Before we begin: There are nods to pairings in here, but the only one that is openly acknowledged in to the narrative is Claude/Byleth and I'm only mentioning it now at all so you're not caught out later if you don't like that pairing. This story isn't really about that relationship (though a certain someone is certainly trying his hardest to make it so), or romance at all really but… well it does come up. C'est la vie.

Secondly: Ceephus, who has no profile that I can find anywhere, is to blame for this. They said really nice things about Crescent Moon at Dawn and my characterisations therein and I couldn't thank them and so instead suddenly I had spiralled down the depths of AO3 and had a 30k outline that wouldn't leave me alone and kept growing. Who do these people think they are, leaving reviews and giving us motivation? Honestly! (If you're reading this, Ceephus; thank you)

The First Time We Spoke

Great Tree Moon

"My, my, that was exhilarating."

Byleth had meant to step forward with her father, to remain his shadow as he talked with the loud Knight in gleaming white armour, but the girl's –Sothis'- voice in her head halted her.

"Are you… HereRealForever?" The thought stumbled over itself as she tried to put it into words, it was strange and somewhat alarming to feel a sense of bemusement that was not her own, but originated with Sothis, before the girl answered;

"As far as I can tell. But we can discuss that later, it seems the little ones are after your attention."

Indeed, the young people they'd stepped in to rescue hadn't hesitated when she had, and arrayed themselves in front of her. They were each clearly cultured and intelligent -nobles- and she was soon on the back-foot, admitting she hadn't known her father had ever served as a Knight, but then-

-were they propositioning her?

Well, she would admit that that was a little flattering. No-one had ever asked for the Ashen Demon when the Blade Breaker was standing by.

She rebalanced herself, mentally, and looked at them anew; as potential employers instead of allies to be protected. Edelgard was direct, her language refined, her stance carefully poised; but Byleth had a sense she was being measured against some standard she'd never know. Dimitri was earnest and came across as sincere, yet she felt there was something darker, almost haunted, driving his request. Claude set himself apart by forgoing formality for a handsome smile; but it didn't reach his eyes. Not even as he finished teasing his companions and directed it at her;

"But it seems there's no time for niceties in this world. So, tell us, capable stranger; where does your allegiance-"

"Byleth."

Jeralt's voice cut through the conversation and he beckoned her over to him with a quick jerk of his head. She murmured a brief excusal to the students of the officer's academy (whatever that was), bowed, and strode over to join him. He was frowning, which was unusual, her Father tended towards good humour, and as she approached he put an arm around her shoulder drawing her close and bending his head slightly to speak in his low rumble for her ears only.

"Listen, Kid" he began, ominously "I've been… summoned, you could say, and I don't see any clear way out of it, but we've a good job lined up and the men will be wanting the pay. So, here's the plan; I'll go ahead to Garreg Mach and get the lay of the land while you take the company up to the Kingdom. It'll take you a solid day and a half at least to get there and it sounds like a pretty big campaign, so it may be a moon or two before you can catch up. Are you up for it?"

"If you think it best." She answered immediately. Byleth had always trusted the path her Father set before her, and saw no reason to start doubting it now.

"Well, not so much best as inevitable. Maybe I can only delay it so long..." He mused quietly, almost to himself, then took a step back pulling a packet from inside his tunic, the details for the job, to hand to her. His voice returning to its usual volume as he continued; "We don't have anything lined up after this, but anyone who wants to keep with us can head back to the monastery with you once the job is done. There's a garrison that'll –well, that can wait for the time being. Ask for me once you get there, got it?"

"Ask for you at Garreg Mach. Got it." She agreed, briefly checking the enclosed map for the route he'd intended to take –if it'd take over a day to get to the job she could go over the rest of the details when they camped for the night.

In a rare display of public affection, Jeralt put a hand on her head to ruffle her hair "Good girl. Now, don't go doing anything stupid and get moving. Daylight's wasting."

"Yes, Boss" Byleth nodded and turned on her heel to round up the mercenaries and set out. She didn't say goodbye or smile or wave to her father –it simply did not occur to her to do so.

~o~*~o~

The three noble brats had wilted a little when he sent Byleth away; Jeralt didn't blame them. The Blade Breaker may have the more renowned reputation, but the Ashen Demon wasn't too far off in some circles. She was a skilled mercenary their own age and moreover; one who had saved their lives, and protected them by fighting at their side. That would be an interesting and approachable figure to kids still figuring out the chaos of the battlefield.

Well, "approachable" was relative in Byleth's case. She wasn't especially intimidating off the battlefield, but not exactly what you'd call inviting either. He hoped taking command of their regular crew, without his interference muddling things up, would open her up enough to survive the mire that would be Garreg Mach by the time she got there. The better she fit in, the less notice she'd draw, especially from the higher-ups. At the moment, that was the best strategy he had, flimsy though it was.

He'd rather not have risked upsetting those who turned out to be the future heads of the three nations of Fódlan, but when he found himself standing in front of Rhea's porcelain beauty once more, he did not regret it in the slightest.

"I know what you're going to say. Re-join the Knights of Seiros… Well, I won't say 'no', but…"

"Your apprehension stings. Still, you must be concerned for your present comrades, I assure you we will find provision for them in the guild."

"Thank you, that had troubled me. That said, it shouldn't be necessary for a moon or two. My second took the troop up north to answer a job we were booked on before Alois shanghaied me."

"Is that so? That would be the one they call the Ashen Demon, would it not? I had heard a rumour that you sired her."

"Well, that parts true enough. I've lost more than enough family; as soon as I could I taught this daughter to defend herself. If her reputation has reached even here, then perhaps I've done a good enough job of it."

"I see. Well then, I look forward to making her acquaintance. In the meanwhile, I'm sure Alois has much to inform you of. Seteth will likely be looking for you shortly also. It is good to see you again Jeralt."

"And you, Lady Rhea."

No, he thought as he took his leave of the Archbishop, no matter who he might offend, he didn't regret keeping Byleth from the Monastery even one second longer. Not so long as he couldn't figure out who was the better liar; himself or Rhea.

~o~*~o~

Alois frowned, stroking his moustache, as he watched the Professors choose their houses for the year. If only the Captain's daughter had come with them! She'd been remarkably capable and it seemed as though the House Leaders had taken to her in a short space of time as well –although saving their lives was bound to have such an effect. Still he had a gut feeling she'd have been a better fit and his gut was usually on the money. He'd have recommended her himself!

"The Black Eagle House" Jeritza intoned, and Manuela scowled –clearly she'd been angling for that diva, Dorothea- but the expression was fleeting and she graciously accepted the Golden Deer, leaving Hanneman the Blue Lions.

Well, Alois mused, at least they had someone to stand in.

~o~*~o~

Margrave Gautier was formidable. He was less charming than any of his children she would eventually learn, but sharper, harsher, shrewder. Although those edges were kept carefully under noble polish and politesse. He'd accepted the Ashen Demon in place of the Blade Breaker without batting an eye, but she had the feeling she was being judged for it.

"Calculating, that one." Sothis murmured in her mind, and Byleth was thankful she'd waited until they'd left the Margrave's study before startling her "Cold, like this land. I wonder what it was he kept from you?"

"Something AboutRegarding LeaderBossMiklanDangerous." Byleth responded, as best she could, still unaccustomed to parsing out her thoughts into sentences.

"Well, I suppose we'll find out soon enough. And really! You must stop jumping so at the sound of my voice! I am always with you. Although… perhaps it is time… for another nap…" the feeling of connection that she was beginning to associate with the voice in her head dimmed, but lingered at the edge of her mind as she made her way back to her troops.

"So, Little Boss" Willard, one of the mercenaries who had been with them as far back as she could remember asked "what's it to be?"

"As expected. Presently, the Margrave has enough forces to defend the villages or to attack, but not both. He'd like us to lead the attack and take on their leader -scatter the bandits before they're able to stage anything significant. Apparently the leader bears Gautier a grudge."

"Well, naturally." Answered Sanderson, who, if she was Jeralt's right hand would be his left -and would probably be her second for as long as she was leading the troop "Nobody hires the Blade Breaker or the Ashen Demon for something as trivial as guard duty. At least the weather should be warming up. What's the plan then?"

"Siege." Byleth answered briefly, then expanded; "The Margrave has a report that they've taken over an old watchtower. We'll hound them inside then wait them out. We'll be able to forage and hunt, but they'll be stuck on winter rations. If the leader is clever he'll rush us sooner than later –but we'll be prepared." She added with a significant glance to the small group of trapping experts Jeralt had cultivated. No tactic was too lowly to be used against a bandit after all; this wasn't a duel of honour to be called at first blood, but life and death.

Raoul, a swordsman with a habit of finding, or being found by, trouble (and most unfortunately, the talent to get himself out of enough scrapes to go deliberately looking for more) scoffed "The Blade Breaker would charge them, never mind wasting our time digging pits and waiting for our opponents to crawl out of their hole."

"The Blade Breaker isn't here." Byleth reminded them flatly "And we're not facing a time limit. Why run headlong a position they'll have defended when we can control the land around it for as long as needs be."

~o~*~o~

There was something new in Rhea's eyes, Seteth noted, as he listened to Jeralt report the results of the mock battle to them. A gleaming hope that hadn't been present since before she had called him from his long vigil at Zanado.

He didn't distrust it exactly, but considering the attack on the house leaders, the loss of a Professor, Shamir's reports and their suspicious individual, he did wonder… what in the world could have put it there?