My Home…?
Wyvern Moon
Byleth was glad when the students returned to the monastery, a few hours after her own arrival. Until that moment she'd been beset on all sides by the Knights she had travelled with on her Father's mission, gushing over how incredible it had been to see the Blade Breaker and the Ashen Demon fighting side-by-side. How Jeralt had gotten away from it all she wasn't sure, but suspected that he'd left her in the thick of it as a decoy –her father was generally a sociable creature, though not to the tune of his own praises.
Then, suddenly they were all caught up in a feast as the students piled in to the dining hall and told and retold their exploits on the field, eagerly latching on to any new audience, moving from seat to seat with little rhyme or reason to it. It took the attention away from the "Ashen Demon" and she was able to enjoy the abundance of food that appeared.
At least until she found herself squashed in next to Sanderson. Byleth gripped his wrist the second he began to make that familiar slight-of-hand motion over a nearby goblet "Do not. Intoxicate. The students."
"My dear leader, this is for me, not them" he protested "look at them, they hardly need helping along just now. Well, except that one." He added, lifting his chin in the direction of the Prince of Faerghus, who was leaning against a wall, watching the festivities more than partaking. "Pity for such a handsome young man not to be enjoying himself. And a Prince at that."
Byleth watched the Prince for a moment and found she agreed. Sothis pulled forward the memory of him praising her so earnestly after her seminar, offering assurances she hadn't quite known she'd needed to hear verbalised and she sighed, standing up to go return the favour.
She stuffed one of the sweet buns from the platter in front of her into her mouth first, though. Chewing veraciously as she weaved her way around the room towards him.
"Your Highness" she greeted him, as she came alongside.
"Miss Eisner" he returned, straightening and turning to face her directly "good evening."
"Are you not hungry?" she prompted glancing back at the long tables as more trays and platters were brought out from the kitchens "Everyone else is …enthusiastic" she finished.
"Ah," he hesitated then gave her a rueful smile "I'm afraid the taste of defeat overcomes all."
Byleth nodded, considering. She hesitated a long moment putting her words together "Defeat is… generally a better instructor than dinner partner. What did you learn from her?"
Dimitri's eyes widened and he stared at her, silent. Byleth met his gaze, unconcerned by it, until at last he looked away and let out a chuckle, folding his arms across his chest "I held myself back too much. I should never have sent Dedue forward; I should have gone myself, exchanged our places." He closed his eyes as though reliving those moments, those decisions "I let myself be distracted. Claude is very clever –he's already painting it as a great depth of understanding between Gloucester and Riegan, that Lorenz knew exactly what was needed. Another hour and Lorenz might believe it himself, but… it was so clearly insubordination and I could not… could not let it pass unmet. Dedue would have managed as well and would have been better able to hold the hill. My strength would have served better spent against Caspar and Raphael, then Edelgard."
"It seems you've learned much."
"Yes," he agreed, looking back to her with a smile "perhaps I have. The right person to the right job. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Byleth replied, with a gentle smile of her own.
"On that note," he continued, eyes searching her face "I hope you would consider that the right job for you may be in the Kingdom. Blaiddyd is in need of generals, I could instruct my regent to make you an offer ere the moon wanes. Even as high as the Royal Guard should you desire it, although that appointment would have to wait until I can claim the crown."
Of all the things she could have thought of in that moment, what struck Byleth the most was the awareness that her eyebrows had raised. She had not deliberately willed the expression, it had simply happened. She schooled herself back to neutrality, although one corner of her mouth remained pulled upward
"I am not presently in any hurry to end my current contract. Should an offer be made I would, of course, consider it seriously…" she trailed off, watching the wry twist to his expression, as if her careful not-exactly-a-rejection had been expected "But you ought time it carefully. My Father has often advised that no-one of sense chooses to step foot in Faerghus between the Red Wolf and the Great Tree Moon. Should I accept then, you'd have to question my judgement."
Dimitri blinked then burst into laughter, drawing a number of eyes to them "I had not thought that the great Captain Jeralt could be such a delicate southern flower! For shame, I cannot let this stand! The weather may be cold, but the welcome in Faerghus is always warm. In fact," he added, smile growing and posture straightening somehow, an air of something regal touching him "irrespective of all else, next year, once I've returned to Fhirdiad, you must come visit for the Ethereal Celebrations. Tell me then that no-one of sense would visit my Kingdom, if you dare."
"Yes!" Sothis answered immediately "Celebrations must mean dancing and song! Of course we would go! Yes! Say Yes! Why have you not said yes already!?"
Byleth, smiling openly both for Dimitri and Sothis, offered her hand to shake "Very well, I shall accept your invitation. Next year."
"Next year." He agreed, taking her hand -but instead of shaking, drew it up and pressed a kiss to the back of it.
~o~*~o~
"I am so proud!" Sylvain said. "Little Dimitri, all grown up and putting the moves on women!"
"Sylvain, don't be ridiculous. As if his Highness would –oh! Is she smiling?" Ingrid exclaimed, as she looked over her shoulder in the direction Sylvain was beaming.
"She's actually kinda cute with that expression" Hilda added "That whole blank-faced-killer thing she usually has going on is so creepy, but this? Much better."
"Are we talking about Miss Eisner?" Ferdinand asked "I have heard much today about her exploits on her last mission. The Knights say they were hardly even needed; Captain Jeralt and his daughter could have handled the situation alone. Truly, they are the standard for martial prowess all nobles should aspire to!"
"Beautiful and deadly, with a smile only rarely bestowed –it's enough to make a girl swoon." Dorothea sighed.
"Soooooo –you're telling me that if I smiled less..."
Claude rolled his eyes and Edelgard shook her head as Sylvain derailed the conversation. Each casually drifted off to other groups, but kept an eye on the couple by the wall.
~o~*~o~
Dimitri had found his appetite restored, and brought Byleth to a space at one of the tables where she was able to snag a couple more of the sweet buns before, somehow, over the course of a half-hour, finding herself on first name terms with the majority of the Officer's Academy.
"And why not? They are your peers." Sothis remarked as she finally slipped away, pausing for a moment to admire the light that the stars and the last sliver of the waning moon cast on the pond.
"it isn't WrongBad." She thought in reply "just –Much."
"Hmmm… it is a shame we are not more alike in this. You are wearied, yet I feel more energized. Still, I suppose it would be a dull world indeed, if everyone was the same."
"It might be better, when I'm not meeting so many new people all at once." Byleth considered, drawing on unfocused memories of tavern after nameless tavern, wedged in at her Father's side and surrounded by mercenaries; comfortable at least listening to the conversation, if not always actively participant.
"Perhaps." Sothis allowed, then added; "You do realise you left Sanderson and the rest unsupervised?"
Byleth froze on the path back to her room as the possible implications and outcomes ran through her head
"I'll chance the lecture." She decided, starting forward again. She simply lacked the energy to return to the crowd. Even Seteth's monologue on appropriate conduct was more appealing.
~o~*~o~
Red Wolf Moon
When they were both in the monastery, it was usual for Byleth and Jeralt to seek each other out for at least one meal a day. It was less usual for them to go looking for each other while there was work to be done, so it concerned her that he would come out to the billet and interrupt her drills with the swordsmen in her command.
She gave Raoul a signal to take over and stepped aside to speak with her father.
"Something's happening over in Remire." He began "Couple of patrols have been sent out, some scouts, nothing that's come back is any good; some strange sickness turning people violent. Rhea wants to send one of the classes to investigate and assist but… well, the people there have been good to us. I'd like to head out in advance and take a look. You checked in with the Guildmaster yet?"
"Not yet. The company is still assigned to you; I'll take us off the Academy list when I go by. When do we leave?"
"A few days yet. Shamir, one of the scouts, isn't back and I'd like to get her read on things first. I'll let you know when I hear anything more." Byleth nodded and Jeralt clapped her shoulder before heading back. Byleth fell in with the drills, letting Raoul continue to lead as Sothis mused in her head;
"Remire village… it stands apart in your memories; a place you and your Father have been many times. Everything else is endless stretch of road after endless stretch of road. Have you never had a home? It is little wonder you have so few memories of your childhood; there is nothing to link them together. Even I-"
"…Sothis?"
"Zanado. My home was called Zanado. I recall… walls, courtyards, gardens… great joy and crushing despair. Every feeling between. But none of the people. There must have been people in such a place…"
"We could look it up, if you like?" Byleth offered, thinking of the library and all the maps it contained. She had avoided it, on account of Sothis's unease with Tomas, but was fairly confident she could navigate it without assistance, if they went late enough.
"Perhaps later, all of this remembering" a yawn "-really… takes it out… of me…"
~o~*~o~
Byleth had taken a seat at the back of the Golden Deer classroom where Manuela was preparing to give another seminar on magic and medicine. She had rather hoped that sitting at the back, no-one would notice she was there and question it; she had, technically, been given permission to attend a few seminars -but not indefinitely.
Her plan went rather out of the window when Claude slid into the space next to her.
"Good morning, Milady Mercenary. It must be my lucky day; I'd have thought you'd be in Alois's class if you were here at all."
"Good morning. No, I'm trying to learn white magic. I can't heal much more than a papercut, but I know the rest of it is… there. I don't think I've ever seen you use magic?"
"I doubt you ever will; I don't have the knack for it, so you can have plenty of practice on all my papercuts." He added, winking at her "I'm actually here for the medicine part. I'm something of a chemist, you know. Always pays to know how to mix your own antidotes."
Byleth's eyebrows twitched downwards in the slightest of frowns "Does it? I rarely encounter poisons –except the self-inflicted kind. Knowing a good hangover-cure is essential in a mercenary company, I grant you."
"I can imagine." Claude agreed "Perhaps poisons aren't what the people around here would call honourable, but I like having options available, so knowing how to counter them is essential." Byleth hummed a little, considering that and he turned back to readying his notebooks and quill, glancing at her as he did. "Is my face that interesting?" he asked, when he'd finished and her gaze still hadn't dropped.
"Oh," she started and turned back to her own notes "sorry. It's just –you don't act like the other nobles. You're… less formal?"
"Can I take that as a compliment?" he asked, leaning into her space with a teasing grin.
"If you want. I don't think it's a bad thing." She answered, and then a slow smile at some internal thought lit her face "It would be a dull world indeed, if everyone were the same."
His grin eased into a smile and for once Byleth thought his eyes matched the rest of his expression in sincerity; "We should all take the time to get to know each other, and get along, right?"
She nodded and they left the conversation there as Manuela called the room to order, but she felt as though some sort of accord had formed between them.
~o~*~o~
Manuela flagged her down at the end of the seminar, making eye contact and raising a finger to ask her to wait while she answered the few questioners that came to her at the end as everyone else filed out. Claude lingered over packing up, keeping her company and bowing aside gracefully (and then ruining the effect with a wink) as the Professor arrived.
"Just the woman, I've been meaning to come see you." Manuela began, linking her arm through Byleth's familiarly and leading them off towards the reception hall "I promised you a concert, and I intend to deliver. Friday evening some of the students are putting on, well, an operetta, rather than a true opera, in the cathedral. Everyone is welcome to come; are you prepared to hear me in all my glory? I can safely promise no-one will stab you this time."
Byleth smiled as Sothis laughed, joyous, within her "Thank you for the assurance, I'd be delighted."
"Wonderful!" Manuela disengaged as they reached the point where she would turn north to return to the second floor and Byleth south to go back to the barracks "Nine bells sharp. I expect some of the students will be dressing for the occasion, but don't feel obligated. Can't have the audience showing up the performers now, can we?" Manuela winked and began to sashay away "And do invite that charming fella!" she called back.
The opera wasn't really Raoul's idea of a good evening out. He preferred the Bishop's Regret.
It was, however, Sanderson's.
He was ready an hour early and cajoled Byleth and Willard (whom he'd somehow wrangled into attending) out of the door as soon as the time came when they wouldn't be ridiculously early.
The nave of the cathedral was bustling as staff, students and clergy mingled, chatting and forming groups before making their way to a space on a pew. Squeezing her way through the crush, Byleth found herself separated from her men and standing in a calm spot with Edelgard as Hubert's chilling presence kept everyone else away. Somehow their greetings turned into an offer to sit together and she then found herself walking at the Princess's elbow as Hubert cleared the way for them to the front –where else would the Imperial Princess sit after all?
"If you would pardon my ignorance," Byleth began as politely as she knew how once they had settled "what is the difference between an opera and an operetta?"
"Length, mostly." Edelgard answered with a slight smile and a side-glance "Tone as well. There are some comedic operas, but they still tend towards the dramatic. An operetta is shorter and lighter. It would be a good introduction to the art, if you've never been before."
"Do you go often?"
"No, not at all." Edelgard shook her head, breaking her perfect posture to face Byleth more directly "I rarely have the time for such things. But, tonight Dorothea is leading, Bernadetta had a hand in the props and costumery, there are a number of Black Eagles in the chorus and Ferdinand has been… enthusiastic, to say the least. As House Leader –as the Princess of Adrestia, I should encourage talent and effort, no matter the arena."
"That is admirable…" Byleth returned, wondering if she was as good a leader to the troop as the Princess was clearly trying to be for her house and country.
"I'm glad you think so."
The musicians began tuning their instruments and there was a sudden surge of people into seats as the candles that had lit the pews for the audience were doused, leaving only the area up front, the "stage" well lit.
In the space between their souls, Sothis brimmed with anticipation. Byleth allowed the feeling to bridge over, joining the girl as the conductor made a movement with his hand and a pregnant silence fell…
Byleth had thought she knew what music was. She had certainly heard drums and flutes and fiddles. Had listened as men and women sang ballads and ditties in crowded halls. An orchestra however, even an amateur one, was a different beast entirely. The first roll of the drums quickened her pulse and every subsequent instrument built on that steady base until the music was a physical presence in the room; it tingled across her skin, reaching down into muscle; she could feel the very breath in her lungs tremble.
She sat with eyes wide and rapturous, mouth slightly agape. Edelgard glanced at her and was unable to restrain a smile, reaching across to hold her hand. "You look like you need it." She whispered as the instrumentation began to quiet and the chorus picked up the harmony for the first time. Byleth could do little more than clutch that hand like a lifeline. Edelgard made no protest, not even when Dorothea began her first aria and Byleth's grip tightened like a vice. Sothis was effervescent with delight; between her reaching out and the music reaching in, Byleth's reserve was wholly undone.
She didn't drop hold of Edelgard's hand until the very end, when the performers came forward to receive their well-deserved ovation. Byleth clapped just as enthusiastically as the rest of the audience.
As the applause finally died the performers were swept into the crowd as friends rushed to congratulate each other personally.
"Edie!" Dorothea called, gliding forward "Did you love it? Was I magnificent? Tell me you loved it!"
"You were wonderful, Dorothea, just as expected."
"Oh, I could just float away right now! Hubie, what did you –No, never mind, you'll just agree with Edie. What did you think?" the diva asked in a whirl, turning bright eyes on Byleth.
Byleth tried to answer, she did. Her mouth moved and her hands gestured but no words came. At last she shrugged.
"Oh, my goodness. I've actually left someone speechless!" Dorothea squealed in pure elation, performer's high coursing through her and she pulled Byleth into a crushing hug "Not the most eloquent compliment, but it beats everything in sincerity! Can you believe this Edie?"
"Quite easily." The Princess answered dryly, stretching her hand out gently against her hip.
"I must find Ingrid, we got her all dressed up for tonight, you know? But thank you, so much!" the songstress pressed a quick kiss to each of Byleth's cheeks and fluttered off, leaving the mercenary stunned.
Edelgard refrained from laughing at her, but it was a close run thing. "You must excuse Dorothea, and don't take it personally. She is not quite herself at the moment."
"Or too much herself?" Byleth ventured, finding her voice at last. "I'm not offended."
"No, I could tell. You've enjoyed this evening immensely. It's heartening to see."
"Music is a gift from the Goddess." The Archbishop spoke suddenly, coming to stand with them, eyes focused on Byleth "I am glad indeed to see so many young people here tonight, enjoying the art."
Edelgard and Hubert gave polite greetings and engaged Rhea in a discussion of the performance as Manuela, whether by accident or design, approached and swept Byleth off with admonishments for not bringing "the charming fella".
She had never had such an issue before, so she could have no idea that her smile had vanished and the resurgence of her perfectly composed, neutral face was by contrast more of a tell of her apprehension than almost anything else could have been. She was not comfortable with the Archbishop and several people around the room took note of it.
Not least the Princess and her ever-present shadow.