Meanwhile…

Deep within the hallowed halls of Enbarr's Imperial Palace, the new Empress of Adrestia stands in an armory with a collection of her most trusted tacticians and warriors.

The marbled surroundings housed numerous bodies of armor on mannequins against each wall, all of different constitutions for footsoldiers and animal riders alike. At the head of the space was a raised platform displaying the garb of the Flame Emperor — now missing its fiery-patterned mask but still shimmering in an intense torchlight.

Before Edelgard seized power from her father a week prior, the chamber remained secluded and closed off within the Palace to all but a few key figures. Now it was open to all; and Edelgard relished in the opportunity to bring anyone she could there just to ensure the emblem of her all-encompassing ambition weighed on their minds.

She stood before the raised platform, admiring the pristine axe sitting on a horizontal stand at the Flame Emperor's feet alongside Hubert; looking as comfortably slimy as ever in a dark mage's cloak; and Ladislava; the red-eyed brunette who commanded Edelgard's personal guard.

"Would it be too gauche to lead the assault in this armor?" The Empress asks.

Immediately four figures standing in the wings chime in with 'yes man' chatter, assuring Edelgard that her decision would be perfect no matter which way she leaned.

But the white-haired girl callously holds up her right hand, shutting them all up.

"Much appreciated, but I'm not asking you." Her tone is casual, even soft. It contrasted greatly with the visceral fear her compatriots exhibited staring at that well-manicured hand as if it were about to drive through their hearts.

Edelgard turns toward her red-eyed guard and smiles.

"I'd like to know what you think, Ladislava." She reaches out and gently tweaks at the tip of the rightmost metallic bat wing adorning the shoulder plates of her armor. "Anyone who can pull of something like this is someone I'd die to emulate."

The other woman chuckles softly, arms politely folded behind her back. She tilts her head too-and-fro, as if rolling the thought around.

"Frankly, I think anything red suits your complexion wonderfully Milady," she says. "And I would argue there's a certain amount of strategic sense to bolstering our army's morale by deflating theirs."

"Indeed there is," Edelgard mutters. "This armor certainly does have an effect on Dimitri, if nothing else."

"I would advise some caution, Lady Edelgard."

Hubert's words are intense as ever as he slithers forward a step and starts kneeding the base of the Flame Emperor's cloak between his thumb and index finger.

Edelgard eagerly turns around to hear him out.

"Had I not come to break you out of that dank shrine to zealous hypocrisy, you may very well have been torn asunder by that boarish, entitled child."

"And I appreciate your hasty retreat, Hubert. As well as your continual grasp of the English language." She accentuates the tease by her rolling those light purple eyes and brushing some white hair behind her shoulders. "What's your point?"

Hubert looks back at her; one exposed yellow-green eye glinting like a feline's.

"My point is that we would do well to ensure you can inspire despair in our foes without compromising your ability to deftly move and defend yourself."

The Emperor nods slowly. "A fair one."

With a grunt, she squats down and lays her arms over her bent knees. A replica of Edelgard's pastel eyes reflect back in the metal of her battleax, warped no matter how she tries to move her head around different parts of the weapon.

"I'm sure we can make some adjustments."

A moment of silence follows as everyone watches Edelgard do her thing, but it's broken by the sound of a knock at the closed double doors. Before Edelgard is able to stand up straight again and turn around, a soldier has already come inside.

"Did I not request total privacy?" She calls out with a venomous twinge.

"Apologies, Empress." The soldier bows, his voice tinny as it echoes out of a restrictive helmet. "You also requested I bring this guest to your attention as soon as she arrived, no matter the circumstances."

At first Edelgard squints and tilts her head. But as soon as the realization hits her, the girl's eyes widen.

"Oh!" She exclaims.

Suddenly she seems a bit frantic while looking around the room.

"I'm afraid we will have to continue this meeting some other time," Edelgard says before clapping her hands. The sound resonates. "If you could please clear the room, it would be greatly appreciated."

The advisors and Ladislava immediately make their way past the interrupting guard. Only Hubert lingers, trying to figure out what his liege might have been planning.

Then the guest is ushered inside, and for a moment Hubert and Dorothea come face-to-face.

"… I see," Hubert remarks.

He offers her a nod before flaunting his cloak to add some flair to his exit. As soon as he departs, the guard closes the door to leave Edelgard and her guest alone.

The songstress's long hair is particularly unkempt under her black cap. As she takes a moment to look around the room, the bright firelight makes it clear she was brought straight to the Palace without the chance to update her make-up.

"I'll be honest, I did not expect my first visit to the Imperial Palace to be under these circumstances, Edie."

Dorothea's voice sounds hoarse, defeated. It brings a slight frown to Edelgard's lips before she purses them to look stronger.

"Which circumstances would those be, Dorothea?"

The other girl seems downright offended to be fed that line. With a scoff, she turns toward Edelgard and lets all of the frazzled nerves come out with a harsh squeak.

"The circumstances where you and Hubie declare war on our school and then drag me back to Enbarr like it's no big deal!"

Edelgard closes her eyes and turns her head down slightly, clearly expecting this kind of reaction. She stays calm even as Dorothea storms over and gets right in her face, practically screaming under the imposing form of the Flame Emperor.

"This is insane, Edelgard! What the hell are you thinking?!"

There's silence as Edelgard keeps her eyes closed and lets Dorothea simmer. Then she looks up again and meets those angry, tear-stained eyes with a calm demeanor.

"I can't recall the last time I heard my full name part those lips," she says softly. "It's quite unusual… Though I do like the sound."

That reaction only seems to enflame Dorothea further. Her cheeks run red as she stomps her foot and anxiously pulls at the chords hanging off her uniform's shoulders.

"Are you even listening to me?" The green-eyed girl cries out, jutting her head forward in a way that jingles the skirt-shaped earrings hanging from her attached lobes. "How could you possibly turn a blade on our friends? And ask us to do the same!"

Suddenly Edelgard's stillness breaks as she brings her hands up. Dorothea yelps in surprise, but freezes as those hands rest gingerly on her cheeks.

The songstress' eyes dart all about Edelgard's face even as she looks back with confidence.

"Dorothea," she begins in a soft, almost hurt tone. "Believe me: If they stand with the church, the entity that means to separate people like us, they are no friend of ours."

"Wha—"

Now the girl just looks confused, and a little scared. But the feeling of Edelgard's palms on her cheeks and the jittery feeling deep in her core as Edelgard's voice washes over her started to kill those inhibitions.

"I know it's overwhelming to imagine right now, but there is a reason I asked for you to be brought here." The Empress slowly brushes her hands back, pushing Dorothea's hair past her ears in the process. "When I offered you a position at my side those weeks ago, I meant it. But there's a lot you need to know about the Church of Seiros' dark underbelly before I can possibly ask that of you."

"Dark underbelly?" Dorothea mumbles.

Her visceral anger had faded into sympathy as she sensed Edelgard's sincerity.

"Yes. Terrible things that have been spearheaded by the Archbishop in a misguided drive for divine perfection." Edelgard swallows hard. "Things that haunt my every waking moment, and infest the corners of my dreams."

"Edie…"

"It will be hard to hear," Edelgard cautions in a respite from her near-dive into dark thoughts. "But I want you to know everything, Dorothea. Everything… About me."

The girl's gentle touch drops down to Dorothea's shoulders, and the songstress shutters as she feels the tips of those fingers wrap around the back of her neck.

"After all… You are the only one who has ever made me forget about those terrors for even a brief moment." She smiles. "The only one who has ever helped keep my hope for a better future alive."

Dorothea is simply stunned, and spends a long while just staring into Edelgard's pale eyes while trying to work out her thoughts.

"I don't know what to say," she whispers.

"Then don't."

Without another word, Edelgard locks her former classmate into a chaste but loving kiss. Dorothea's eyes shoot open as her mind plays catch-up, trying to make sense of the tingling sensation on her lips; the fog starting to swirl around her head; the slight lean of her upper body that kept them at a more equal height; the unintended motion of her hands now grasping Edelgard's hips.

They embrace for a long while, surrounded by nothing but the cackling sound of embers casting off torches and the silhouette of the Flame Emperor's garb.

When Edelgard finally pulls her head back after what felt like an eternity, she smiles up at Dorothea's dumbfounded stare.

"You seem surprised," the Empress mumbles with a slight giggle.

She keeps her left arm linked around Dorothea's neck as the right one comes out to start twirling her dark brown hair.

"I… Yeah." Dorothea stutters out before clearing her throat to try and return to some semblance of normal. "I didn't realize you would… Or could… You know."

Edelgard immediately catches onto her vague gesturing and nods.

"It's not something I'm at liberty to discuss very… Openly."

Hearing that, Dorothea frowns. But then that frown quickly turns as she leans in and presses the tips of their noses together.

"I'm so happy that you want to share it with me, Edie." Her smile is infectious, and soon the two girls are gazing like love-struck schoolchildren. "And I would love to know more, if you're willing. Everything you want to share."

Edelgard nods, and then reluctantly steps away from Dorothea.

She clears her throat and stretches out her left arm, brushing out the red-colored Black Eagles cape attached to her shoulder in the process.

"You might want to take a seat then," she says. "This could take a while."