Mako's Message: Whoops. Almost didn't upload today. No reason not to while I have a backlog, right? Anyway, this one is actually the FIRST one of these I wrote. Hope you enjoy.

#6 – Someone To Lean On

"Dorothea," Byleth said, pulling her aside and ushering the other students to continue following Rhea into the tomb, "I need to ask something of you."

Dorothea blinked and tilted her head with a frown, "What is it Professor?"

Byleth looked after the others, seeming to wait until they were a little further in, "I need you to promise me that you'll stay with Edelgard."

Dorothea pulled back, with a longer blink, "What do you mean?"

Byleth looked back to her, "Stay by her side. Support her. Be there for her. No matter what happens."

A confused smile formed on her face, "Of course I will Professor. Why wouldn'-"

"No matter what. No. Matter. What."

The intensity behind her Professor's eyes actually frightened Dorothea. And not just that, the implications; they knew something. Something was going to happen, and whatever it was, it wasn't gong to be good.

"Ye- Yes Professor. I promise."

Byleth let out the slightest of sighs and their body seemed to relax, just a bit, "Good."

0-0-0

"Edelgard, did you know about this?"

"I did. In fact, I ordered it. I am the Flame Emperor."

Dorothea's eyes went wide and her eyes shot to Byleth, who seemed as unemotional as the day they came to Garreg Mach. It was almost as frightening as the expression they'd worn mere minutes ago, but as the seconds passed, she realized this is what they'd meant.

0-0-0

Not knowing what else to do, she'd kept out of the battle, creeping along the wall towards the entrance where Edelgard stood. Now she stood closer than she hoped anyone realized, as her Professor held Edelgard at sword point while Rhea approached. The battle had been taxing for both of them, and Edelgard stood defiant, but it was clear that only Byleth still had the strength to continue fighting.

Rhea now stood with the Professor, and still no one seemed to notice how close Dorothea stood. The Archbishop looked at Edelgard with a fury that terrified Dorothea. A fury that bordered on madness.

Dorothea edged closer, not really knowing why, but trusting in her teacher and determined to uphold the promise they'd asked of her.

Even as Rhea ordered her executed for crimes against the church, Edelgard's eyes stayed on their professor's, and they held hope.

For their part, Byleth's face held no emotion. A perfectly blank slate looked back. And then the sword pulled back, and was slowly raised to strike.

Edelgard's eyes tightened as she realized Byleth's decision, "Then I must leave."

And in that moment, Hubert warped to Edelgard's side, and Byleth's eyes snapped to Dorothea with a renewed intensity that far outshone what had been earlier.

The sword was raised higher, higher than it needed to be, "Edie!"

Edelgard's head twisted towards Dorothea in shock and confusion as her friend hurled herself onto her, wrapping her arms around her in a tight embrace.

Hubert's lip curled in a rage at this wrench in their plans, but without any time to do anything else, he warped his Emperor and the other girl away, along with himself, only a second before the sword swung through the space they'd left.