A/N: I'm the idiot who bites more than she can chew. Now I'm stuck with 3 fics that I don't want to give up. The story of my life.


Chapter 4


Byleth raises an eyebrow at Rhea's request but doesn't say anything other than, "I'll wait for you in the workshop then," with a pat on his back before retreating.

Dimitri stays behind with Gustave and Dedue, beginning to feel a little uncomfortable as he suggests, "Shall I ask my retainers to leave?"

It's just lips service. Even if he wants, the laws of courtship demand that he always has guards with him, and he knows Rhea understands that too. That's why she just shakes her head. "There's no need, I trust you all."

"Thank you." Dimitri dips his head and gestures that both of them should take a seat opposite each other. Dedue and Gustave moves to stand at doors, watching the whole conversation unfold

"So, what is it that you wish to discuss, Lady Rhea?" Dimitri begins with only earn a chuckle from the woman.

"So serious. It is perfectly fine to call me Rhea, Your Majesty. I am no longer the Archbishop." She says, "But then again, your seriousness is one of the charms—my Byleth has so taken with you. She is exceptionally lively whenever she talks about you. What you like to do, your troubles, your joys, your quirks."

Rhea's eyes twinkle with mirth. "Frankly, I cannot help but be jealous at times, seeing my only grandchild so overtaken by you that she ignores her own grandmother."

"Lady Rhea." Dimitri hesitates, unsure if he could cut in while Dedue and Gustave slightly widen their eyes at the revelation.

Rhea, meanwhile, just ignores them. She puts a hand on her cheek and sighs, recounting with a melancholy gaze, "Her mother was the same. By the time I realized what was happening, Sitri has already been singing 'Jeralt this, Jeralt that' every time I had a chance to talk to her in private."

Dimitri begins to sweat. "My lady…"

"You Faerghian men are all the same, stealing females from our family. First Jeralt and then you."

"I-I..." Sputters the king.

Suddenly, Rhea lets out a chortling sound before leaning her head back a laugh. A real laugh, not the already rare chuckle that she sometimes has.

"You are very easy to tease, King Dimitri." She looks unusually amused at his confusion. "Please relax, I'm not so petty to bear grudge against the man who makes Byleth happy."

The weight on his chest disappears with her reassurance "I… thank you, my lady."

"It should be me who need to express my gratitude, Your Majesty." She stands up and bows deeply in front of him, something Dimitri sure no one has ever witnessed before, "Thank you, for everything."

The king quickly helps the saint get up. He stutters, "Please, you mustn't! I have done nothing to earn this honor."

That earns him a quick shake of her head. "You've done everything for this land, for its people, and for us. You've treated me with kindness and respect while knowing who I am and what crimes I've committed. A single thank you simply isn't enough."

"Lady Rhea, what you have done was out of desperation to protect this continent. I also cannot fault you for wanting to shield your last remaining loved ones. And even if I do, what our ancestors had done was the cause of it all—you wouldn't have done anything had they chosen to be decent human beings with the barest empathy."

Rhea's lips make a smile that's not quite a smile. Her eyes distant as the woman's delicate fingers fidget.

She says quietly, cheeks pink bashfully. "Do you know that those erotic novels about Saint Seiros and Emperor Wilhelm in the Abyss's library did have some truth in them?" Rhea says, "There is a reason why Seteth removed them from our main library, not that he could anything about the ones circulating around the rest of the continent."

Dimitri schools his posture so his only response is a nod, but he's sure his face betrays it all. He remembers those books, Sylvain forced him into reading one of them with the pretense that they actually contained historical records that didn't make it into public documents.

Sylvain lied. And Dimitri was stupid enough to only realized it after having read the whole thing.

Now looking at Rhea, the blond notices that she isn't as amused as before. She is smiling with a somber melancholy.

"Wilhelm had asked me so many times to marry him. And each and every time, I rejected him, claiming that I've already found fulfillment in our then arrangement of simply being lovers. I forced myself to think that it was for the best, but even now, I couldn't escape from all the 'what ifs'."

The king remains silent as Rhea wrinkles her hands. She bites her lips before continuing, "I wanted to say 'yes' every time he asked me, but I denied both of us of that happiness. He was so patient, never once hated me or stopped loving me but… In the end, his duty as a monarch won.

"I lied when I congratulated his marriage to that sheltered girl-child. I lied through my teeth and accepted her offer of friendship when all I wanted was to thrust my blade through her heart for stealing Wilhelm. Even so, I know full well it was all my fault, I clung so desperately to the past and was too much of a coward to reach for his hand until it was too late."

Rhea lifts her head, finally looking straight at Dimitri. "I was worried that Byleth would have reservations about marrying you after I disclosed everything to her about our family. With that kind of history, you could understand why she was so hesitating. The secret of the bloodline of Sothis cannot be entrusted to outsiders so easily, especially to a descendant of the 10 Elites.

"My poor, sweet Byleth, she was so afraid that you would reject her, yet she still chose to tell you the truth and offered her heart to you."

Rhea takes his hand into hers. "I have feared for the worse, but my dear child, when I heard that you've proposed to her, words cannot express my sheer elation. You two have done what I couldn't, and now I know everything will be all right. No matter what the future will bring, you and Byleth will always have each other."

Dimitri shallows. His mouth feels too dry, leaving him struggling to find words until he begins slowly. "I—Lady Rhea, everything you just told me is extremely valuable to me. To think that you're not approved of our union but even encourage it, I cannot thank you enough.

"You know that what kind of a monster I am, and I know very well I don't deserve Byleth, especially when I'm the king and cannot be hers fully. But even so, I swear that I will give everything I could give to her and make her happy."

"That's why I must thank you, for accepting my grandchild and for loving her despite everything. You care even for us, her relatives who have done nothing good but dragged you into our personal conflict." Rhea pats his hands.

"Please, my lady, it is only natural for one to care about their family. And I see you all as my kins. Seteth has guided me so kindly back then I was unsure on how to be a good house leader. Dear Flayn is the sweet younger sister that I cherish. And you, my lady, I wish to treat you as I would my own grandmother—with high respect but no less affectionate, if you would let me."

Rhea's eyes widen at his words. She stills for a few moments before hesitantly, a smile blossom on her face, it reminds him greatly of Byleth's.

"I-I'd gladly. Oh, I don't know what to say. I've never thought I would have this privilege!" she exclaims. Her face flushes with giddy joy. "And please, do not call me 'lady', just Rhea. Oh my, I can't believe I'd truly have another grandchild."

"Only if you call me 'Dimitri', m-Rhea. And I'd be honor—no, would be happy to call you 'Grandmother', too."

"Yes, yes, certainly!" His new relative claps her hands together, chuckling almost childlike. "Ah, this reminds me so much of when Jeralt asking for my blessing to marry Sitri. Mind you, he never called me 'Mother' even after I've insisted so many times. You are certainly more affectionate, my dear Dimitri."

Dimitri feels his face heats up at her comment. It's been so long since he last feels this kind of joy, of being complimented by someone he respects as his elder. Father has long gone, and Rodridge… well, Dimitri was too wallow in his rage to enjoy any attempt of reconnecting from his second father.

It's a mistake he cannot repeat again.

"Rhea, I promise you that I will make sure to cherish my time with you, Seteth, and Flayn as best I could. I know my life will just be a blink of an eye to you but we can all make the best memories with each other so I'd like to offer that you all stay with us if you ever want to leave Garreg Mach, temporary or permanently. My home here in Castle Blaiddyd is your home." He finishes with a bow.

When he straightens up, what he sees on Rhea is something of a mix between surprise and confusion.

Thinking that he's messed up, Dimitri quickly adds. "My apologies if I'm being too forward. Of course, you are free to choose anywhere you want to go. I can even aid you if you'd allow me."

"No, no, no." Rhea shakes her head. She smiles reassuringly. "I'm incredibly moved by your offer. It's extremely sweet and I'd be very happy to take it, but… you said that 'your life will be short compared to us'?"

"Uhm, yes? Isn't it natural?"

The former Archbishop blinks before putting a hand on her cheek, sighing. "I see, she hasn't told you. Oh dear, how careless of me to not realizing it. And here I thought she was just too nervous because of the trial."

This time, it's Dimitri's turn to be puzzled. "Pardon me, but what do you mean by that?"

"Well, aside from our family's history, Byleth does have something else to tell you. It is not my place to say it in her place so I think it's best that you inquire her directly."

The advice surely has taken the king by surprise. He didn't know, he thought that Byleth has finally allowed him to carry half of her burden for her but it seems that it's not the case. How insensitive of him…

Mentally scolding himself, Dimitri thanks his future in-law, promising that he will gently approach this matter with Byleth. Rhea seems pleases at his action and kindly notes that she must go now to let him return to his workshop.

Before she leaves, Rhea says, "I'm really looking forward to our duel, my dear Dimitri. You can be certain that I will not hold back."

"Eh?" He utters dumbly.

"It'd be an insult to you and Byleth if I let you win so easily." The lady explains it as a matter of fact. "So be sure to prepare yourself, I haven't used my sword seriously in years but I'm certain I can put up quite a fight against you."

She chuckles and disappears behind the door with Catherine in toll, leaving behind the frozen king in his place.

Blinking, Dimitri finally comprehends the fact that Rhea, as cordial to him as she is, truly wants to beat him up, grandson be damned.

Yet, he isn't as shocked or worried as he was earlier in the afternoon. What Rhea has told him is occupying a large part of his mind.

The king turns to Dedue and Gustave, saying simply, "Please make sure to keep quiet about this."

Both of the knights bow. Gustave has this deep look on his face, no doubt he's mulling over all the thing he just heard now—with the fact that Byleth is related so closely to Rhea and the other outlines of their legacy—but Dimitri knows that the man will do his utmost to protect this secret so he isn't worried at all.

The matter at hand right now is to figure out how to coax Byleth into sharing her trouble with him. He can guess that they will need a very private place to do it, without their guards which is not an easy task.

What to do? what to do?

xxXxx

"How have you been, Your Majesty, Your Grace?" Lorenz, Duke of Gloucester, bows elegantly as always.

Standing next to him, Leonie does the same, which Dimitri notes is certainly different from her usual manner—normally, she always waves at them and says hello. Now, her greeting reminds him a lot of Lorenz's.

When the "mercenary" straightens up, though, she happily pats Byleth's shoulder and forgoing her formality. "You look much better than in Garreg Mach! Guess this place is really good to you, huh?"

Byleth nods with a slight curl to the corner of her mouth. "I love it here. The cold takes some time to get used to but I'm very much at home."

Leonie beams, "That's great! Captain Jeralt would very be happy to know you love his homeland. I think I'm going to love this place, too, since I'm going to come here a lot."

She then quickly turns to Lorenz and adds with a subtle redness on her cheeks, "But Sauin is still my beloved home, you know."

"I know." The duke replies, looking quite pleased.

Dimitri chuckles at the scene. He says, "Now, how about you two come in. Everyone is already here. It's been too long since we all have a meal together."

"Great. I need to talk to Alois and Seteth. We need to prepare so you don't have an easy time with us, Your Majesty."

Leonie's comment makes Dimitri's smile falters a little. Waving away Loren's apology for her straightforwardness, the king tries to term with the fact that it's clear that all of Byleth's relatives want to beat him up, except Flayn. But his sweet cousin has promised to patch him up, which doesn't help his anxiety at all.

xxXxx

The dinner was simply wonderful. Byleth has managed to convince everyone that present to forgo propriety to sit at the same table. There are no kings, queens, nobles, or commoners here, just friends sharing a good meal together.

Dimitri is having the time of his life reconnecting with his friends, listening to their stories of what they've seen around the continent, reminiscing about the old days while discussing their goals for the future.

Byleth has actually laughed when Hapi reminds them of that time when she saw Flayn declared that the latter knew that Sylvain flirted with anything, including chickens.

It's a pity many of their classmates and friends are not here. Caspar is in Brigid with Petra, Balthus left for Almyra, Professor Hanneman and Manuela are still busying with the reconstruction of the sorcery school and the church in Enbarr so much that they had to ask Ferdinand to deliver their reports to Dimitri. Cyril and Shamir couldn't come due to their on-going investigation against pirates along the coastline.

And even now, all of the presenting members of the Blue Lions only manage to gather this many thanks to spring being the time for the national meeting to report the first half of the year. There'll be another one in autumn before winter comes, but it's still a long way to go.

Now, with the gathering of the night is almost coming to an end, their main topic is about the soon-coming fight.

"I just remember, have any of you seen the arena ground?" Yuri inquiries from his seat next to Bernadetta, his hand expertly swirling his glass of wine.

"No, I don't think we've seen it." Ashes answers. "Have you, Sir Gustave?"

"I had." Gustave smiles. "But I shall not reveal it to our fighters. The element of surprise and fairness is a must for both sides."

Felix is, of course, pleased with this information. "That sounds good. I've never seen something like this before. This must be a chance of the lifetime"

His gleefulness somehow doesn't irate Dimitri like usual but instead making the king feel the need to prove himself become stronger.

"Then I shall not disappoint you, my dear Felix." Rhea grins. "And I'm sure my teammates won't, either."

Seteth, who sits next to her, agrees with a confident smile. This is the first time Dimitri actually sees him being this enthusiastic about fighting that despite his own reservation about fighting his uncle-in-law, the blond cannot help but looks forward to it.

Leonie sighs. "Pity we don't have all the Lions here. Caspar would certainly love this. Maybe he'd ask to join even."

"Same with Balthy. He'd definitely think it's a chance to show off then get some money." Hapi remarks between her chewing much to Constance's disgust. "Not that he needs to worry about it anymore. Being bodyguard to the Emissary of Fodlan in Almyra must pay really well."

"Or maybe he'll stay there permanently and conveniently forgets all of his debt." Lysithea huffs.

Ferdinand takes a sip of sweet wine. "He's already paid back most of it so I'm sure our friend could easily return to us with no fear. Not to mention, once Dimitri and Byleth's wedding finally commence, it is only right that we'll all be here, regardless of debt or duty."

"And speaking of wedding," Dorothea chimes in, "Bernie, have you found any inspiration for your designs yet? I am dying to see our queen's wedding dress!"

The purple-haired countess slightly startled by her friend's question but instead of deflecting the matter or going into begging mode, she smiles shyly and nods. Dimitri suddenly feels very proud at how far his friend has managed to overcome her anxiety, especially when Bernadetta firmly holds up the small satchel she's been refused to part with this whole evening.

"I've actually made some basic ideas. It's not finished yet… but this is a start. I have sketched for both the professor and His Majesty." Bernadetta explains. "Here, let me show—"

"No, no, no, Bernie. This is not the right place to open it!" Annette interrupts with a gleeful squee. "Girls, we need some privacy for this! No men allow!"

"True, true. We must go now, Oh, I'm so excited!" Clapping her hands, Mercy stands up and pulls alone Lysithea and Catherine.

Flayn basically jumps from her seat, shoving Byleth toward the door with Rhea's help while simultaneously shouting back at the table. "Do not follow us! Especially you, Brother!"

Dorothea repeats. "That's right. No peeking or tailing us. Enjoy your night, gentlemen."

Before Dimitri could say anything, Byleth suggests that they could use her chambers—the queen's chambers, to be exact—which earns an almost universal cheer from her female friends. And just like that, half of the dining room has been evacuated in barely a few minutes.

"What just happened?" Linhardt blinks.

"Our ladies just decided to have a girl night, obviously." The response comes from Sylvain, who doesn't look that much surprised at the sudden evacuation.

"I hope they will have a good time." Dedue is still stoic as always but he soon smiling. "Mercedes has been hoping for some alone time with her friends."

"Now there are just us men here for the rest of the night… who wants to go to bed early?" Linhardt holds up his arm, yawning.

On cue, Ferdinand stands up and declares, "The night is still young, my friend, and I have an idea to strengthen our bond!"

15 minutes later…

Dimitri is now sitting with his friends around a big table next to a pleasantly warm fireplace—each with a cup of sweet wine, a small dish of snacks, and their share of cards that come from Yuri's stacks. Even Gustave and Seteth, who normally prefer to stay out of this activity have joined in for once.

As his playtime in the past usually involved physical activities and maybe some strategy games such as chess and puzzles, the king have never had many chances to enjoy some friendly games like this. He's unsure if his cards are good but he certainly loves the atmosphere and lively chatting. Even the fact that Yuri is cheating and taking all of Dimitri's allowance for this week can't even put a crack on his good mood.

"Not too bad, isn't it?" Dimitri laughs as he exposes his cards before turning to Lorenz. "It's your turn, my friend."

But it seems that the purple-haired duke doesn't hear him. The noble is sitting there with a dazed look that accompanied by a hint of pinkness on his cheeks. His cards lay forgotten in his loosening grip.

"Lorenz, my dearest friend, what's wrong?" Ferdinand shakes him on the shoulders, which snap his friend out of his trance.

"W-what—oh dear me, my apology." Lorenz shakes his head before coughing into his hand. His eyes dart around the table while his face gets redder. "Oh my, this is so unbecoming of me. Ahem. Please, forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive, Lorenz. Do not be so hard on yourself." Dimitri smiles. "Your mind seems to be quite occupied; I hope that we haven't intruded too much into your time?"

"No, You—Dimitri. You all have done nothing of the sort. I was just a bit too careless and let my mind wandering too far…" Lorenz snaps his jaw shut when he realizes his error.

But it's too late because Sylvain jumps in for the chance right away. He wraps one arm around Lorenz's shoulders. "Oh, have someone special to think about, Duke Gloucester? What kind of magic does she have that she could kidnap your soul during waking hours?" He wiggles his brows to emphasize.

Of course, that riles up Lorenz right away. His face twists with scandalous indignation. "Could you stop being so crass, Gautier? I did no such thing. And do not speak of my Leonie in such a disgusting manner. I was simply envisioning her in a wedding gown. What's wrong with that?"

The next moment is a complete silence that one could even hear a pin drop. Then, Sylvain grins ear-to-ear like a fox. "'My Leonie', huh? Hooh, and 'wedding gown' already?"

It's only then that Lorenz realizes his second and even bigger error. The duke sputters, face now a bright crimson as he struggling to find words.

Ferdinand doesn't seem to notice it or has chosen to ignore it. The former Adrestian pulls his friend into a big hug, laughing joyously. "Congratulation, Lorenz! When is the wedding? How long have you two been courting?"

"Exactly, when is the big day?" Sylvain chorus. "If you need any help in procuring special honeymoon aides, just say the word."

The rest of the room doesn't really make any moves as the two men corner Lorenz. Yuri seems to be calculating something, Linhardt is drifting in and out of his dream. Felix, Dedue, and Ashe only sit there watching the scene unfold awkwardly. Alois cheering the young love and, unexpectedly, Gustave and especially Seteth actually looks amused and almost melancholy at the antics. It makes Dimitri wonders whether his father, Rodrigue and their friends had also acted like this back then.

Nevertheless, the king knows that he should rescue the duke before the latter dies from embarrassment. He calls out, "Sylvain, Ferdinand, I know this is great news but please calm down."

His rescue attempt allows Lorenz some space to breathe. The duke shoots a glare at Sylvain and a nod at Ferdie's frantic apologies while adjusting his scarf and rose.

Dimitri then adds, "Please forgive their excitement, Lorenz. I can see that this is a sensitive topic for you so if you want, we'll trouble you no further."

Lorenz coughs before smiling gratefully, "It is all right, Dimitri. I suppose this would get out eventually. I am indeed courting Leonie. Very successfully, I may add. However, the wedding may not happen in a while."

"Now that's a surprise. I thought you want to have a duchess by your side as soon as possible?" asks Yuri.

"I do, but the reality is that this is not yet the proper time for us, given our circumstance." A resigned smile appears on the duke's face. "Even with both of us having fought in the war, our standing amongst the Alliance's nobles and commoners alike are very shaky."

Another question comes from Ashe. "But why, Lorenz? Aren't you both war heroes? Nobody dares to say anything when Ferdinand and Dorothea announced their engagement. What makes your relationship with Leonie any different?"

The dark knight shakes his head and sighs. "Dorothea was from a common background but she's now a famous songstress who has spent years building up her relationships with the higher classes. Ferdinand, meanwhile, has sided with the Professor and the Kingdom from the very beginning thus solidified his standing amongst the nobles in this new era."

Dimitri can already guess where this is going. As much as he distastes politics, he was trained from a young age to recognize social intricacies.

Lorenz, meanwhiles, continues his explanation. "She is a war hero, but with her commoner background, the Alliance nobles might as well see her as another nameless soldier. If I marry her now, they will see her as just an opportunist who managed to cast herself in my favor. Or a weakness that can be exploited.

"For my case, my father was a supporter of Edelgard, and I have spent a larger part of the war following his orders. By your and Byleth's grace, Dimitri, I may have now washed away part of that stain and gained the title of Duke Gloucester, but I have not proven myself to be deserving of it yet—people still have doubts about my ability as their new leader. Having Leonie as my wife now will probably endear myself to the common folk, but the nobles will definitely pounce on me and weaken my influence."

Lorenz looks almost relieved when he finishes and Dimitri can see how the weight on his friend's shoulders levitates somewhat.

"Thank you for sharing this with us, Lorenz." The king gently says. "Perhaps I can help you with your problem?"

Lorenz understands his implication right away. He answers with a single shake of his head. "I am thankful for your offer, Dimitri. But right now, we would like to face this fight by ourselves first. I already have several projects to follow, and Leonie is building up her credibility to obtain a more favorable position in public eyes. We're even drafting a special plan to improve the livelihood of normal civilians."

Leonie with politics and government? That certainly catches everyone off guard but then again, Leonie is certainly very determined whenever she's chasing after something. And being with the man she loves certainly is an incredible motivation.

"Leonie and I had shared several discussions—we know our strength and weakness, what we need to do to compromise and cover for each other, and most of all, what we both wish to archive together. Despite our disadvantages, I am confident in our future." Proudly, Lorenz declares. But instead of the arrogance he used to have in his youth, his eyes are full of love and hope.

Dimitri knows what his purple-haired friend means. Byleth has been sending Leonie on several important missions around the territories of the former Alliance—and that was after the other ones she's done in the other regions.

Even during the war, Jeralt's apprentice has proven herself to be extremely capable in handling different missions ranging from destroying Imperial pockets to secure their supply chains to almost single-handedly stopping the Empire's reinforcement from taken their own army by surprise.

Since the Kingdom's force didn't set foot deep into the Alliance until Claude asked them for help, the entire region only knew the basic knowledge about the army and some of the more prominent noble names that lead it. It is a disservice and a shame, because the war could only be won because of the contribution from the so-called commoners such as Leonie, Yuri, Dorothea, and many, so many more. People only see the mountain, not the rocks, the dirty, and the trees that made up it—Byleth once lamented that to him.

Getting back Leonie—despite her official occupation to be "mercenary", many people in the Kingdom have already seen her as Byleth's sword just like Felix is Dimitri's shield. And the monarch could confidently predict that, sooner or later, the people in Leicester will see her importance to the Archbishop. Truly, despite the apparent obstacle, her and Lorenz's marriage certainly is not an impossible thing.

Looking at Lorenz, Dimitri could see that the duke has the same thought so he settles for a nod and a confident smile. "I look forward to the day you announce your marriage."

"I have the same sentiment, my friend" Lorenz laughs.

In a way, Dimitri supposes that what's happening between Lorenz and his beloved is basically a courtship with its own trials. But the king feels a pang of envy toward the couple—despite their situations, Lorenz is very optimistic and it's obvious that he's communicated a lot with Leonie to figure out their path.

If his friends can do it, Dimitri knows he could do the same with Byleth—he could be straightforward and ask her. All he needs is a chance to find a private moment with her. And judging by the secrecy of this matter, it's best that he doesn't have any guards with him when he does so.

xxXxx

Dimitri is very agitated right now. His head throbbing as he takes off his clothes.

The blond is sitting in his bedroom, having spent another exhausting day with his court. There were discussions, reports assessments, debates, and planning that locked him, Byleth, all departments and regions' representatives, and ministers inside the throne room for an entire day. Having his country tripled in size means his workload also blows up proportionally and even after an entire year of handling it, he still got caught off-guarded here and there.

And he still needs to go through this for three more days before his battle with Byleth's relatives. But the worst part of all, it's that he still hadn't gotten a chance to ask her. His Dedue and Gustave certainly tried their best but there were so many people requesting an audience with Dimitri that it's impossible. zthe Saints help him, but the couple couldn't even make any progress in their workshop either.

Maybe the issue with Byleth's secret will need to wait until after the Conference has finished.

Dimitri grumpily changes into his sleepwear and is about the tucked into bed when he hears strange noises outside one of his curtained windows.

The sounds come from the one that leads to open air, there's no balcony so it means…

Slowly drag out the lance under his bed just enough to prepare for the worst. He tip-toes toward the opening to hook his finger onto the curtain. The rustlings of someone trying to pry the window get louder and louder.

Getting into momentum to yank the fabric off its hanger, Dimitri's other hand lifts up, preparing to thrust the weapon through the thick glass. One… Two… Thre—

"Dima, it's me." A soft voice muffled from the other side.

It takes the king a second to register before he hurriedly pulls the curtain to side—ripping it off in the progress—to review a blank face Byleth kneeling on his window sill, cladded in only a thin coat.

"Surprised?" She holds up one hand nonchalantly.

Dimitri shares none of that cheerfulness. He yells, "Beloved!"

And immediately opens the door to grab Byleth and drags her in.

She's cold in his arm. The usually pale pink skin is now blue and icy to the touch. Without a single word, Dimitri places her onto the divan closet to the fireplace. He bundles her with several blankets, stirring the fire to make it bigger, and for good measure, placing a cup of hot wine against her lips.

As Byleth drinks, the blond massages her hands and feet. He rubs her flesh until it warms up against his skin, all while remaining silent. The most prominent sounds in the space are the crackling of the fire and the howling winds outside.

They remain quiet until Byleth whispers, "Dimitri—"

"What were you thinking?" Dimitri snaps at her, his hands tighten around her ankle. "You could have fallen! A-and the winds at night like this could freeze you or get you horribly sick at the very least!"

Byleth actually looks sheepish but she still shakes her head. "I want to see you. And my door is guarded so I had to use the window."

Dimitri grimaces, "What could be so important that you risked yourself like that?"

His mind races through all the possibilities that would require her to meet him so privately. But her answer comes out so simple. "I've missed you."

"Huh?"

"I've missed your hugs and your kisses. I've missed how we could spend time together, eating, working in the workshop like a normal couple," Byleth blurts out. "Today Leonie gushed about Lorenz—well, not gush, but with Leonie it pretty much was—and I was so jealous.

"All my female friends can freely kiss and hug their men, but I can't. I know I chose this but at the very least, I want to talk to you normally—not calling Your Majesty or Sire while keeping a meter away from you. I want to hold you for as long as I can."

The sweet longing and fondness shove aside his irritation at her confession. Throat constricts, Dimitri tries to keep up his angry face but fails. He grabs her hands and confesses in turn, "I… I've missed you, too, so very much that I'm also jealous of our friends."

Byleth's face lights up, but he quickly cuts her off. It won't do if she thinks she could try something this risky again. "However, I would prefer that you won't do this again. I love you so very much and it'll kill me if something happens to you."

Pressing a kiss to her palm before nuzzling it with his face, the king begs on his knees. "Please, my love, the next time you want to see me, please try to ask for Dedue's help, or maybe Ashe's—they won't say 'no' to you. Don't climb out there ever again, I want you to promise me that."

His betrothed pouts but after some pondering, she nods. "All right, I won't use that route again. But you have to do something for me."

"I'm listening."

The mint-haired goddess holds out her arms. "Hug me. And kiss me, please. I've gone all this way for this so I'm not going back empty-handed. Give me enough so I could last for the next three days."

Barking out a laugh, Dimitri gladly takes Byleth into his arms. He switches their positions until he's lying on his back with Byleth resting on top of him. A thick blanket covers them both.

Nuzzling against her face, the king cards his fingers through the soft hair as his eye focuses on her lips.

With mindful care, he leans down to kiss her, feeling the softness and warmth of Byleth. She smells faintly of the sweet wine he gave her. But the scents of flowers, milk, and honey are still so clear.

He is home. Her weight on his body and the fingers in his palm tell him so. He kisses her more, focusing on converting his love through tenderness and loving words. He dares not to press in harder, fearing the forcefulness will break the atmosphere and tempts him into trying something bolder.

It's so peaceful Dimitri finds his eyelids grow heavier each minute. After a while, they stop kissing and settle with cuddling each other instead.

"I wish we could always be like this." Byleth smiles. Her rosy cheek warm against his chest.

"We will. Once we've become husband and wife. No one will bat an eye-lash if we never be apart from each other, whenever it in Garreg Mach or here."

"Hmm, that'd be wonderful." Byleth hums before asking, "Speaking of the Church, what was so important that Grandmother needed to talk to you in private?"

The sudden reminder slaps the blond out of his doziness. His body freezes up while he struggling not to sit up right away to not startle Byleth.

"Dima?"

Slowly getting up, Dimitri replies, "She… well, she thanked and expressed her support for us."

"That's great to hear. And after that?" Byleth smiles, waiting.

Why is he feeling scared now? He's been waiting to ask her about "it" this entire time. Why does he want to chicken out now?

Because you're a useless, selfish beast. You're just afraid to hear what you don't want to hear, you spoiled coward.

He hears the ghosts laugh but one quick glance around the room shows that they haven't actually appeared yet.

Good. He's still in focus, his mind is still clear, and the conclusion actually spurns him into finding a little more courage.

He fears the bad news she could bring but what could be worse than letting Byleth face her trouble alone? it's now or never.

"My love." Dimitri begins.

"Yes?" She still smiles so angelically.

"Do you have anything that's been bothering you? Do you have anything you want to tell me?"

Her smile drops instantly. Her brows frown as she bites her lips, fingers clench around his shirt.

"Did Grandmother tell you?" She bites her lip.

"Yes, but not everything. She advised me to ask you personally." Dimitri answers honestly.

Byleth sighs. "Wise as always. But I guess she has enough experience in this matter to know the right action."

"Byleth…"

"Dima, do you remember how the 10 Elites lived so long?"

Dimitri grimaces at the question and the disgusting memory that comes with it. But he answers nonetheless. "Because they drank the blood and ate the flesh of your family."

Monsters, all of them…

"Correct. But you surely remember that one only need to consume a certain amount of blood to obtain the Crest. By all means, the whole process shouldn't be fatal unless the drinker has no qualm for the Nabatean's well-being and taking more than what the other is willing to give."

Dimitri listens in rapture to her words, hoping that his curiosity will soon be sated.

"I didn't have time to show you the details back then but you had seen part of it—during the golden days of Zarnado where humans and Nabateans lived in harmony, it wasn't uncommon for the Nabateans to give their blood to humans. Loyal knights with their masters, parents who wished for more time with their adopted children—there were many reasons for the ritual to take place.

"The most common bond was the one where the lovers who were unwilling to be parted too soon by time—the human would partake the blood of their Nabatean's spouse to ensure the gap in lifespans will disappear. It was a sacred ritual, born from love and promises. And no one would dare to take it lightly or forcing it upon another."

"Beloved, I love hearing your tales about your family, but why are you telling me this particular one?" Dimitri frowns. There's a nagging tug at his mind he couldn't put a finger on it.

Byleth's lips press together tighter at his nudging. She lowers her head but still keeps her eyes on him. Her fingers fumble with a blanket's edge as the fire from the hearth casts a shadow upon half of her face.

"I'm not fully human anymore, Dima. My ears may not be pointy nor I can turn into a dragon, but at the very least, I'm a half-Nabatean like Flayn, which doesn't make me that different from the pure-blooded ones.

"It's very likely that I will live for a long time. Perhaps not for all eternity in its truest sense, but still long enough that most humans wouldn't be able to comprehend it."

"Byleth…"

"My blood can now bring forth that longevity. Just like my relatives once did, I could give it to the one I love, ensuring us to remain together for years to come. And because I am the Goddess, it means the effect will be even more potent, and you could far outlive even the first generation of Crest-bearers. Sothis's knowledge told me so."

The king feels his mouth too dry to speak louder than a whisper. "Byleth, are you asking me what I think you're asking?"

She nods. "It's an offer. You can accept it or decline it. I wish to give you everything I have but it's your choice that has the final say."

"I-I don't know what to say." He stumbles upon his words.

He thought he could handle everything Byleth throws at him but this… this is not something he's ever thought of.

This changes everything.

His mind is overloaded with all the possibility of how wrong and how right this is, and yet it feels so empty as if his brain has just erased everything to migrate the shock.

"Dimitri?" A shake and a warm hand on his cheek help Dimitri focus back on the present.

He takes in Byleth's face. Beautiful, pure, kind with fear and concern so palpable.

Her need and well-being must always be my priority. I must always pay attention and never taking anything for granted.

The mantra he's been enforcing on himself lately helps the blond gathers some composure. Returning her gesture with his hand on her face, the king whispers. "I need to think about this. Will you give me time?"

Relief comes to her face along with a nod. "As long as you want. No matter what your choice is, please know that I'll support you."

They don't talk anymore for the rest of the hour. And when midnight has passed, Dimitri discretely calls for Dedue to help Byleth sneaks back to her room as there's no way he'd ever allow her to climb the wall again.

It's only then, in his room all alone—with a fire slowly dying out—that Dimitri fully lets the rampaging thoughts plaguing his mind again.

xxXxx

The first thought Dimitri has regarding what Byleth has told him is. "Is it natural to live that long?"

He finds himself unsettled by the idea of living long enough to think a few decades as short. Everyone and everything will all die someday, often within a determinable time frame, and Dimitri couldn't imagine himself not following that rule.

But the Nabateans are a part of this world just like everything else and they don't find their lifespan strange at all. Their eternal youth is simply a part of who they are and he'd be a monster to condemn them for it.

The second thought after that is, "Do I have the right to have immortality? Do I even have the right to live until old age?"

Dimitri knows that the chance of him dying before his hair turns white is high. All the wounds he suffered, all the psychological pains he hid away in his mind and his tendency to overwork will weaken his health if he's not careful. He also knows there's always a chance he'd be assassinated.

Whatever his end may be, Dimitri is willing to accept it to atone for his sin but his fiancée's offer has created a whole new path for him.

If he rejects Byleth, does it mean he's chosen to betray her and her love? Nabateans didn't—don't—offer their blood that easily.

"Hey, Boar."

However, choosing her means that he'd choose to be selfish. Everyone around them will eventually return to the earth while Dimitri would still be there, indulging in all the things the world has to offer while his friends rot away. More than that, the thought of witnessing his friends dying one by one terrifies him and he isn't sure if he could bear living on afterward. Byleth's family has long learned to live with this pain but could he, a human, be that strong?

"Oi, Boar, did you hear me?"

Aside from those biggest problems, accepting Byleth's blood will mean that Dimitri won't age at all and people will soon notice. An un-aging king will cause all sorts of problems down the line and may even discredit his descendants' right to ascend to the throne. Or if the monarchy system somehow needs to go away or be modified, his immortality will surely be used to prevent it to preserve the "good old way". He could already see—

"Snap out of it, Dimitri!"

Felix's voice and a strong shake slap Dimitri back to reality. He finally sees Felix with one of his deeper, irritating scowls—that also spell 'concern'—in front of him.

"Yes?" Dimitri smiles.

"Are you so scared your soul went up to the heaven to escape?" the duke huffs, flopping down onto his spot in the large carriage next to Flayn. Dimitri doesn't know if they're close to the battle arena or not but judging by the mountains they're passing by, this place is quite far enough from the Capital.

"N-no, of course not. I just… I have some troubles that require me to analyze them carefully."

"Because of Byleth?" The question comes out more like a statement.

"Yes… She… offer to do something for me, but I still unsure of what to do say to her."

"Hmm, don't forget you're going to a fight," Felix says simply and doesn't press anymore. He turns his attentions to the scenery outside, giving Flayn a chance to shoot Dimitri an understanding look.

She mouths, "You have my support," before making a pumping up gesture with her hands.

Smiling, Dimitri instructs his mind to focus back on what's awaiting him. Byleth will need to wait.

Soon, the three could hear cheering in the distance, and the train of carriages come near a giant gathering of people. When they get closer enough, Dimitri could hear his people are singing an old song of their country—a song about a hero fighting countless trials to reach his beloved.

Swallows down his nervousness, Dimitri looks at Felix, to which the latter asks with a hand on the doorknob.

"Ready?"

"Ready." Dimitri takes a deep breath before stepping out.

The moment the sunlight hit his eye and lets him get a full view of the entire arena, Dimitri concludes that the Capital must be a lot quieter right now. There are people, so many, many people as far as his eye can see.

And the sounds? He's sure most wild animals around these parts must have run away already. Music, cheers, singing, things banging against each other to just make really loud noises.

And most important of all, they're calling his name. Many of his people sing their praises and well-wishes while others throw flowers and grains at him as a gesture of blessing.

Felix holds up a hand and the giant gathering quiets down just a little bit so people could move aside. A path is formed, leading Dimitri, along with his two main assistants and the nobles and soldiers that following them, to the sport where the true battlefield is.

Each step he takes is each moment Dimitri listens to the prayers from his citizens—wishing that he will triumph, that his in-laws will accept and find him worthy of their daughter, and that he will give a good fight to honor the Blaiddyd name.

The pathway leads Dimitri and his entourage to a large area against the rock wall of a large cliff. One look at it and the king could tell Gustave has done his best to find it.

The arena has almost everything. Big trees either scatter around, mingling with large and small rocks or clump together into tight patches. It also has enough empty space to run. This entire battlefield will allow each warrior an advantage in their specialized field.

The people gather around the boundary are his court members, servants, soldiers, and his Blue Lions mixed with many common folks. On the two opposites of the place, two big weapon racks are placed with some of his former classmates tending to them.

But the most important detail of the whole space is right in its center, where Byleth is standing with her relatives. They gather around her like a fence, and when Dimitri steps closer to reach for his betrothed, Leonie immediately holds up a hand.

"Ah, ah, the rules, remember? No touching until after you defeated us all. If you could do it." She adds the last part with a smirk.

"I will," Dimitri says plainly. This is not the time to mince words, and he will not let his opponent get to him.

"That's the spirit, Your Majesty." Alois laughs, patting Leonie's back. "Don't tease the poor man anymore. Let the couple have their moment."

"But just a little while. We shall begin soon." Seteth smiles from behind Byleth, gently encourage his grandchild forward.

The four warriors retreat to their weapon rack, leaving some space for Dimitri and Byleth but it's hard to actually have privacy when hundreds of eyes are on them.

Feeling a little bit shy, the blond mumbles. "I'm here."

"You're here." Byleth nods. She graces him with a smile. "You know I'll be waiting for you, right?"

"I know." His face feels so hot.

"I know you won't keep me waiting."

"I won't." His heart beats faster.

"And you know that I always support you no matter what happens."

"I do." But he feels very calm.

Something soft suddenly presses against his mouth. Dimitri blinks before he finally registers that Byleth's lips are upon his.

"Woohoo! Way to go, Your Grace!"

"He's gonna win for sure! I know it!"

"There's no way he can lose now. Hahaha!"

Dimitri thinks those words are coming from the people around him but he isn't sure. His whole mind is focusing on the tender feeling against his lips and the lovely smell of flowers and milk.

He instinctively reaches out to catch the source of them but like a wind, she rears back, parting away from him too fast for him to reach out much to the disappointment of the spectators around them. He doesn't pay them any attention, though.

Dumbfounded, the king is too busy watching as his beloved strolls to the red banner. She throws a sly glance over her shoulder at him with a finger against her bottom lip.

A promise.

He cannot lose!

Dimitri walks to where his entourage is waiting. He stands in place to let Felix and Dedue help with donning on his first set of armor, a heavy one that will allow Dimitri to face his first opponent—Alois.

All weapons will be checked to ensure they're blunt enough to not cause serious injuries. But Dimitri knows getting hit by Alois, even if it isn't fatal, will severe enough to break bones. Not to mention, blunted blades will make it extra painful. The best way to fight the captain should be to minimize the injuries as much as he could and not risking it.

With that thought, Dimitri forms a plan and grabs a steel lance, and wait.

Once Sylvain finishes blunting the last lance while Flayn gives the signal to Felix that all the medical aides are in place, Dimitri grabs his weapon and nods to Gustave.

With the bride's relatives give their consent to begin the event, Gustave holds up his arms, quickly quiet down the sea of people.

He announces, "Clansmen of Faerghus, I thank you for your presence as the witnesses of this trial. Today, we gather here to be observers for this man's determination in his quest for the hand of his one true love."

Gustave extends his right hand to present Dimitri.

"You, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, has declared your intention to court Byleth Eisner, beloved daughter of clan Eisner.

"In this cool and harsh land of ours, each woman is the most treasured gift of her family. How will you prove your worthiness to her? How will you show that you deserve this privilege of taking her hand?"

Dimitri steps forward and holds up his lance. "I, Dimitri, swear upon the name of Blaiddyd to honor your daughter as she well deserves. I shall love and provide for her, leaving her wants for nothing. I shall make her my bride and protect her for the rest of our life. And for that, today I challenge the four kins of my bride-to-be in a trial of combat as the proof for my resolve and strength."

With a strong thrust of the lance's end to the ground, the crowd cheers and claps.

Gustave turns to the four people on his left side and asks. "Honorable members of clan Eisner, what will be your response?

On cue, Rhea steps forward and draws her sword. "I, Rhea, in the stead of our clan accepts this challenge. We hereby swear that we shall judge your fairly and honor your resolve as a warrior with our own.

"Dimitri of clan Blaiddyd, your first contender will be Alois, protégé of Jeralt Eisner and blooded-brother of Byleth."

Alois steps forward with an axe in his hand.

"For the rules that will be applied to this fight and the ones beyond it, you two are allowed to fight with any method you wish—deceptions and tricks are allowed—as long as it's not fatal.

"You will only use one weapon for each fight and if it's broken, you can only get a new one after the current battle has ended.

"To win, you must fight until one of the three following conditions is met—one of you yield on your own account, you can't fight anymore, or you have left this ring around the arena for any reasons.

"Do you have any inquiries?"

"No." The two men shout in unison.

With that, Gustave gives the signal for everyone to back off from the arena, leaving behind the knight captain and the king.

The two men stare at each other before smiling. Alois says first as he gets into a proper pose, "I won't hold back, you know that, Dimitri?"

"Neither do I. I've made a promise to Byleth."

"And I'm here to test that. We're both trying our best for our dearest girl."

"Indeed." Dimitri tightens his grips around the lance, knees bend, waiting for the signal.

The entire zone and its people hold their breath as Gustave lifts his entire arm to the sky.

"Begin!" With a downward swift of his hand, the two fighters sprint toward each other.

Right when they're close enough Dimitri swings the lance into a wide cut that aims at the captain's right side.

The crowd gasps.

But the older man already lowers and rears back to dodge. Despite his size and weight, Alois's heels quickly push his entire body forward again while Dimitri trying to get back into a defensive pose.

The weapons clash with a loud clang before parting for another strike. The two men trade blows in a show of strength amidst the thunderous cheers.

Every time Dimitri aims for an opening, his foe either blocks it or reveals it to be bait for his own attack. Alois truly deserves his title as the Captain of the Knights of Seiros. Any lesser opponent would have already been beaten to the ground within the first few minutes.

Shifting his center of gravity, Dimitri jumps backward and kicks at Alois's knee. Yet the latter somehow only needs to move his legs lightly to get out the range before giving the king a painful kick of his own that makes Dimitri gasp for air.

Not waiting for his lung to take in a full breath, the blond rolls on the ground to the right just before Alois brings down his axe. Without stopping, Dimitri twists his right hand to push his lance at the man's ankles, moving into the right spot while his left hand reaching for a rock.

Without hesitation, he throws the heavy object at Alois, to which the latter ducks with a surprised yelp.

"Wow! Watch it ther—" He doesn't get to finish because another rock comes at his way.

Dimitri launches several more at the captain, and the moment he throws the last rock, he immediately follows it with a long stab that pushes Alois backward.

The king takes advantage of his opponent's loss of balance with several blows that focusing on distracting.

Alois eventually gains enough footing to counter a hit. Within a few movements, the big man manages to hook the curve side of his axe against the point where Dimitri's bladed tip meets its handle.

"Heh, got you." Alois pulls, aiming to strip the lance out of his foe's hands. "Prepare to fight with your bare hands!"

"Not a chance!" To Alois's surprise, Dimitri doesn't attempt to unlatch the two weapons from each other.

No, he pushes forward instead. Using the locking position to keep Alois from retreating, the Blaiddyd king overwhelms him, pushing him backward that almost to a sprint toward the edge of the arena.

The captain shoves back, trying to slow Dimitri down until he twists his hold on the axe to unhook it from the lance.

Not missing a beat, the man crashes his gauntleted forearm at Dimitri's wrist, pushing him to stumble to the right while swinging his axe with the other arm, arming at the latter's right side that's falling right into its path.

The audience shouts, fearing for their king only to be surprised when he uses the momentum of the lance to spin it down right on top of the axe just before the blade makes contact with his body.

With a roar, Dimitri shoves Alois away from him, letting go of his lance in the process.

"Crazy move the—OFPH!"

Not missing a beat, the blond runs forward and jump-kicks Alois, shoving him back even farther. Rinse and repeat…

"Gah! Since when you Blaiddyds learned to kick—WHOA."

…Until Alois trips backward onto a big rock that wasn't there before. One of the very same rocks that Dimitri had thrown.

It works!

The moment the captain is on the way to fall onto his back, Dimitri basically flies forward and grabs his ankle.

"Holy Soth—ARGHGG!"

The whole crowd's jaws drop open when they see Dimitri spins his opponent through a whole arc like a throwing weight before letting the man go…

…And that's how, for the first time in many of those people's lives, they get to see a man flying.

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"Wow."

"That's a Blaiddyd for ya."

"Hic, reminds me so much of his father."

"I can't believe it!"

"Holy shit!" A woman stares as Alois screams over her head and lands right onto a group of armored knights who somehow manage to get into a proper position and catch him.

A big crashing sound is heard throughout the area.

People hold their breath, watching as Alois stumbling and struggling to get up from the pile of metal and groaning knights.

"I'm okay!" He laughs, feet tumbling here and there. "Good fight!"

And with that, the crowd cheers. Whistles, claps, hoots, object-throwing, and most prominent of all, the chanting of the name Dimitri, who rises up his lance victoriously.

The king then locks eyes with Alois, who gives him a big thumb up that rouses the crowd's spirit even more.

Amidst the noises and applauding people, Dimitri looks to where Byleth's standing with her family and… Oh, she's smiling. Her hands clap gently as she looks at him with pride.

He isn't sure how long he stands there, locking eyes with his beloved. But it's surely long enough that Gustave has finally decided to announce.

"As you've all witnessed, Dimitri has won and gained the right to advance to the next opponent. For preparation, the trial shall resume after twenty minutes. You two may heal your wounds and regain your strength."

When Dimitri gets back to his side and flops down onto a bench, Flayn quickly checks his wounds while Felix hands him a large mug of ice-cold water.

Dimitri downs it in one gulp, just in time for Flayn to report that he has cuts, a large bruise accompanying by one cracked rib underneath that she's just healed.

"I've knitted it and calmed the pain," She coaches. "But please make sure to not let yourself got hit at that spot again, at least for another hour. It's still a vulnerable place."

Nodding at her with a thank, Dimitri uses his precious break to calm himself and mull over how to deal with Leonie. She's very fast so it means that he'll be the one taking more hits. And knowing her style, she won't just ignore those trees. Which means…

Asking for more water, Dimitri settles with a lighter, less bulky armor that will allow faster movement and hiding. And for weapons, he requests 2 silver lances. He's only allowed to do this once which could cause disadvantages for the fight with Seteth if the man decides to go for 2 weapons, but that something Dimitri will deal with later.

Now?

"It is time for the second match!" Gustave declares.

Now is the time for him to defeat his second obstacle for Byleth's hand.

Leonie, as expected, has chosen to use a bow. Her quill is stuffed full, which means Dimitri probably shouldn't count on the chance that she'll eventually run out of arrows before he breaks both of his lances.

And if he slips up, Leonie most likely will try to pin him down until he couldn't fight anymore. And even if he still manages to win this battle while having a couple of dozen arrows stuck in his flesh, he'll be in a very bad position in the third match—because Flayn isn't allowed to use extensive healing spells which means serious injuries will only be healed partly.

Firmly put his gaze forward, Dimitri speaks up. "I will not lose."

His words make his former classmate beam brightly. "Prove it to me then. Show me you're strong enough to protect her."

And then, comes again the shout, "BEGIN!"

This time, Dimitri immediately runs toward his foe when he hears Gustave's signal. But his speed is no match to Leonie, who dashes, climbs, and vanishes into the higher-up leaves among a cluster of trees in a blink of an eye.

The moment he gets close enough, an arrow flies out aiming at his feet. The blond barely has time to breathe in when a second arrow follows suit.

Barely dodging them both, Dimitri targets the tree that most likely carrying Leonie and swings his lance into a large arc. He carves the blade into its body with enough force enough to make the whole tree shakes violently.

The spot where the blade meets the wood bursts from the sheer force alone, spitting splinters around and leaves behind a large missing piece more than half of the tree.

Not even a second after it, the rustles between the leaves and branches above his head tell Dimitri that his target has decided to jump to a new, safer tree.

The blond presses himself again to another tree, hiding away from the direction he had heard Leonie move, knowing now that she'd seen what he could do to the large trunk in one attack, the former hunter won't reveal herself so easily again.

He's quickly proven right when an arrow flies at him from somewhere near behind his back. He could only avoid it thanks to his instinct that was honed from 5 years being chased after like an animal.

Like before, Dimitri sprints to the source and takes out a large chunk from the tree's body. And like before, Leonie quickly move to another tree.

It's a game of hide and seek until Dimitri has managed to carve in more than half of the trees—and some of which he took down with his kicks.

Crouching down behind a bush, Dimitri mentally thanks the fact that this cluster isn't that big and soon, he could soon get to the second part of his plan.

A big rustling sound to the right attracts his attention. Dimitri doesn't think twice before jumping farther away from the source, eyes dashes fast around to check for—

The arrow pierces into his arm, through the metal before he even realizes it.

What?

The blunted head isn't embedded deep enough into the bone. But the sudden pain and surprise cause Dimitri to flinch away.

Three more arrows rain on him—the first one, he gets away. The second one, however, pierces through his left shoulder while the third grazes his cheek.

She really can penetrate metals with blunt arrows. Byleth wasn't exaggerating at all—

His ankle caught something, and a whole tree branch whips into his face, knocking him to the ground. At the corner of his eye, he sees a glimpse of rope, smaller and thinner than the usual ones, tied to the branch.

She hid ropes on her person? Dimitri thinks. Could it be—ah, it must have been under the shield on her back! How could I be so careless!

Dimitri rolls onto his stomach, only to grunts in pain when two projectiles impaled themselves right into between his right scapula and shoulder. He almost drops the lance but somehow manages to seek refuge inside a large cluster of bushes.

Leonie's aiming to render my arms useless, Dimitri realizes as he snaps the thin shafts from his back, leaving their head inside his flesh to prevent bleeding.

Taking a few precious seconds to think, the king theorizes how Leonie could also use the rope to strangle him long enough to lose consciousness with her talents for trapping prey.

Perhaps… Perhaps it's time to ignore swiftness and focus on his brute strength.

With a deep breath, Dimitri removes his left gauntlet and sticks it a bit out of the brush. Leonie immediately fires at it, giving away her position.

The king takes the chance with a mighty roar and dashes for the birch tree. This time he knocks the above-ground part cleanly off the root. It must have startled Leonie greatly because she actually makes sounds when she jumps to her next spot.

The tree hasn't even landed fully on the ground yet but Dimitri's already run to where Leonie is, not giving her a chance to recover enough to shoot.

He chases after her, chopping down all the shrubs and trees in his way. Even the lowers bushes are swept away when his attacks are wide enough to scoop up dirt.

Eventually, they reach back to the previous part of the cluster where the trees still standing with most of their trunks partially carved out.

Dimitri smirks as he hits the oak where Leonie has jumped on.

Stage 2 begi—

The lance in his hands, after the constant abuses he put it through, finally snaps into two the moment it contacts with the wood.

It's only a split second of fumbling with the pieces, but it's enough for Leonie to reload and shoot at him.

Dimitri doesn't think when he sees the arrows tearing the air and gets to him. He doesn't think when he lifts his left hand to block it. He does, however, instantly regrets it and chides his stupidity when the thing pierces through his palm.

Of course, Dimitri doesn't have time to remove the thing when several more of its kind fired at him.

They couldn't hit their mark.

His instinct has pushed his other hand to move and deflect the attack with the upper part of the broken lance. His pierced palm curls up to snap the shaft despite the searing pain. It hurts, he could still move his fingers but it certainly will affect his grip.

Dimitri doesn't have time to curse. He launches at Leonie's spot, pulling out his remaining lance and cuts. A strategy move that soon follows with a well-placed kick that pushes the tree in a specific direction.

This time the king could actually see Leonie as she jumps to the next hiding place among the leaves. But unfortunate for her, just seconds after she lands, her old, falling tree makes contact with her new one and pushes it along the way.

Here come the dominos!

Dimitri chases after the chain of reaction—each time Leonie jumps to a new spot, the tree would be shoved down by another. And the king is there to make sure the ones that somehow could still stand on their own will be cut down immediately by his own strength.

Leonie is running out of hiding places and Dimitri is becoming more and more confident each time he catches a glimpse of her increasingly worrying face.

Soon, the entire cluster is down to a single, barely standing oak.

Dodging the arrows with his random running around the root, Dimitri roar,s and cleaves through the last remaining part of the trunk that still keeps it standing.

It falls, and from it, Leonie flies out, bow and arrows ready to fire at him in mid-air.

At this distance, she can't miss—two shafts dig into his skin, rendering his left shoulder and the arm attached to it almost useless.

Dimitri grinds his teeth through the pain, his legs never stop moving toward Leonie who finally lands with a perfect roll that swiftly gets her back onto her feet.

She doesn't stop shooting at him, and he doesn't stop running toward her. A few arrows he dodges, and a few more pierce through his flesh.

He still doesn't stop, closing the distance until it's only an arm-reach.

Dimitri stabs at Leonie but she simply changes her hold on the bow and blocks him. A twist is all his foe needs to divert the spear-tip following up with a hard hit on his head from the metallic weapon.

His head rings and his eye sees stars from the impact but it's not enough to stop the blond from flinging his wounded arm toward.

CRACK!

Leonie's bow breaks in half from the force, but she doesn't flinch or back off. Instead, the woman grins almost savagely when her left hand reaches for an arrow from her quiver and brings it down toward his still-working shoulder.

"Gah!"

Dimitri flinches hard enough to push his opponent back several feet. The fall is hard enough for Leonie to struggle to get up.

He charges at her like a boar. She ducks.

She lunges forward for another blow. He twists and dodges.

It hurts. His arms ache with hot pains that are sharpened with each of his movements.

He's moved to the side to let the sharp arrow tip penetrate his bicep muscle instead of the joining bones but it still hurt. The arrows that are still buried into his flesh hinder him greatly through every move.

But he can't stop here.

Dimitri kicks at a group of rocks on the ground at Leonie. She evades them, of course, but it's enough to stumble the woman.

"GRAAAHHH!" The king pushes forward, taking advantage of his bigger form to ram at her right at that moment.

He pushes and pushes. Ignoring the frenzy stabbings Leonie is giving him. Ignoring the fact that his arms are losing their sensations.

The audiences are chanting his name.

He pushes until the red line of the arena's limit is close enough for a decisive shove that sends Leonie flying.

She doesn't scream like Alois—eyes wide, seemingly too surprise at the turn of the event to react.

"MY DARLING!" The one who does the screaming is Lorenz, who hurls his arms around with his legs running back and forth, aiming to catch his lover.

She lands right into the duke's arms, knocking him into the ground with a yelp and a loud thump.

The moment it happens, the crowd's chant turns into deafening cheers.

"DIMITRI! DIMITRI! DIMITRI!"

Maybe it's the sheer energizing atmosphere that keeps the owner of said name on his feet, but in truth, Dimitri would love to sit down now and pours some ice water on himself to reduce the aching pain in his body.

But the king chooses to stay, watching Lorenz wobbly gets up with Leonie in his arms. The duke murmurs something to his lover with a frown and a huff—of course, anyone who knows him could see that it's something out of concern and love, that's why Leonie only laughs and waves it off.

She wraps her arms around Lorenz's neck and—unbelievably—actually lets him carry her to the healing station. Though Lorenz is forced to make a detour to Dimitri's spot first.

Once the couple gets close enough, Leonie gives Dimitri a hard slap on the back and laughs. "Good job, Dimitri! Captain Jeralt will be proud, I just know it!"

Her declaration brings Dimitri a great sense of accomplishment that he couldn't find a verbal reply—bowing his head with a hand on his heart is all that he could do to express his gratitude.

That earns him another slap.

"All right, all right. You go now. Get yourself healed. You'll need it." Leonie grins before giving an order to Lorenz. "Onward, Lor. I need to lay down. Ouch, I think I broke a rib and my left ankle."

That makes her lover gape. "What? You said there're only scratches! Ugh, how could you not tell me?! And stop moving so much!"

"Because you would throw me into sick bed right away if you knew, which means I wouldn't get the chance to congratulate Dimitri."

"You truly need to reorganize your priorities, Dearest."

Seeing that Leonie will be well cared for, Dimitri finally drags himself to his seat and let Flayn fussing over him.

She gasps after a short survey. "You tore your old wound! And all of those stab holes. Oh dear, I'm afraid your fight with my brother will be much harder than anticipated."

"My apology…"

"Don't be. You did your best to win so I shall also do my best for you. Byleth is waiting. We can't stop here, can we?"

"No, we cannot." He smiles.

"That's the spirit. Sit still now, I need to heal your arms and shoulders first. But that means your chest and back won't be in the best form, please remember that."

Nodding, Dimitri allows himself to focus back on the quietness in his mind and blocks out all the sounds.

His eye wanders to where Byleth is sitting, her eyes meet him right back with a smile. She makes a sign, telling him to focus on his breathing and calm himself before flickering her eyes to Seteth, who's talking to Rhea.

"Careful. Don't use only strength against him." Her hands sign the secret language their class had created back then.

"I will remember it. Thank you, my beloved."

"I'm here with you."

"I know. I'm grateful for it. I can keep going because of you."

Her gentle smile turns into a fondly blush.

"I love you."

"And I love you, Beloved."

The rest of his break passes by in a blink of an eye. An announcement from Gustave soon cut short Dimitri's meditation, calling for him to get back into the arena.

I won't lose.

He grabs the silver lance and stands up.

Victory will be mine!


A/N: I underestimated how hard the fight scenes would be. Now I'm paying for it. But knowing myself. I'll get into trouble with them again.