Your First Revelation, Beloved Idiot.

Pegasus Moon

"A Revelation?" Anthony asked the Chef who'd come out on purpose to speak with him.

"That's what they say. Lady Rhea just made a grand sermon about receiving wisdom from the Goddess in troubled times and some hero who'd proven worthy of the attempt. Apparently Lady Rhea is going to be busy preparing for it the rest of the moon, so the Deacons will be running services while everyone else focuses on this. No audiences with the Archbishop at all."

"It would be nice if the Goddess would tell us all what to do. We should be preparing for graduation and the next lot of students just now, but with all this… Who's the hero?"

"Couldn't make out the name in all the fuss and echoes, but the fishkeeper thinks it's the Captain's girl."

"Miss Eisner!?"

"That's the one! The Mercenary."

~o~*~o~

"You've caused quite the stir, you know" Manuela informed Byleth, the next afternoon, as they worked through an intense one-to-one lesson on healing magic. "The whole monastery is talking about this revelation. It's almost impossible to get anyone to focus in class."

"Kindly direct your complaints to the Archbishop." Byleth answered absently, focusing on the spell that she had just –just –almost "I certainly didn't announce it." She concluded triumphantly as the flesh of Alois's arm knit back together seamlessly.

"Faster this time." Manuela instructed, using Athame to open a new line across his bicep. The Knight winced

"When I said I'd do anything to help you out, I didn't intend to make myself a training dummy. Still I suppose it's better than that time the Captain threw a hatchet at my head."

"Oh come, you're providing a vital service. See? She has it down now." The doctor slashed a deeper wound across his arm, and Byleth set to healing it immediately.

"Yes. I'm very proud. Please stop now." He said through gritted teeth.

"Thank you, Alois" Byleth said, as she pulled her hands away from his perfectly healed arm.

"Of course," he answered, softer "you and I are practically siblings after all. I promise you can always rely on your big brother, Alois!"

"A family man through and through." Manuela commented, running a hand along his arm to examine Byleth's work. She nodded to herself then smiled at the mercenary "Well, that's all I can have you practice in good conscience. Deeper wounds have to be experienced in the field, but your spellwork is perfect, even if I do say so myself."

"The glory of progress –all thanks to you, Professor."

"Oh, shush" Manuela waved her off, but she was smiling.

~o~*~o~

The sun was setting as Byleth left the monastery, casting everything in orange. The last time she had watched the sun set had been by her Father's side at the docks and she wasn't yet ready to think about that. She walked quickly, focusing on dodging round people and maintaining her pace to keep her mind from it. The ragged edge of grief wasn't in her body today, but she could almost feel it hovering behind her.

She'd made it through the market and over the drawbridge, past the barracks the company had previously inhabited, before a voice hailed her from behind. The mercenary halted her pace, and turned to see Claude striding forward to meet her, weaving impatiently round passersby. He stopped before her, began to speak, frowned, tried again and got no further. He ran a hand through his hair and took a breath, closing his eyes for a moment before asking "What is going on here?"

She figured he must be referring to Rhea's announcement; Manuela had tried to forewarn her earlier, hadn't she? Of course, Claude, who was forever poking at mysteries in the library, wouldn't be satisfied by just the official line. Byleth glanced around the bustling thoroughfare then beckoned him over to a nearby courtyard. She thought the buildings enclosing it were the accommodations of the lower orders of nuns and monks, and the central space was suitably sparse, but there was a simple fountain in the middle to ease the monotony. She took a seat at the edge of it, stretching her legs before her, crossed at the ankles, as Claude hovered nearby.

"What do you want to know, exactly?" She asked. Claude paused for a moment, considering the questions most likely to actually get to the bottom of the mystery.

"Why you?" He decided "I get the Church having some obscure ritual for a revelation, and sure, maybe there's a Holy Tomb nobody's ever heard of, but what in the world do you have to do with it? Why was Rhea so determined you come back from the Sealed Forest?"

"I only have guesses." Byleth admitted "I'm hoping that if I go through with this ceremony I'll get answers, but the short of it is… I was born here, and something went wrong. Rhea stepped in to save my life and whatever she did, for whatever reason, leads her to believe I'll be capable of having a revelation like Saint Seiros did."

"And you couldn't just ask her?" He demanded.

"I tried that." Byleth shook her head "So did Dad. He didn't say it exactly, but its half the reason he left the Knights in the first place. He lost trust in Rhea when she wouldn't answer explicitly. Just hints and riddles."

Her expression had turned sad with the mention of Jeralt, and Claude paced over to sit on the edge of the fountain beside her, leaning heavily on his hands as he tipped his face up to the sky with a sigh.

"And so Rhea has you playing along to her tune… If you're not completely on-board with this revelation thing, you don't need to go through with it just to appease the Church, you know? There'll be other ways to find your answers, if you ask, your friends will help you."

Byleth sat in stupefied silence for a long moment.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Sothis exclaimed "Did you really not know!?"

Claude looked over at her prolonged silence, a blush dusting over the ridge of his nose and the tips of his ears as he found her gazing steadily at him. "What?"

"I –Friends?" she asked. Claude blinked, blush fading.

"Um, yeah?" He watched her eyes scanning back and forth, a thousand little events suddenly forming a new pattern in her mind.

"I –I hadn't… realised, I've never…"

"Are you truly this simple?! Must I spell everything out for you!?"

"I know you're my friend!" Byleth shot back internally "You live in my head! I feel what you feel! How am I supposed to know that about anyone else!?"

"Oh, Child. You don't know it. You take it on faith. You listen, you experience, you trust. No other friendship looks like ours. I believe I may have spoiled you."

"You hadn't realised you have friends?" Claude asked and it was clear he was making an effort to temper his incredulity "Milady, you have lunch with Professor Manuela twice a week, and we know because she's always late to afternoon classes when she's been chatting up a storm with you. Your men are as loyal as can be and Leonie is always going on about- Okay, bad example, you two are on the outs at the moment." he corrected at Byleth's conscious look "But I see you taking tea with Edelgard all the time. All the little kids go on about how great you and Dimitri get along when you're teaching them swordplay. I certainly don't dance stuffy formal dances with just anyone either, for that matter."

A smile was growing on Byleth's face, matching the fond one that was so clearly visible in Claude's eyes.

"Even Lindhart makes the effort to look disappointed when you're not in the library for him to ramble theories at. You have plenty of friends, Byleth."

Byleth looked away with a self-deprecating chuckle "I hadn't thought; I hadn't put a name to it… I think I must be a bad friend myself, if I didn't even notice I had any… I didn't even realise Alois was serious…"

"Well, I'll let you know if I can think of a way for you to make it up to me." Claude teased, and the moment sat comfortably around them until he cleared his throat, turning his gaze back up to the sky as it began the transition from orange to indigo "So, your plan is just to go through with the revelation and see what happens?" he watched her nod and blew out a heavy breath in response "Can't say I like it, Milady Mercenary, usually you have better tactics than that."

"Well… if you wanted to… Rhea said I can bring champions with me to the ceremony; you could be the first, if you like. Watch my back."

Claude gaped; just like that she was inviting him into the Holy Tomb? A place he hadn't even known existed despite all his research? To see this important ceremony; the revelation? She'd trust him to have her back?

He was the first?

Heh.

Shit. No. Just a crush. Less than a crush! A mild infatuation. He was not blushing.

"Well I suppose I can survive observing one secret ritual for your sake." Byleth arched a brow at him "I kid, I kid. Of course I'd be honoured to stand with y-." He froze. "Why would you need 'champions'?"

Byleth shrugged "Saint Seiros had some, apparently. I think… Rhea is just mimicking what happened before and… hoping."

"'Hope' is not a particularly inspiring strategy. I think I like that less than playing it by ear, but… for you, My Friend, I'm in."

~o~*~o~

The strategy, such as it was, came together after that. She had friends who would watch her back and amongst them were three very powerful connections. Perhaps it was wrong to choose them as her witnesses for that reason but, equally, who better to attend Rhea's grand ceremony than the future heads of the three nations? The Archbishop couldn't possibly protest.

Dimitri was in the training grounds, and when she saw him she almost changed her mind; the bags under his eyes, the choppy motions of his usually peerless lancework… she exchanged a speaking glance with Dedue who nodded grimly in reply.

"Ah, Byleth" the Prince spoke, noticing her "Perhaps you can convince Dedue to stop hovering like an old nursemaid. It doesn't suit him."

"His Highness needs rest." Dedue answered

"I only have a headache; I can work through it easier than sleeping it off."

"I won't presume to tell you how to manage your health, Dimitri, however…" Byleth began and was concerned and a little alarmed when Dimitri rolled his eyes at her "however I have a favour I'd ask of you, and I shouldn't like to if you were not well-rested."

"A favour?" He replied, setting aside his lance "That is unlike you, let us hear it."

"You've heard of the Revelation?"

"Yes," he answered slowly "I confess, I'm not sure if I should be offering you congratulations or wishing you luck."

"Perhaps both… In any case, I'd like to ask if you will attend the ceremony? Claude will represent the Alliance, I'd hoped you and Edelgard would stand for the Kingdom and Empire."

"El…" he said blankly, arms crossed. Byleth and Dedue shared another glance, confused, before Dimitri's countenance cleared "I will stand with you through this ceremony, you have my word."

"Thank you." Byleth answered "And… you will rest beforehand?"

"Ha! Yes, very well." He smiled "If the pair of you agree then I suppose there is nothing else for it."

~o~*~o~

Edelgard was not to be found that week –on business in the Empire, Ferdinand told her when she came looking, Hubert along with her. Nothing truly important though, or he'd have heard about it, of course.

The streets of Garreg Mach continued to bustle, and she spent a lot of time in the fighting pits of Abyss to escape the crowds Above with the part of the troop that hadn't accompanied Sanderson. Yuri, properly introduced, probed her for more about the Revelation, but quickly realised she knew as much about the ceremony as he did.

Byleth made herself useful healing the wounds accumulated in the fights until she was as good at mending ordinary wounds as she was with those with the unnatural edges. She would probably never have the range and power of a true cleric, but she'd be more of an asset to the company.

She waited until the day after the Princess's projected return before going in search of her once more, to allow her time to settle back in. When she found her, Edelgard was holding conference with Hubert in her room, a displeased frown on her face

"Is now a bad time?"

"No, please." Edelgard replied, schooling her face and gesturing for the mercenary to enter the room fully "You're the woman of the hour, I hear; what can I do for you?"

"Would you attend the Revelation with me?" Byleth asked and watched the surprise flit across both Edelgard and Hubert's faces

"The Revelation? In the Holy Tomb? You're inviting me?"

"Yes. Claude and Dimitri already agreed. I thought it would be -appropriate to ask all the house leaders; one of my friends from each nation."

"Well… certainly, of course. I would be delighted." Edelgard smiled "Thank you." she added with sincerity.

"I'll let you get back to it, then." Byleth said, making to bow out of the room. Then she hesitated and turned to Hubert for a moment "Now?" she asked.

"Not yet" he replied, and his smile was genuinely amused.

Byleth nodded and departed. Edelgard turned to him

"What was that?"

"A most unexpected boon, your Majesty." He replied easily "And access directly into the Holy Tomb…"

"Less of the 'Majesty' for now, Hubert."

"Of course, Lady Edelgard."

~o~*~o~

Sanderson hadn't yet returned from the errand she'd set him to when the day of the Revelation came. Byleth was a little concerned, but there was nothing more to be done for it than ask Raoul to watch for him as she set off towards the Monastery.

The three Lords of Fódlan were waiting for her in the early morning mist and quiet of the marketplace. Claude quickly stepped to the side so the only space for her to walk in was next to him, with Edelgard on her right and Dimitri on Claude's other side as they came up to the entrance hall where Rhea stood proud and beautiful like a lily.

"What noble champions you have, dear child." She commented, fondly, apparently entirely unshaken by Byleth's choice in companions, and turned to lead them on to their destination.

The device that was to bring them down to the Holy Tomb was unlike anything they'd seen before and Edelgard hesitated, stumbling a little over the step onto it before Byleth steadied her. The descent was smooth and rapid, but as it continued a strange feeling came over her.

She could feel Sothis breathing.

"I… know this place…" the Goddess said "I… I am here."

Byleth recognised the Holy Tomb when they entered it. Or Sothis did. The line between them was blurred, blurring, faded. They shared breath and a heartbeat. Byleth walked forward between Claude and Edelgard, but Sothis moved her lungs. They knew that throne ahead of them

"I am the Beginning. The Progenitor. This is my domain I… I remember."

From the corner of her eye, Byleth could no longer see the edges of her armour; instead, pink and white ribbons floated past, as though she were wearing them.

"Do you recognise this throne?" Rhea asked

"I-I…" Byleth tried, shaking her head in an attempt to clear it.

"My Friend?" Claude asked, placing a hand on her shoulder, the ribbons flowed through his arm; they weren't really there and yet they were, she could feel them. Edelgard and Dimitri crowded closer as she swayed on her feet

"I recognise it… I dreamt it" Byleth managed, placing her own hand over her heart –was it actually beating? A sharp pain split her head.

"So long… I have waited so very long for this day. Sit upon the throne, Byleth."

For the briefest moment, a speck of time that she could not wholly process, Byleth looked at the world through the eyes of the Goddess and saw it as it truly was.

Suddenly, the ribbons blazed with radiant light, whiting out her vision. She could hear nothing. She could not feel the connection to Sothis at the back of her mind.

The heartbeat was all that remained