Chapter 8: The Strength of Family
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Byleth was up as usual before the sun when it came time for his next off day. He had considered knocking on his sister's door to see if she wanted to join him for their training session. However, considering the sour mood she had been in since he'd asked her about it, he decided against it. He hated knowing he'd been part of the reason there was now a rift between them, even though it was small he definitely hoped it wouldn't get bigger. She hadn't even spoken to him yesterday, though she did at least acknowledge his presence with a brief nod.
He also noticed she seemed to have a new tail, and he wasn't sure he liked the change. Sylvain had materialized beside her nearly every time he saw his sister. Walking out of class, in the dining hall, in the market. It was aggravating to say the least. Every time he caught sight of them together he said nothing since the redhead had maintained a respectable distance, when he was around at least. Though he did have to admit he did like the idea of seeing him a few times less every week, knowing Sylvain now had more excuses to breath down his sister's neck had diminished that feeling. He had a feeling the more he cautioned his sister about being careful around guys the further he'd push her away. It wasn't like this was her first time around so many in the first place. Though she was never the only female in their mercenary troop, the other women were usually old enough to be their mothers. Which left her as the only young female in the group, and while their father had made it strictly clear none were to even look at his daughter the wrong way, that didn't stop a few brave souls from trying.
She'd almost always put them in their place way before he or their father got there anyway. But this was the first time they were around so many nobles. Unlike the grizzled men they had grown up around, nobles were of course not as brazen or bold. They were sneakier with their advances and more calculated, most of the time at least.
He figured it would be best to talk to his father about this. The main reason he kept warning his sister about things was at his request.
When he walked into the training field they had selected his father was already there.
"Good morning Leth." He looked around briefly. "Is Bala not joining us?"
Byleth shrugged a shoulder and grabbed an iron sword from a rack. "I told her we'd be meeting today." He sliced the air a few times with the weapon, his face set into a solid mask. What were the consequences of the three of them just leaving? Would those in the church really hunt them down? They could leave Fódlan if necessary, surely once they crossed any of the borders they would give up searching for them. Did his father's fear of Rhea truly run that deep? Enough to keep them rooted to the spot? Or was there something else at play, something their father didn't trust either of them with? What did his father mean by forced into the knights in the first place?
Byleth frowned and swung his sword swiftly at his father. The force of which their blades met enough to send sparks through the air.
The look of surprise that flitted across Jeralt's face had only lasted a second before he returned the strike full force.
Byleth stumbled back on impact, it had definitely been a long time since he spared with his father. Granted Dimitri had fantastic strength of his own, but his movements were practically sloppy when compared with the deadly precision that was Jeralt in combat. Perhaps if Dimitri got some extra lessons from him…
"You're getting rusty Leth." Jeralt stated and swung again.
Byleth could do little but duck as the sharpened blade whized over his head. Rusty seemed like an understatement with how rough his movements felt. He was distracted and out of practice. His thoughts were swarming too heavily around his head, the monastery, his father's secrecy, his sister's distancing, the realization that he didn't really know anything, his own unexplainable need to help his students improve. He was exhausted and overwhelmed all at once, stressed and tired, perhaps even angry. At what, or who, was another thing. Himself perhaps? His own inability to adapt properly? He grit his teeth and went for another swing at his father, but he was disarmed quite easily.
Jeralt grabbed him by the wrist and swung him across the field. "What's got you so distracted?"
Byleth hit the ground roughly, the air getting knocked from his lungs. He grit his teeth as he jumped to his feet, "Father, could you give some extra lessons to one of my students?" He asked breathlessly.
Jeralt looked just as surprised as Byleth felt. Of all things to ask, that had been the first thing out of his mouth.
"That's what's gotten you distracted? You're thinking about your students?" Jeralt asked clearly confused.
"...No. Yes?" Byleth sighed and picked up his sword and pointed it at him again. "I'm not sure I c-" Without any warning he was hitting the ground again, face first.
"Oo, you should pay more attention to your surroundings Byleth."
Byleth groaned and stood back up, his head had begun pounding heavily.
"Bala!" Jeralt called. "You decided to join us?"
Byleth took note how his sister only briefly nodded before charging him again. He dodged her next strike but the follow up came too quickly and he caught the blunt side of her sword in the ribs.
He ignored the pain and grabbed her arm as she retreated, twisting the weapon from her grasp. In a swift movement he turned and kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her a few feet away. She landed on her hands and knees, dry heaving for a few moments.
"Guys? C'mon did you two have an argument?" Jeralt called out, his voice exasperated.
Balaiya rolled to her feet and backflipped away from his next attack. Throwing a rock at his head midair.
He managed to dodge it but now it went straight for their father. Jeralt caught the offending object and tossed it to the side.
"Guys."
Byleth hardly registered his father's raised voice with how focused he was watching his sister's movements. It had been a long time since they had trained together, and even longer still since they actually fought one another.
Weapon in hand again Balaiya narrowly missed cutting his cheek, the blade whistled by dangerously, her lips set in a thin line, one that reflected his own.
"What's gotten into you Bala?" He caught her foot before it connected with his face and swung her around, throwing her into a weapon rack. Though he hadn't meant to put so much force behind his swing, he was irritated. And if showed.
Some of the wooden weapons shattered, others clanged about the floor. She grabbed one of the many iron swords and bolted forward again. "Nothing, Just trying to remind you not to… " She ducked one of his strikes. "… forget what I'm capable of." She finished through grit teeth. She swung her leg up and her heel connected with his jaw.
Byleth felt warmth and iron flood his mouth and he spit out blood. At the moment he wasn't sure if he lost a tooth or bit his tongue, but his jaw was throbbing like it had its own heart.
"I have no-" A sudden intense pressure smacked the side of his head and his vision momentarily went black.
"I'm trying to speak to you two!" Rang their father's voice, entirely displeased. It wasn't until a few seconds later did Byleth process Jeralt had slammed his and Balaiya's heads together, and then he proceeded to toss the two of them into a dizzy heap on the floor. "I tried to speak four times and you guys kept tearing at each other. What is going on? I know how it looks when you two fight enemies and that's what this looked like. You two are supposed to be a team. What the hell is this?"
Byleth rolled to the side, his eyes shut tight, his heart was pounding in his ears. He briefly wondered if his skull was cracked. His father tended to lose composure when angry, which meant losing control of his strength. He tried opening his eyes but could see nothing but blur, he tossed his arm across his eyes to try and shut out the light. By now he realized his father was speaking again but no matter how hard he tried to focus on his words he could make out none. He felt someone grab the back of his collar, that someone most likely his father and yank him roughly to his feet.
"Whatever petty argument you have you better sort it out now."
His vision returned in time to see the cold look dripping out of Balaiya's eyes. "I'm sorry Father." She said plainly. "It won't happen again." She rubbed her bruised cheek and turned away from them.
"Balaiya, get back here." Jeralt said sternly.
Her body visibly tensed and she turned back around.
"What was that?"
"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."
Byleth glanced at his sister warily, playing coy was not something Balaiya would usually do. Especially toward their father.
Jeralt turned back to Byleth with his arms crossed.
If their father expected an answer from him he wasn't going to get one either and he simply shrugged.
"Father, I have a seminar to teach." Balaiya said, attempting to sidestep them.
Jeralt moved in front of her. "Well, seeing as how both of you want to behave like children… I'm going to treat you as such. If you want to leave this field, you're going to have to get through me."
Byleth couldn't help but notice how serious their father was. As young children he had often forced them to fight each other until they lost steam. He always told them that they needed to get it all out and not let it carry on to the next day, if they did… well. The two of them never liked it when Jeralt had to punish them. When they got a little older, they went from fighting each other, to defending each other. That was the punishment. When they had entered their first real fight Byleth had discovered he had a strong instinct to protect his sister. He would rather himself get punished or hurt in her stead. And judging by the amount of times she had saved his own life in the nick of time she functioned the same. As a result, they began to fight as one unit, nearly always back to back, and always side by side. Until recently that is.
Much like he was gearing up to do now, Jeralt would fight them until they managed to disarm him or knock him off his feet. An achievement they soon discovered they could only do together, even when he was holding back. So the two of them would get knocked down again and again until they could come to terms to work together. That hadn't happened in such a very long time. Now here they were, supposably adults going through that same punishment.
Strange how things worked.
Not even a second went by and Byleth was already moving to block a strike aimed for Balaiya. An automatic movement akin to the changing seasons. Since he had no weapon in hand, he reached for the dagger at his belt. The first real weapon Jeralt had gifted the pair. The blade was just as rich in color as the scabbard that housed it, a sleek blade that reflected an array of blues and purples as it caught the light of the rising sun and the force of Jeralt's blade.
The impact nearly brought Byleth to his knees, and it became clear to him then that Jeralt was not holding back.
He felt his muscles strain as he turned to kick his father in an attempt to either knock him off balance or put distance between them. The extra foot that slammed against Jeralt's guard should not have surprised him as much as it did, nethertheless Byleth was still surprised to see Balaiya had moved in swiftly to assist him.
Their combined effort was enough to give them decent space for them to catch their bearings.
The best weapons that they kept in the training field were made of steel, and though he'd seen his father cut through much stronger material like it was water, it was going to have to do. Byleth snatched a sword from the weapon rack and tossed it toward his sister, she caught it easily and moved to his side. He grabbed one for himself and turned towards their father's waiting form. A familiar sense of calm washed over him, now that at least for right now he and his sister were on the same page.
Byleth lunged forward, the blade aimed for his father's midsection, at his side Balaiya twisted her blade to cut around their father's defense.
Jeralt caught them both off guard by moving intotheir strike. Using both his lance and the guard on his arm he deflected their attacks and swung the lance around toward their chests.
Balaiya ducked swiftly, falling into a split. Byleth wasn't as quick and just barely blocked the pole with the guard on his forearm. He grit his teeth as the force shocked down his body. Though his stance was solid he was not unmoving and he felt the force of the impact slide his body a inches away.
A second later Balaiya had spun her legs around and kicked at their father's legs to try and knock him down.
Jeralt stumbled back but not far enough to lose complete balance. His lance was swung around again, this time to keep the twins at bay so he could regain his defense.
Besting the Blade Breaker was never an easy feat, Jeralt always seemed to be two steps ahead of them whenever they tried any sort of sneak attack or trick. He had made use of his name as countless weapons lay strewn about the field in various states of disrepair, but the cut was always clean and precise. Jeralt had taught them to use all of their body strength when fighting, not just that which was provided by their arms. Incidentally it was because of this training that allowed the two of them to finally knock him off his feet. It must have been well into the afternoon with how hot the sun was beating down on them, Byleth hadn't even registered they had an audience until after he'd caught his father's lance when his sister had kicked into the air as she tackled him to the ground.
The steel of the lance had reflected the light as if announcing their victory, and as he spun the weapon and set the head against the dirt a startlingly loud cheer had erupted from their onlookers.
"That was absolutely amazing Professor Byleth!" Dimitri exclaimed happily. "Your performance far outshined what we witnessed in Remire!"
Byleth walked over and helped his sister stand then offered the same assistance to his father. "When did you guys get here?" Byleth asked.
"We actually gathered here because Caspar noticed you three."
"Yeah! When I got here Felix was standing off to the side watching! And he wasn't even going to tell any of us!" Caspar shouted.
Felix rolled his eyes. "Why would I want any of you to disrupt me?"
A sudden head of orange hair quickly brushed passed Byleth. "I can't believe you lost Captain Jeralt!" Leonie yelled.
Byleth shook his head, he would have to figure out why that girl was so obsessed with his father. 'Maybe Bala would know, I'd have to ask her later.'
"Captain Jeralt! You were going easy on them right?" She exclaimed loudly, her fist clenched tightly.
Byleth sighed and moved over to help his sister clean up the broken weapons from the field. The two worked in silence while their father was surrounded with their students. When they had finished she smiled slightly.
"Thank you Leth…" She bit her lip but winced when she disturbed a cut on the skin. "I'm sorry for acting so childishly." She laughed softly, her head shaking. "You should have heard Sothis. She was not amused. She kept scolding me. I acknowledge I may have overreacted…"
Byleth rose his eyebrows and she sighed and continued.
"Okay, I did overreact…"
"No it's alright. I didn't help the situation by hitting you back the way I did." He shrugged. "Looks like we both have a lot to learn still."
"Like, to trust each other more?" She offered with a tilt of her head.
He nodded. "Yeah, and not let anyone here mess up our bond."
She smiled and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "You jealous I get more attention?"
Byleth winced when she touched the sore spot on his ribs "Ah-"
"Oh I'm sorry!" She smiled wryly. "Look at us, we look like we're six again."
He smiled back. "Yeah, all banged up and we got no one to blame but ourselves." He sighed and held his hand up to her. After a moment she smiled slightly and punched his palm with her fist. A little gesture they've done since childhood ever since a particular time he had meant to give her a high five and she mistakenly gave him a fist bump. He'd been so confused by it but she simply giggled and skipped away.
"Alright you two." Jeralt said walking over to them. He lowered his voice so their audience couldn't hear. "Remember not to let petty arguments get in the way of what's most important." He placed a hand on each of their shoulders and squeezed gently.
"Yes Father." They answered in unison.
"Alright then!" He gave Balaiya a few gentle pats on her back but Byleth got loud claps between his shoulder blades.
Byleth adjusted his footing so his father wouldn't send him flying across the training field.
Jerlat laughed and took a step back. "I have some things to do today. We should try and meet up at least once a week. Next time, we'll actually train." He gave them a stern look and turned to leave but stopped in front of Dimitri. "Come see me in my office later, boy. I have to speak to you."
Dimitri's eyes widened and he nodded. "Yes sir!" He called after Jeralt's retreating form. Once he was gone he turned to Byleth. "Did I do something?"
Byleth shook his head. "No, you have no need to worry." He glanced at where Leonie stood a few feet away. "Trust me." He was definitely being stingy with his father's extra time. If anyone was going to get extra tutoring from The Blade Breaker? He wanted it to be his student.
"Of course Professor." Dimitri said confidently.
As everyone began filing out of the training field Byleth motioned for Dimitri to follow him. Safely out of earshot he cleared his throat and turned to the blonde.
"I hope you don't mind, but I've decided to sign you up for an extra class. It's once a week. If all goes well at least."
"Oh, no I don't mind. Does it have something to do with Sir Jeralt?"
Byleth nodded. "Yeah. I've actually asked him to tutor you." The pair stopped by the fishing dock and Byleth took his rod and bait from the fish keeper. "Like I'm sure you've seen today. There is a reason Father is known as The Blade Breaker. Though I've only recently been aware of the title. It's about more than just strength though." He held out the line and some bait to Dimitri. "Could you hook this for me?"
Unease instantly filled Dimitri's face but he compiled without complaint, a determined look settled in his eyes as he gingerly grasped the thin materials.
Byleth watched him carefully tie the line to the hook and he even gave it a slight tug to check the knot. When Dimitri finished he smiled to himself and held the hook out.
"There you go Professor."
Byleth took it and inspected it carefully. "Well done Dimitri, thank you." He sat down on the dock and cast the line out into the water.
"Oh, your welcome Professor."
Byleth turned to Dimitri and gestured for him to take the rod.
"Oh, okay." He hesitated for a moment before taking the rod and sitting down on the dock beside him. "Uh, Professor?"
"Hm?"
"If you don't mind, I have a favor I'd like to ask of you."
"What the favor?"
"It's in regard to sword training. Not for myself, but... Well... To be honest, I've been teaching swordsmanship to the orphans at the monastery for a while now."
Byleth turned to him in surprise. Of all the things he could have asked him, helping orphans wasn't even on the list of activities he expected Dimitri to mention. And he stated exactly that. "That's very unexpected."
Dimitri laughed slightly, "I must agree. Frankly, I'm not great with children."
"That's news to me too." A gentle wind blew past them, carrying with it a faint smell of fish. Not exactly pleasant but not unpleasant either. Byleth cared more for the calming effect it had on him, stirring up memories of his childhood. A surprisingly carefree one, where his biggest worries were not getting caught sneaking sweets from his father's bags. And trying to get his sister out of trouble before their father caught them.
"How did that come to be?"
He tugged experimentally on the fishing rod. "Some of them saw me sparring with the knights one day. They started pestering me to teach them. They were so earnest... I couldn't help but oblige. There's much I wish to show them, but due to my own studies and training, I'm afraid my time is rather limited. Which brings me to my favor. Your swordsmanship is unmatched. I hate to ask this of you, but... Would you consider lending me a hand?"
Byleth frowned slightly and flicked a bug off his knee. "I'm not all that great with children either you know."
"We are in the same boat then?" He shook his head. "I know I probably shouldn't have agreed but I just couldn't help it."
Byleth sighed. What Dimitri spoke of was exactly the predicament he was in now. How ironic. Just this morning he was fretting over his own ability to teach. While at the same time battling with the need to help them, especially Dimitri. And now here he was telling him he was worried over the same thing! Byleth thought for a moment, he had just signed Dimitri up for more training without asking him. It was only fair that he helped him out right? Still, he was unsure he'd be the best choice.
"Have you asked my sister to help you yet? I'm sure she'd be a better help than I could. Besides, she is your sword instructor."
Dimitri slouched forward. "I was afraid you'd say that." He smiled but Byleth could tell it was forced. "I can ask her."
"...I'll tell you what. If you can convince her to go. I'll go too. All you have to do is ask her anyway. I doubt she'd say no to you. Me? It might be harder for me to convince her right now. On the off chance that she does refuse you for some reason… I suppose I can still come with you."
That seemed to be enough to brighten his mood. "Oh thank you so much Professor!"
"Yeah, you leave me no choice anyway." Though his voice was plain he flicked a few water drops in his direction to lighten his delivery.
Dimitri chuckled quietly, surprise filling his face when the fishing line began to tug aggressively. "Oh, Professor! Looks like I got one."
Byleth gestured to the pole. "Reel it in then. If you catch it, I'll let you keep it."
Byleth watched in amused silence when Dimitri nodded sternly and jumped to his feet. His following battle with the pole and his obvious effort not to snap it in half was slightly entertaining.
Evidently Dimitri won and reeled in a rather large Platinum fish. It's scales were a brilliant silver much like the silver adorning his uniform.
"Nice catch Dimitri." Byleth said, impressed. For a moment he actually thought the fish would get away.
"Haha, thanks Professor." He scratched the back of his head and placed the fish in a basket. He stood for a moment looking down at the water, the comforting sound of the waterfall filling in the empty space. "I wanted to thank you, truly."
Byleth stared at him. "For the fish?"
Dimitri shook his head. "No, though I am grateful for that as well. I am amazed at my luck with such a catch! But I mean for agreeing to help me. I am in your debt. And I always repay my debts, I'll have you know. All of these children lost their families and homes to war or illness. This may sound a bit arrogant, but...I feel it's my responsibility to help them."
"Why is that?" Byleth asked.
Dimitri closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, after a moment he continued. "I lost my parents without warning too. In that way, we're the same. In Duscur, I lost my father, stepmother, and closest friends. I didn't have many allies at the castle after that. In truth, I had only Dedue for companionship."
"Have you no other family? Or anyone else you can trust?"
"I'm afraid not, my birth mother fell ill and died shortly after I was born. And my uncle… suffice to say we don't get along. I once had people I could confide in. Family, friends, instructors, even royal soldiers. But they were all taken away four years ago."
Byleth frowned, he'd heard briefly about the tragedy of Duscur. To see Dimitri recall it now? It set a heavy weight on his shoulders. "I'm sorry."
"You have no need to apologize Professor Byleth." His eyes widened slightly. "Ah, but there were those outside the castle walls I was close to. Such as Rodrigue!"
"Who is that?"
"Heh, pardon my rudeness. I meant Lord Rodrigue."
Byleth shook his head slowly to indicate to him that even with the added title, he still did not know who he spoke of.
Amusement filled Dimitri's eyes and he shrugged. "He is my father's old companion, and the father of Felix. On the occasions he would visit the capital, he'd take me out hunting or on long horse rides. While Dedue is like a brother to me, Rodrigue is like a second father. It might sound ridiculous, but… he's the kind of man I hope to become one day. Someone who helps others… someone who can reach out and save a lost soul. Oh… Please accept my apologies for boring you with my life story. In any case, don't forget your promise, Professor. I'm counting on you."
Byleth stood and cleaned up the space before gesturing for Dimitri to follow him. He nodded and grabbed the basket with the Platinum fish in it and followed after him. It certainly intrigued him to hear that Dimitri thought so highly of this Rodrigue, when said man's son seemed to not want much to do with the Prince. He would have to figure out what the story was behind that one.
"I'm not bored of learning more about you." His sisters words echoed in his head. 'Teachers are supposed to show an active interest in their students.' He sighed, she sure did catch on quicker than he did. He wondered briefly where she got that. Seteth perhaps? "I'm glad that you have decided to share your story with me. If you ever want to share more I am always free to listen. Even if that's all I can do."
"Thank you so much Professor! That means a lot to me..." He trailed off and Byleth studied him carefully.
'Someone who helps others, who can reach out and save a lost soul, huh? I wonder, did you once feel like a lost soul Dimitri? Did this Rodrigue you speak so highly of truly guide you away from whatever darkness you were in? Or did he simply push the shadows back?...Would I be enough to help you if those demons ever return? Would I even know what to do?...'
"Oh hello your Princeliness! Professor! how are you this afternoon?"
Claude's cheery voice shook Byleth out of his thoughts and he regarded the noble silently. He hadn't actually spoken to him since his not so pleasant conversation at the end of last moon.
"Hello Claude, didn't I ask you not to address me as such?" Dimitri sighed.
"Would you prefer Your Highestness?" Claude asked with a smirk.
"That's worse!" Dimitri muttered exasperated. "How about if I start calling you Your Dukeliness?"
Claude laughed out and grinned. "Oh, I'm not sure If I like the sound of that...Perhaps if you added an extra ness?"
Dimitri frowned. "Claude!"
"Alright, alright."
Byleth frowned, there was something moving on Claude's head, and by the looks of it, it was definitely breathing. "Claude. What is on your head?"
Claude tilted his head and reached up to inspect his head. "Oh!" He laughed and untangled a tiny black ball of fur from his hair. "This is Shai. I saw her sitting by the library in a corner. I stopped to pet her and she yelled at me!"
"Shay?" Dimitri asked with a tilt of his head.
"Suuure." Claude said slowly. "We'll go with that."
Byleth stared at the tiny black cat then at Claude. "Yelled at you?" Whatever that meant, it had to be a metaphor for something.
He nodded and pet the tiny thing with his index finger. "Yup, she let out the tiniest, angriest sound. Probably asking me why I never saw her sitting there before!" He held his hand out closer to Dimitri. "Wanna hold her?"
Dimitri took a few steps back, shaking his head quickly. "No thank you Claude, I'd rather not."
"Aw what?" Claude changed his voice to a rather annoying tone. "Does the whittle bitty floof scare you Dimitwee?"
"No! I just don't want to hurt her!" Dimitri protested defensively.
Claude withdrew his hand with a dramatic sigh and placed the kitten back on his head. "Your loss then. As for me, I couldn't just let her stay there all by herself. Who knows how many people passed her without them realizing she was calling out for help?"
"When she's older I'd love to pet her." Dimitri said, his eyes trained on the way the small creature kneaded Claude's head.
"Doesn't that hurt Claude?" Byleth asked, eyebrow raised.
Claude grinned widely and winked. "Immensely."
"Then why allow her to do that?" Dimitri questioned.
He shrugged. "Eh, I've felt worse things. Besides. She's so happy, how could I deny her?"
"Hm, your a strange one." Byleth said plainly. If Claude was serious about the cat, and not using her for some sort of scheme. Then he'd say he was surprised he had a soft spot for animals. He certainly didn't come off as someone that did.
"I get that a lot." He shrugged "The status quo is overdone and boring. What's wrong with a little spice in life, hm?" Claude grinned again and reached up to his head to pet the kitten. To everyone else it definitely looked like he was just petting his own head. "By the way, I saw the two of you fighting in the field." He smirked. "She put a doozy on ya jaw there huh?"
Byleth rubbed his jaw, the bruise that was surely there stung sharply. "Well… we were training."
Something in the Golden Deer leader's eyes shone with a sort of mirth, as if he knew something no one else did. "Ah, of course."
Dimitri nodded beside him. "Yes, it was quite spectacular indeed. I'd hate to know what I'd be like if they fought each other for real."
"Well, I'm going to grab something to eat now so-"
"Ooh, mind if I join you Professor?" Claude asked.
"Oh, well I was actually g-"
He cut him off. "Great!" He hooked his arm around Dimitri's and reached for Byleth's arm as well.
Byleth slipped his arm away before Claude could grab him, which only made the latter smirk.
"You're a slippery one too huh?"
Byleth frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing.~"
"Claude! Let go of my arm!" Dimitri said with a frown.
"No thanks!" He snickered and tugged him towards the dining hall.
Byleth sighed and flowed the duo. He wondered to himself why Dimitri didn't just pull his arm free. Did he not even consider that he could easily shake the Golden Deer leader off? As he watched the two of them he also wondered why there wasn't a special room for the teachers to eat by themselves. Dealing with such lively people day in and day out got rather tiring. Especially when even on his off day he couldn't really get away from them. Taking his meal to his room was always an option, though nearly every time he attempted it he always got trapped talking to someone.
While Byleth was doing his best to avoid any unnecessary conversation, a girl with light green hair walked over to their table. She stopped beside Claude and cleared her throat.
"Good afternoon Professor! I have a message for you."
Byleth turned to the girl and eyed her uniform. He'd never seen her in any of his classes, could she just not be taking any he taught? He didn't think she was in the Black Eagles either. "Are you a new student?"
"Oh! Right I don't think we've ever officially met. My name is Flayn! I am Seteth's little sister. I call you Professor, but I am not actually a student." She smiled and curtsied. "It's nice to meet you! Unfortunately I am n-AHH!" She practically squealed and started inspecting the now frightened kitten on Claude's head.
"Whoa there!" Claude removed the kitten and held it close to his chest. "You've scared her."
"Oh gracious! I'm so sorry. She's just so adorable! Oh may I please pet her? What's her name?"
"Be gentle, her name is uh, Shay." Claude held the kitten out to Flayn and she pet the small creature with such a look of determination one would think she was trying to learn something.
Byleth sighed and cleared his throat.
Flayn gasped and turned to him. "Oh right! I was sent to ask that you go see Lady Rhea first thing tomorrow morning. There is something she and my brother would like to speak to you about."
Byleth nodded. "Alright, did they tell you what it was about?"
"No, I'm sorry Professor." She frowned.
"It's okay."
"Oooh, I bet it's for another mission." Claude said with a grin. "Oh, that reminds me. I've got some things to do." He stood and lazily waved at everyone. "See you around, oh and Shay says it was nice to meet you Flayn."
Flayn giggled and waved back. "Yes! It was very nice indeed."
Byleth stood next, "Have a good night everyone. I won't be seeing you later, I have lesson plans to go over."
Dimitri nodded. "Goodnight Professor."
"Yes good night Professor." Flayn added with a smile.
.
Unusually, when Byleth walked in the audience chamber the next morning his sister was already there. She was standing beside Rhea and the two were speaking quietly together. When the two women noticed his presence they quieted and turned toward him. Balaiya moved to his side and she smiled slightly.
"Morning Leth."
"Morning Bala." Byleth observed his sister silently, strangely enough, the injuries she sustained from their childish run in were still present on her face. Much like they were for him.
Professor Hanneman walked in a few minutes later and Rhea turned to them with a stern look.
"I thank the three of you for coming in so early. Unfortunately I have to inform you of your next mission." Rhea said, a hardness in her voice.
Seteth appeared beside her continued from where she had left off. "We have received reports that Lord Lonato has rallied troops against the Holy Church of Serios."
'Who's Lord Lonato?' Byleth wondered to himself.
"Who is that?" Balaiya asked at his side.
Byleth wasn't surprised by the coincidence, things like that happened often.
Rhea didn't seem to mind that they were clueless on the matter and gave her explanation with a slight smile. "Lord Lonato is a minor Lord of the Kingdom." Her face fell as she continued. "He has been showing hostility towards the church for some time now."
"A vanguard unit from the Knights of Seiros is already on its way to his stronghold, Castle Gaspard." Seteth said. He crossed his arms with a frown. "Lord Lonato's army is nothing compared to the knights. It is quite possible the rebellion has already been suppressed. However I need the three of you to please gather as much intell as you can on what others around here think of the western church. Considering your different social groups it would be easier to get a wide variety of information with all three of you searching for info."
Rhea spoke up again, her eyes focused on Balaiya this time. "I would like to send your class Professor Balaiya, with the knights' rear guard to deal with the aftermath. To clean up and assist any townsfolk that may be in need. I of course did consider the possibility of sending the other two houses but considering how they both have some ties to the people in the Kingdom." She sighed. "I would rather not take that risk. We will have to decide on a later date if the new addition to your class, Sylvain, can join you on this mission. He is of the Kingdom after all."
Balaiya nodded once but made no comment.
Seteth stepped forward and handed each of them a folder with paperwork. "The other two classes are assigned to go with a smaller group of knights and check in on towns close to the border. War zones are unpredictable. We do not expect you will have cause to battle, but be prepared for the worst. There is always a possibility that Lord Lonato sent an army ahead of his main force."
A woman in knights armor with blonde hair walked over to their group. "Excuse me. You sent for me Lady Rhea?" Behind her two other figures joined, a thin woman with dark hair and a guy who Byleth recognized to be Alois.
Rhea turned to them and welcomed the trio with a short nod. "This here is Catherine." She turned to Balaiya and smiled. "Catherine is one of our bravest knights, and that is no small feat. She will be leading the knights who will be accompanying you." She gestured to the other woman. "This is Shamir, she will be going with your group Professor Hanneman."
"Ah yes, I believe we've met before!" Hanneman said eagerly.
Shamir didn't seem as enthusiastic and just nodded.
"And of course, you have already met Alois here." Rhea said, her attention now on Byleth.
"Yes! I look forward to working with Captain Jetlat's kin!" He yelled enthusiastically.
Byleth nodded once in acknowledgment. Much like Shamir had.
Rhea smiled again and gestured to the trio. " Only an exceptional few have what it takes to join the Knights of Serios, know that you will be in good hands." Her toned grew sharper and her face tightened. "Your missions should prove useful in demonstrating to the students how foolish it would be to ever turn their blades on the church."
They were dismissed and Byleth followed his sister in silence until they got outside. "What do you think about the mission Bala?" He asked her once he was sure there was no one around to listen.
"I'm not sure. It is troublesome that we have to take students into a situation like this but…" She shrugged. "Do not forget Leth, this place is a war academy. Why else would we be offering classes in weapon mastery and the like? We just have the unfortunate timing of being here while there is unrest from within. Sooner or later, the students are going to have to face the disaster that a battlefield truly is. I find it comforting that at the very least you and I can be there to guide them."
Byleth blinked at her a few times, he hadn't expected something like that to come from her. While he never looked down on his sister's intelligence, quite the opposite really. He was still surprised that something so logical came from her. She was right, the Officers Academy was a school to teach the youth of Fódlan how to fight in times of war. Hopefully this was nothing but a failed power struggle that would burn itself out. If it didn't and those flames spread, could he also say that at the very least he was there to guide his students as well? How far would he go for their safety?
"I guess…"
"Are you going to tell your students about the details for the mission?"
"I don't know. I was going to wait."
She frowned at him. "Why?"
"Well, they are from the Kingdom."
"I think they deserve to know. Chances are they already know or have heard whispers. Even the knights can't keep everything a secret. They'll find out eventually."
"I guess you're right." He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I'm just concerned about what Ashe will say. Lonato is his father after all. I guess there's always a chance he knows already."
"If he doesn't know. It'd be worse if he found out you knew and didn't tell him."
Byleth sighed. "You're right."
The pair stopped by the classrooms and he gave her a brief wave. "I'll see you later Bala. Have a good day."
She nodded. "You too. Make sure you tell them."
Byleth sighed and walked in the class, right before he entered all the way he noticed his sister stop by a poorly hidden Bernadette. She placed her hand on her shoulder and ushered her into the Black Eagles class.
"Morning." Byleth said as he moved to the front of the class. "Pass up your weekend homework." He counted a sheet for every student in the class, nodding to himself in approval. It wasn't every day everyone actually turned in their assignment. "First things first." He pulled up a chair to his desk and sat down. He'd been standing all morning anyway. "I have to speak to you about this months mission." He avoided making direct contact with any of the students, especially Ashe. "In a few weeks were going to be doing some check ins so to speak on certain areas close to the western church. There has been...unrest."
"Professor, what do you mean by that?" Ingrid asked.
He sighed and took a deep breath. "Well. Lord Lonoto has apparently started a rebellion."
There were a few students that gasped and began whispering.
"We don't have all the details yet. But as of now we are assigned to check in on towns along the border." He glanced over at Ashe and found him staring at his lap, his hands twisting around each other. "I'll keep you all updated as much as necessary."
Byleth paused a moment to look over the class before he stood to begin his lesson for the day.
When it came time for the lunch hour he found himself staring at an add class form, given to him by Annette.
"Professor, please allow me to add your axe class!"
Byleth stared at her, more than a little confused. "Why?"
"Um! Because I think it'd be useful if I learn to use a weapon!" She started fumbling with her hands. "You know...in case I can't cast spells for some reason…"
"Hmm. We can try it out for awhile I guess." He sighed.
She gasped. "Really?!"
"Yes?"
"Thank you Professor!" She scurried off and met up with Mercedes who was waiting for her by the doors. She stopped briefly and turned back to him but shook her head and dragged Mercedes off.
'I wonder what else she wanted to say…' Byleth thought. On his way out of the classroom he spotted Edelgard and Hubert. Once she too noticed him she fell into step beside him, Hubert ever on her heels.
"Afternoon Professor." She greeted formerly. "I'm assuming you already know about Lord Lonato."
Byleth nodded. "I do." He observed the Princess carefully. Despite the troubling situation she looked anything but. "What do you make of it?"
Edelgard hardly took time to mull over her words before she responded, confident as ever. "Lord Lonato must know that his efforts are futile… yet he can't help but fight." She shook her head and clenched her fist in determination. "If I were in that situation, I would do whatever it took to ensure victory. You can count on that."
Byleth considered her response for a moment, it certainly was an odd one considering how this was an event that surely affected them all to some extent. Before he could respond Hubert spoke up.
"Something about this situation doesn't feel right."
"What makes you say that?" Byleth asked him.
Hubert shook his head. "Come now Professor, do not disappoint me. Think about it. Why would a minor lord raise an army against a foe he cannot possibly hope to defeat?"
"There could be a variety of reasons for that. I've seen it before on a smaller scale." Byleth replied, thinking back on past missions the troop took on. "What matters most to people like that is motive. And what they think their actions will bring them."
"Hmm, wise words." Hubert said.
"Well, we're going to the training fields now." Edelgard stated. "Thank you for chatting Professor."
Byleth bid them farewell and snuck into the dinning hall, hoping to avoid any conversation. Efforts that ended up being for not when Linhardt approached him. Byleth did his best not to look annoyed and Linhardt either didn't notice, or didn't care.
"Professor, I feel I must speak to you about Caspar's eating habits. I've never seen the like of it. He inhales entire plates of food in mere seconds."
Byleth rose an eyebrow. Linhardt must not have seen how his sister could eat if he really thought he would be bothered by Caspar's apparent enthusiasm towards food. Let alone how Raphael ate on a daily basis. Byleth sighed and glanced over to where Caspar sat shoveling food in his mouth. Though he himself couldn't care less how he ate, he could tell his classmate was at least disturbed if not concerned.
"Yeah… I guess it's a bit… dangerous. He could choke." Byleth said after a moment.
Linhardt nodded and shook his head. "More importantly it's unhealthy!"
Byleth shrugged. "I guess."
"I knew you'd understand, which is precisely why I chose to bring it up to you. Good luck with him."
Byleth walked over to Caspar and eyed him warily. It did look like he could choke. "You sure seem hungry, huh?" He said after a moment of watching him.
"Huh? Oh yeah! I got so much to do today! Plus today's meal was amazing!"
"I guess there's not much else to do when you're busy…"
"See? I knew you'd see it my way!"
"Still, you should be careful. Eating like that could increase your risk of choking."
"Aw! That's what Linhardt keeps telling me."Caspar crossed his arms.
Byleth sighed and turned to get something to eat for himself. From his right his sister walked over with Sylvain in tow.
"You know Caspar, dying of asphyxiation does not make for a very heroic story." She said with a solemn look.
"Yeah, man." Sylvain added on with a grin. "You want me to win another bet?"
"What?!" Caspar jumped to his feet. "Who and what did you bet on?"
Sylvain grinned and leaned closer to the shorter guy. "Well you see-"
Balaiya rolled her eyes and held her journal in Sylvain's face to block his view of Caspar. "He's joking. Don't believe his foolishness."
Caspar huffed and ran out of the hall yelling about needing to train.
Sylvain laughed and moved in line behind Balaiya, going on about something Byleth couldn't care to tune in to. He was after all more concerned about what the guys intentions were. Despite having agreed to let his sister handled herself more. That didn't mean he couldn't interrupt something that was obviously inappropriate. Though Sylvain must know when his eyes are on him because he did nothing that needed any reprimanding. And Byleth couldn't decide what annoyed him more.
"Are you going to join us Leth?" Balaiya asked once she'd stepped away from the line, food piled high on her plate.
"Yeah, come on Professor Byleth." Sylvain added. "I could tell you about this really cute girl I met. She might be your type."
Byleth frowned and shook his head. "I'll have to pass." He took his lunch to go and waved briefly to his sister before leaving the hall.
.
.
He found a quiet corner to finish his food near the stables. When he was finished he decided to go visit his father's horse. It's been such a long time since he'd seen the reliable mare, he'd nearly forgotten about her!
He saved an apple from his lunch to give to her and slipped in the stable she was kept in.
"Hey there girl." He held his hand out and allowed the mare to sniff him before he pet her muzzle affectionately. "How are you? I hope they're treating you well here." He gave her the apple and pat her again.
The mare nudged his hand softly and nipped at his hair. He smiled inwardly and ducked when she tried to nip at him again. "Don't eat my hair. That'll benefit no one." He reached for where the food was kept but found his hand bumping into a rather cold one instead. He jumped at the sudden sensation but made no outward reaction. Instead he slowly turned to the newcomer.
"Oh! Professor! I'm sorry I didn't mean to intrude."
Byleth observed the girl before him. She was another of his sister's students whom he did not teach himself. Marianne, the quitest member of the Golden Deer. Byleth shook his head and took a step back to give her space.
"You aren't."
"Oh… I see." She eyed him from beneath her messy bangs, her hands clutched tightly together.
After a moment he resumed his task of getting food for his father's horse. He didn't know anything about the girl. She always kept to herself anyway, if she didn't want to speak to him he wouldn't pry. If she was content with silently watching him? So be it. He wasn't perturbed by her presence.
He moved over to where the grooming brushes were and Marianne have him one just as she reached for one. He took it silently, giving her a slight nod of thanks before going back over to brush his father's companion. They continued like this for awhile, he would move to the next step of care for the horse and she would be there to hand him what he needed with a practiced ease. He was nearly done when she finally spoke, and he would have missed it if the stable hadn't been so quiet.
"Does she have a name?" She asked in a whisper.
"It's Louise." Saying it out loud felt strange to him, rarely did he ever hear his father calling the mare by her full name. Usually it was Lou, or old girl. Now it sounded strangely familiar to him but he couldn't figure out why.
Marianne's soft giggle caught his attention but he kept his gaze on Lou. He realized she did better when no one looked at her.
"Is she named after Alois?"
Byleth's eyes widened and he rubbed his forehead with a sigh. "Now that you say it… I guess she is. How about that?" With all the groaning his father did over being around Alois he'd never expected he would name his horse after the man. Was that even a good thing?
"I think that's sweet." Marianne carefully inched forward and reached out to the mare. "May I?"
Byleth couldn't tell if she was asking him permission or Lou, so he just stepped back to give her space. "Do you think Alois would be offended if he found out?"
"No, I think he'd be honored… Or he should be. I know I would. Naming one of these sweet creatures after someone means that person really cares."
Lou seemed to take a liking to Marianne and greeted her happily, or rather Marianne most likely visited the mare before. Byleth thought about what she said and decided he had to agree with her. His father cared a lot about his horse, she would always get fed before anyone else in the troop. 'She carries me and my stuff around all the time. Even the two of you have hitched a ride before. It's only fair that I feed her before anyone else.' He had once said.
"I suppose you're right." Byleth said.
Marianne nodded in silence.
He glanced at her and spotted a slight smile on her face as she looked up at the mare."You've been taking care of her?" He asked her.
She nodded. "She is Dorte's good friend."
He figured Dorte was another horse and simply nodded. He had a feeling if he asked for more he'd just make her nervous. In the distance the church's bell tower rang out the end of the lunch hour.
Byleth turned to her. "We should get to class now. Thank you for looking after Lou. I know my Father's thankful too. She sure loves attention, knowing you're giving her some is reassuring."
Marianne nodded but kept her head down. "O-Oh of course Professor. I um… Nevermind!" She fumbled with her hands for a moment then ran off ahead of him.
"Wait Mari-" Byleth bit the inside of his cheek as she ran off, just what had happened just now that caused her to get so flustered? He sighed and crossed his arms.
"I don't suppose you could tell me what happened?" He asked his father's horse. The mare just neighed softly and nipped at his hair again. He sighed and patted her neck before leaving the stable himself.
The rest of the day dragged along and he found it hard to concentrate on class. He kept looking over to where Ashe sat. He had been wanting to ask him how he was doing, considering everything. However he couldn't think of a good way to bring it up. Perhaps he could ask Dimitri to approach him, but Ashe kept mostly to himself. Who's to say he'd even tell the Prince anything about his personal struggles? Would it be right if he just asked him straight out?
By the end of the day Byleth handed everyone their assignments for the week and dismissed the class. When he handed Ashe his paper he didn't let go right away. "Would you stay back for a moment? I'd like to speak to you." Byleth noticed how the younger boy tensed but agreed without complaint and patiently waited at the front of the class until everyone had left the room.
"Is everything alright Professor?" His tone was light but Byleth could tell it was forced.
Byleth observed him for a moment, he wanted to ask him that question. But looking at him now, he figured so many people already have. He highly doubt that if he asked him the same question again it would be of any help.
"I was wondering if you could help me out, actually." He said instead.
Ashe visibly straightened and a truer smile touched his face. "Really? Of course! What can I do?"
"Well, you see. I am going to help Dimitri tomorrow. We're going to help the orphans learn some sword techniques. I could really use your help… I'm not good with young children."
"Oh! I'd love to help. Are you sure his Highness won't mind my tagging along?"
"I'm positive."
"Alright! Thank you for inviting me Professor." He smiled.
Byleth nodded and waved as Ashe ran out of the room. "See you tomorrow evening Ashe."
.
There were not many things that Byleth found himself regretting. Many times if something bad came of a decision he made he just took a deep breath and faced the results without so much as a look back. Sure there were situations that he had been forced into that he would lament over, internally, of course. Much like the decision to become a Professor wasn't much of a decision at all, and yet he found himself trying more than he realized he would. Like now, agreeing to help Dimitri with the monastery's orphans seemed like a good decision. After all, how bad could it have been? They were just children, surely they wouldn't be too hard to handle. Especially children that were taken in by the church, they would probably be grateful for the provided shelter and care and be easy to teach. Which regrettably they were not.
"I'm really glad you came Professor Byleth." Dimitri said happily. "I thought you wouldn't show." He laughed shortly. "I should have had more faith in you."
"I did say I'd help...even if my sister didn't come." Byleth said, repressing a sigh. "I hope you don't mind I invited Ashe." Hopefully the boy would show. Standing here now, watching the kids rough house and yell. He could use all the help he could get.
"Of course not Professor! The more the merrier."
To Byleth's relief he saw his sister enter the courtyard they stood in. To his irritation she was tailed by none other than Sylvain. To his relief, Ashe was also at her side.
"Evening Professor!" Sylvain shouted.
Byleth gave him a wave, inhaling deeply. On the bright side there was only one female Sylvain would be pestering today if at all. On the downside...it had to be his sister.
He'd been so absorbed in his own thoughts he didn't notice one of the wooden swords the kids were playing with go flying for his head. Just like during his match with Dimitri some time ago he heard a voice but it was much clearer this time.
'Do you want a headache? Pay attention!'
He blinked and ducked just in time, the sword flew over his head. 'Thanks Sothis.' He thought to himself. Who else could it have been anyway? Right behind his sister he noticed Sothis herself appear and wave her fist at him. He couldn't help but feel amused. Whatever explanation there was for her presence, she was certainly endearing.
"It's nice to see you join us Sylvain." Dimitri said. "Considering how you've chosen to leave our house." He shook his head.
"Aw don't be like that Your Highness!" Sylvain feigned hurt, then he grew serious. "I am a citizen of Faerghus first and foremost. Don't forget that." His expression quickly shifted. "Though you might need to tempt me with a few women before I go out of my way."
"Sylvain!" Dimitri shook his head. "The children!"
"What? I didn't say anything!"
"It's more about the principale Sylvain." Ashe said with a frown.
"Okay everyone, let's get started." Balaiya interrupted.
"Right of course, thank you everyone for coming." Dimitri said. "We should get started before the children grow impatient."
There were more children than Byleth had originally anticipated and seeing them all crowd around, even though he was not alone made him feel a bit anxious. With everyone's help they managed to round the children up into a decent enough group and finally were able to start forms and stances with them.
Ashe was smiling brightly as he carefully assisted as many kids as he could and Byleth couldn't help the small smile that touched his own face. It was nice to see Ashe smile considering the situation, the joy on his face was infectious.
After awhile Byleth noticed a young boy, probably around eight or seven watching them from behind a pillar. More specifically, he was watching Dimitri. Byleth moved over to the prince and tapped his shoulder.
"That kid is watching you pretty intensely." He nodded his head in the kids direction.
"Yeah, I noticed him about five minutes ago. I was going to wait to see if he was going to join us on his own but it doesn't look like he's going to. Should I go invite him?"
Byleth looked over at the kid again then back at the other children and shrugged. "If you want to. He might be too shy to approach us on his own."
"Right, I suppose I'll go ask him." Dimitri nodded to himself and walked over to where the kid stood.
Byleth watched him carefully speak with the boy, after a few moments the boy whipped away what looked to be tears and ran over to the rest of the group to join them.
Dimitri walked back over to where he stood, a solemn look on his face.
"What happened?" Byleth asked.
"Well, he's actually been here for just about a week." He sighed and crossed his arms. "Turns out his Father was a knight serving Castle Gaspard...the boy was sent here after word was sent that his father would not be returning home." Dimitri tightened his arms across his chest and Byleth could have sworn he heard some seams rip. "Doubtless...there are times when one must take up their blade, even when there is no chance in winning. But this… It's downright senseless. Lord Lonato knows better. If he had enough allies to back his rebellion, it would be a different matter…"
"Enough allies? Could other lords be involved that we haven't heard of yet?" Byleth offered quietly.
Dimitri shook his head. "I certainly hope not...Ah, but you must not take my comments seriously. I was mostly just thinking out loud. The entire situation is a bit too strange for my liking."
"Forgive me for eavesdropping Your Highness, Professor, but… What else did the boy say?"
Byleth looked over to where Ashe stood. His mouth was set in a thin line and his brows were furrowed.
"Oh, Ashe… he just wanted to know if I could...do anything… about the rebellion. He recognized me as the Crown Prince."
"I see…" Ashe sighed and bit his lip. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night Professor. Thank you for inviting me to help the children." He ducked away and walked over to Balaiya, who was helping a little girl hold her wooden sword properly. They were close enough that Byleth could catch some of what they were saying, and though he wanted to know more he didn't want to be too obvious.
"Professor, you must un-...never! He is kind and gentle, I just can't s-...least...me." Ashe shoved his hands in his pockets and scuffed his shoe against the ground. "He's my father!... What woul-... situation?"
"I- know… things like this can be ha-... You have to thi-... Sometimes people d-...Just... try?" Balaiya said and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I will…" Ashe waved his farewell to everyone and left the courtyard.
"I'm going to walk him to his room." Balaiya said as she walked over to where he and Dimitri were standing. "I'm sure you boys can handle cleanup on your own right?"
"Of course Professor." Sylvain said from behind her as he walked over to their group. "But only 'cause you asked." He winked at her and reached for her hand.
She dodged him easily and rolled her eyes at the same time Byleth did. "Right, don't get injured or anything." She looked at him and Dimitri and shook her head. "Good night, Thank you for inviting me too."
"Of course!" Dimitri said with a smile.
She waved and ran off to where Ashe had left.
"Okay you two." Byleth said. "Let's get this place cleaned and make sure the kids all turn in for the night."
By the time Byleth got to bed he couldn't figure out what was in worse condition, his patience or his ankles. One of the kids thought it would be a good idea to kick him in the ankle and run away while they were trying to round everyone up. By the fifth kick Byleth was seriously considering tripping the brat. No matter how many times he asked him to settle down he would not relent. Sylvain got a good laugh before the kid turned on him and started attacking his ankles as well. Byleth felt more than a little smug when Sylvain lost his cool and went after the brat, that couldn't have been more than six, on the second kick. The kid was grabbed by his own ankles by the former Blue Lion and spun around till he couldn't stand on his own. Sylvain snickered as the kid stumbled and fell down, obviously dizzy.
Dimitri didn't seem all that amused though and gave Sylvain a solid punch in the shoulder. Sylvain yelped loudly and his eyes visibly watered, and that was the end of that.
.
.
The next few days passed on quickly, Byleth was always talking to someone and he was always doing something. If he wasn't teaching a class then he was speaking to a knight for updates on the Lonato situation. Or he was climbing the stairs to Seteth's office to deliver a report with information regarding rumors on what was going on in the Western Church. That's all they were really, rumors. So far Byleth didn't really know much more regarding the situation when compared with when he had first started searching for more information. What really put a stop on things wasn't just the late night visit his sister made to his room. It was what she said that had him searching his memory of the last few days to come up with some sort of answer.
"Leth? Oh good you're awake. I'm sorry for waking you but, have you seen Ashe anywhere?"
Byleth frowned and looked her over quickly. She was soaked to the bone. She must have been out in the rainstorm for quite some time before she knocked on his door. "What? Have you checked his room?" He asked with a frown, because of course she probably checked it more than once but he was thrown off by the question. Why would she be standing here in the middle of the night, drenched in rain if she hadn't? If it wasn't serious.
"Of course I did Leth!" She answered with pursed lips. "Was he in your Lance class yesterday?'
Byleth frowned and shook his head after a moment. "No...He wasn't actually."
"Why didn't you say anything?" She snapped. Her voice had risen a notch higher than He usually spoke, though the volume wasn't all that high her tone was what got him. She was worried.
"I honestly didn't think much of it at the time…" He replied with a frown. When was the last time he actually spoke with Ashe? All he could picture was saying good night to him after they finished helping the kids in the courtyard days ago.
Dimitri ran over with Dedue and Raphael at his side. "Professor Byleth, Professor Balaiya… we can't find him anywhere." He said grimly.
"Maybe he fell asleep somewhere?" Raphael suggested.
"I can check the Greenhouse again." Balaiya offered and turned to leave.
Byleth frowned and grabbed her wrist. "No, you need to get yourself dried off… all of you." He said to the others. "I'll go talk to Seteth…" He sighed and pulled on his jacket before he walked out into the rain.
"What are you going to tell him?" Raphael asked.
Byleth frowned and bit the inside of his cheek. How could he not have picked up on it sooner? He felt responsible, he was his homeroom teacher.
"That Ashe is missing…"