A Festive Holiday Season

by The Celestial Sky Dragon

Fire Emblem One-Shots Featuring my OC Max from "A True Knight of Seiros". Currently, there are two written chapters, but depending on it, I might add in other Christmas themed Units. I do hope you enjoy this story, which I wrote last year but never got around to posting. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas! I might actually continue writing specials not just Christmas themed ones

Fire Emblem Heroes- A True Knight of Seiros

Max x Sothis

A Festive Holiday Season!

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The Kingdom of Askr was soaking in the holiday festivities. It was the dead of winter, and snow was slowly falling from the skies. As per tradition, the kingdom was hosting its holiday festivities, celebrating a holiday known only as "Christmas". The Order of Heroes was excited for another year of festivities. Heroes from various worlds had gathered in the castle, all dressed for the holiday. Despite having recently lost their king due to the invading forces of Hel, the Queen had decided to proceed with the festivities, making the festival in honor of the late king, as it was one of his favorite seasons.

Despite everything that was going on, Askr's Crowned Prince had asked his trusted friend Kiran, to continue with summoning more heroes, preparing for anything that might happen. He was sure Embla would take the chance to attack during these festive times. But after Hel had invaded, Embla had been rather quiet. There were rumors that their princess was thinking about establishing peace with her rival nation. While others weren't trusting and were preparing for another invasion from the young princess.

This didn't matter much to Max, as he wandered around the castle town. He didn't know what it was that he had been summoned into this world. One moment, he was in school, learning to become a knight with his friends, and the next, he was in Askr, pledging his sword to the Askran Royals. It was odd. He had assumed nothing exciting would happen after the Battle of the Eagle and Lion, and yet here he was. Thankfully, he wasn't alone. His professor had also been summoned to this world, the world of Zenith. Alongside her, was his house leader, Claude, his fellow friend Petra and his classmate Hilda. He had heard Kiran complaining about being unable to summon Mercedes and was beating himself up over it, even though it had been months since her gate closed.

The young knight in training had been surprised when he was summoned, but now he had grown used to everything. The wayward attacks from Embla and dealing with Hel had been good training for him. And now, everyone was taking a break for the holidays. For Max, it was just another week in the calendar. Mostly, because he didn't celebrate any celebrations. Fodlan's religion didn't have any special holidays. The ones that it did have were celebrated by the most devout. Coming from a farming village, they didn't have time to sit down and celebrate anything. His father, Marshall, didn't like doing anything special. He would still get his family presents, but aside from sitting around the fire and spending time with each other, they didn't do anything. Seeing a festival like this, sprawling all over the castle town and up to the castle itself was surreal. Even Garreg Mach hadn't been decorated like this during the holidays.

The festival grounds were filled with people from all corners of Askr. All of them had come from afar, not only to pay their respects to the deceased king but to enjoy the festivities. To his testament, Max tried his hardest to enjoy himself. He had made friends with many heroes, the likes of which he would never meet normally. He had met Chrom and struck a fast friendship with him, and has gotten him to teach him several sword techniques. His friend Maribelle had also taught him some healing magic, which he would be sharing with his sister when he went back home. He met the legendary hero-king Marth, as well as the leader of the Greil Mercenaries, he even sparred against Mia, coming very close to defeating her, only for them to end up tying.

He had been having a good time, for the most part, but still felt out of place. He remembered his early days in Garreg Mach. It was the same feeling as then, having narrowly survived certain death, he didn't know exactly where he could fit in. Eventually, he made some good friends and he had been able to settle in a bit. He was still getting used to a lot of things, especially the death of his father and his best friend, at the hands of some brigands that attacked his small village.

He sighed, a small cloud leaving his lips due to the cold. He wasn't wearing his armor and was dressed in his Officer's Academy Uniform, along with a custom-made cloak that bore the crest of Seiros in the back. His mother had gotten it custom-made for him, from the cape his father wore when he was a knight. His messy green hair was poking in all directions, in its usual spiky mess. His hand rested on the pommel of his sword, he had decided not to don his shield for today. His armored boots clinked softly as he walked down the cobblestone paths, the snow crunched softly under his footsteps. Though the festival was beautiful, and the multicolored lights glimmered softly in the night, he wanted to spend some time away from it all.

Max had bought a few things in town and had been planning on spending the night by himself. Shareena had told him, that apparently, a fat man dressed in red would come to deliver presents for all the good boys and girls, and that people had to go to sleep early. Alphonse of course told him this was false but Shareena just glared at him. Commander Anna had led the two away, apologizing profusely. Kiran had also slowly made his leave, confirming Shareena's story and saying the man was named Santa Claus. This only confused Max further and he just wanted to spend time away from the craziness. As he was making his way through the lengthy castle halls, which were heavily decorated for the night, he heard soft footsteps echoing off the walls.

A part of him thought it was Flora, a young maid who enjoyed tending to the needs of heroes. She and her twin sister Felicia provided an essential service for everyone. While her sister was a bit clumsy, she was a good fighter. However, when he looked around, he didn't spot either maid. He also remembered Flora and Felicia were going to be spending time with Lady Corrin that night, so it wasn't them. Curiosity getting the better of him, he decided to follow the sound.

"I wonder who it could be. I didn't see anyone else coming up here." he thought to himself.

He felt an odd twinge in his chest and briefly glanced down at his hand, seeing the Crest of Seiros that had appeared on it, all those months ago. The mark was leading him down another hall, it was as if something was drawing him toward another place. A room off the side of the hallway he hadn't seen before. Heroes from Fodlan had been given their wing, so this path was one he hadn't gone down before. As he kept walking, he noticed the doors growing less and less frequent, until he reached a single door at the end of the hallway, which was partially left open.

Max swallowed the lump in his throat as he approached the door, peeking through the crack. He saw the amber glow of firelight on the other side and partially saw the edge of a bedpost. He heard someone on the other side, sighing softly to themselves. From the sound of it, a woman. He felt his heart beating hard in his chest, and swiveled around, planning on leaving her alone when a voice cut through the silence.

"I know you are there, there is no need to hide from me. Come in, I wouldn't mind a bit of company,"

The young man nodded to himself, briefly wondering who this woman was. He grabbed ahold of the doorknob, slowly entering the room. His eyes widened a bit at the sight before him.

He had been expecting a young woman, not someone who looked like a child. Her long, bright green hair was tied into twin tails, left flowing down almost to the floor. She was wearing a crimson outfit, matching the style of those that he had seen others wearing. It was a very festive outfit, leaving most of her midriff exposed. How she didn't get cold, he didn't know. She wore bright green socks and matching red slippers. Her hair was decorated with golden stars, and she wore a glimmering crown on her head.

Her eyes, deep pools of emerald looked him over with scrutiny. She briefly wondered who this young man was, but was easily able to recognize him. She noticed he wasn't dressed up for the festivities, and wore a normal and plain outfit. He had a rather boyish face, cute yet handsome at the same time. Vibrant green eyes met her own, filled with curiosity. He grew nervous and started looking around the posh room, seeing all of the fancy embellishments the Askran royals had provided the woman with. There was even a set of glass doors that lead out onto a deck. She took notice of the bag in his hand and wondered what was inside, especially since the tip of a bottle was poking out of it. After another moment of silence, she finally deemed it appropriate to speak.

"You don't feel comfortable walking through the festival grounds, do you? I can tell you feel a bit choked up by it all."

"I don't feel a particular interest in these festivities. I mean… they are amazing, the food is great, and the people are wonderful. But I just feel like I don't fit in there. There are a lot of people I don't know either, I would rather stay at home with the rest of the Golden Deer." he admitted, holding back the urge to sigh. "I'm disappointed none of the others have been summoned yet. I would have thought Lorenz or Lysithea would join us soon."

"They will in time, the Golden Deer is filled with powerful students, I'm certain Kiran's fancy relic will call them soon. As he did with you and I." the young woman said, clearing her throat. "You've grown into a fine fighter these last few months, I never thought we would be meeting like this though,"

"You… you know me?" Max asked, brows furrowing a bit. He tilted his head, getting a good look at the green-haired girl. "I don't believe we've ever met."

"We haven't, not personally. I have seen you grow through the eyes of your professor. I live within her dreams. Keep this to yourself okay?" she said, earning a nod from the young man. She briefly checked to see if he had closed the door behind himself, which he did. She cleared her throat, sitting up slightly in her seat. "I happen to be someone who lives in dreams. Someone very important to both your professor and all of Fodlan. I've been watching you and her other students grow strong for a very long time."

"A long time? How long?" the boy asked, a stunned look on his face.

"Years… I cannot answer questions about the future however, just know that you must prepare for the coming battles. I fear they will be among the hardest you'll face. However, the years that come after will be filled with prosperity. I see a bright light in your future."

"I… I see." the boy said. He took a deep breath through his nose, closing his eyes as he did. A faint, familiar scent filled his nostrils, sending his mind through a frenzy. It was slightly peppery and felt like little embers flowing through him. He opened his eyes, giving the young woman a firm look. "You're the Fell Star, aren't you?"

"Was it that obvious?" she asked curiously. He shrugged his shoulders, looking away from her.

"Your scent is easy to pick out, it's light and peppery, kind of like peppermint. Even when I was back in Fodlan, I could pick out this scent coming off the Professor. It isn't the only scent I can pick out, Harper has a rougher, earthy scent coming from her, but it's also light and airy. It's rather weird." he said, shaking his head. "Ever since Lady Rhea saved my life, things have become weird for me. I'm still getting used to it all."

"I'm certain you'll get your answers soon. I know for a fact you are seeking them, but do not fret. Everything shall be answered in due time. Would you like to take a seat? You must be tired from wandering around all afternoon," she said, earning a nod from the boy. He took a seat across from her, sitting closer to the fire. He set the bag on the table before him, hands on his knees.

"Um… I still don't know your name, Miss. We've been chatting as if we were old friends, and yet I've been very impolite toward you."

"It's quite alright, I should have introduced myself first, Max. I already know about you, yet you know nothing of me," she said, a slight flush on her cheeks. "My name is Sothis, it's nice to properly meet you."

"Sothis… the progenitor god… never thought I would be friends with a goddess," he said, holding back a chuckle. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sothis."

"Hmm…" the girl hummed softly, her eyes moving around the room. She twirled one of her braids around her fingertip, trying to find something to say. "How is your sword training going?"

"H-huh?" Max mumbled, not expecting that sort of question. He rubbed his neck in surprise. "Um.. pretty good, though I'm sure you know that."

"R-right… I do. I know your training goes well, and so do your grades… oh! Perhaps I shouldn't reveal much about the future. It could mess with some things." she said, quickly closing her mouth. Her glossy lips curved into a frown as she looked at the floor. "That does leave us without topics. I've wanted to meet you for a long time, and yet here I sit, unable to come up with a proper point of conversation."

"I don't blame you, you are a goddess, after all, you can't casually reveal the future with some random student." the boy said, in a joking tone. She adopted a look of annoyance, puffing her cheeks out.

"You are not just some "Random Student"! You are quite a special young man, even if you don't see it yet. You will in time, believe in my words. I would never lie to you!"

"Okay, no need to be so passionate about something, it was just a joke. I apologize," he said. She turned away from him, nose held up high. He rolled his eyes, reaching inside his bag of goodies. "I bought some stuff from the stalls at the festival. It was intended for me to enjoy in my loneliness, but I don't mind sharing some with you."

Having gained interest, she watched as the boy reached into his bag, pulling out several treats. From cookies to cupcakes, to even brownies. She sat up a bit as she looked at the small spread, wondering how he had fit it all into a single bag. The final item he had pulled out was the bottle she had seen earlier, which he set down on the table. He spared her a glance, a small smirk on his face.

"Well, help yourself. The champagne will be a little harder to drink unless you have glasses," he said. She frowned, shaking her head.

"I wasn't expecting a visitor. Perhaps I should start keeping some glasses around here for such occasions," she said, earning a chuckle from the young man. She finally settled on a cookie, taking a dainty bite from it. She remained silent for a moment, looking at the treat in her hands. The boy quirked a brow, tilting his head.

"Is something wrong, Sothis?"

"It's good. I've never tried something like this, even when I was alive all those years ago. It's a new feeling I'm trying to comprehend." she said, taking another bite from the cookie. She continued munching in silence, looking at the floor in embarrassment.

"Poor thing, she's probably having a hard time with these new experiences. It's kind of cute seeing her enjoying that cookie." Max thought as he ate one himself.

"You bought these for yourself? Seems like a lot of sweets for just one person." Sothis said, pulling him out of his musings. He shrugged, looking up at the ceiling.

"Ideally, it was for two. But the girl I asked to accompany me told me she wasn't interested, so I decided to just head back on my own," he replied.

"You were rejected?" she asked softly, earning a nod from the boy. "I'm so sorry to hear that. Whoever that woman was is a fool. She doesn't know what she's missing out on."

"Oh and you do?" the boy asked, she only gave him a smug look. "Oh wait, goddess."

"Mhmm… just know that I can see multiple futures, both good and bad. The good outweighs the bad, if this girl was foolish enough to turn you down, then she doesn't deserve your time."

"Thank you for reassuring me Sothis, that makes me happy," he said, smiling at her. She flushed, looking away. She remained silent for a few moments, twirling a strand of her luscious green hair through her bright green, manicured fingertips.

"You are most welcome." the young woman replied, sighing. "I suppose I know what it feels like to be in your shoes. I confessed my feelings to someone, and I was also rejected."

"I'm sorry?" Max said, eyes widening a bit. "Who had the gull to reject the feelings of a goddess?"

"A man who fell in love with a brown-haired woman with a knack for singing," she said softly. Max narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment, eyes widening a bit. He cleared his throat, finally understanding what Sothis was talking about.

"I see… I'm sorry that happened to you."

Max was aware of alternate dimensions. He had met two Robins and two Corrins after all, both the same person, the only difference was the fact they were of opposite sexes. He hadn't met the male Byleth yet, but he had heard about him from his Professor Byleth, the one who was a woman. It made him wonder if there was an alternate version of himself in this world and if that alternate version was a woman.

"It's fine. Having to live with that rejection forever stings, but alas there is nothing I can do. Even here, our separation is treated as merely a temporary ordeal. When our services aren't required anymore and we return to our world, we shall be united once more." she said, reaching for another cookie. "It pains me to think about each day, but I must get used to it. I cannot let it affect me, or else he will be affected as well."

"Wow… I didn't know that Byleth was a douche. Then again… how is one supposed to love someone they can't physically feel? How are you supposed to express your love if you can only see them in your head? He probably wanted something from her that she never could have given him… what a shitty fate."

"Heh… it is indeed a shitty fate," Sothis said, causing him to jump a bit. He swallowed the lump in his throat, a nervous look on his face. She rolled her eyes. "I have good hearing, you mutter a lot when you are lost in thought."

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to say that."

"It is fine, do not trouble yourself with such trivialities. It was my fault for choosing to fall in love with him, and opening my heart again. I had thought that maybe, it was my way to connect with the world. To potentially see my children again, and yet… the disappointment and resentment were still there." she said, as she sat straight, eyes trained on the fire. "Now that I have awakened, and my soul has merged with his, I can easily use that power to get vengeance on the world… for what they did to me. To get revenge for the ones who killed me in my sleep, took my bones, and made weapons. For the ones that tried to slay my daughter, and for making her suffer for a millennia."

"Then why don't you? Why don't you get back at the bastards who ruined your life?" he asked. She sighed, shaking her head.

"It's pointless, the ones who did it are deceased, and the ones still active are dwindling in number. I am a goddess, but I am not going to abuse my power to destroy people. Even if they don't deserve to live, every life is precious. It is something that a close friend of Byleth taught me." she said, her lips curving into a smile. He flushed, looking away from her.

"M-maybe we should open this champagne," he said, grabbing hold of the bottle. He pulled the foil from the top, exposing the cork. "I hope you don't mind taking swigs from the bottle."

"It's alright, at this rate, I could care less," Sothis replied, as she stood up from her seat. She stretched her arms above her head, sighing contently when a few of her joints popped. He cringed a bit at the sound, especially with the loud pop of the cork that followed hers. She walked over toward the glass doors, looking outside at the falling snow. "You know, it's been years since I've seen snow. It's quite pretty, wouldn't you say?"

"Hmm… yeah, it is. But living in a village near the mountains means it snows a lot. It's more of an annoyance than anything. It looks pretty, but it's a bitch to shovel."

"Ah… right. I keep forgetting you aren't from the big city. It always surprises me how you chose to go to the Golden Deer house rather than joining the Blue Lions. Byleth was always jealous when he saw your class getting better results during operations. He always wanted you to change classes, but you never agreed."

"That's the Golden Deer for ya," he said, quoting his house leader. The goddess sighed, looking at her reflection on the glass.

"That is a choice that he always regretted. I cannot reveal anymore… however, you come from a world where things are the same, yet different. Be thankful for that, Max. You are in a good class with good people. Cherish the moments you spend with them."

Max's brows furrowed, as a look of worry appeared on his face. He wanted to ask more, but he knew he couldn't. Even if his curiosity was sated, knowing the fate of what was going to happen was going to drive him mad, especially if he scrambled to try and stop it. He was glad that Sothis kept a level head and stopped herself from speaking. He sighed, taking the first swing of champagne, cringing a bit from the carbonation.

"Whew… this is drier than I thought," he said, shaking his head.

"Are you telling me you cannot handle a simple buzz from some weak champagne? Here I thought you were a man of many tastes."

"Heh… what, did I grow up loving wine or something? Because wine sucks." Max said, holding the bottle out to the woman. She took it by the neck, taking a swig herself. "Please, tell me I don't start liking wine."

"Heh… what's the fun in that?"

"You are a cruel goddess." he deadpanned, earning a giggle from her. She sat down next to the boy, crossing her legs as she took another swig from the bottle.

"You know, you are right… this is a little dry, but it certainly does help relieve a bit of stress," she said, handing him the bottle. The two continued eating more snacks while sharing the bottle, just sharing in the ambiance of the firelit room and watching the snowflakes falling outside.

Max's eyes were firmly locked on the fire, the bottle resting on the table between them. Sothis had been drumming her fingers against her cheek, most likely trying to think of something to speak about. He was trying not to be awkward, but he had little experience speaking with women. Though he and his other female classmates got along quite well, they all knew he was shy around girls, something that Hilda took advantage of quite frequently. Even now, she still managed to rope him into cleaning her room. Though that slowed down to almost a crawl, especially after he put a pair of her panties in his pocket and they fell out during class. To say she was angry was an understatement, but he had gotten her back easily, and without even trying.

Perhaps he was just nervous because he was speaking with a goddess? Or was it because she was a cute girl and he just didn't know how to speak to her? That couldn't be, he had been chatting amicably with her earlier. There was nothing he could talk about with her, since she had been gone for a millennia, so they didn't have much in common with each other. He sighed silently, reaching for the bottle. Rather than grabbing the bottle, he ended up grabbing something else, or rather someone. He shifted his gaze, seeing he had grabbed Sothis's hand, as she had reached for the bottle. He flushed, releasing her hand, pulling it back as if he had been burned.

"I-I'm sorry."

"N-no, it's okay," she said softly, cheeks tinged red. "You can take it."

"No, ladies first." the boy said, smiling at her. She relented, taking a hold of the bottle. She took another gulp from it, cringing a bit from the carbonation. She smiled a bit, handing him the bottle. "You know… I'm glad that you followed me. I likely would have sat here staring out the window."

"I'm glad my curiosity lead me here then. I would have eaten all of these snacks by myself and gotten drunk. I'd likely be puking in the morning, haha." he said, growing a bit embarrassed. Sothis gave him a small smile.

"You know… I've made so many good memories here. Some of the people I have met are great heroes. All of them have done so many good things for their worlds. I still don't know why I am here. I believe there is a reason why I am here, but it eludes me."

"Hmm… you know, you don't need a reason to be here Sothis. No one has a reason to be here, they just get summoned by some fancy gun. I certainly don't have any reason to be here, but I think I found one. The Princess of Embla seems so lost… If I wasn't on the side of Askr, I think I would pledge my sword to her." Max said, a hint of seriousness in his voice.

"Oh? You'd swear your sword to Embla? Why is that?" the green-haired goddess asked curiously.

"It goes back to my philosophy. When I met her while we were dealing with Hel, she seemed so sad. Like she had given up on everything in her life. I don't know what happened to her, but seeing that blank expression on her face, and the suffering in her eyes. I dunno… it makes me sad. A knight pledges his sword to those who need it, she cares about her people. Embla is in rougher shape than Askr is after Hel almost destroyed Zenith. I just wish I could help her."

"Hmm… perhaps you can. Even if you were summoned by Askr, it doesn't mean you have to pledge your sword to them." Sothis said, causing him to shake his head.

"Once I pledge my sword to someone, only dismissal or death can end that pledge. All I can do is help her without breaking my oath to Queen Henriette," he said. Sothis sighed, kicking her feet a bit.

"You knights and your pride. Seriously, it leads to some awkward situations. Even while you were in the Golden Deer, you always made sure your pride and fealty were the first things you spoke of. Harper certainly found it charming." she said, taking a swig of the bottle. "She seemed so head over heels for you, but you just didn't take the hints."

"Oof… that makes me look like an ass." the boy said, shaking his head. He gave the goddess a smirk. "Hey, you shared a little bit about my future!"

"One of your futures. Just one. Everyone has the potential of going anywhere with their lives. It all depends on the choices one makes." she said, matter of factly. "Everyone makes choices, but it's up to you to decide which ones are the best ones."

"I see," Max said, grabbing one of the brownies. He took a small bite from it, relishing in its chocolatey goodness. "Jeez, I'm friends with someone who knows all of my dirty secrets and who my potential lovers are. How embarrassing,"

"While it may be embarrassing, you will lead a perfect life. In most instances, you will be married to a strong woman who battles by your side. In others, you marry them to give them a good life. There is only one instance where you remain alone." Sothis said, causing a worried look to flash over his face. "Ah… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"Don't worry about it," he said, waving her off. He took a swig from the bottle, realizing they had already downed over half of it. He was beginning to feel a bit buzzed from it. Champagne didn't have much alcohol in it, but it was enough to get more than a little tipsy, especially for lightweights like himself. "It is sad to hear though, that I could potentially end up alone. It certainly feels that way."

"Love is a fickle feeling. Sometimes, you feel like you and the one you are attracted to are a natural match. That you could live a long and happy life with them, then it all comes crashing down. Like a house of cards, all of your dreams shatter and you are left alone, wondering why you even bothered." she said firmly. Max reached for her hand, giving it a light squeeze. She didn't pull away from it, nor did she look at him. She just sighed, accepting the bottle he held out to her.

"You have the option of leaving, hiding away from the world. To continue being a knight like you wanted to become. Like Sir Maximus was over a millennium ago. I, however, am stuck with the one that I pledged my love to. Forever, sitting upon a throne in his dreams. That is a fate I don't wish on anyone."

"But that isn't fair, Sothis!" the boy exclaimed, finally getting her to look at him. His eyes, emerald-like hers, were glimmering with sadness in the firelight. "It isn't fair that he gets to be happy while you watch on and suffer on that throne. It isn't fair that you were willing to merge your soul with his and in the end, you are the one that loses. You deserve to be your person, Sothis. I don't know what your circumstances are, but if there's anything I can do, I will. On my honor as a knight, I swear this to you."

The green-haired goddess remained silent, a small smile appearing on her face. She looked down at their joined hands for a moment, a myriad of things flying through her mind. She didn't know what to say, what to think, let alone what to do. All she knew was that the young man making another pledge. That was something she found endearing about him. He was quick to help those in need and would make pledges to those that needed a knight in their lives. She sighed, shaking her head. While his pledge did make her heart skip a beat, she knew he wouldn't be able to help her. Her smile curved into a frown, as she looked back into his eyes.

"Don't make pledges you can't keep, Max. There's nothing you can do for me… when my time in this world ends, I will return home. And so will you. You come from a world where Byleth is a woman. Yet, my powers as a progenitor god allows me to see everything connected to those that come from Fodlan, even if they are from alternate dimensions. After the white clouds are gone and the fires of war rage over the land, things will be calm. We'll be at peace, I think I can live with that."

"But that isn't fair to you! How can you just sit there and delude yourself into that way of thinking? Everyone deserves happiness you know?" he asked.

"Don't you think I know that? But realistically, there is nothing that can be done. My fate is sealed and there isn't anything I can do about it. All I can do now is continue living my life. Enjoy my time in this world, enjoy speaking with friends, and giving gifts to those special to me. Then when it is time, return home. I don't have a purpose here, other than that." she replied firmly. Max sighed, a look of annoyance on his face.

"You are the most annoying woman I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, you know that?" he asked, earning a giggle from the goddess.

"And you are the most charming young man I've ever met. Even though we've only just spoken today, I've known you for years. It makes me glad that we were both summoned to this world. I'll relish in our friendship whilst I have it."

The boy looked into her eyes, losing himself in thought. He didn't know what to say. But a stray thought did cross his mind. One that made his heart skip a beat. He held back the urge to chuckle, a grin appearing on his face. "You know, we don't have to leave this world if we don't want to."

"Huh… what do you mean by that?" she asked in confusion.

"We're all summoned here by the power of Breidablik, the only one who can send us back is Summoner Kiran. He has to close the gates to our worlds with the power of that weapon. Some heroes choose to go back to settle some affairs in their worlds before being summoned again. Even if our duties here are done, we don't have to leave. We can stay here, together."

"You and me s-stay? T-together?" she asked, face flushed crimson. She fanned herself with her free hand, briefly wondering if the alcohol was starting to affect her. "I can't do that. I am a goddess, I can't leave Fodlan defenseless!"

"Fodlan has been fine for a millennia. Not to mention, people return to the point in time in which they were summoned. Even if we live full lives here, we will return to that moment in time." he said, his smile widening. "Come on Sothis, this could be the perfect chance for you to live again! For you to experience the things that you've yearned for. Time to get your butt off that throne and explore the world!"

"This… this is a dream, isn't it? It has to be. This is all a dream and you are but a figment of my imagination. I must be sleeping, it's the only explanation." she said. He gave her hand another little squeeze, using his free hand to lift her chin slightly, making her look into his eyes.

"It isn't a dream. This is all real. We're in the world of Zenith, not in Fodlan. There's a saying back Fodlan, 'When in Fhirdiad, do as Fhirdians do!'. I think it fits for the two of us." he said firmly. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling at her. "I think this is the perfect time to start over Sothis, even for a little bit."

"Why? Why are you doing this? You don't know me. I could be lying to you about being a goddess, I could have very well destroyed the world once. I could be completely evil, yet you do not even bat an eye. Why do you care so much?" she asked curiously. He showed her the mark on the back of his hand, a look of seriousness on his face.

"Ever since I got this Crest, I've been feeling off. Like I don't fit in this our world. I don't know why, it is. I never felt like I fit in, even in Garreg Mach. It just felt so… choking. This mark is the reason I'm here tonight. I don't know why, but I think it was telling me to come to see you, it led me to you. And I can see why."

He took a deep breath, this time taking both of her hands in his own. He fully turned to face her, feeling his sword moving slightly toward the floor from its weight. He looked into her eyes, almost kneeling on the couch they were sharing. "Sothis, it doesn't matter that you are progenitor god, it doesn't matter that you live in a dream. In this world, you live and breathe as if you were a real person. Because you are. Don't let fate guide your future. This is your one chance to enjoy it, your opportunity, are you going to capture it or let it slip?"

"But… but I can't… this is all so silly. Even if I could live here, and see new things, what would be the point? I would still be alone. The one that I love doesn't love me back, my heart is in shreds. If I meet someone here and have a good life, I'll have to leave them." she said, looking away sadly. Max sighed, bowing his head slightly as he continued squeezing her hands. He thought things over, before nodding to himself. He grabbed ahold of her face, cupping her cheek. He felt a few tears running down her cheeks, which he was quick to wipe away.

"I'll stay with you. We're from the same world after all… even if we go back, we'll never be apart. You said one of my choices lead to me being alone for the rest of my life. If that's the case, I won't be alone. I'll fight for you, I'll fight to free you from Byleth. Even if I have to slay him myself, I will make sure you are safe and protected. And even if I can't separate you from him… then we'll meet again in the next life."

"You would swear your life to me? Even going as far as killing Byleth just to free me? You do know that could very well lead to the destruction of Fodlan, he's an important person." she said, earning a chuckle from him.

"No one man is an island. Even without him, I'm sure Fodlan will be fine. Besides, he rejected your affections, the affections of a goddess no less. The one who most likely saved his life and made him important in that world. I haven't met this Byleth, but he sounds like a total douche. Screw him… he doesn't deserve you. Stay here in Zenith with me, I promise, we will both be happy."

"How adorable… I wasn't expecting a seventeen-year-old young man to ask me, an immortal goddess, to elope with him. My, how the world has changed." she said, almost sarcastically. He rolled his eyes, sweeping some hair out of her eyes.

"Well, let's just say this seventeen-year-old would never betray his goddess. I may not be that religious, but even I wouldn't dare do that. Having a girl love me, even a goddess, is an honor. And she deserves the utmost respect." he said, giving her a wink. She flushed again, quickly grabbing a hold of the champagne bottle. She took the longest swig yet, downing most of it in a single go.

"Hah… this is delicious, I wish we had a little more. It's helped me loosen up a bit."

"Perhaps I should have gotten another bottle, then again… I wasn't planning on spending time with a goddess, and having her drink most of it," he said, a smile on his face. She flushed, looking away from the boy, grumbling under her breath.

"I suppose I should repay you for the bottle. Not only that… but for your kindness, and everything else. I wasn't expecting something like this on Christmas Eve." she said softly.

"Christmas Eve… right, that holiday that Askrans celebrate. We don't have that in Fodlan, I'm struggling to understand it, honestly," he said with a shrug. She sat up a bit, giving him a small smile.

"It isn't hard to understand. Christmas is a day where people celebrate everything that makes them happy. They celebrate life, prosperity, they give each other gifts, pledge their love to each other. It's a warm and sweet holiday for people to spend time together. Of course, if you are alone in the world, then you'll spend it alone." she said, frowning a bit. "December 25th… Or rather, the 25th of the Ethereal Moon. A regular old day for everyone back home."

"When in Askr, do as Askran's do," Max said, giving her a small smile. He stood up, reaching inside one of the pouches he had attached to his waist. He took the time to take off his cloak, folding it and placing it on the armrest of the couch.

"What are you looking for?" Sothis asked curiously. He remained silent, finally finding what he was looking for.

"Aha, here it is," he said. It was a small box, covered in some red and gold paper, with a bright green bow tying it closed. He handed it to her, much to her surprise. "I bought it for the girl that I asked out. But since she rejected me, she rejected this gift. So I'm giving it to you, my goddess." he continued, giving her a wink.

She looked at the box, curious of what was inside it. She was even tempted to give it a slight shake. She sighed, handing it back to the young man, shaking her head. "I cannot accept this, not when I do not have something to give to you."

"It's fine Sothis. Isn't the point of this holiday to give things to people so they know they're appreciated? This gift wasn't intended for you, but it's still special to me." he said. She sighed, giving him a nod as she opened the small box, eyes widening when she saw what was inside.

It was a rather expensive-looking necklace, made out of glimmering gold. It was a thin chain, intricately woven together out of thin pieces of gold. The charm was in the shape of a star which was cast out of yellow gold and had a small blue sapphire in the center. She focused on the star for a few moments, briefly recognizing it. She let out a small, inaudible gasp as she realized where she had seen it before. She looked up at the young man, who was looking at her expectantly.

"This is your grandmother's pendant, isn't it? She gave it to your mother who gave it to you. She said she wanted you to give it to the girl who you'd wanted to marry in the future."

"You know about this? Wait, nevermind, of course, you do. This is indeed that necklace… when my grandmother passed away, she told my mother to give it to one of her kids. It had been in the family for generations. It was intended for the firstborn daughter, but since I was a guy, well it would have to do. I was given strict instructions to give it to my would-be wife." he said, rubbing his neck. Sothis adopted a blank look on her face, as she sat up a bit.

"You were gonna propose marriage to this other girl without asking her on a date? Are you mad?" she exclaimed, eyes widening in shock. "You imbecile, you could have lost this necklace to her. You'd be willing to give something so precious away without a second thought?"

"It wasn't like that… it was meant more like a promise than anything. I've liked this girl for a long time, but I'm not good with words. I figured I could tell her what the necklace meant. But she said she wasn't interested in dating." Max said, bowing his head a bit. "It is what it is… this necklace means a lot to me and my family. I figured I could give it to someone else who would appreciate its significance and sentimental value. Besides, I think stars suit you perfectly."

She remained silent for a moment, once again fighting the flush in her cheeks. She grabbed the lid of the box and placed it back on, setting it on the table. This seemingly confused the man, who watched on as she stood from her seat, fixing her hair and her outfit. She stood before him, her tiny fists resting on her hips as she gave him a firm look.

"I honestly cannot believe you would be willing to give something so precious away. However, I certainly cannot complain, especially when it is I who is receiving it. If you truly intend to keep your word… and s-share the rest of your l-life in this world with me… then I shall accept it. But I will not be accepting it without giving you a gift of my own."

"Huh? Sothis, you don't have to give me anything. Just being here with you is enough." he said, giving her a small smile. She shook her head, pouting her lips.

"No no. I do not take handouts. Come, extend your hand for me. The one that bears the Crest of Seiros." she said firmly.

He nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat as he held his left hand out. She clasped it with both of her own, her fingertips glowing brilliantly as she did. A bright light seemed to engulf the entire room as she channeled her power into the young man. Even he could feel it, tingling through his nerves as it spread throughout his body. His formerly light green hair became a shade darker, matching the same deep emerald color of Sothis's hair, even his eyes seemed to change a bit. Once she was done, she released her hold on his hand. He looked at the mark that rested on it, surprised to see it was different. It was no longer the Crest of Seiros, it was now the Crest of Flames.

"This is-"

"The Crest of the Progenitor God, or as you mortals call it, the Crest of Flames," she said, tracing it with her fingertip. "It is my gift to you, my mark if you will. That means from this moment forward, you belong to me and no one else." she continued, smirking as she exerted her dominance over the young man.

"Well you certainly don't mince words," he said, holding back a laugh. She rolled her eyes.

"Neither do you. You were the one who encouraged me to live my new life here in Zenith with you. Not only that, I'm certain you asked me to be your wife at some point." she said, pointing briefly to the gift box that contained the necklace he had given her. "It's all going so fast, but I honestly don't care. It's better to enjoy the little things than worry about what will happen next."

He nodded, looking back at the mark on his hand. After a moment, he looked back at the goddess before him, who still had that cute pout on her face. Her skin glowed in the light of the fire, her eyes still glittered like tiny emeralds. Her festive outfit hugged her petite frame perfectly, the bits of exposed skin left a lot to the imagination. He wanted to look away, her appearance looked like that of a child, and yet this woman was the progenitor god, capable of doing a great many miracles, of creating all of Fodlan. He couldn't help but admire her alluring form. He closed his eyes, feeling his heart beating hard under his ribcage. He balled his hand over his chest, hoping to calm down, but of course, that didn't happen. He took a shaky breath, finally opening his eyes.

"Sothis, is it normal to be scared? This is all going so fast, and we barely gave it a second thought. I don't regret anything, believe me. But… it feels like I'm abandoning a part of myself, and leaving it behind in Fodlan."

"Isn't that the way it's meant to be? We're essentially eloping. We may as well run off to Embla together and get married for real." the goddess said, almost jokingly as she glanced toward the glass doors, seeing the snow coming down harder than before. "It's starting to come down. I'm quite glad I was given a room with a fireplace… it's probably blistering cold everywhere else."

"Some of the beds have magical heating coils, apparently they were created for the colder parts of the castle. But let's face it, everyone is probably getting drunk in the ballroom. Queen Henriette did say she was hosting a Christmas party. I'm honestly glad I'm here with you, I don't like large gatherings."

"That is true… I remember Claude organizing a small party for the Golden Deer because you had anxiety in large crowds. You kept it very well hidden, Hilda even teased you about it, saying the best way to get over anxiety is to face it head-on. She did a good job getting rid of that fear of axes for you."

"Yeah, she's a good friend." the young man said, shaking his head a bit.

"Erm… do you… maybe want to stay here with me tonight? I don't want to be alone." she said, shyly rubbing her arm. He gave her a nod, standing up from his seat.

"I would be honored, Sothis," he said softly. He carefully undid the belt that held his sword at his hip, taking it and its scabbard off. He placed it on the table, next to the sealed cupcakes which they hadn't eaten. He rubbed his neck nervously, not meeting her eyes. "I uh… don't have any clothes."

"That's fine," she said softly. She turned away from him as he started undoing his boots, along with the small armor pieces he was wearing. She fanned her face with her hand, looking at the young man out of the corner of her eye.

"Ah… why am I feeling like this? It has been such a long time since I've had these sorts of thoughts. With Byleth, I am unable to do anything. But here I… perhaps this is one of the little things that we can enjoy together." she thought, biting her lower lip. "I can't… that would ruin everything that's going for us. We need to take this slow, even if we're practically eloping."

"Sothis, are you okay?" Max asked. Sothis turned to face him, seeing he was only in a tee-shirt and his jeans. He had taken some of the extra clothing he was wearing and had folded it neatly, placing it all on the opposite side of the couch.

"It's been a long time since I've been with a man!" she exclaimed, clasping her hand over her mouth right after. "I didn't mean it like that!" she said, though it was muffled by her hand.

"Hmm… I didn't think the progenitor god had her mind in the gutter. You must be a very pervy woman eh? Hey, quick question. Since you live inside Byleth, does that mean you see what he sees? Do you see him doing… things?" Max asked, earning an embarrassing nod from the girl. Her face was crimson red, even the tip of her lengthy ears had gone red from embarrassment.

"I see… well if you've seen everything, then you've seen a guy taking his clothes off, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Perhaps we should just go to sleep. I'll take the couch."

"No-no-no. I will not allow you to sleep on the couch like a common cur. If you are going to stay in this world with me as my significant other, then you shall share my bed with me." she said, gesturing to the king-sized bed on the other side of the room. He simply nodded, watching her intently. She moved toward the bed, reaching down to her small feet, unbuckling the slippers she was wearing on her feet. She briefly looked behind her, giving the boy a little smirk as she wiggled her hips. He looked away in embarrassment.

"What is she doing? It's like her attitude has changed. And what she said before, about being with a man… is she seriously already thinking about that? She must be having a hard time processing all of this. Maybe we moved too fast." the knight thought, frowning to himself as he looked at the floor. "Then again, we don't know when our time together will end, when our gates will close. We'll be separated again… we have to make every moment count. Even if it's too fast, I have to at least make this holiday special to her. Only if she agrees."

Sothis had finally finished taking off the bright green waist cape she had been wearing, having placed it on a nearby nightstand. She was left in just the main part of her outfit, a one-piece, crimson red outfit that reached down to her mid-thigh and left part of her back exposed. She fixed her hair a bit, as she took off all of the star-shaped decorations she had placed in them. He cleared his throat, grabbing her attention.

"Would you like some help with that?" he asked. She gave him a nod, turning away from him, her curtain of hair trailing behind her. It only took a few minutes, but all of the decorations had finally come off. She had also taken her hair out of its ponytails, allowing it to fully touch the floor. "You know Sothis, you have a lot of hair."

"I do, it's one of my proudest features. Now that you have the Crest of Flames, your hair matches my own. Perhaps in time, it'll grow to this length." she said, making him cringe.

"Yeah no, it's already too long and spiky, I don't think I could handle having it be as long as yours," he said. She rolled her eyes, turning back to the bed.

"Well, it's getting late, perhaps we should turn in for the night?"

"I suppose but, maybe we should stay up? I wanna see this Santa Clause dude. Apparently, he sneaks into places to deliver presents to people. I wanna see if I can catch him in the act!" Max said a grin on his face. Sothis quirked a brow, hand on her hip.

"You do know that's just some myth invented by the people of Askr right? They made up some magical figures so that the kids could get presents. Everyone knows it's their parents giving them things."

"Oh come on sweetheart, where's the Christmas spirit? I know I don't know much about the holiday, but you are supposed to be festive," he said firmly. She took a deep breath, looking up for a moment, eyes widening in surprise.

The canopy of the bed had been decorated for the season it was something of a tradition in Askr. All of the maids would give the special guest rooms a touch-up, making them more appropriate for the season. A few of her other friends had said that during the fall festival, a lot of their rooms matched the fall colors, so it made sense that during the winter festival, it was the same. The top of the bed was decorated in green garland, nestled within it, were several pieces of mistletoe, a plant that was cultivated for this particular season. The boy noticed something had grabbed her attention and looked upward, spotting the leafy green plant, with the small little berries in the center. He tilted his head in confusion.

"You know, I've been seeing a lot of those all over the place. Under door frames, on the ceiling in the dining hall. There were even places in town that had them. It's some sort of plant but the meaning of it is lost to me."

"Princess Sharena told me it was castled mistletoe. It's a tradition for two people under it to share a kiss," she said, causing him to look back down. A small little smile appeared on her lips. "Maybe it was fate that we were led to this moment. I don't know why, but all day today, I've felt like something special was going to happen. Maybe this is it."

"Well, if it's what you want then I'm not going to stop you. It is a tradition of course," he said firmly. He bent down slightly, allowing the green-haired goddess to wrap her arms around his neck. The two continued leaning forward, lips meeting in the softest of kisses.

The two pulled away a second after, too embarrassed to acknowledge what had happened. They kept looking into each other's eyes, trying to gauge their feelings. After another moment, Sothis took the lead, giving Max a true kiss. He pulled her closer, kissing her in return. The soft connection sent lightning bolts coursing through their skin. This gentle act was chaste and full of passion. He could feel a lot more than nerves from this single act, every single feeling the goddess was thinking off, he could feel every single one. He greedily kissed her back, matching every single gentle movement her lips made. It felt like an eternity when they parted, only connected by a small strand of saliva. The boy rapidly pulled back, wiping his lips with his wrist.

"Erm… that was something huh?" he asked nervously. Sothis simply nodded, as she climbed onto the bed, sitting silently on it. Her legs dangled over the edge, feet still hidden by her mint green socks. She seemed to be pondering something, and after 30 seconds of silence, she looked back at Max, an almost stoic expression on her face.

"May we… share another?"

He remained silent for a moment, before giving her a nod. "Yes, we may."

He sat down next to her, taking a hold of her chin as he kissed her again. He grabbed ahold of her hair, digging his fingers into it as he held her close, returning her passion with every single ounce of his own. Her tiny hands were pressed against his chest, her left palm resting over his beating heart. This feeling was one she had felt before, one she had felt a millennium ago, and one she wished to share with the man she had fallen in love with. She was sure that man wouldn't return those feelings. All of this passion, this love, had been festering within her heart and now it had a place to finally be released.

She felt like a schoolgirl with a crush. She didn't understand why, but this simple act was making her stomach churn with glee and nervousness. It took her only a moment to realize the young knight was straddling her, kissing her lips vigorously. They paused to take another breath of sweet oxygen before going back to their kiss. This time, it was different, it was rougher, passionate, and full of heat, of lust. Emotions she'd never thought she'd feel again. Her time sitting on that throne had numbed her to one of the simplest of life's pleasures. The feeling of love and it was returning to her in full. It was burning like a fire, exuding the heat of a thousand newborn stars. And it was all thanks to a small little plant hanging above her bed.

She needed more. Sothis wasn't about to let this fleeting feeling leave her again. She didn't want to go back into that dream. She didn't want to disappear from the world. She was going to lay claim to everything that was before her. And currently, it was a young knight that had made her see reason, that had made her change her mind. That had made her want to fight again. She was going to fight, not against fate, but for her freedom.

It was the only thing she wanted for Christmas, her little miracle. And she would be damned if she let it slip away from her.

"Hah… this feeling, Max I don't want it to end. I want more… I need more," she said, practically begging the man. His eyes widened a bit, seeing the want in her eyes, her cheeks tinged crimson. Her expression was one of lust. He'd be dumb if he didn't say he didn't want to the same thing. He swallowed the lump in his throat, looking right in her eyes.

"Sothis, I'm not sure about this. I've never been with a woman… I'm barely able to speak to them half the time. This is… a whole new world for me."

"It's okay," she said softly, cupping his cheek, a heartwarming smile on her face. "I'll guide you. You aren't the only one who's been out of the game you know."

"Out of the game, I was never in it!" the knight-in-training snapped, a look of annoyance on his face. She silenced him with a kiss, arm wrapped around his neck. Her other hand moved south, tracing bits of exposed skin. Her dainty little fingers sent small shudders of pleasure through his body.

Taking the kiss as a distraction, the progenitor god took her chance, snagging hold of his pants, undoing the button with ease. It had been a long time since she had done an act so risque and perverted such as this. In her mind, it wasn't just her wanting to sate her lust, but her accepting her new fate. If she was to elope with this young knight, then she wanted to have the honeymoon first. It wasn't long before she grabbed hold of what she was looking for. This act was enough to cause Max to release her kiss, looking right into her eyes. He sat up a bit, allowing her to get a better grip of his member.

"My, it's quite big. And it isn't fully hard yet, you certainly were hiding something weren't you?" she said teasingly, giving him a saucy wink. The boy flushed, looking away from the goddess, who kept squeezing his hardening member. He could feel it start poking against the inside of his pants, the urge to free it becoming impossible to ignore. Thankfully, she took the lead, unzipping his pants. Just like that, his pulsing erection was free.

"I-I um… S-Sothis, I don't know about this," he mumbled softly. Despite him making a mental note earlier about this very act, his shyness was starting to get the better of him. Sothis said nothing, as she gently pushed him back. She pulled his pants down slightly, grabbing a hold of his cock. His eyes were firmly locked on hers, never breaking contact.

He watched as she slowly pumped his erection, using her thumb to spread a bit of pre-cum around the tip of his head. The strange new feeling was enough to make his legs buckle a bit. This was certainly different from when he did it. The warmth of her hand, coupled with her soft touch was making him experience something entirely new. After a few moments, she slowly lowered her face toward his member, pressing her lips against his glans, giving it the gentlest of kisses. Even that simple act made his penis twitch. She giggled, using her fingernails to give it some light but pleasurable scratches.

"Am I to assume you've never done anything of this nature with anyone?"

"Y-yes," he said softly.

"Well, I suppose you'll get to experience it first hand now. And with a goddess no less, you certainly are a lucky one," she said happily. She opened her mouth, sticking her tongue out over his head, allowing a bit of her warm saliva to drip onto it. She used it as lubricant, getting it sufficiently wet. She increased her pumps, making the future knight grab ahold of the bedsheets, clenching his teeth tightly.

She alternated between hard pumps and slow swirls on the tip of his head. It was sending him into overdrive, as he focused on not ejaculating on her delicately manicured digits. After a brief pause, she wrapped her lips around the tip of his penis, the tip of her tongue swirling around his head. She made eye contact with him, never breaking it as he took more of his length into her mouth. She continued pumping him, her grip on his erection lessening a bit as she continued spreading her saliva over his shaft.

"Oh… fuck." he said softly, as she continued servicing him. She didn't take her eyes off him for a single moment, smirking inwardly as she took the lewd expression on his face. She released him with a soft pop, quickening her movements. Her other hand focused on massaging his balls, aiding in her endeavor of making him ejaculate.

"Hmm… look at that, there's so much pre-cum coming from the tip already. It's okay you know, you don't have to hold it back," she said, giving him a wink. She opened her mouth again, placing her tongue on the underside of his head. She continued jerking him off, twisting her hand as she did, hoping to get him to his climax.

He felt his mind going blank, all of his self-control going along with it. He could feel a knot beginning to form in the pit of his stomach. No matter how hard he tried to stop it, he couldn't. He looked up at his goddess, just as he reached his climax. Each rope of sticky white cum shot into her mouth, one after the other in an endless fountain. She continued pumping his shaft, making more come out. She wrapped her lips around his head, sucking the last of it out, a few dribbles falling from the corner of her mouth down to her chin. He panted a bit, feeling the last tingles of pleasure leaving his body as she sat up. She opened her mouth, showing him the load he had just shot into it. She swirled it around for a moment before swallowing every single drop, even the dribble that had run down her chin. She sucked on her thumb, giving him a sexy wink as she did.

"Not too bitter, I do remember you saying pineapples were your favorite fruit. I suppose that makes me lucky," she said. Her eyes fell on his shaft, widening a bit. "Oh my, even after the load you shot into my mouth, you are still hard?"

"I'm a knight, I have good stamina. But that little tongue of yours certainly knows how to milk me for everything I got."

"I've had practice. You could always teach me a lesson though since you have so much stamina and all," she said, wiggling her brows a bit. Taking this as a sign, he stood up from the bed, fully taking his pants off. Sothis had sat up once more, allowing him to kiss her lips, he greedily tugged on them, ignoring the fact that she had just given him the best blow job of his life.

He reached behind her back, undoing the clasp of her dress. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he continued, making sure every single little clasp was undone, before he pulled most of it off, revealing most of her naked form to him. She looked away in embarrassment, using an arm to cover her little buds.

"T-they aren't t-that big," she said softly. He grabbed ahold of her arm, being careful with the ribbon tied around her wrist. He smiled at her.

"It's fine Sothis. I like everything about you," he said softly. Despite her claims of her breasts being small, they were quite big for her size, almost a C-cup. Perhaps they were just hidden by that festive dress of hers. He leaned in for another kiss, one of his hands traveling downward.

He slipped it between her legs, moving her underwear just enough for him to touch her slickness. She jumped a bit at his touch, almost biting his lip. But she settled down a bit, as she ground her hand against his fingers. He pulled away from the kiss, shifting his focus on that. Her cute pants were enough to tell him he was doing an alright job. She suddenly took a hold of his wrist, causing him to stop. He thought she had gotten mad at him for a moment. Instead, she took the time to slip out of her dress, leaving her in a bright pair of green panties, which matched well with her hair. The spot between her leg was soaking with arousal, the scent caught him off guard. It almost drove him mad from how nice it smelled.

"W-well… I'm not the only one who's going to be naked. Come on, take your shirt off." she said, almost in a demanding tone. He rolled his eyes, standing up from the bed. He took his shirt off, followed by his underwear, the last remaining article of clothing. She similarly did the same, taking off her underwear and her cut mint green socks.

"Never thought I would be bearing it all to a goddess." the young man said, a small chuckle leaving his lips.

"It's funny how life is, isn't it? I believe it's time for the main event unless you want to try something else?" she asked.

"I um… don't know what else to try. Just the normal stuff," he said. She shook her head, climbing onto the bed.

"I suppose I could teach you some things later on. For now, I just want you to sate my lust for you. It isn't nice to keep a lady waiting you know." she said, giving him a wink. She leaned back onto her elbows, spreading her legs for him. Her nether regions were slick with arousal, her lips flushed a light pink. She had a small tuft of hair above her entrance, neatly trimmed. He could feel his pulsing erection reawakening at the sight.

"Um… are you truly sure with this?" he asked, still doubting himself. The goddess sighed, an angry look on her face.

"If you don't fuck me right now, I'm kicking you out into the snow, without your clothes," she said. That point seemed to drive it home for him. He bit his lip as he rubbed his length in her juices, sending small tingles of pleasure through the two of them.

They gasped in unison, as he slipped himself into her slick caverns. They hugged his length tightly and kept pulling him deeper. Sothis cringed a bit as her walls stretched to accommodate him. She briefly wondered if she could even take his full length, but when she felt him stop, she knew he had accomplished the deed. He grabbed ahold of her leg, pulling her a bit closer as he started to slip himself out. The two of them moaned softly as he set a small rhythm. He closed his eyes after a few seconds, trying not to blow his load too early.

"Hah… hah… pick up the pace! I thought… knights had a lot of stamina!" Sothis cried, her cheeks still flushed crimson. The young knight heeded her request, picking up the pace a bit. Soon her loud moans of pleasure filled his ears, cutting through the wind of the roaring snowstorm outside.

"Hrgn… Sothis… you're so tight." the boy breathed, teeth clenched as he continued to pleasure the woman beneath him. He could feel her fingernails digging into his skin, leaving deep marks with every single thrust of his hips.

"Oh yes… don't stop Max, keep going!" she screamed, urging him on. The two kept at it for a few more minutes, trying to keep their pleasured act as muffled as possible.

A few moments passed, and Max decided it was time for a new position. He slowly slipped out from the goddess's throbbing entrance, much to her dismay. He sat down on the edge of the best, gesturing for her to climb on. She nodded, climbing onto his lap. She lined herself up, slipping his length back inside. They relished in each other's warmth for a few moments, sharing a passionate kiss. Sothis wrapped her arms around his neck, as he took hold of her hips, she bounced on his lap, the soft sound of clapping flesh once again filling the room.

"Hah… fuck! This feels so good!" the girl cried into his shoulder, voice coming a bit muffled. He just grunted in reply as he continued pounding her pussy. He kneaded her tender ass in his hands, ignoring the bites she was currently placing on his collar. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling its scent. It was peppery, almost ancient, and rather alluring to him.

A few more minutes of kissing ensued, where neither of them moved, just relished in their joint act, sharing every ounce of passion they could with each other. After a moment, she gently pushed him back, urging him back a bit. She placed a hand on his chest, spreading her legs a bit as she set her rhythm. Small squeaks left her lips as she continued bouncing on his cock. Her nails dug into the soft flesh of his chest as she gyrated her hips, wanting to feel every single inch of his manhood stretching her open.

"Am I doing a good job?" she asked, a teasing smirk on her face. She wiggled her hips a bit, making him grit his teeth. "What is it that young men enjoy in this generation? It used to be much simpler back in the day. You must have something."

"W-what? You mean like a k-kink?" he asked curiously. She gave him a nod. "Oh um… I don't have any."

"Hmm… that's a shame. Here I thought you had something cooking up in your brain," she said, a small frown on her face. "You have no idea how many people get off on my feet alone."

"I'm sorry?"

"I am a goddess, which means I can see various visions of various versions of myself. Some of them aren't pretty," she said, shuddering. She leaned forward, snagging his lips in a quick kiss. She gave him a wink as she placed her arms at either side of his head, the head of his dick barely being kept in place by her vagina. "At least I know you have the stamina, and that's good enough for me. Perhaps we can find you one?"

"M-maybe," he said softly. She gave the young man another kiss, tugging hungrily on his lips as the tip of his cock finally came loose from inside her. After a moment, she turned away from him, on her hands and knees. She wiggled her hips, legs spread to show him her waiting entrance.

Rather than taking her from behind, what she was likely expecting, Max did something else entirely. He maneuvered himself underneath her and grabbed a hold of her thighs. She gave him an odd look, only to melt in pleasure as his tongue lapped at her juices. She felt her arms buckle with every single, gentle lick.

"W-what is this? I've never experienced this before," she said softly, as he tugged and suckled on her clit, sending another wave of pleasure through her. "I… I cannot believe such an act could feel so good!" she moaned, closing her eyes as she continued enjoying this new expression.

This gave Max the opening he needed. He managed to take her by complete surprise, smirking as he pinned her down on the bed. She didn't even act surprised, she just giggled at his initiative. She figured out rather quickly what he was doing. It wasn't long before her arms were tied behind her back, by her ribbons no less. She just looked at him, giving him a smirk.

"Ah… I knew there was something out there. That tiny spark in your eye cannot be faked. Well if this is what you want to try, then go for it."

He didn't say another word, he grabbed ahold of the knot holding her wrists together tightly in his grasp. She spread her legs for him, sighing with glee as she felt him take her once more. He was a lot rougher this time, as he was sufficiently 'warmed up'. Her arms ached with each thrust and felt as if they were going to pop off. But she didn't care, she buried her face in her nest of hair, trying to muffle her screams of pure ecstasy. She could feel his other hand snaking underneath her, grabbing one of her breasts in the palm of his hand, kneading and pinching it. These new sensations were starting to drive her wild. She hadn't felt good like this in years. She didn't want this to end. He slapped one of her supple cheeks, another scream filling the room.

Max gritted his teeth, feeling himself getting to the edge. His heart was beating hard in his chest and didn't want this to end yet. He hastily pulled out of his goddess, much to her dismay. In seconds, he undid the knot binding her wrists together. He instead tied them to one of the bedposts, keeping her arms bound above her head, much to her surprise. She only followed his lead, watching him intently. The two kissed for a few moments, as he traveled south, kissing and licking the skin of her neck. She moaned as she felt his fingers entering her warm cavern. He continued pleasuring her nether regions while kissing every sensitive inch of skin on her exposed body.

From her neck to her breasts and underarms, he left soft gentle kisses and bites everywhere he could. He reached her belly, giving her another soft kiss that made her burst into laughter from how ticklish she was. Her giggles and moans were like music to his ears. After he had enough of her luscious skin, he moved onto her entrance, lining himself once more.

"I was just stalling by the way," he admitted, as he inserted himself, keeping her legs spread. "I was trying to stop myself from cumming."

"Trying to extend this pleasurable encounter huh? You are a wise young man. Well then, continue ravishing me, show me what you can do." she said, a needy look on her face as he started thrusting. She didn't even bother muffling her moans this time, her dulcet voice echoed through the large chamber, cutting through the silence with her screams of pleasure.

Max grunted a bit as he kept going, trying his hardest not to reach his limit. His hands were at her hips, keeping her petite body in place. She wiggled with every thrust, sending tingles of pleasure up his spine. He was beginning to lose himself in that sweet happy place that not many have the chance to tread. Sothis's stamina was beginning to make him question himself and his reserves. He had been training for months but this one woman was threatening to drain him of everything vital to him, at that very moment.

"Hah… my dear… could you undo these? My arms are tired." the green-haired goddess said between pants. Her glimmering emerald eyes were a bit glassy, her lips parted slightly as she sucked in more precious oxygen. He reached for the ribbons keeping her arms in place and pulled them loose, finally freeing her from her bindings. Still joined at the pelvis, the two continued kissing each other passionately.

It wasn't long before Sothis was back on top of him, still kissing him. They remained like this for another few moments, before she eased herself back onto his dick. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, slowly moving inside her.

"Hey Sothis… this might be the sex talking, but I'm glad the two of us met." the boy said softly, earning a giggle from the goddess.

"I assure you, it isn't the sex talk. I'm quite glad we met too. I don't know what it is, but I feel the two of us are going to have a wonderful life together. You've been so kind and gentle with me, unlike anyone else in my past. It makes me elated." she said, placing her hands on his shoulders. She locked eyes with him, smiling at him. "Let's keep going. We're almost close to the finish line."

Giving her a nod, he picked up the pace, keeping her firmly in place as he thrust into her waiting pussy. He could feel her sweet nectar dripping down from her nether regions, bathing his balls and thighs. Her pants increased a bit, as she buried her face in his neck. She gave a small whimper, biting down on his shoulder as she reached her climax. He could feel a splash of warm liquid come from inside, bathing the sheets with her release. Her legs quivered at the feeling, eyes glassy as the man continued.

"Give it to me Max, don't disappoint your goddess," she said softly into his ear. He could feel the same feeling from before beginning to rise in the pit of his stomach. He grabbed her waist tightly and thrust with his last remaining bit of stamina.

"Hgn… Sothis, I'm gonna…"

"It's okay to do it inside, I want to relish in the warmth of your seed. It'll be the final act, in which I cast away my old self and merge my soul with yours," she said, almost cryptically as she kissed his cheek.

It didn't take much longer for him to reach the breaking point, finally hitting his climax. Multiple strings of hot white cum shot deep into her womb, she sighed contently, feeling every twitch of his member as her vagina milked him for every bit of his vitality. It filled her up so much that a bit started oozing from inside, falling between their joined genitals. The two panted for breath, relishing in their afterglow, before sharing another passionate kiss. Max just hugged the goddess tightly, placing another gentle kiss on her forehead, rubbing her back with his free hand.

"Thank you Sothis, for this wonderful night," he said softly. She giggled, twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers.

"I'm certain that's the sex talking," she said, giving him a wink. "I should be thanking you. You've given me hope for the future, and a little extra. I believe the two of us will live long prosperous lives in this world. And when the time for us to part arrives, I'm certain we'll leave with no regrets."

"I'm sure we will. For now, let's just bask in this feeling, and enjoy our time together, come morning, we'll figure out what we want to do," he said softly. She nodded, sharing a brief kiss with the young man, as she reached for the covers, not caring that they were bathed in their fluids. She wished to bask in his warmth, undisturbed until morning light came to end the endless night.

---

"Are you sure about this?" Alphonse asked, earning a nod from the hooded summoner. It had been a few days since Christmas, and everyone in Askr was on high alert. It seemed a couple of heroes had gone missing. The whole kingdom had been searching for them, but alas, they had yet to be found.

"There is no other piece of evidence left, aside from the note they left behind. I've consulted a few people, even tried to close their gates. However, it seems that they are unwilling to leave Zenith. If they have made a vow, then even the power of my divine weapon cannot force them to leave."

"Well, we have to find them. You can't just… leave the Order of Heroes without so much as a goodbye!" Commander Anna exclaimed in anger. She grit her teeth, glancing around the table. "We just defeated Hel, and we've already got another army going to make contact with our northern wall. We can't just have people running away like this!"

"What do you think about this Byleth? This is the Sothis from your world, right?" Sharena asked, earning a nod from the man next to her. He remained silent, stoic at the news that the Progenitor God had left, with one of his most trusted students no less. He closed his eyes for a moment, before finally speaking.

"I've trusted my students to forge their paths. I believe this is the only way for them to grow, not just as people, but as strong and capable fighters. I believe Sothis took this advice to heart. She wished to forge her path, separate from myself. I can only surmise Max went with her. After all, a knight must never let a woman travel alone and unguarded, even if that woman happens to be the progenitor god." he said, looking up at the council that had formed around him. "I believe we should leave them alone. If they want to come back, they will. We should focus on this invading army instead. We can afford to lose two capable fighters, not an entire platoon of them."

"Let them go? Let them go? Are you insane? For all we know, they could be in Embla, trading secrets to Princess Veronica!" Anna cried angrily. Alphonse put a hand on her shoulder slowly shaking his head.

"They wouldn't do that. Besides, Veronica has been quiet since we faced off against Hel and her minions. We can afford to let the two of them leave. They've made their choice, the Order of Heroes was made for the greater good. We don't force heroes into contracts, that would make us no better than Veronica herself." he said. The woman sighed, giving him a nod.

"You're right, forgive me. I'm just worried for them, with this new army and such."

"We all are, they're our friends. I'm sure they've got their reasons… they'll be back one day, I'm sure they will." Sharena said, giving the woman a hopeful smile.

"I should return to the Summoning Table, we must try our hand at forging new contracts for the battle ahead. Please excuse me." Kiran said, as he slowly left the room, leaving everyone behind in silence.

xxx(Several Years Later)xxx

Max let out a sigh as he grabbed the bundle of logs from the ground. It had been another cold winter in Embla. Ever since he and Sothis moved there, they had been nothing but excited for the future. They had been able to move into the neighboring country with ease, not even bothered by the princess. It had been rather easy to secure a building permit in the mountains. Since then, the two had built their log cabin, away from civilization. They had been living a quaint life, away from war, and away from society. Of course, they still had to get jobs to support their new lives. But with the money they had saved while being in the Order of Heroes, they had been set for a while.

It had been a long time since they had even heard from their old friends. While it pained them to have put them through that, they knew that none of them would understand, and they would be forced to separate. It was something that neither of them wanted, so on Sothis's suggestion, the two of them left. They had been much happier then. The young man walked through the nearby woods, back toward the beautiful log cabin, sitting at the foot of a large mountain. It was a place that Sothis had picked, due to the shimmering lake that was nearby. It was a picturesque retreat, their little piece of heaven.

It didn't take him long to reach the front steps of the wooden cabin, just as he had set down the logs he had chopped down for the fire, he felt a bit of weight on his back. He stumbled forward, almost falling, before he got his footing. He sighed, shaking his head.

"Sweetie, how many times have I told you not to jump on my back like that?"

"Um… I dunno." the voice said softly. He let out a small laugh.

"More times than I can count is the accurate answer," he said. The little girl jumped down from his back, her bare feet softly touching the wooden deck.

"I'm sorry daddy," she said softly.

The young girl, who was about six or seven years of age, gave him a small apologetic frown. She had long, emerald green hair reaching to the middle of her back, styled into two high pigtails, and decorated with several star-shaped golden pins. She had fair-colored skin, and bright green eyes, matching those of her mother. She was wearing a light sweater, with a pair of green shorts, her feet being bare as the day she was born. She, like her mother, didn't like wearing shoes at all, and only wore them when going into the city. He ruffled her hair, giving her a grin.

"It's alright Eleanor. I'm not mad at you, just be careful. Your daddy could be holding a dangerous sword next time. And if you jump on his back at the wrong time then fwip… daddy could die." he said, making her scared.

"No! I don't want daddy to die!" she cried, grabbing onto his arm. "I want to live with mommy and daddy forever!"

"Alright, we'll do that! Just don't jump on my back anymore, then my life won't be at risk!" he said. He heard someone sigh behind him, and looked over his shoulder, seeing the annoyed look on his wife's face.

"You know, scaring the living daylights out of her isn't the proper way to teach her," she said. He rolled his eyes.

"But how else is our little girl supposed to learn? Besides, she got jumping on my back from mommy dearest," he said, giving her a wink. She flushed but kept pouting at him.

"Don't make me hit you with this wooden spoon mister," she said firmly. "Now bring that wood inside, we're supposed to get a heavy snowstorm and I am not going to have my little bundle of joy freezing to death."

"Sure thing miss!" Max said, giving her a salute. Eleanor happily walked inside the house, followed by her father who carried the wood inside, setting it next to the other piles by the fireplace. They had been preparing for this coming snowstorm for days now. Despite it being cold to normal humans, they didn't feel bothered by it.

Well… when you had been imbued with the power of the Progenitor god, you tended to lose a bit of feeling in certain areas. The cold hadn't affected him in years. Once he had set the wood down, he sat down on the couch, just in time for his daughter to jump into his lap, holding a book in her hands.

"Dad, can you read this for me?"

"This book again? Honey I read you this book every afternoon. We need to get you better books." he said. She puffed her cheeks out, glaring at the man.

"Well fine, tell me a story then," she said, a pensive look on her face as she tapped her chin. "Oh, I know… tell me how you and momma met!"

"You wanna hear that story? It's a bit long… and I don't think you are old enough to hear it yet," he admitted. Sothis finished what she was doing in the kitchen and sat down next to them, causing Eleanor to jump into her lap instead.

"You are right… she is a bit too young to hear some of the finer details. But I think we can talk to her about Christmas. It was the holiday that brought us together after all." the goddess said, smiling at her daughter. She tilted her head in confusion.

"Christmas? What's that?"

"It's a magical season at the end of the year. The people of Askr hold a huge festival, to celebrate another year of prosperity, joy, and hope. People make delicious treats and cakes, and have parties to be merry with friends." Sothis said, grabbing her daughter's attention.

"It's also the season that I and your mother met, all of those years ago. We had a nice chat during the night, fell in love, and then you came along. Now we live here, along with our little girl, enjoying this beautiful mountain house." Max said, kissing the little girl on the cheek, much to her joy.

"Would you tell me more?" she asked softly. Max and Sothis shared a look, giving the little girl a nod.

"Sure, we would love to!" the two said, sounding rather excited. Neither of them noticed the gentle snowflakes beginning to fall outside of their window...

---

A/N: Okay, so I know I abandoned A True Knight of Seiros for over a year. Well, I didn't abandon it, but I put it off on the backburner. The reason being... well, people killed my mood for the story. I do have good friends who helped me out, and in the end, I decided to put this story on hiatus. Big shocker, I'm well known for doing that lol. I actually wrote this last year, during the Ethereal Moon Banner for FEH. I ended up getting two Winter Sothis' in FEH and I was so giddy I ended up writing this, as a sort of "What if" scenario if my OC Max had been summoned into the world of Fire Emblem Heroes. I did write another special for this year, but I am not going to be saying who that girl is. Let's just say, this might be a yearly thing if 3 Houses characters keep getting Winter Alts.

One day, I do hope to continue A True Knight of Seiros. But that will be once I finish my Fate Grand Order Story, or whenever I take a break from it. I have various other projects that require my attention. Worry not, the wait won't be long, I hope. I've actually been thinking of picking the story up for monthly or biweekly update, but that isn't set in stone yet. For one I would have to replay 3 Houses as it has been a long time since I've picked it up, something I regret. You know I still haven't played the DLC, I should do that haha. Anyway, I do hope you all enjoyed this lemony story.

Also, I can't believe it took me a goddamned year to realize this, but Sothis' Winter Outfit makes her look like a Christmas Tree and I feel completely stupid for not seeing it sooner. Anyway, see ya'll next year! Merry Christmas!