A Day Later; Early Morning:
"Hey Claude."
"Teach," he tiredly greets, barely waving his hand as he's slouched in his chair that's set by the head of Lysithea's guest bed. Byleth, with matching bags under her eyes, hands him a cup of coffee that has more sugar than coffee in it, just how he likes. He squeaks when he takes the first sip, and Byleth grins as she sips her water. "I think the availability of coffee down here in Enbarr is the only reason it's so good," he jokes with a voice all grovely.
"Besides the fact that Lysithea is close to Enbarr you mean."
"Eh. That too, I guess." They hum as they look down at Lysithea who still hasn't woken up since the surgery. It was worrying, especially with how shallow her breathing was for a while there. At some point in the night, Claude busted into the royal bedchambers yelling for Byleth's help. Of course she followed, but only after making sure her own wife was still asleep enough not to wake up alone. When she shut the bedroom doors, Claude, for maybe the first time ever, broke down in front of her. "She's not waking up! Why isn't she waking up?! W-what if she's never going to wake up, Byleth?" She remembers, in her exhausted stupor, pulling him into a hug as he shook in her arms. That was all he needed to set himself straight again. Byleth stayed by his side for an hour, petting Lysithea's sweating forehead as he rocked in the chair beside his fiancee while gripping her hand with all of his might.
"She's going to be up soon," Byleth says now, patting his shoulder. "I think El will be too." He doesn't say anything, so she quietly attempts to make her exit.
"Teach?" She stops. "I get why you love Edelgard so much." That gets Byleth's ears to perk up. "Lyisthea and I talked for hours before the big surgery, and she told me all about the months she spent with you and the Black Eagle Strikeforce. You guys treated her like she was one of you. That's something we didn't always do on the Golden Deer."
"Edelgard got along with her the best," Byelth reminds him.
"So I've heard. She uh, told me this story about how Edelgard would go to silly extremes, ordering sweets from all over Fodlan, just to find out what cakes Lysithea liked best."
"I remember that," Byleth chuckles, taking a sip of water again as Claude sips his coffee.
"She told me Edelgard was always there when Lysithea asked to be, and it's kinda amazing Lysithea even wanted to ask for someone's company. She said that one time, Edelgard showed up with four different blankets at night, just because Lysithea complained about how itchy the one she had was." Byleth nods along, knowing that's exactly something her wife would do. Claude looks at her with sincerity as he admits that, "If that's the way the ruthless emperor I thought was just a killing machine really is, then I was damn stupid."
….
"You should tell Edelgard this sometime. She'd really appreciate it." Claude grins in response, and Byleth says goodbye and good luck before leaving.
She's been pacing around, glancing outside the bedroom windows every now and then. It looks so bright for late Fall. The leaves are all gone and the air unmistakably breezy, but it's still warm enough to fish so Byleth can be content with that. She can make out the bare lines of her reflection as she looks through the glass, and she adjusts her hair and stretches out her arms. Then she spots movement on the bed before Edelgard groans and her head comes up just barely. Byleth just about breaks her cup in her clenching fist before she runs to the bed.
"El!"
"Nnn." Edelgard's blinking and yawning and groaning and whining as she slowly comes to. With the rapidity of a rabbit's feet, Byleth lunges for Edelgard's hands.
"El. Hey. You're here with me." She presses kiss after kiss to Edelgard's hand until Edelgard opens her eyes fully.
"Everything hurts." Byleth nods and stands up, ready to bolt towards the room Lindhart is in. "Wait," Edelgard chokes. "Just… I want a hug." Who is Byleth to say no? She drops down on the bed with a thudd and pulls Edelgard into her arms as carefully as she can. She takes a big breath in, filling herself with the scent of Edelgard who has an edge of something awful to her otherwise carnation-like smell. She smells of blood and burnt skin.
"The scar on your breast," Byleth begins, wanting Edelgard to know now before she dares to look at herself. "It goes to about your navel, and they had to burn the incision so as to keep you from being infected." Edelgard groans, feeling every bitter ounce of pain now that Byleth mentioned it. She touches her chest and then yelps once her hand touches herself through her slightly bloodied nightgown Byleth must have gotten her into. "I'll get Manuela to heal you again."
"I-In a minute," Edelgard demands, tugging Byleth closer so she can hide her pained face in her empress's neck. Her heart is beating steadily, but Edelgard's muscles are screaming in agony as they seem to pull themselves apart further and further by the minute. "My light?"
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," she lies, picking at Byleth's sleeve as she loosely holds her close. "I'm glad I woke up." Byleth exhales sharply against Edelgard's ear, and the emperor shivers, feeling so alive right now, here in such a place as simple as their bedroom they've been in together so many nights. But it's not just a bedroom; it's their safe place. A place for them to talk about anything, a place for them to embrace with no eyes on their backs, a place for them to just be Byleth and Edelgard, and it's a place for them to show each other the extent to which they love each other. Her lilac eyes flutter as Byleth's long fingers drag through her hair from the roots to the ends. Edelgard's sure to press a soft kiss to Byleth's neck, thanking her silently (though she has to chuckle when Byleth's head tips to the side for more).
Not about to let her wife down, even if she's hurting like no other time she can remember, Edelgard sucks it up and holds the side of Byleth's neck with one hand before pressing one lethargic opened-mouth kiss to the skin beneath her lips again. Byleth's pleased hum vibrates against her lips, tickling her nose and watering her eyes before she kisses her again. The low needy grit to the empress's groan as she listens to the wetness of Edelgard's kiss so perfectly close to her sensitive ear says it all. Edelgard once found it shameful just how much she ached for her teacher, and now her wife; though she's finally grown to allow herself this one uncontrollable urge she has. Encouraged by Byleth's hand tightening up on her waist that Byleth always grabs for at any chance she gets, Edelgard nips at the skin on the underside of Byleth's jaw before licking up to the shell of her hot ear and sucking the lobe into her mouth.
"Nnnn, El," Byleth rasps, trying to swallow down the lump in her throat at the same time. She warningly squeezes Edelgard's hips before saying, "We shouldn't go down this roa-" Edelgard cuts her off with another swipe of her tongue that trails its way to the top of Byleth ear before her thin hands snake their way into blue locks and tug until Byleth's head is tilted backward far enough for Edelgard to lay hot kisses against her wife's thoracic cartilage. "Edelgard this really is dangerous for your sake."
"Is it?" Another hot kiss, this time at Byleth's collarbone, the one place that makes her whole body twitch.
"El I'm being serious. You just went through a life-threatening surgery. I can't stand the thought of hurting you, baby." Edelgard finally leans back, just far enough to look into Byleth's eyes without being out of focus.
"But I want you. Right now."
"I-" Byleth swallows hard and blushes faintly (a sight Edelgard rarely sees). "But you know how rough I can be," she trails off quietly, trying her hardest to will away any of the arousal that's soaking through her shorts no doubt. Edelgard smiles with heavy lidded eyes, and she wraps her arms around Byleth's neck, pressing their noses together without blinking. She's finally gotten so used to Byleth's steady gaze that even at a proximity like this, she can hold it with equal fire in her eyes.
"You would never hurt me on purpose. I know that you can be more gentle with me than a flower if I ask. To which I am asking now." Edelgard lowers her voice to a near whisper. "My body hurts, though the pain is reminding me of survival," she says with an honest smile. "I want nothing more than to bask in this gift of a life I've been given back, with you, my light." The begging look in Edelgard's eyes is one Byleth can't stand to see. She should never have to. Not to me, not to anyone. With a confident nod of her head, Byleth agrees to it. The relieved exhale against Byleth's lips proves to her this was the right choice anyhow. "Make love to me, Byleth."
"If you're sure, then I'd like nothing more, my heart." Kindly, Byleth pushes Edelgard onto her back, propping the pillow up beneath her emperor's head just how she likes it before settling on her knees between Edelgard's open legs. Their soft eye contact refuses to break as Byleth grazes her fingers over Edelgard's skin and pushes her skirt up until it bunches at Edelgard's waist. Smoothly does Byleth remove Edelgard's smallclothes, careful to set them close enough in case Edelgard panics and wants them back on. "Should I remove your gown?" Edelgard doesn't even hesitate.
"Take it off, please." Byleth smiles at her wife's small victory and gets the dress off with a swift tug. She knows better than to prolong that sort of thing. Edelgard's eyes finally get a peek at the new scar that's even uglier than any of her past ones, and her lip quivers before she turns her head away, looking at the wall nearest to her side of the bed (the left side. She's never been one to go the 'right' way). Bending over slightly, Byleth holds the side of Edelgard's face and slowly brings it back to her.
"This scar is a good one," she says simply, ending it at that. Edelgard purses her lips and nods. Edelgard's more than glad when Byleth continues with her feather-light touches, dragging the tips of her fingers across Edelgard's flat stomach, careful not to pass over any scars as she watches the pale skin jump every now and then. What's the safest way I can do this for her? Byleth wonders as her thumb finally brushes up against Edelgard's bare clitoris that's already swollen. Edelgard's breath hitches, and she's such a sight to behold as her head tilts backward, leaving a deep indentation in the pillow. The toy will put too much pressure on her. Byleth dips her index finger between the wet folds and teases Edelgard's entrance, just barely pressing her fingertip in. My fingers will work, but even that might cause her body to shake too hard. Byleth hum, leaning down so as to kiss her wife's mound without thinking.
"Hahh, Byleth~." Her reaction peaks Byleth's interest before it clicks in her thick skull. I know what to do. She lowers her mouth to Edelgard's center and licks a slow stripe from the bottom up, ending with a suck to her clitoris. "Feels so good," Edelgard sings already, reaching for the back of Byleth's head to press her closer. If Edelgard had to describe the feeling of her wife's wide tongue rolling between her lips, it'd be like eating the softest, moistest cake that when swallowed beside bergamot tea, goes down her throat like silk until it hits the pit of her throat and surprises her with its satisfactory thump. But even better than that, because Byleth is quite literally a Goddess of sorts. Now her mind is distracted as Byleth takes her legs and hooks them over her shoulders so she can dig in even more animatedly, licking faster and faster. An embarrassingly loud moan echoes off the ceiling and bounces right back into Edelgard's warm face.
"Moan like that again for me." Edelgard does so shamelessly, adding to it by digging her nails slightly into one of Byleth's shoulders. Byleth jerks her mouth away from Edelgard's clitoris and looks up at her pleadingly.
"You like when I scratch you, don't you?" Edelgard teases. Byleth can't quite describe how Edelgard's voice just gets to her in moments like these, when Edelgard drops her voice just slightly lower and whinier. Byleth smirks before tipping her head back down and starts lapping at her wife like a dehydrated wolf. She's licking with such enthusiasm that her bobbing head is causing her chin to become coated in arousal that's all but gushing out of Edelgard by now. Edelgard's mouth is slackened as she tries her hardest to keep up her hips rocking against Byleth's perfect lips. She brokenly squeals when Byleth stops licking around her entrance and focuses solely on her clitoris with the same furious pace. She honestly worries she might go cross eyed in delight. "Bylethhhh. How on Earth are you so fucking good at this?" Her chest spasms as she moans louder this time, twisting Byleth's hair in her hand roughly. Byleth doesn't say anything, she just keeps doing what she's doing, and Edelgard is more than ok with that logic.
The entirety of Edelgard's body feels light everywhere but between her legs, where blood is pumping madly in hopes of getting her to reach orgasm far too quickly. She wants this to last, it feels so mind-numbingly good. She's addicted to Byleth. To her hands that are soothingly rubbing her thighs, to her tongue, to her nose pressing into her mound, to the indigo blue hair she's staring down at. Everything. What would my life be without you, my love? Nothing. It would be nothing, my beautiful, perfect, loyal and proud Byleth. Noticing her insides are tightening up, Edelgard grasps for a hand on her leg and pushes it away, hoping Byleth knows what she wants. Of course her wife does, and she laughs in absolute tear-inducing bliss as two long fingers sink into her with ease.
"You're doing so well," Edelgard praises her, looking down with a loopy smile.
"So are you. And you taste amazing as always." Edelgard huffs in acknowledgment and drops her head back down, twisting her head to the side. She's allowing her entire body to just be given to Byleth. She isn't holding Byleth closer or jerking into her, no. She wants Byleth to have her entirely. Once Byleth takes notice of this, she groans so aggressively that she gets lightheaded, feeling beyond turned on at this point. She's just about drowning in the moment, thinking that if she has to die, this is how she wants to go. Byleth presses one last kiss to Edelgard's lower lips before slowing down her finger's thrusts and cautiously leaning over Edelgard, only made easy by their height difference. She just has to look into those beautiful lilac eyes that are wet with unabashed awe and love and so much more. Slowly Byleth leans in for the softest kiss she can possibly give her wife, and she picks up the pace of her fingers all over again. "El."
"Byleth." As she says this, Edelgard's eyes glaze over as her body is thrust even deeper into ecstasy that's so fine and intoxicating that her body temperature has no doubt gone up to unbelievable heights. Her hands find Byleth's arms that flex on and off as she squeezes the biceps and triceps she loves to admire so often. I'm so close. I'm so so close, she thinks as her hips begin to buck sporadically. All the while Byleth never compromises her pace, curling her fingers and rubbing inside of Edelgard perfectly. At this point into their marriage, there's no way Edelgard can get off with her own hand. She just needs Byleth. Always Byleth.
"I want a baby with you," Byleth bluntly says. Edelgard blinks.
"Hmm?"
"I want a baby with you. When you're healthy again." Edelgard blinks once more.
"Alright. Then we'll have a child." Byleth, for some reason, looks surprised. "What? I-mm-I told you I pondered having one." Goddess she's so distracted. Byleth won't stop rubbing against her g-spot, and the stretch Byleth's fingers causes the skin of her entrance to deal with drives her just as insane. "Byleth?"
"Yeah?" Byleth's smiling like a fool as she says this, and Edelgard finds it awfully adorable at a time like this.
"Can we talk about this later? I feel as though I'm about to explode." Byleth grins and shakes her head, clearly trying to focus on the task at hand. Literally. The subtle hard thrust forces Edelgard's whole body to jerk up the bed.
"Ah! Sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"-Stop talking and keep doing that," Edelgard orders, looking wild as she pants and moans and whines the harder Byleth gets. Her heart hurts. She doesn't care. "UNGH! FuckmefuckmefuckmefuckmeByleth!"
"Edelgard," Byleth wheezes, moving as fast as she possibly can, and living for the impressive amount of ejaculate bursting its way out of Edelgard and all over her palm and forearm. "You're so gorgeous. Finish for me, El. Come on. You're so close now, come on." The prying of her words makes it that much better when Edelgard goes dead silent, biting her bottom lip until it hurts, and feels her inner walls pulsating around her wife's still fingers. Her walls clench nearly as hard as they did the first time Edelgard ever orgasmed, and it floods her whole body, seeping out across her skin as goosebumps that have her twitching with the cool air touching her body. Byleth watches her wife's face go through about a thousand different expressions for a full minute before Edelgard slumps, sighing with the loudest more relieved sigh Byleth's ever heard.
….
….
"I think that was the best orgasm I've ever had," Edelgard chuckles, not bothering to open her eyes or move. Byleth snickers as she pulls her fingers out and glances around them for something to clean her hand with. There's nothing, so she just licks it clean like the obedient empress she loves to be. "Did you lick your hand again?"
"No." Edelgard opens one eye. "Yes." Smack! "I can't help it."
"You have no control, I've come to realize."
"Only when it comes to you," she admits easily, moving from between Edelgard's thighs and standing up to search for her glass of water. She wants Edelgard to drink something. Especially after all that moaning. She feels proud about that part though.
"You also can't control yourself when it comes to teasing Hubert."
"...No," Byleth denies weakly, trying to hand the glass to Edelgard who's leisurely keeping her eyes shut with a hand behind her head. Byleth takes the opportunity to stare at Edelgard's breasts. I mean they're right there. And they're fairly large. They're good. "Take the damn water," she jokes. Edelgard opens one eye again, almost daring Byleth to repeat that. Byleth thinks that's pretty hot. Reluctantly and with Byleth's hand on her back, Edelgard sits up, wincing at the amount of arousal now coating her thighs and wetting the comforter. Byleth looks at it with a longing huff. Her body can do the sexiest things, I swear.
"I hate to sound so demanding, but will you please get me a wet towel? I'm not sure I can walk after that."
"I don't want you walking in general. Who knows how your body will handle everything for a while." Edelgard just smirks. "What's funny?"
"We just had passionate sex."
"We did."
"So I think walking will be no hard task… just not immediately after an orgasm."
"Well don't try it," Byleth rationalizes, rolling her eyes. "Stay in this bed while I leave for thirty whole seconds. Or else." Edelgard scoffs at such a threat.
"Or else what?"
"...Just… Stay in the bed!" She gets up with a wave of her hand and Edelgard chuckles as she sips her water. I certainly won that, Edelgard thinks childishly.
"Hurry my light! Your wife can't bare too long without you."
"You're cute," Byleth says on her way out. Edelgard frowns at that and rubs her side that's starting to ache again.
"Am not," she mumbles under her breath. As promised, Byleth arrives quickly, but Edelgard's ears perk up when she hears chatting. Quickly does she scramble to cover herself. Moving too fast however, she yelps as her chest compresses suddenly. The best she can do is pull the comforter stuck under her around her front, covering her thighs and her breasts. Byleth won't let them see me.
"She's fine," Edelgard can make out faintly, straining to hear anything. "Hubert just relax! I took care of her."
"Oh did you now…?"
"..."
"You two really had sex right after-" Edelgard goes pale.
"-I've gotta go," Byleth deflects, and the doorknob jitters.
"So the only reason I cannot see Her Majesty is because she is in the nude. Preposterous." Edelgard quirks her brow, feeling far too embarrassed to breathe. The doorknob stops moving immediately.
"Are you implying that you don't mind seeing her naked?" There's an edge to Byleth's voice, and all too quickly does Edelgard fear she may need to grab Aymr and intervene because Byleth is about to-
"I see no issue," Hubert flatly answers. Oh no. I'm sorry my friend.
"You're going to die," Byleth states.
….
"You better start running."
"Oh. As if I fear you, Professor." Edelgard puts a hand against her face and worriedly bites her tongue.
"THREE. Two-"
"-I'm going!" Hubert shouts, his voice about three octaves higher.
"Too late." The sound of two footsteps and then a loud smack and another shout make Edelgard jump. A strangled cry later and Edelgard pushes herself off the bed, wildly trying to find her robe.
"Byleth?!" Edelgard calls, looking everywhere and trying so hard to find her stupid robe. She always has it in one place, how-"I trust you are not killing my closest friend, yes?!"
"Huh? Oh-n-no. He's fine." The sound of more choking can be heard through the door. That's when Edelgard spots black silk. She's never been more thankful for the color of death. "Tell her you're fine Hubert."
"I-KKT! HELP, Your Majesty!" Edelgard swings the door open full force and comes face to face with Hubert. Hubert. Being hugged by Byleth with all of her might. "Your Majesty! She won't release me!" Hubert's never sounded so panicked in all of the years Edelgard has known him. Byleth's just smirking, smug as can be.
"...You are both impossible," Edelgard sighs, shaking her head in disgust.
"But-Let GO of me, Prof-Empress Byleth!"
"You dared to think about my wife naked so this is what you get."
"Good grief," Edelgard mumbles, boredly putting one hand on Byleth and one hand on Hubert before pulling the two apart. They both pout at each other before Edelgard snaps her fingers. "Stop being such pests. Hubert. A hug is nothing to cry over. And my light," she affectionately calls, loving how Byleth's head tips to the side. "Please don't agitate Hubert. He can be sensitive."
"TCH! I am anything but sensitive," he coughs, crossing his arms grumpily.
"Alright well you got to see Edelgard now so can you leave us be?" Hubert rolls his eyes.
"Fine." He turns, but not before bowing to the emperor. "...I'm glad you're well." And then he leaves.
"Will he ever lighten up?" Edelgard wonders aloud. Byleth then slaps the rag against Edelgard's shoulder, soaking her robe. "Why would you-"
"-I dunno." Edelgard shakes her head, growing tired of this already, and takes the rag off of her shoulders. "And why are you out of the bed?! I tell you to do one thing." The two get back in the room and Byleth is nagging at her until they reach the bed.
"Yes, my love. I will be more careful with how I exercise my body. Please, your incessant shouting is… annoying."
"Hmm I wonder who I sound like," Byleth blurts out loud. Edelgard stops wiping herself to look up at Byleth with a venomous look in her eyes. Byleth backpedals real fast. "Uh. Hubert. That's who I meant of course."
"Oh of course," Edelgard hums, still looking scary as hell. Byleth whimpers as she ducks her head.
"S-so uh-about that thing from earlier. The part where we had great sex and right before you had a lovely orgasm I mentioned having a kid. Let's talk about that, yeah?"
"...I suppose," she says with all of the indifference in the world as she sets the soiled rag on the floor. Apparently that's enough for Byleth to brighten up and jump on the bed, sitting crossed legged as Edelgard slowly moves to lie down on her back. Her ribs are on fire. "So we'll be adopting from where?"
"No adopting. I… may have a friend who's got his hand in every corner, and he figured out a way to… to um." Byleth rubs at the back of her neck and looks off to the side. "Well to make it so I can get you pregnant." Edelgard's immensely interested now.
"Do go on."
"It's some spell. He's just trying to figure out how to change me back after it's activated. He said that part's tricky."
"And what exactly will you be changing to?" Byleth shrugs.
"Just me. But. With different parts, I guess." This suddenly feels awkward, and they both turn their attention somewhere else in the room.
"And why have you decided that I will be the one to carry?" Byleth shrugs again.
"I dunno. It just sort of makes sense to me. I'm not really… motherly."
"You've been someone many young people look up to for a while now. Does that not scream parental in some way?"
"I'm just not touchy feely," Byleth tries to explain, picking at the comforter. "Well with anyone besides you."
"You're going to be a great mother, Byleth. I have no doubts that your stoicism will not be untouched by looking into your own child's eyes. I'm saying, you will grow to be 'touchy feely' with them as well." Byleth wrinkles her lip on one side.
"I hope so. I always wished in hindsight that my Dad was more…" she stops herself. No point bringing that up. It's too conflicting. "Are you not ok with carrying the kid?"
"I would like to actually. I just worry how much it will interfere with my rule."
"Then abdicate early," Byleth suggests.
"No. There's more I must do." Byleth shoulders sag.
"Oh. I guess we'll have to wait to have a kid then."
"No," Edelgard confirms, touching Byleth's knee. "We can have one as soon as we are able."
"Really?" Byleth asks with bright eyes. "I can just see it, me and our kid sitting on the docks fishing until you come out and bark at us to eat dinner."
"I do not bark at you."
"Mhm."
"Byleth, I swear."
"Fine. You don't bark," Byleth drawls. "Ah! And then when it's cold at night, they can creep into our room and smack me on the arm before asking if they can cuddle up between us. Heh." Edelgard watches in awe as Byleth continues with the silliest grin upon her lips as she animatedly waves her hands around. I'm so proud of how far you've come, Byleth. "Hey what kind of names do you like El?" Edelgard snaps back to attention and fixes her hair behind her ear. As she thinks, Byleth pulls down the covers, feeling a chill, and helps Edelgard get under them with her. Soon Byleth is on her back and Edelgard is leaning her head on Byleth's chest, listening to her heart. It's almost funny how this day has gone. Waking up in pain to chatting idly about their future after Edelgard was so sure hers was looking deadly. What a perfect life she's found herself in. It's almost too hard to accept.
"Arvis for a boy, and perhaps… Elincia. My closest sister." Byleth sympathetically rubs Edelgard's shoulder for that one. "What about you, my light?"
"Well," Byleth speaks quietly, and the space feels more intimate again. "I wanted a son named Jeralt but it's… it's too sad." Edelgard lifts her head to look at the side of Byleth's frowning face. "I like the name Greil. Or maybe Sothe. I bet Sothis would have liked that one," Byleth jokes fondly.
"I must pass on any religious names," Edelgard remarks.
"Oh so then the name I wanted for our baby won't work. Doesn't Rhea sound good to you?"
"You think you're so funny," Edelgard chides half-seriously. Byleth laughs anyway.
"Sothis really wasn't that bad, El."
"So you say," Edelgard argues skeptically.
"Aw come on." Byleth locks her fingers with Edelgard's. "Sothis helped me and all of us out more times than I can count with the Divine Pulse. And she helped me when you would talk to me sometimes too. Though… now that I think about it, she often went to sleep or stopped talking when I interacted with you."
"Hmmm."
"I guess she knew you were the rotten egg," Byleth jests, kissing Edelgard's head.
"If she did, it's interesting that she chose not to chide you for your choice on my house."
"Sothis never directly told me what to do. She encouraged me to do what felt right. I just… had a hard time feeling anything though. So that always complicated things. Gah my ears still ring from all the yelling she did in my head." Edelgard giggles at that.
"I recall I spotted you whacking your skull a few times back then. Hubert thought you were a lost cause."
"Well I thought he was weird."
"That's your only come back?" Edelgard playfully asks, kissing Byleth's cheek. "Mm. This is nice, talking like this again. I long for the days of our retirement so we can do so much more of the same." They lie quietly for a while, running their hands over each other peacefully as they bask in the warm window light that stretches over them and off the bed all the way to the bedroom door. "I must sound like a broken record, Byleth, but I am so grateful you are by my side."
"And I'll be here until the day I die," Byleth tells hers, kissing her head again. "I swear it on the Goddess." Then Byleth's heart jumps and she raises a brow. The two settle back into quiet, and Byleth is more than happy to keep lying here if it means Edelgard can rest her body. This is great. Just doing this with El. Maybe now she'll finally see what I'm saying about the joys of idling, and she'll stop working so late into the night. ...Highly doubt that though.
….
….
Yawwwwn.
Byleth pops an eye open, checking on Edelgard. She didn't move much. She closes her eyes again.
Yawnnnnnn.
"Two in a row? Are you tired again, El?"
"Two of what?" Edelgard asks, sounding serious. Byleth furrows her brow.
"You just yawned twice." Edelgard looks at her very confused. So Byleth looks around the room, assuming one of her mental visitors are popping in or something. No one. Typically she sees her dad once a month, sometimes Shamir or Catherine. It's been happening less which she and Edelgard are both taking as her mental health getting slightly better.
Ugh. How long was I asleep?
Byleth lunges upward, startling Edelgard who grabs at her chest. The wide eyed look on Byleth's face is one of pure shock that has her jaw flapping.
Hey…? Byleth? It's your head I'm in, yes? I thought I heard someone calling for me.
"Tch! I wasn't calling you!" Byleth shouts, getting off the bed and pacing the room. "And if I could have just called you back, you would've been back already!"
Don't nag me, Missy! I am a Goddess! Not some silly Black Eagle who beckons at your every call.
"Gaaah, Sothissss," Byleth bleats. At the name, Edelgard feels her forehead compressing, getting ready for a brain churning migraine. I can never get away from the church can I? Edelgard exhaustedly thinks. "Can't you manifest? Or are you just in my head?"
Uh. Hmm. Silence for a second. I guess I'm weaker now. I can't leave your mind. I can see through your eyes though. At that, Byleth looks toward Edelgard who's still covered up by the blanket and her robe as she holds the bridge of her nose. Woah there. She got even more intimidating looking.
"She's not though," Byleth swears.
No need to pout at me, Sothis laughs, ringing in Byleth's ears. She ended up being a crazy emperor though right? Did she marry Hubert?
"Hubert?!" Byleth balks, and Edelgard looks up. "No she married me of course."
"Of course," Edelgard repeats with a laugh.
Oooh she's kind of cute when she laughs. ...She seems happy.
"She is happy."
"And I was happier when we weren't graced by the presence of another divine being," Edelgard aggravatedly says.
Well she's still bitter.
"Yeah cuz you weren't there when your daughter, Rhea, tried to kill us."
Rhea…? My daughter? That's…. She doesn't elaborate further.
"Ask her how long she'll be residing in your mind," Edelgard tells her wife.
Well that's a dumb question. The answer is always. I'm a part of you, obviously. Nervously does Byleth sit down by the emperor, resting a hand on her knee. Edelgard is angrily clenching her fist, but Byleth knows it's not directed at her. It never is. Look if this is your wife, and I unfortunately have to be SORT of obedient to your will, I assume you won't want me to intervene quite so often. For her sake.
"Yes please," Byleth answers, taking her wife's fist and cradling it in her hands. "El. Sothis has never made my decisions for me, we'll be fine."
"Yes but I still yearn for privacy. Knowing that all of our time together will be monitored by some unseen force just… I don't like it."
That's fair.
"I… I'll figure something out, El. Maybe I can leave her with Rhea at Garreg Mach." Now that she thinks about it, that may be perfect. Rhea can finally have her mother again.
You plan to just drop me off like some lost pup? The nerve.
"I've got to figure out how to expel you first, Sothis."
"I will help," Edelgard says, almost ready to start this very minute.
"El. It's alright. I know you trust me. This is nothing big. Sothis isn't a bad force." Edelgard's just so skeptical. She can't keep the anxiety out of her mind that somehow this will change everything, even if that worry is irrational. But… with Byleth big eyes looking at her so calmly, she tries to just believe it.
"Ok, Byleth. I will let it go for now."