a strong flame that burns scalding to the point that even the snow behind them is melting.
Dimitri holds the axe as far as he can away from the trunk and swing. A deafening sound jolts everything around them. The tree starts to wobble.
"Timber!"
The giant falls into the empty space they prepared. Cheers and claps reverberate as people congratulate the couple. Dimitri and Byleth, covered in sweat as trying to catch their breathes amidst the exhaustion, stare at the first fruit of their labor.
Dimitri barks out a laugh and takes Byleth into his arms. "We did it!"
"We did." Byleth nuzzles into his hot neck. Bare hands clamp to his naked shoulders. The two of them swaying on their feet while people run to the tree to see it closer.
Ebert claps his hands to gather attention and says, "The first part of the preparation is done. We'll now have a lunch break for an hour."
The announcement brings relief to Byleth. Quickly put on her cloak before helping Dimitri to redress himself, she drags him with her to where Dedue is waiting with a big, heavy-looking basket.
Byleth shows the inside of the wicker container to Dimitri, which consists of two big loaves of bread, a small wheel of cheese, and a big covered pot. She opens the lid just a little bit for the steam to escape.
"Is this what I think it is?" the blond asks in astonishment.
She nods. "Cheesy Verona stew. I thought that you'll be extremely hungry so I made sure to prepare a lot for you." He deserves to enjoy a good meal after doing all of these hard works, after all.
"Was that why you were late for our breakfast this morning? You shouldn't have." He's frowning, smiling, and being shy all at the same time. It's very adorable, Byleth thinks.
"It wasn't that hard, and I had Dedue help me."
The man in mention shakes his head. "All I did was peeling the vegetables. Her Grace hoarded everything else."
Before Dimitri could open his mouth, Byleth pulls at his hand. "Come, let's eat."
Moments later, they are seated comfortably near a warm fire with Byleth holding a big bowl of stew.
"Here. Ahh." The archbishop holds out a spoon full of steaming soup with both vegetables. loach meat and, most important of all, cheese toward her fiancé.
Dimitri looks at her in shocks, his face looks like it could melt snow with how red it is.
He stammers out some words about being able to feed himself and she shouldn't bother. But when he realizes that Byleth won't change her mind, the king finally gives up.
The blond smiles shyly but nevertheless still opens his mouth for her to feed him. He chews slowly and, despite her knowing that he can't taste anything, looks incredibly happy as if he is eating the most delicious food in the world. Byleth doesn't ask anything but he still declares with eye shines brightly so childlike. "I love it. You are the best cook I've ever known!"
"Dima, you're exaggerating it." She snorts, spoon-feeding him another bite.
"It is the truth, here, you should eat, too." The king picks up a spoon and mimics her action even as his face is turning crimson. The two of them then take turns to feed each other, and Byleth makes sure to give her Dima all the biggest pieces of melted cheese.
Around them, everyone only spends a few minutes to swoon before focusing on their own lunch. Sylvain asks Ingrid to feed him which, surprisingly, turns out to be more peaceful than Byleth thought because the female knight actually obliges the request. Meanwhile, Ashe is stirring his pot while Hapi looks on, nursing over her steaming cup of tea.
Mercedes, Dedue, Gustave, Annette, and Felix are hurdling around the fire they share with Byleth and Dimitri. For one, Duke Fraldarius doesn't comment on the royal couple's public display of affection. He instead pays most of his attention to roast the rabbit while his own fiancée is chatting cheerfully with her father who's turning the fishes.
Byleth exhales, feeling so light at the peaceful atmosphere despite the fatigue in her body.
Lunch eventually comes to an end and the couple gets back to their mission. Now they need to cut off the branches and divide the trunk into smaller pieces for transport.
This part is quite easy to be the point that Dimitri doesn't even need her fire to cut the wood. He only needs one strike for the smaller ones and three strikes at most for the ones of larger sizes. He plans to finish his side then will turn around to meet hers.
Meanwhile, Byleth meticulously burns wood first before chopping them on her all. With Dimitri progresses so fast ahead, she has some moments to be alone, focusing solely on her work. Most of the camp members had gone to do their own job. Many of the nobles have decided to go for a stroll while the part of the soldiers is scattering around the area.
The temporal solitude reminds Byleth of how this is the first time in a while that she has wandering thoughts during the day. Most of the time, she's too busy with her duties. Now, her mind is filled with images of how her life with Dimitri would be like?
Her mind wanders back to the month she spent with Father in this region. Usually, he would use their free time to train or fish with her but that day, he took her hand and take her to another forest just like this.
She was small back then, and the snow was thick that after walking for a while, Father has opted to carry her on his large arm.
"See these, Byleth? They're the cores to make silver weapons. They're beautiful but also strong and last seemingly forever." Father said.
She simply nodded, sensing that he still had something important to say.
Jeralt continued after a few pauses, his voice rumbled through her small body, "Before you were born, I'd planned to take you and your mother here and make something for you both. Not many people remember this but there was a myth that if you give the person you love something made from this wood, they will be healthy and live a long, happy life."
He didn't say anything else afterward and they stayed in this forest until near dusk. When the snow starting to fall, he wrapped her in his thick cape and carried her back.
The day after, once they've finished their daily patron, her father brought her to a frozen lake and taught her how to fish through the ice. And on the final day of their stay here, he gave a small dagger with a blue sheath.
For someone who could barely remember her childhood, Byleth could recall those days so clearly. The gift he gave her is warm at her side as much as the flame in her hand.
Before accepting Dimitri's proposal, the young archbishop has actually researched about Faerghus's customs. And once the couple has finally promised themselves to each other, Byleth has spent the night thinking about what could be the first thing that she could use with Dimitri that also makes him happy.
Initially, Dimitri has suggested that they should make a dining table because he wants to spend every meal watching her enjoying her food. But Byleth couldn't quite get on board with the idea, because it wouldn't do if she is the only one who finds pleasure at mealtime.
So instead of it, Byleth proposed that they build a bed instead. She still remembers clearly her face burnt when she explained that it would be something both of them can relish in, and most important of all, she wished to help him get rid of the memory of what happened to his father's old bed—the one that they were supposed to use.
Cornelia, or whatever the name of the Agarthan that replaced her was, had done unspeakable things on King's Lambert's bed. The joy in the night when the castle finally belonged to Dimitri again was tainted by the servants' revelation.
The old maids had cried uncontrollably as they recounting how "that monster" had a sick hobby of taking people, unwilling or not, into the bed and had her way with them. By the morning, all that left were bloody messes. Several servants had been killed along with hapless nobles who thought they could exploit the situation in their favor. Anybody who tried to resist or attempt to assassinate her had been turned into lab rats, suffering an even more agonizing fate.
Needless to say, Dimitri has chosen to sleep in his old bedroom and during that very first night, Byleth was there to comfort him. She has held him tightly as he wept into her bosom, mourning for the loss of another piece of his childhood.
The very next day, when the corpses of the enemy soldiers were being cremated outside the city, Byleth has Seteth and the priests to perform a purification rite on what left of the royal bed—Dimitri had chopped the thing into splinters right after he woke up. Afterward, she torched it into ashes at the future king's permission.
After all of that, it was only natural that Dimitri immediately agreed to her idea. And that's why she is here now, chopping wood and reminiscing about the past.
The thought of building this bed to make sure Dimitri is healthy and happy gives her a large boost in motivation. With her newfound strength, Byleth quickens her pace and cuts the branches at a much faster speed until she eventually reaches Dimitri who has finished his part and already turned around, after which they move onto cutting the trunk into smaller parts.
"Are you tired, my love?" He asks when they take a few minutes to rest.
"I am, but I'm happy." She smiles, taking the chance to lean against him before getting back to work.
By the time they realize it, the couple already finds themselves in the back of their wagon, watching the scenery go by as sunset approaches while they returning to the main camp. They had only managed to divide the main body into two during the entire evening.
Fortunately, it will be faster tomorrow. Gustave has just decreed that the couple is allowed to have more people to help them to speed up the progress, seeing that they have other duties await at the Capital and cannot remain here for too long. And even now, there are still paperwork waiting for them at the camp.
Byleth feels sluggish with a deep ache in her bone that leaves a satisfying feeling in her mind. It's been a while since she gets to do something so physically intensive without involving killing people.
Soon, they will return to Castle Blaiddyd—there'll be businesses to be done, but the couple can look forward to each night when they have a perfectly reasonable excuse to spend time together.
xxXxx
"Yes, yes, that is wonderful, Lady Byleth! Now please make another round." The etiquette instructor, Gertrude, claps her hands.
Byleth wordlessly walks with the stack of books on her head around the room, then process with a perfect curtsy. Afterward, she gets into a straight, proper posture and slightly dips her head as a queen would.
"Wonderful! Perfect!" Gertrude removes the books with a big, proud smile. "You have performed so well, my lady. At this rate, we can focus solely on your dance lesson and speech soon. And I have no doubt that you will complete them all within half a year. This is a new record!"
"It is because I have your exceptional guidance, Lady Gertrude." Byleth nods elegantly, remembering the right angle to which the elder lady responds with a possible lift of her head.
A knock on the door interrupts whatever Gertrude is about to say next. A voice speaks up, "Lady Byleth, it is time for your music lesson."
A slight irritation feeling emerges in her stomach but Byleth nevertheless still goes along with it. Mercedes gives her a sympathetic look but doesn't say anything, just hand her some water before they both depart.
As expect, during the next hour, the musician, David, has Byleth go through all of her basic songs. Despite being able to perform them without a hitch, the teacher still sighs.
"Please repeat it again, Lady Byleth, this time with more emotions. Put your heart and feeling into it, if you will."
The green-head tries again but only receives a disappointing shake from the instructor.
"I'm sorry."
"Your technique is perfect, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your voice but has no heart in them. And I know that you have a beautiful heart, too. If you can let out all of your love into your song, I am sure that it'd be awe-inspired. Maybe I can…"
Byleth looks on as the teacher turns to his high stack of music. As he begins his digging, she sits there, mulling over everything.
The novels the girls in her class introduced to her often describe how a common woman will have great problems learning how to act like a true noblewoman, yet Byleth finds them to be quite easy. As long as you follow the rules, there's nothing to be fear. And since the noble world has so many rules, you can have all kinds of references on how to act in almost any scenario. And if there's anything Byleth is good at, it's mimicking and following orders.
Years of listening to her father's teaching, stealing many other mercenaries' techniques, memorizing strategy books have allowed her to survive and dominate battlefields. If sometimes mimicking isn't enough, she's adaptable enough to change her plan on her own. Being a mercenary also allowed her many opportunities to learn different skills—etiquette to be bait in place of noblewomen, cooking and sewing for a frugal and independent life, training followers to ensure smooth cooperation, such and such.
The year at Garreg Mach was the same, she learned new things and improve many skills. But there is one problem that has been plaguing Byleth ever since she realized her own emotion—she has no creativity to call her own.
She can cook but all of her dishes are replicated straight from the pages, there's never a secret ingredient or personal touches like Dedue's or Manuela's. Her embroideries and handmade clothes have been praised for being so detailed and intricate, but she stole all the elements from shops and books she saw—sometimes, she even stole the ideas from Bernadetta's. The way she sings is from copying Dorothea and Manuela, the moments she tries creating her own lyrics, they fall apart and become soulless. She cannot write poems or stories like Seteth aside from recounting what she'd known.
The sound of a hand slapping a pile of paper snaps Byleth out of her thought. Her teacher brings over several short music pieces and instructs with a gentle voice, "Please looks through this and find the song you like the most. Practice it while thinking about its topic, I shall see you at the end of this week."
She nods. They finish the lesson and she goes back to be the archbishop and future queen for the rest of the day—attending a meeting and reviewing documents while she's on the way to visit one of the city's orphanages until it's time to return to the castle to have dinner with Dimitri.
They eat in the royal private dining room, with her at one end of the table and him at the other.
"...And the children really want to see you, Dima. They have all of these drawings to show you. They even made up a song about you." She recounts the day for him.
"A-uhm, that is lovely." Dimitri coughs with a red face, taking another bite from his fork. The fish is delicious today, and Byleth hates herself for not being able to fix his mental wound so that he can enjoy this. He doesn't seem to mind, though, and asks, "But what about your day, Beloved? You have been asking nonstop about mine but made no mention yours? I'd love to hear it."
"Nothing special, really. I had council meetings, visits, and etiquette lessons, that's all." She gives him a smile.
"Hmm, it seems that we both have a peaceful day. But no matter what, the thing I look forward to most is always to spend time with you."
"Dima." Her cheeks feel hot as she confesses, "I've missed you, too. I kept wishing all day that I was next to you."
Dimitri instantly leaves his seat and gets to her. On his knees, he cradles her hands in his, admitting, "I was the same, I kept thinking about you and how much I look toward tonight."
Byleth thinks all the maids and attendants around them are sighing and cooing but she isn't sure, she's too busy observing Dimitri's lovely smile while he's doing the same to her.
xxXxx
Time really flies when you're with the person you love—during the day, it felt like the hours were dragging themselves at a snail pace, but with Dimitri, there seems to be never enough time. One minute they were sitting together at a dining table, with her sharing pieces of cheeses and fruits with him, and with a blink, now they are sitting in a private workshop in the castle.
"How about we use this pattern? This one takes inspiration from a story about an ancestor of mine and his wife. This leaves motif is a depiction of the forest where they finally reunited."
"That sounds lovely." Byleth just nods like she has been doing for the past hour.
They are still in the stage of designing the bed. In Faerghus, the special furniture that an engaged couple wants to make must have their own chosen motif and story. From the woodwork on the frame to the embroidery on the bedspread and pillows, even down to the stuffings, they must decide them on their own and then ask the carpenter. Overall, the usual shapes are a combination of symbols, personal stories, beliefs, myths, and legends.
Of course, how detailed and intricate the design would be is also dependent on the budget so most normal people would opt for something memorable but still simple enough. In their case, though, money isn't a quite problem given their jobs—as long as it within reasons give the stage of the country—so Dimitri is pouring himself over several tall stacks of books, trying to decide which one would be the best to represent their love. And Byleth? She is sitting next to him, pretending to search in a book and cheer on him.
"Beloved, what do you think about adding this one? A story about a beast tamed by a beauty who returned him to his human form?"
"Dimitri…"
"Very subtle, Your Majesty." Sylvain laughs from his spot in one corner of the room. As usual, Ingrid smacks his arm but even she is fighting to hide her dreamy smile.
In another corner, Hapi looks mildly interested, paying most of her attention to the sweetbread in her hand, while Ashe both seems to be excited and embarrassing at the same time. He eyes the page Dimitri's holding and holds up a nervous thumb.
Looking back at Byleth, Dimitri chuckles, "Ehm, too obvious, perhaps? But please, do tell me what you think, my love. I want to know your opinion."
"Dima, I don't know what to say, everything you showed me was all lovely. And I'll be happy with whatever you choose for us."
"This needs inputs from both of us. There's no need for you to follow everything I suggest, Byleth, and—" Dimitri's eye lower to the book in her lap and narrows. "Wasn't you check this same page a while ago?"
She avoids his eyes, which prompts him to grab her hands.
"I thought my mind was playing tricks that you didn't focus much but it seems that I was wrong." Face leaning so close to hers, the king coaxes, "Talk to me, Beloved. Tell me what's troubling you."
"I'm… Dima, have you ever noticed how flat I sound, especially when I sing, or how soulless my artistic works are?"
"Soulless? You? My love, you have the most wonderful, heart-rending voice!" Dimitri exclaims, his tone clearly indicates that he believes what he said.
"They say love is blind. I'm not sure about that but I know for sure now love is deaf." Sylvain crackle with a slap on his thigh.
The couple frowns at him, to which the Margrave just stands up and says, "Oh, I forgot to get some snacks. Gotta go. Come, Ingrid, we can get some jerky for you, or maybe a whole chicken."
He hoists up his lover in his arm, ignoring her "Hey, wait, what are you doi—" and disappears behind a door, closing it with his foot.
From the other side, both Ashe and Hapi get up with a quick unison of, "We'll get some snacks, too." and retreat fast through another door.
With the last guards run out of the room, Dimitri turns his attention back to Byleth. "Now, Beloved, where were we?"
He leaves the question hanging but even without that, Byleth knows she won't get away with this.
"I'm not sure whether my choices will look good or not. I know that you'll love them all but I want to convey my love for you as much as I could. But… To be honest, I've been having trouble with my music and poetry class. David said that I have no soul in my voice and words and that my creative ability is severely lacking. I'm afraid that I'll ruin this. " She blurts out, voice even but faster than usual.
"Byleth…"
Dimitri doesn't say more for a while until she sees he put a hand on his mouth.
"Dima?"
"Pfft, I can't believe it." He covers his mouth with a hand, the whole body shakes. "You actually worry about something so trivial. That's too… adorable." His eye twinkles with affection, to which she would have done the same if it isn't for the fact that he just laughed at her trouble.
"Dimitri, I'm serious." She smacks his chest. Before she could hit him again, he gathers her fists into his clutch.
"Oh, my dearest, most beloved, most wonderful Byleth, who cares if you can't sing or paint when you are the pillar that holds up this country? If you can govern well and are adored by our people, who have the right to criticize that you're not perfect in such a minor aspect?"
"Even so, I want to make this bed beautiful for you."
"My darling, this test's purpose isn't to make something beautiful. It is so that we can have a chance to discuss and agree on something that both of us will love. It doesn't matter if this comes out ugly, as long as we both love and satisfied with it—and actually finish the whole thing—Gustave will let us pass." The king gathers her hands in his with a big smile. "And you were right, I know I will love anything you suggest because you always have a way to read my mind to know what I love."
Byleth slumps yet feeling significantly lighter. "Why do you have such a way with sweet words?"
"I was telling the truth, no flattery here." With his insistence, a small drawing board with a pen and ink is pushed into her hands. "Now, how about you show me what you have in mind, it does not have to be the whole bed, just a part of it is fine. Don't think about what looks good. Think about what you want to see everyday."
The future queen contemplating the empty page for a few minutes before starting the first stroke. She imagines how it would feel to see the scene in her mind and carefully sketch out the basic shape of a bed with a full bedspread on it.
Once she finishes, she shows the drawing to Dimitri.
"You want to put my Crest on our bedspread? Are you sure, Byleth, that thing is…"
She smiles. "The Crest of Blaiddyd always reminds me of you, not your ancestor. For generations, your family has protected this land and its people, and for that, you've earned this Crest. I feel safe whenever I see it, knowing that you're there."
Unexpectedly, her confession appears to have inspired him. Dimitri mulls over for a moment before asking for the board. Much slower than her, and much more nervous, he sketches something, going back and forth between moving his pen and frowning. After some moments, he shows her his idea.
Byleth cannot help but smile—On the page is a close up of the bed-frame's side view. The rectangular surface is divided into small squares, each contains a Crest. The posters are carved into simple curves that attached straight to the frame and legs. The headboard that connects the main bedframe to the canopy only has a few straight and curved cuts near the edges of both sides. Its center contains a few symbols of sun, stars, and moons. The whole idea is simple, but Byleth finds it to be quite elegant.
"I like it." She decides firmly. "You sure you want this?"
"Very much so."
"Then we go with this." She puts a 100 score on the drawing—Dimitri grins when he sees it—before getting another blank piece of paper. "Now, what do you like more for our mattress, down or wool?"
With Dimitri being the one who's lived in this frozen land from birth, he has more experience in choosing the right materials for warmth. Her fiancé explains to her how they need to take into account the moisture and dust mites that can live in the down.
He gives a lecture on how Faerghian sheep were bred carefully to cultivate the best kind of fleece that can handle the worst freezes. The thick wool would be stuffed into the mattress so tight to put on a framework of densely woven ropes that is as twice as thick as the normal ones so it can—he adds the last part with a blush—handles the strength and weight of a Blaiddyd man and his bride…
She thinks her expression doesn't change at his revelation, but her face certainly feels hotter. Her body feels somewhat itchy while her fingers open and tighten against her palms. Byleth's mind wanders Dorothea's book and all the things it has shown her.
She has never done anything of those natures. She didn't have the need, and Father was incredibly protective that most men could only begin to introduce themselves to her before they got scared off (violently or otherwise) by him. The other men who want to be more forceful and can't take "no" for an answer? Many of them didn't survive against her father's blade. Not that he needed to, because she took care of one or two herself.
But now she is different. She wants to do things with Dimitri. She wants to have him for herself. She wants to give him everything she has and take what he can offer her. Father would be very surprised but surely he'd be happy for her. He would laugh and encourage her. However, there are two things she hasn't told Dimitri that could change everything. The first will surely bring him great happiness but the second… well, the second is something she fears will bring sorrow to them depending on his answer.
She wants to give him a choice, something her own father never had. Jeralt has coped with it as best as he could, but Byleth knows the toll of losing his friends did get to him at times whenever he was drunk and started reminiscing about the past. When her mother was unable to spend their eternity with him in the living world as they had expected, his daughter was the one thing that kept Jeralt going after he lost his trust with Rhea.
Byleth has a selfish wish that Dimitri will say 'yes' and accept her gift, that he will have all the times in this world to heal and enjoy the future. But she fears that his ghosts and his desire to be a normal man will prevent him from consenting something so abnormal.
Even so, she must tell him eventually. She still has a year left before their wedding, surely she will muster her courage during that time and—
"Beloved, what's on your mind?" Dimitri's voice pulls Byleth back to reality.
Shaking her head, she gives him a reassuring smile and, in order to distract, confesses that she wishes to take into account their financial state so that it wouldn't be too wasteful, royal or not.
After agreeing that a thick wool mattress is the best choice for both warmth and pragmatism, they move onto the colors. As both agreed to keep the wood natural dark color instead of staining it, the main focus is the fabric. The main color would be a navy blue accentuated by dashes of prussian blue in the shapes of embroidered heavenly bodies just like the headboard's around the Crest of Blaiddyd.
The wool comforter beneath it and the main pillows will just use covers of white fine linen—no silk, for it's too expensive—but the bolsters and cushions will be made from different shades of blue fabrics sewn together that come from the leftover fabrics.
The curtains for the canopy will be royal blue with gold trims. There's no footboard to let more space for the bedspread to spill over the edge. At the end of the bed, a large black fur carpet will accentuate and complete the whole design.
Just like that, with the last (shaky) dab of color, Dimitri looks like he's just made the world's most beautiful painting.
"I think this is it!"
He spreads out all the pages across the table for them to see. Looking at the whole design, Byleth can't help but feel proud. She doesn't know if other people would find this beautiful, but she certainly does. It is a pretty thing that's not too extravagant but not too simple for a royal bed. Of course, there're most likely some modifies before the final product but Byleth knows they have hit bullseyes in the aesthetic aspect.
But most important of all, this is what they made together. The acknowledgment brings a big smile to her face. She holds up the main page and says out loud, "Yes, I love it."
"I'm so glad," Dimitri hums, wrapping his hand around her, "Still, there's a little detail I would like this to have. Please, allow me?"
With a careful hand, Dimitri draws something in the middle of the bed. When he reveals it to her, she recognizes it's the Crest of Flame, laying in the center of the main Crest of Blaiddyd.
"My Crest? Why?"
"This bed shouldn't have only my crest to be the focal point. You are my queen, my partner, the co-ruler of this land. There is no me without you." He traces his symbol before getting to hers. "Most important of all, the 'Crest of Flame' is my heart, so it is only right that 'you' are here—in the center—with 'me' shielding you."
That is. She cannot help herself anymore. Her limbs move on their all,
She pulls at him, kissing him deeply to convey her love. Dimitri makes a surprised noise but doesn't take long to wrap his arms around her and squeezes. The papers around them scatter from their aggressive movements.
She clumsily nips at his lips, which earns a deep rumble and a gripping hand on her head that forces her head to tilt back for an even deeper kiss. Her own hands claw at the broad chest before her arms snake around his neck.
When they part momentarily for a short breath, Dimitri whispers hoarsely with a heated look, "My lo—"
"Ahem." Someone coughs, jolting the couple but not enough for them to back off from each other. A smirking Sylvain stands at the door with a bright-red blushing Ingrid. On the other side, Ashe is mimicking her while his own partner mildly amused.
"We've been pretty lenient but surely you guys remember you're not supposed to do anything more intimate than hugs and pecks?" the margrave snickers. That little reminder gets them to widen the space between but their hands are still refused to unlace from one another.
"So," The blond-haired man coughs, "We've finished our basic design. It still needs to go over by the carpenters and tailors for approval but we think this is the one."
Their guardians all gather around the table to see. Hapi smiles as she takes in the details on the page about the bedding details. "Wow, this is really nice. You think so, too, Ashe?"
Ashe nods with awe. "Definitely, Hapi. This is so beautiful."
Ingrid, meanwhile, is signing adorably at everything, "This looks so romantic. It feels like I'm looking at something from a fairytale."
At that, Sylvain hugs her around the waist. "We can make something similar for our wedding. How about knights and princesses and other heroic figures that you love?" He suggests, voice gentle with none of the usual teasing. And that makes Ingrid sputter but with a big smile on her face.
Looking at the happy faces around them—most important of all, Dimitri's elated grin—Byleth thinks she can be creative, too.
xxXxx
"You are in high spirit this evening, my lady." Her music teacher comments as he settles into the harpsichord seat.
"I had a successful discussion with His Majesty," Byleth confesses which makes the older man smile.
"That is good to know. It must have had gone very well for you to smile like this. I have a good feeling about this." He says with a wise look before asking, "Now, may I see what song you've chosen for this practice?"
She hands him her choice which gives her an approving nod. Soon, the melody begins.
With her hands on her non-beating heart, Byleth recalls the warmth that blooms in it last night and lets out the first note.
My lovely Golden Lion,
Don't you know, O my heart's sweet desire,
That it is you whom I love?
Believe in my love, and if fear besets you,
Don't doubt that it's true.
Open my breast and see written on my heart:
The Golden, Golden, Golden Lion is my love.
With the last note finally fade away, her teacher claps his hand and shouts, "Bravo, bravo. That was marvelous, Lady Byleth. I knew you could do it. You make my heart racing so fast."
Ingrid is also clapping, she laughs, "I think I'm going to cry. It was so beautiful."
"Please, Sir, you are exaggerating it." She has heard praises for voice before, but this is the first time someone reacts so strongly to it.
But the brown-haired man just shakes off her denial. "I don't flatter people for the sake of it. You've sung so beautifully that most noble ladies will envy you. He certainly has the same thought as mine." His gaze switches to something behind Byleth's shoulder, prompting her to turn around—
"Dimitri? How long you've been there?" Standing at the door is her betrothed with the most adoring expression on his face.
"Your Majesty!" Ingrid exclaims in surprise before attempting to bow but Dimitri simply dismisses it with a smile. All of his attentions are on Byleth, and he looks as if he's been starstruck when he strides forward, ignoring her question to take her into his arms instead.
"My beloved, I cannot believe I've never heard you sing like that before. That was… oh, that was indescribable." This time, just like last night, someone is kissed breathlessly and that person is Byleth.
"Hey, no kissing!"
Felix shouts as he steps into the room with Yuri, who takes in the scene in front of him before humming. "If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought you two are already married. Bernadetta will have a field day once I write to her. She's been asking me to report about you, wanting more inspirations for the little project."
"Please tell me you didn't spy on us?" Byleth narrows her eyes while her body still trapped in Dima's iron embrace.
"I don't need to." Yuri flicks his hair for emphasizing. "All I need is to listen to the servants gossiping and all the juicy details are there. Though, admittedly, they mostly about how you two making goo-goo eyes at each other every day. And there's a betting pool on if you manage to stay abstinent until the wedding or not. Me? I prefer something more sophisticated, or pragmatic if you must be blunt."
The mention of another bet mortifies the couple to the point of speechless. Byleth recovers enough to ask, "Yuri, what did you do?"
"Nothing much, just revealed some of your preferences to a certain people to earn a little income. Even in this climate, plenty of people still want to follow the newest trends." The underground lord shrugs.
"What kind of preferences?" This time, it's Dimitri who glares at the man.
"Your favorite food, colors, books, types of clothing, activities." The trickster recounts. "I predict teas will be even more popular than it already is. And I already have plans to control the market"
"That's all?" Felix crosses his arms. "Nothing more invasive?"
Yuri actually looks offended for once. "Hey now, give me some credits. Even I have standards—I will not disclose anything happen behind their bedrooms' doors."
"Yuri, you better be honest" A warning comes from Ingrid but it's only greeted by a careless smirk.
"Well, I—" A knock on the door interrupts the purple-haired man.
Dedue's voice speaks up. "It is urgent, my lady, Your Majesty. But the former archbishop, Lady Rhea, has arrived."
Byleth perks up at the name. Her grandmother is here, but she isn't supposed to be here for at least another week. Shoving the confusion aside, the young woman pats her love's arm. "Sorry, but I guess our dinner will have a guest tonight."
xxXxx
"Lady Rhea," Byleth says evenly as she approaches the older woman. Other people think that she's being formal but Dimitri sees how obviously happy his betrothed is with the way she willingly opens her arms to greet.
"Oh, my dear, sweet Byleth." Rhea, though, is much more open with her elation. She takes Byleth into her arms and presses kisses again the latter's face like a mother to a child. "How are you faring? Have you got used to Faerghus yet? Did you remember to dress properly for the cold?"
The woman reaches out to tighten the collar of Byleth's thick coat holding the latter's gloved hands. If one thinks Seteth being dotting on Byleth then Rhea would be called downright smothering at times, but it seems that his future wife doesn't mind. She gives a small quirk at the lips and nods, "I've been getting used to it. But what about you, how is your health?"
"I am getting better, physically. Just like my mind, I'm been feeling much lighter than I've been for years. And it's all thanks for you, my dearest child." The woman emphasizes by stroking Byleth's face adoringly.
It is then that Dimitri decides to speak up. "Lady Rhea, welcome to Fhirdiad. I hope that you had a pleasant journey? You arrived earlier than we expected."
"It is good to be here, Your Majesty. And my journey was quite enjoyable. I originally planned to visit some chapels first but I ended up missing Byleth too much that I abandoned that plan." Rhea smiles pleasantly. "Thank you for taking care of my Byleth. Her letters to me recounted her joy to be here with you."
Rhea's revelation brings a big smile to the king, he squares his shoulders at the pride that his beloved has told her relative that she loves to be in his home.
"I am glad. Now, why don't we come inside? I am sure you would enjoy a warm fire and some refreshments."
"Yes, please." Rhea follows him, with Byleth's arm hooks closely to hers.
They guide the lady to her guest quarter, leaving her some personal time to refresh herself and once night comes, the three enjoys a warm meal in the private dining room next to a large fireplace.
"That sounds wonderful. Byleth, you must sing for me when we have the chance. Oh, but first I would love to see your design for the bed. It's been years since the last time I've got to see one." Lady Rhea chuckles before chewing another piece of fish.
The lady and Dimitri is sitting on both ends of the table so Byleth could sit in-between between them. The dinner is quite pleasant, and the king has a chance to observe his fiancee and her grandmother.
It's incredible that no one has actually made a connection between the two women until now. When they sit so close like this, he could see the obvious resembles. The elegant faces, high noses, green eyes and hairs, body shapes (he notes with blush), strong gazes, and calm temperament. There's no way they are not related, and from the looks of some of the servants in the room, it seems that they notice it, too.
Then again, it's not like Rhea attempts to hide it—the former archbishop keeps smiling and calling the future queen with the most endearing names. Her hands, if not holding utensils, would affectionately hold Byleth's or at least pat them.
Their eating habits at the same time are different. Rhea has a normal appetite, in which her preference leans heavily to all kinds of fishes just like Flayn and Seteth. Her eating speed is also normal.
Byleth on the other hand is quite unique in the way she eats. Her manner is top-notch, with hands move so elegantly but somehow, all food comes into her mouth almost disappears immediately. It's as if she simply swallows the pieces whole without even chewing. Sometimes, when it's just the two of them, Byleth would cut her food in large pieces that somehow still go pass her mouth without a problem.
A single portion that Byleth starts with is always twice as big as his, and she always asks for a second at the very least. She doesn't have a specific preference for a certain food like her relatives, but overall, she has a great liking to meats, fishes, dairy like cheese and butter, potato, cabbage, such as such. In short, she is very much taken to the normal, everyday Faerghian diet.
It's one of the reasons the servants adore her, finding her so fascinating with that kindness and bluntness that is very compatible with their culture. The head chef, after had received directly Byleth's personal's thanks for the delicious food, has taken upon himself to ensure she always has her fill and more. He cited that finally there's another person in the royal family—Dimitri is very thankful that his acting is good enough to fool the cook—who could enjoy a proper Faerghian meal whole and heartily, unlike Rufus runs off to those Adrestian delicate foods.
Dimitri's thought of all of this? He absolutely adores it.
He loves watching Byleth devours her food in that own special way and the blissful look she has afterward. He loves seeing her trying to prolong the partaking of her favorite fruit-flavored ice cream before drowning down a large cup of sweet wine. He loves seeing her discreetly licking off the crumbs on her hands when she thinks no one is looking as she looks over her paperwork. He loves the way she asks for a large dish full of pies as midnight snacks and always offers to share them with him.
But what he loves the most is that he knows Byleth eats more whenever she feels happy. And she's been eating a lot more ever since they proposed to each other compared to during the war when she only eats normal portions.
"Have you two chosen a date for the second trial?" Rhea suddenly asks, snapping Dimitri out from his trance. She's still smiling so nicely at him but he thinks there's a glint in her eyes.
He gulps. "Leonie will come at the end of this week, and as you already know, Seteth and Alois will arrive the next week as they were supposed to come before you. Byleth and I think that we can hold the fight 2 weeks from now, to ensure that you all have plenty of rest."
"Fufufu. Wonderful. I look forward to it." With a nod of approval, Rhea hums. "It's been years since I actually had any serious battle but I will surely give you my best, King Dimitri. As Byleth's family in the Faith, it is my duty to ensure that you have a proper test of strength to earn her hand."
"You are very serious about this, Lady Rhea." Byleth comments, obviously missed what her predecessor just implied.
"All for your sake, my dear. This battle is a sacred ritual to prove a groom's determination and strength to protect his bride. What family would give their daughter away to someone who couldn't defeat its members?"
The blond gulps. The woman sitting next to Byleth isn't just her grandmother or the former archbishop. She is Saint Serios, the Bane of Nemesis and the one that almost singlehandedly shaped the entire continent.
This is the woman who has beaten the strongest warrior of the Age of Hero—and that man was a monster in every sense of the word—in single combat. And now Dimitri can see clearly that she wants to beat him to a pulp, all because he's taken away her only grandchild. He can handle Seteth, Alois, and Leonie since he fought with them before.
But Rhea? Rhea is an unknown opponent. And what he's seen through Byleth's power shows him that this woman is extremely vicious to those she bears a grudge against.
The rest of the dinner is uneventful, which Dimitri is thankful for. The same happens when they all spend an amicable time around the fireplace, discussing various topics. They begin with additional plans for the rebuilding efforts. Byleth, with Sothis's knowledge, reveals several agricultural techniques that can improve harvest yields while preserving the earth.
Then, Rhea starts asking about their own goals for their marriage trials. Both of them have agreed that the third quest—a hunt—will be done near the end summer in two opposite end of a great forest just so they could have more varieties in prey. They will share what they got around the city, offering most of them to the children.
Meanwhile, just like the first trial, the fourth will be spread evenly across the year, to which they must gather small gifts for their future spouses. The contents will be revealed on their wedding days.
At the beginning of autumn, the fifth trial will have Byleth preparing rations, namely cheese, bacon, and wine. She will make them with traditional methods with all the women in the city during a seasonal festival. During that time, Dimitri must smith a couple of tools of his choices along with the men.
The sixth trial will be in mid-autumn. The two of them must prepare a small feast for their family and friends. The ingredients, of course, will have to be gathered all by themselves.
The seventh trial in winter will require Dimitri to go hunt the best beasts he could find and bring it back for Byleth as a wedding gift, his male companions will be his aides. Dimitri will bring with him the food and drink Byleth has prepared for him during the fourth quest to keep himself going.
Byleth's own project will start much sooner; she must prepare two sets of clothes for her future husband—one for summer and one for winter, and she will need to go hunting for her own materials for the second one if needed with her female friends. Just like Dimitri does her, she will carry a gift from her lover—the blades he made for her from with his own hands during the previous season.
If things go right, they can wed in the next spring. Normal couples usually take only half a year or so to finish everything since they can actually incorporate the tasks into their daily chore. But due to Dimitri and Byleth being king and archbishop with their own responsibility to the people, some sacrifice has to be made and thus stretch their courtship to over a whole year.
Rhea nods as the couple explaining. "I am very happy to see that you two could balance your duty with your private life. Of course, this is just the beginning but I have great trust in you."
She pats Byleth's hand. "I can understand how hard it is for you to be so close and yet so distant like this. But please trust me when I say that this period will allow you to deeply appreciate the happiness that will eventually arrive. A happy marriage simply isn't about lust and physical desires, it is a harmony between two people who can navigate through obstacles together and know how to make compromises even when things don't go your way. As long as you continue to open your heart to each other, everything will be fine.
"I truly believe with all my heart that you will have a beautiful marriage."
Rhea's eyes glimmer, both with tenderness and something else that unreadable. She gives Dimitri a smile before changing the topic, asking Byleth more about the latter's obstacles as the new archbishop. It's very pleasant that the blond guesses he's been worrying about nothing.
When it's time for Byleth and Dimitri to leave for their daily workshop with the carpenter, the former Saint suddenly asks, halting the couple in their tracks.
"May I have a moment with just you, Your Majesty?"
Next chapter: Dimitri fights 4 people.
