Warning:
This fic deviates in a lot of ways from the canon stories of both games with a lot of changes to their respective lore while at the same time, serve as a reenactment for the story of The Three Houses with additional characters and roles replaced by others. So, I apologize in advance if this is not to your liking or may not be your cup of tea. I hope you'll still enjoy it.
1179 – Lone Moon.
The final month of the imperial year had commenced upon its' twilight. More than two weeks had passed since Saint Indech day and life at Garreg Mach Monastery seemed like it would continue on as usual. Yet on the 24th day of the month, the three house leaders of the Officer's Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery were called upon for a meeting with the Archbishop Rhea: a meeting stated to be of great importance. An unusual crowd of curious spectators filled the path towards the cathedral, hoping to catch a glimpse of the conversation that the Archbishop was about to have with the future leaders of Fodlan. Unfortunately, they would not have that chance as they were dispersed by the knights as the three lords continued on at their own pace.
Eventually, the trio reached the center of the cathedral only to find it devoid of the Archbishop as a knight stood in her place. "Forgive the sudden announcement, but Lady Rhea said it was of great
importance. She will be with you shortly" he bowed before taking his leave.
"Well now, this is an interesting turn of events" said one of the three. She was of decent height with white hair and violet eyes. She also wore the standard black and gold uniform of the academy along with a red cape strung across her left shoulder.
"Whatever do you mean Edelgard?" another spoke up. He was slightly taller than the other two with short blond hair and blue eyes. Much like Edelgard, he also wore the standard academy uniform though his was adorned with armor on his hands and feet along with a blue cape.
"Have to agree with the princess here. The three of us, called together like this? Even you must be interested Dimitri" the last of the three answered. He carried himself in a more casual manner than other two, with tanned skin, brown hair and bright green eyes. Much like the other two, he also wore the standard uniform with a yellow cape to signal his allegiance.
"I hate to admit it but you have a point there Claude" Dimitri replied. "Hey now, somebody has to do all the thinking for the two of you, oh royal highnesses" Claude teased, causing Dimitri to stare at him with a frown. "Don't let it go to your head" the blonde prince answered back.
"If you two are done bickering, the both of you might want to straighten yourselves out because the Archbishop is coming" Edelgard scolded. In response, Dimitri complied with a frown while Claude simply shrugged it off with a smile.
True to her words, the Archbishop Rhea did arrive, with her long green hair and elegant headdress made of gold with a white dress covered by a shawl of elaborate design along with a golden cape. She had a unique mystique about her and the aura she gave off made her seem almost ethereal. Clasping her hands together, she approached the three students, while being escorted by Seteth.
"Thank you for coming" Seteth began, quick, sharp and straight to the point. "As you all know by now, you were summoned here in order to receive a message of great importance. I expect all three of you to listen to it diligently".
The three looked at each other puzzled but opted to remain compliant at this request. "Thank you Seteth. Now dear children, before I begin, there is something I want to ask of you" she paused before continuing, "what do you know of the continent of Zenith?".
The trios' eyes widened as they heard the question as It took each of them by surprise albeit for different reasons. Edelgard was the first one to speak up, "It is a continent far south of Fodlan. For most of its' history, the ruling nations of Zenith have kept their affairs to themselves with the exception of Askr, who has been a staunch ally of the Adrestian Empire throughout our shared history. Until the last several months that is, when Nifl joined in and started offering gold and other valuables in exchange for grain and other food supplies along with Askr. It is common knowledge in the Empire, though I know they're also recently attempting to barter with the Kingdom and the Alliance as well".
"Very astute Edelgard" Rhea nodded with approval. "Forgive the intrusion Lady Rhea, but what does this have to do with the 'important message' you have for us?" Dimitri chimed in, still a bit confused as to what was going on. Claude on the other hand was uncharacteristically quiet during the whole affair; deep in thought at the prospect of Fodlan opening its borders for trade rather than war. Though as the future leader of House Reigan, he knew that the Leicester Alliance was also beginning to deal in trade with two of the Kingdoms of Zenith through its eastern half via Derdriu alongside the Kingdom of Faerghus and the Adrestian Empire.
"Rest assured Dimitri, I 'am getting to the heart of it" Rhea replied, "now, as Edelgard has already stated, while the Kingdom of Askr has amicable relationship with the Adrestian Empire, they along with Nifl have also begun trading with the Kingdoms of Faerghus and the Leicester Alliance as well; a fledgling relationship that is being carefully maintained for the time being. Somewhere during that time, I received a letter from King Gustav and Queen Henriette of Askr, alongside King Hrid of Nifl requesting that the crown Prince and Princess of Askr, as well the Princesses of Nifl be allowed to study in our esteemed Officers Academy in Garreg Mach."
"What!?" Dimitri exclaimed, unsure as to how to process this new information. And he wasn't alone in the response either, as even Edelgards' eyes widened and Claude started noticeably snapping in attention. "Okay…. now this is getting interesting!" the Reigan heir said, raising a brow to signify that this had got his full attention. "I concur with Claude. This has certainly piqued my interest as well. Would I be correct to assume that this is part of some diplomatic negotiation?" Edelgard addressed, no stranger herself to such a concept considering one of her own classmates, Petra, was a political hostage for the Empire under the need to control the archipelago of Brigid.
"Your assumptions are correct Edelgard" Rhea acknowledged, "though this is not the first time a royal from Askr has studied in Garreg Mach, this request was done out of a desire to strengthen the bonds between the two continents and the nations that govern them. Askr and Nifl are offering us precious artifacts and secrets invaluable to Fodlan along with a surplus of gold while we in turn, provide them with food, metal and other raw materials of our own. This offer was something I could not refuse for the future of Fodlan".
"So, what you're saying is, two kingdoms in Zenith decided to suddenly extend their olive branch with Fodlan by offering to completely empty their coffers for us and their secrets in exchange for food and other valuables while sending some of their royalties to learn here, so they could keep that relationship going and you accepted it. Am I correct?" Claude asked, to which Rhea nodded in agreement. "That is correct" she answered. This just kept getting more and more interesting for Claude.
"But what of Embla and Muspell? Are they not sending their future heirs to study here as the other two?" Dimitri inquired. "I only received these requests from Askr and Nifl while Embla and Muspell have never been interested in opening themselves to Fodlan. But I do know that they recently waged another war with each other and it has taken quite a toll on them" the Archbishop answered the Faerghus Princes' question as best as she could.
As the conversation continued, so too did the curiosity of the students as well. "Hmm, I see. So that would explain why the two ruling powers there suddenly decided to expand their trade with us. The damage dealt by the war to their infrastructure must have been severe enough that they now need our resources just to function let alone recover" Edelgard said, holding a hand on her chin. "That would also explain why they are so willing to readily trade valuable artifacts and secrets of their own just to get grain, and not just with the Empire: they must be desperate for aid. Whatever the case, I believe they are only doing what they feel is best for their people" Dimitri asserted. "At the very least, there's at least two neighbors that aren't interested in waging war with us. Better to have a friend than another enemy I'd say" Claude added, both hands behind his back. Still in the back of his mind, the Reigan heir couldn't help but be curious at this sudden turn of events. Fódlan has always had a hostile relationship with its neighbors, having themselves locked down and isolated for centuries, with the church mandating the refusal to open up relations with other nations. So, for them to suddenly develop friendly relations with another world different than their own, surprised him, to put it mildly. Not that he didn't like it at all, in fact, he was rather pleased at the notion of Fodlan finally opening itself up. Maybe there was hope for his dream after all.
Rhea watched on as the three future leaders of Fodlan discussed amongst themselves with great interest at the prospect of the Zenith royals arriving at Garreg Mach, causing her to crack a smile. "It truly warms my heart to see the future of our nations take such eager interests in matters like these."
Dimitri was the first one to snap of out his musings and return his gaze towards the Archbishop, "I 'am pleased to hear you say that Lady Rhea. But may I ask why you called for the three of us here? Is it simply to let us know of this?". The other two also returned their attention towards Rhea upon hearing Dimitri ask the question, eagerly awaiting her answer.
"Of course not, there is more" she shook her head as she smiled, "but I will leave that part to Seteth".
Rhea stepped aside as she passed the floor to her second in command. The instructor stepped forward as he cleared his throat, "As the future leaders of Fódlan, the three of you have been instructed to guide and assist the royals of Askr and Nifl during their stay here. They are diplomatic guests here and I cannot stress this enough that it imperative that no harm befalls them, lest we want to sour this fragile relationship. We had originally intended to create a new house under their banner but we felt that it would only serve to further isolate them rather than integrate. King Gustav once studied here as a student alongside King Lambert and Emperor Ionius IX and he was model student all things considered, and it was also here that one of the consorts for the previous King of Nifl studied, which is why we are placing them under the care of your houses."
All of them were taken aback when they heard the instructions, the trio looked at each other before returning their gaze back to Seteth. "Now, it may seem overwhelming to be given such a delicate and important task. But as the future Emperor, King and Sovereign Duke of Fódlan, we feel that this is a duty well suited to your station. Do not think of this as a burden; rather, think of this as an opportunity: they are the future kings and queens of Askr and Nifl, so it would do you well to form a good relationship with each of them. Having them for an ally would certainly be beneficial to your future reigns."
The three house leaders couldn't help but nod in agreement at what Seteth had stated. As leaders of their respective territories, there were greater benefits to having allies rather than more enemies of other nations, with the headaches of Almyra, Dagda and Sreng already putting a lot of strain on them. Diplomacy was their bread and butter, and at this stage, it would certainly be much easier than at any point in their future lives, when they could look at each other as classmates, comrades and even friends. "Seteth is correct. Historically, Faerghus has never been on good terms with Askr, but right now we are in desperate need of allies and it would do us well to have both Askr and Nifl at our side" Dimitri addressed, a hand on his chin. "Not so fast" Edelgard spoke up, waving her hand in defiance, "do you truly believe that they would readily throw their feet at you. Not when there are greater benefits to be had working alongside the Empire. And besides, we have been allies with Askr since the founding of both our nations and I 'am certain Nifl will feel obligated to work with us as well".
"Yeesh!" Claude exclaimed, "surely your royal majesties don't really think you can just easily enrapture our esteemed guests just like that. These are things that take time, some charm and a little bit of bonding over tea, something I'm very familiar with."
"Charm? You?" Edelgard scoffed, "if this so called 'charm' of yours consists of your zany schemes, I fear the only thing it will do is turn them over to me."
"Quite presumptuous of the both of you to believe that you will know what they will think. I for one, will win them over without the need for schemes and deceptions. Honesty, kindness and integrity are only things I require, to mend the strained relationship between Faerghus and Askr, and I will win over Nifl while doing so"
"Umm hate to break to you Dimitri, but you've got about as much charm as a log" Claude argued.
"And your charm pushes the limit for what it means to be a menace to society" Dimitri argued back.
"Honesty will only get you so far as a ruler Dimitri. And besides, my father and King Gustav were once close friends during their time at the Academy. I'm sure his children will feel the same way" Edelgard chimed in.
"And deception will get you little allies Edelgard. And I hope you didn't forget that a consort of Nifl hailed from Faerghus and was on amicable terms with my father" Dimitri shot back.
"Ugh, are you two really arguing about whose parents were better friends to other parents? You both sound crazy, but then again, I suppose it is typical for you royalties to argue on such petty matters"
The trio argued with one another for a full minute as Seteth watched with a groan on his face, looking like he was about to crack down under all the noise. Still, he was an instructor at the academy and it would be unbecoming of him to lose his cool in the Archbishops' presence. Taking a deep breath, he let out a huge sigh before speaking again, "while we appreciate the enthusiasm that each of you are displaying, there is much more to discuss!", Seteth said, holding himself together as much as he could while the three house leaders finally kept quiet and paid attention to him.
"Good" he nodded approvingly, "now then. Each of you must inform your classmates from your respective houses of this and warn them to be on their best behavior. This goes especially for the more unsavory characters in your houses, lest we want a diplomatic incident waiting to happen in our hands. I will give each of you a copy of the names of these royals and their retainers; remember them by heart and do pass on this information to your houses as well."
A servant came by and handed out a small notebook to each of the three, as Seteth and Rhea watched on. "I know this burden must weigh heavily on the three of you, but I have faith that you will all carry them out dutifully" she glanced briefly at Seteth, "but for now, you are all dismissed. Please do remember what we ask of you and try to impart this message to your classmates as well"
"Of course, Lady Rhea"
"I understand"
"Got it"
"Farewell then, children" and with that, the Archbishop took her leave along with Seteth who trailed behind as the walked past them, leaving the trio alone. Once the two were out of earshot, Claude rested his hands behind his back again as he sighed, "Whew! That's a lot to take in".
"If this is too much of a burden, I'm more than happy to carry it for you Claude" Edelgard snarked.
"Not a chance princess. Besides, you really think I'm gonna let you have all the fun" Claude chuckled.
"If you two are done bickering, might I suggest we head to our respective classes and call for a meeting" Dimitri suggested while the other two agreed to his suggestion as they both nodded.
"Very well, I'll take my leave now" the princess of Adrestia stated, being the first to exit the cathedral.
"Good point. See you later your highnesses" Claude teased as he followed suit.
"Goddess grant me patience" Dimitri sighed, being the last one to leave.
1179 – Lone moon – Black Eagles
Edelgard stared intently at the list of names given to her by Seteth. She had called for a meeting at the Black Eagles classroom and at the moment was waiting for the rest of her classmates to arrive.
"Lady Edelgard" a tall man with dark hair said as he approached her. He had a thin frame and a menacing appearance yet it seemed to do little to unnerve her.
"Hubert" she answered back, "have you done as I asked?".
"Yes, of course. I've instructed all of them to congregate here" he answered with a swift bow.
"I see. Thank you"
"Of course, your majesty" Hubert smiled as he looked over the list that Edelgard herself was staring at.
"Pardon the intrusion your Highness but may I ask you something?" Hubert requested.
"What is it Hubert" Edelgard asked.
"These royals from Zenith. Will they not complicate our plans?" he questioned with a frown. Edelgard in turn could only answer back with a sigh before forming a more appropriate answer, "unfortunately they do. If any harm befalls any of them under our banner, we risk either a declaration of war against them and in turn make more enemies than we can hope to fight or we sever a thousand-year-old friendship with the Holy Kingdom of Askr. They may be recovering from a war of their own but their combined navy and armies would still pose a significant threat to us, forcing us to fight on all sides should it ever come that".
Hubert was not pleased upon hearing her answer, though his ire was directed not at Edelgard but at himself. "Forgive me for my lack of oversight. I should have planned ahead for such an event like this".
"Not to worry Hubert" Edelgard reassured him, "It is not your fault. No one could have seen this coming. As a matter of fact, the circumstances here do provide us with an opportunity both timely and unique".
"How so?" Hubert asked, slightly flinched by her answer.
"There is little to gain from making an enemy out of them but if we were to win over even one of them to join our cause…..." she explained.
"Then we would add a significant asset to our war effort or divide their leadership enough to weaken them" Hubert finished her answer.
"Correct" Edelgard acknowledged. "That being said, our best chance at this would be to win over Prince Alfonse over the others'.
"Why him, specifically?" Hubert asked.
"Askr has historically been a strong ally of the Adrestian Empire. They've aided us in the First Mach War, The War of the Eagle and Lion and provided support during the second invasion of Dagda and Brigid. He is the only one the royals here who is destined to take over his kingdom and I' am certain that he will be interested in continuing this relationship. Nifl on the other hand is currently being ruled by King Hrid, so that leaves Princess Fjorm and especially Princess Ylgr out of the question, Princess Sharena is the younger of the Askr siblings and thus has no inheritance to speak of. However, my guess is that they still have a lot of pull and influence within their kingdoms, so we shouldn't write them off quickly either, even if their influence is not to the extent that the future king will have" Edelgard lectured.
"I see. Quite clever your highness" Hubert complimented with a smirk.
"Indeed. But that's not all. For the sake of convenience, let us assume that neither Claude or Dimitri were present to welcome them" Edelgard questioned, "where would that leave them?".
"With you as the only option. If you could influence all of them to join your cause, there would be no one to stop us and we certainly would no longer have need of aid from those serpents. Additionally, without a King and an Arch Duke, both the Kingdom and the Alliance will be left leaderless and vulnerable" Hubert answers.
"Indeed"
"But that would require the other two to …conveniently disappear" the retainer snickered, "perhaps I could arrange for something like that to happen"
"Somewhere down the line perhaps, Hubert" Edelgard suggested, taking her eyes off the list watch her other classmates come over, "not right now".
"Of course," he bowed swiftly.
The rest of the Black Eagles eventually made their way to Edelgard and Hubert, surrounding them. "So, Edie. Is there any particular reason why you wanted us all to meet up on a weekend?" a girl with chestnut hair with emerald eyes spoke up. She wore a hat along with several jewelries that made her stand out.
"I do. I have some news from the Archbishop that I have been instructed to share" Edelgard said.
"New? Ah! Does it pertain to the meeting you were called for along with Prince Dimitri and Claude?" a man with well groomed, bright marmalade hair asked.
"Wait? That's the one!? Well let's hear it!" a shorter boy with light blue hair spoke up. Loud enough, as a matter of fact, that it caused Edelgard to wince in annoyance. "Caspar, control your volume" she scolded.
"Oops, sorry" he apologized, if a bit boisterous in his tone.
"Anyways" Edelgard said, regaining her composure, "I 'am here to let everyone know that the Prince and Princess of Askr as well as the two Princesses of Nifl will be coming over from their lands to study with us at the academy".
Everyone let out a collective gasp as they received the news. "I know of Askr. But Nifl…. I feel like I've heard that name before but I can't quite put my finger on it" a boy with dark green hair lazily answered.
"Do not worry, Lindhart. I' am having answers for you" a girl with purple hair and tan skin replied. "Back in Brigid, we were hearing stories of a place so cold that the people have skin as cold as snow. They were said to be on the land called Zenith to the south".
"That is correct Petra!" the noble with the well-groomed orange hair spoke. "Thank you, Ferdinand," Petra reciprocated.
"You are most welcome. As a matter of fact, our Empire has been allies of the Holy Kingdom of Askr for centuries, having been engaged in routine trade with us. With the Prince and Princess of Askr and the Princesses of Nifl by our side, things will surely look even more favorably upon us" Ferdinand continued.
"So that's what all the fuss was about. For once, I can't help but find myself agreeing with you Ferdie." Dorothea said.
"Anyways, as guests on Fodlan soil, it is our duty to ensure that they feel welcomed and that they get a good impression of us" Edelgard said.
"That will not be a problem. My responsibility as a noble demand that I watch over our esteemed friends from across the ocean and provide them with hospitality befitting of their stature" Ferdinand ranted on.
"I get the feeling that your hospitality will only make them swim back to where they came from, Ferdinand" Dorothea argued.
"W-well, that is simply not true. It would be unbecoming of me as a noble to fail our foreign guests" the noble faltered.
"Regardless, I ask that you all behave yourselves and avoid causing a diplomatic incident. Our actions here will reflect on the empire as a whole and it may very well affect our relations with them in the future. So, keep that in mind."
All of them nodded and spoke in agreement in some form or the other. All except for, "Bernadetta?" Edelgard asked as she looked under the table.
"Ahhh!" screamed a small girl with messy violet hair. "S-sorry, don't surprise me like that Edelgard" she snickered.
"Forgive me for startling you, Bernadetta. But I need to make sure you heard everything I said" Edelgard reassured her calmly.
"Y-yeah, I did" Bernie replied.
"And?"
"As long as I d-don't have to share my room, then I don't mind. I-I'll just sit in the corner and hide when the come" she nervously replied.
Edelgard simply sighed with relief at her answer," that is good enough for now. But try not to do anything that might scare them off, alright?".
"I- I won't. I-I mean, Bernie will try not to"
"Adequate" the Adrestian heiress acknowledged with a smile.
"So, is that all? Or is there something else you need to tell us?" Caspar enthusiastically asked.
"I hope this is it. I want to go back to sleep" Lindhart added with a yawn.
"Not quite" Edelgard said, an audible groan coming from Lindhart, "the church has also given me a list of names of the royals and their retainers. I've been asked to share this with you in the hopes that you may better prepare yourselves when you eventually meet them"
"Very well, Edie. Let's hear it" Dorothea addressed.
"First on our list is Prince Alfonse König. Eldest child of King Gustav and Queen Henriette König and sole heir to the throne of Askr. He is said to be a capable warrior and an intelligent leader"
"With such qualities, it seems he has all the tools needed to become a fine addition to the Black Eagles house" Ferdinand pointed out.
"Agreed" Edelgard said.
"The next person on our list is Princess Sharena König. As the youngest child, it seems she has no inheritance to speak of. The transcript says that despite this, she is training to become a soldier in their military order"
"Poor girl. She reminds me of Caspar in some ways. Still, it does seem that she is trying to make the best of it" Dorothea pondered.
"I 'am in agreement with Dorothea. This Sharena seems much like Caspar" Petra added.
"Really? W-well, I guess that's not so bad. It just means she and I gotta prove ourselves harder" Caspar said with a look of determination.
"The third person on this list is Kiran Eclat, a tactician in training and advisor to Alfonse and Sharena. It says here that he was born a commoner and worked his way up through their Order of Heroes, supposedly a body that takes in their kingdoms best and brightest. This Kiran is said to be brilliant tactician and extremely intelligent".
"Words and expectations often ring hollow in the face of reality" Hubert claimed.
"True, but he does intrigue me. I think I'll look into him, when I feel like it" Lindhart added.
"So, he's a commoner who's clawing his way up to the top, huh. I'll give it to the kid; he's got a big chip on his shoulder" Dorothea addressed.
"Next is Anna, another commoner and officer in training. Nothing remarkable to speak of, though it does seem that she has a budding talent in business enterprise and helps in many of the funding for their Order of Heroes. If that is of any interest to you all"
"I'll say! Such talent for earning coin is remarkable, especially for a commoner" Ferdinand exclaimed. Though it only caused Dorothea to stare at him with a menacing glare as Ferdinand started choking in nervousness. "Are you implying that us commoners are incapable of earning coin the way you nobles can?" she pointed out.
"A-ah n-no! I-I didn't mean it like that. I was merely stating that – "
"Please Ferdie, you really should give commoners more credit than they deserve" Dorothea sneered. At this rate, Ferdinand could only whine in defeat.
"That's enough, from the both of you" Edelgard ordered, "now that we've covered everyone from Askr, I will move on to the ones from Nifl"
"The Kingdom of Ice" Hubert added.
"Is it having truth then? That the kingdom is made of ice?" Petra asked.
"Petra dear, I believe that it's simply an exaggeration and that their land is simply cold, therefore compared to a land of ice. A figure of speech" Dorothea answered.
"I see. I 'am having understanding" Petra stated.
"Regardless of the exact nature of this rumor, the first person on this list is Princess Fjorm Gwyn Claudius, third child of the Nifl siblings and younger sister of King Hrid Sieger, the current ruler of Nifl. It is said that her mother actually hailed from a noble house in Faerghus before leaving for Nifl to become one of the former Kings' many consorts. To my knowledge, she has no claim to the throne, though I suspect that she will have to take over should her brother perish."
"Hmm, I bet she's so used to living in the cold, I wonder what it'll be like for her to stay someplace warmer" Caspar said.
"She'll probably get used to the warmth or just find some old place to hide in like Bernadetta" Lindhart answered, earning Bernadettas' attention in the process.
"I-if that's the cases. She's going to have to find another place to hide. I- I can't share mine" she warned.
"Duly noted" Edelgard nonchalantly agreed, before continued, "and the last person on this list is Princess Ylgr Hrim, youngest of the Niflese royalty. Since she's far too young, she's exempted from studying with us but the church has made arrangements for a private tutor for her anyways as a personal request from King Hrid. Additionally, they have asked us for anyone willing to volunteer to be her guardian should she join our house"
"Is it just me or does anyone of you find it strange that each of them has different maiden names" Dorothea pointed.
"On the contrary Dorothea, it is quite normal for a ruler to have a queen along with several mistresses in order to produce many offspring" Ferdinand answered, as Edelgard rubbed her hands in discomfort.
"Oh, great! Babysitting" Caspar grumbled, crossing his arms.
"Is a mere child going to be that much trouble for you?" Edelgard asked, challenging in her tone.
"W-what! No! Nothing's gonna get past me" Caspar answered.
"Worry not Caspar. If you cannot handle a child, then I will dutifully perform that part to the fullest. No child shall be too much trouble for Ferdinand Von Aegir!" he boasted. The group collective groaned and laughed at the same time at his boasting.
"Ferdie, looking after a child is one thing. Looking after a Princess is another matter entirely. I doubt you could handle it" Dorothea argued.
"Nonsense. A simple child should be of no concern for me" Ferdinand defended.
Dorothea simply sighed and shook her head, "You have no idea of the levels of energy and curiosity that girls have at a young age. This requires someone with experience. Like me".
"I'm glad to see at least two volunteers willing to take this task, should it happen at least. Still, do try to be cautious; you are both dealing with a princess" the Adrestian heiress instructed.
"Of course," Ferdinand answered.
"I'll do my best, Edie" said Dorothea.
Edelgard looked at all the faces in her group and couldn't help but wonder if they could actually hold it together for the entire plan to work. If they do manage to earn the interest of any of the arriving royals, it would do wonders for their house, and better still, if they somehow got all of them to join the Black Eagles house. Such thoughts filled her with excitement at the prospect of a golden opportunity to impart her vision of Fodlan. Still, it was a long way off and she knew that for now, she had to work on what she could at the present.
1179 – Lone Moon – Blue Lions
Waiting patiently in the classroom, Dmitri paced back and forth in anticipation for the arrival of Dedue as well as the rest of the Blue Lions. In the meantime, he thought deep and hard on the arrival of these foreign royals and what it would mean for the future of Faerghus. Unlike Adrestia, trade between Zenith and Faerghus has been much more difficult and slower due to the location of Faerghus to the north rather than in the south, meaning it was much farther away from the continent. Additionally, it was difficult to come to an agreement on which resources would be appropriate for trade as their main request for grain and other food supplies were near impossible to barter on account of how Faerghus itself was struggling with producing decent harvest. Eventually, Rufus the regent king along with Rodrigue, head of house Fraldarius managed to negotiate with them for substitute items such as raw iron, metal and coal. Still, the current state of the Kingdom was in shambles, plagued with political decline, civil strife and hardships, so if he could earn the trust of anyone of these foreign royals and eventually get on their good side, it would have strong implications for the future of his Kingdom during his eventual reign, with significant gain in both supplies and allies. This was definitely a golden opportunity here provided he knew the right moves to make and the right words to say and a chance like this rarely came by.
"Your Highness" Dedue called out. Dimitri snapped out of his thoughts and turned to face the Duscur native. He was a tall, intimidating, broad shouldered man with dark skin and white hair. "Dedue!' the prince said.
"I have brought everyone here as requested" he replied in quiet tone.
"Thank you Dedue"
A large cast of colorful people came forward and gathered around the Prince of Faerghus. "You called for us, your Highness. Is there something you need of us?" a boy with silver hair and freckles dotted all over his face was the first one to speak up.
"I do, Ashe" Dimitri said.
"Hmph, then it better be an important request, boar" Felix complained, with a scowl on his face.
"It is" Dimitri scoffed," The Kingdoms of Askr and Nifl are sending their future heirs here to learn at the Academy as part of their ongoing diplomatic mission to strengthen their ties with ruling powers of Fódlan. We have been instructed to assist and watch over them as they adjust to their new life here in Garreg Mach."
"Oh, that is wonderful news! I'll do my best to make them feel right at home" a woman with rose like hair said with a gentle smile.
"I'm sure you will, Mercedes. And I hope everyone else will do the same and treat our guests with the respect they deserve. Especially you Sylvain" Dimitri advised, staring at the boy with bright red hair.
"Hey now! Don't jump on me like that your Highness" Sylvain defended, "you can't blame me for getting excited over the prospect of meeting more cute girls, especially when they're exotic imports. I mean, haven't you heard? They said that the second Princess of Nifl is woman of unbelievable beauty! With stories like that, I can't help but get excited. I mean, …she is coming over right?".
"She is. And that is exactly why I need you to behave yourself. The last thing we need is for your philandering ways to accidentally ruin a very fragile relationship between us and them. It's no secret that Askr and Faerghus haven't been on the best of terms for a long time, which is why I'd rather not risk leaving anything to topple this fragile beginning" the Prince warned.
"You wound me, your Highness! I would never stoop so low"
Felix grumbled at the sight of Sylvain ranting, "words that ring hollow in the face of a skirt chaser".
"My advice goes for you as well Felix" Dimitri added.
"I have no interest in the affairs of foreigners. So long as they bring decent warriors here willing to test their blade against mine, I will keep to myself" this was the closest thing to a reassurance that Dimitri was ever going to get from Felix.
"That is all I ask" Dimitri said.
"Don't worry your Highness, I'll make sure these two behaves themselves" said a girl with long blonde hair.
"Thank you, Ingrid," Dimitri said before continuing, "now before we disperse, there is one more thing that I have been instructed to do. I will read out the list of names of the royals who are coming here along with their retainers as well as some minor details so you all can get a better understanding of who they are"
"Alright!" cheered a girl who was standing next to Mercedes. She was shorter than her and had bright orange hair, "let's hear it, your Highness".
"Of course, Annette" Dimitri cleared his throat before continuing, "We will begin with Prince Alfonse König, Regent Prince of Askr and heir to their Throne. Eldest child of King Gustav and Queen Henriette König, it's said that he is a skilled warrior and an observant leader of their military order."
"A skilled warrior, you say", Dimitri rolled his eyes when he heard Felix speak. Part of him knew he was going to take an interest when he heard the "skilled" and "warrior". "Yes, but please try to use some tact if you're planning to challenge a future king to a duel" the prince sighed.
"After him, is Princess Sharena König. Only daughter and youngest child of the Askran royalty, she has no claim to the throne it seems but she is said to be training to become a knight in their Order of Heroes, so it looks like she is a strong warrior in her own right. Though the transcript does not mention her possessing wits anywhere near her brothers' however".
"So, because she can't rule her kingdom like her brother can, she's working to become a knight to carve her own path. I respect that" Ingrid observed.
"Looks like she's got more brawns and beauty than brains. Well, I hope the beauty part is at least true" Sylvain teased, only to get a quick jab at his right arm, lending to an audible "OW!".
"As for their retainers, the first one here is someone named Kiran Eclat. It says here that he was born a commoner before he was recruited into their Order of Heroes. It seems he serves as their tactician and advisor to both Alfonse and Sharena. Supposedly, he has a gift for strategic brilliance and possess an uncanny intelligence."
"From lowly commoner to advisor to the future King and Queen, his story reminds me of some of the heroes I read in the books. I can't quite remember the name, but as a fellow commoner, I' am proud of him all the same" Ashe commended.
"He must've worked himself to the bone just to get to where he is. If he is as smart as they say he is, I hope he joins our class so we can compare notes" Annette commented.
"I hope so too" Dimitri added, "anyways, the second retainer is another commoner named Anna. She is an officer in training and it seems she also works to fund their Order of Heroes. Her skills as a soldier seem to be decent enough though the transcript warns that she can be a miser when it comes to gold."
"G-good to know, ehehehe" Ashe nervously laughed. A gold hoarder and a haggler weren't exactly going to be best of friends, so he just had to hope she would choose another house.
"Now that we're done with Askr, we can move on to Nifl"
"Finally!" Sylvain said loudly.
"Indeed" Dimitri sarcastically noted, "We will begin with Princess Fjorm Gwyn Claudius, third child of the Niflese royalty and younger sister to Hrid Sieger, the current King of Nifl"
"Wait, did you say Claudius? As in THE House Claudius? The house of the crippled?" Ingrid asked.
"The very same. Though I would prefer it if you did not say it out loud in front of Princess Fjorm" Dimitri affirmed as everyone nearly gasped at the response. "I understand, your highness" Ingrid acknowledged, "but I'm still curious. Isn't that house supposed to be extinct by now?"
"It is. During my fathers' reign, Leah Mallory Claudius, only surviving member of that house left in a self-imposed exile to Zenith where she supposedly became one of the many consorts of the King of Nifl. Princess Fjorms' maiden name possibly confirms that rumor"
"And?" Sylvain asked.
"And what?" Dimitri repeated.
"Does it say anything else about her? How she looks? Can she fight? Is she as cute as they say she is?"
Dimitri pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He knew some of them would prove to be troublesome and despite knowing Sylvain for most of his life, he was still a headache to deal with. "There is nothing else about her. You will have to find out for yourself. We all do".
"I know, but the anticipation is just killing me!" Sylvain groaned is disappointment.
"Moving on, the final person on this list is little Ylgr Hrim, youngest of the Niflese royals. She won't be studying with us here on account of her being too young but she is granted permission to accompany her sister Fjorm to Garreg Mach and a private tutor has been arranged for her at the request of King Hrid. Also, should she join our house, they're looking for volunteers to keep watch over her. If anyone here is proficient in the art of looking after a child with boundless energy, please raise your hand up"
All of them stood silently as most kept their hands down, even the calm and collected Dedue was reluctant to raise his, but did so anyways " I' am not certain if I can keep watch over a young child, but if that is your wish, then I will do so without question".
"Dedue if you are unsure about this, then you don't have to do this. Besides, you are not the only one who thinks so" Dimitri addressed.
"Well, I'm used to taking care of my younger siblings, so I believe I can do it if you want me to" Ashe offered, "though I'm not sure how to go about it with a princess"
"Thank you for the offer Ashe. Though if you are unsure about this as well, then do not risk it. Still, I'd be more than happy to have you fill in as substitute"
Mercedes however, confidently raised her hand up. "I can do it Dimitri. I'd be more than happy to look after Princess Ylgr if the needed arises. Maybe even treat her to some of my sweets".
"That's a great idea!" Annette spoke up, "Mercies' sweets are the best. She'll love it"
"Thank you, Mercedes. You've done more than enough to put my mind at ease" Dimitri heaved a sigh of relief, just glad that he had two (or three, counting Dedue) volunteers to deal with the potential nightmare of looking after a child.
"Will that be all your Highness" Dedue asked.
"Yes. I apologize to everyone for taking your time on a weekend. This meeting is officially over" the prince announced as everyone nodded and dispersed at their own pace, with the exception of Dedue who stayed behind with Dimitri.
"Is something troubling you, Highness?" Dedue asked, watching his liege who was pondering intensely. "Nothing at all, Dedue" Dimitri answered, "I was merely in deep thought. Thinking about the ramifications this alliance could have for the future of Faerghus if we were to get into the good graces of either Kingdom"
"I see. Is there anyone in particular you have in mind?" the Duscur native asked again.
"Not at the moment. I'll have to see where this goes but for now, I pray to the Goddess that our classmates don't do anything that could ruin this"
"I will keep watch over them to make sure they don't do anything that might jeopardize your plans" Dedue offered.
Dimitri looked at him and nodded with a smile. " Thank you Dedue".
1179 – Lone Moon – Golden Deer
"Ugh, you're the worst Claude! Making me do all this on a weekend" a girl with bright pink twin tail hair complained as she stormed into the Golden Deer classroom. Others followed in her wake as they gathered near Claude.
"Whoa, relax Hilda. I know you love your afternoon strolling and napping, so I wouldn't have asked you to do this if it weren't important" Claude mused.
"I guess so" Hilda accepted his justification, "but you'd better make it up to me later".
"Alright, alright"
Claude diverted his gaze towards the other students who had gathered near him. "So, what is this 'important message' that you needed to tell us. It had better not be one of your ridiculous schemes again" a man with lavender colored helmet shaped hair chided.
"Don't worry Lorenz, this one's straight from the Archbishop herself, so unfortunately no schemes from me this time" Claude stated. "Unfortunately, he says. Very well then, continue" Lorenz conceded while still eyeing Claude with suspicion.
"Wait, does it have something to do with that meeting you were called for this morning along with Edelgard and Dimitri?" a girl with a short orange hair asked.
"Right on point Leonie" Claude affirmed, "In fact, they've asked me to tell you all what happened there. But first, I wanna ask you all a question: what do you know of Zenith?"
"W-well, it's a land far down south of Fodlan, ruled by three Kingdoms and one Empire. The Kingdom of Askr is on good terms with the Adrestian Empire and regularly trades with them. Though not too long ago, Askr and Nifl have begun trading with us" said one of the students. He was short in stature, with a neatly cut green hair and round spectacles.
"Wow, you sure know a lot, Ignatz!" a large man that towered over Ignatz spoke up. Lorenz looked at him as if he was a giant toddler whose hand needed to be held. "This is common knowledge Raphael. You really must learn to keep up with the times" he boastfully chided.
"Does this question have a purpose Claude!?" a girl with long white hair complained. Her pale skin matched her white hair which only helped to make her pink eyes stand out even more.
Claude let out a smile as he winked, "oh Lysithea. Have patience, my little tiny bundle of dark magic. This is a tall order so I need time to get to the main point".
Lysithea snarled as she glared at him, while Claude simply ignored it for the time being and continued, "like Ignatz said, there are four powers that rule Zenith. Now apparently, not too long ago two of their Kingdoms, Askr and Nifl sent a letter of request to Rhea asking her to let some of their prince and princesses' study here. She's accepted it and now they're on their way here."
Everyone let out a collective gasp as they received the news. "I-I mean, not RIGHT now! They're still a long way off so we've got a week or two to get ready for them", everyone let out a sigh of relief.
"Anyways, our job is to make sure they're comfortable and cozy once they get there, since they'll be joining one of our three houses. But let's be honest, I'm just going to dial up my charm here to make sure they all join the Golden Deer" Claude continued, "still, let's all try to control some of our deer shenanigans for a while. I'm sure we're all too keen on NOT starting an accidental overseas invasion on the Leicester Alliance."
"Preposterous!" Lorenz argued, "If there is anyone whom we should all be concerned about causing a diplomatic incident with foreign guests, it's you".
"Pot calling the kettle black" Claude shot back
"And what does that mean?" Lorenz sneered, putting a hand on his head in frustration, "honestly, I worry for the esteemed guests of Askr and Nifl if their first impression of a noble from Fodlan is you".
"I get the feeling that the only thing that's gonna cause all out war is the bickering between you too" Hilda chimed in.
"Touché Hilda" Claude conceded, while Lorenz grumbled in defeat.
"U-um Claude, I don't know why you called me over for this. I'll only be a burden and cause trouble for them. I'm sorry" with light blue hair and an aura of melancholy and despair, the girl timidly apologized.
"You don't have to apologize, Marianne. As house leader, I'll be handling all the diplomacy around here, so don't worry about it"
"A-alright" she quietly resigned.
"Not sure exactly what I'm supposed to do" Leonie pondered, "sometimes, I can't even make out half of what these castle dwellers think. But I'd be lying If I said I wasn't curious".
"I hope they bring some food from there. I'd love to see how they taste like" Raphael hollered.
Lorenz groaned in annoyance at the single-minded thought process of his larger classmate, "we are presented with a golden opportunity to forge a political tie with foreign nations. A prospect which the church has permitted and encouraged, making an exception to the ban on establishing contact with outsiders, potentially altering the course of the Leicester Alliance for the better and the only thing you can think about is food?"
"Yup!" the big man quickly answered.
"Sometimes, I wish you would use that simple head of yours to do something more productive. Besides the point, these people are the representatives of their respective Kingdoms, and as such, I' am certain that they are the best and brightest amongst their people. The last thing on their mind should be food" Lorenz addressed.
"Actually, I kinda agree with Leonie and Raphael here. I'm curious about them too. I bet they've got lots of adorable accessories that they'll be brining here. Hmm, lets see here, necklaces, earrings, bracelets…." Hilda droned on.
The deers continued chatting amongst themselves before Ignatz decided to bring them back to the topic at hand, "In any case, we should all be ready for when they come so nothing bad happens. Is there anything else that Lady Rhea told you Claude?"
"Well" Claude laughed a bit slamming down a small notebook with a list of names, "as a matter of fact, I do have something: a little whet your appetite before the main course"
"Is that" Hilda asked
"Yup a list of names and smalls details on the people coming over"
"And you never thought to share it with us earlier?" Lysithea inquired.
"Well, I was about to, but then the rest of you started going on and on and on…" Claude teased, earning the ire of Lorenz and Lysithea whom he paid no heed to, "well, let's start shall we. First up, is Prince Alfonse König, eldest son of King Gustav and Queen Henriette, sole heir to the throne and all round good at everything he does: The very model of a perfect prince"
Hilda let out a small laugh before speaking, "there's one word I have for someone like him: Booooooorrrrriinnng", with the exception of Lorenz and Marianne, everyone else joined in on the laugh as Hilda continue, "I mean, he sounds so squeaky clean. Where's the spice? where the excitement?"
"So, does that mean you have a thing for bad boys then?" Claude winked.
"Not really, but a little bit of style doesn't hurt".
"You may think so Hilda" Lorenz argued, "but I have great admiration and respect for nobles and royals who live up to the standards of perfection in all things. It seems Prince Alfonse is the same in that regard"
"If you say so. Anyways, next on our list Princess Sharena, Alfonse's little sister and not in line for the throne, for some reason. But hey, it looks like she's still trying to make a name for herself by training in their Order of Heroes and apparently, she's just as good as her brother when it comes to fighting. But it does look like she's stuck under her brother's shadow"
"Tough luck, I guess" Leonie commented, "but she's still trying to make something of herself instead sitting in the corner and crying, so I like that about her."
"Same here" Ignatz added.
"Maybe if she joins our house, I can help her to get more muscles so she'll be stronger than her brother!" Raphael said.
Claude smiled at the genuine kindness that came from the big man, "I'm sure she'd appreciate it Raphael. Now that we've covered the royal highnesses, we can move on to their retainers. Let's go with this guy first: Kiran Eclat, born a commoner, got noticed by their military order, serves as a tactician in training and advisor to both Alfonse and Sharena. Says here that he's pretty clever and a brilliant strategist"
"Ooohhh, looks like you've got a rival in a battle of wits Claude" Hilda teased with a coy wink.
Claude took it in stride and reciprocated with a wink of his own, "I'll say. Though I'd prefer it if he were my ally. After all, two heads are better than one."
"I sincerely hope this tactician does not turn out to be another Claude" Lorenz whined.
"Now, now, don't worry. There's only one of me and there's plenty of Claude to share" the Reigan noble teased, "besides, he's a commoner who worked his way to the top with his brains. What's not to love about it?"
"If he is as smart as they say he is, I hope he has some valuable knowledge to share" Lysithea commented.
"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here. We really haven't seen them in action yet so it's too soon to judge" Claude advised, " moving on from Kiran, we've got Anna: another commoner, officer in training blah, blah, blah…hmm, this is interesting; besides helping fund their Order of Heroes, it looks like she's a huge miser, has a big money fetish that is. Seems like she loves money more than she loves herself".
"Well, at least she has her priorities straight" Hilda sighed.
"I'll second that that" Leonie added, "then again, I don't really think I have too much room to say all this considering my dream is to be sellsword and pay back the debt I owe".
"Now that we've got Askr out of the way, we can now move on to Nifl, the Kingdom of Ice"
"Nifl huh" Hilda said, "is it true what they say about their blood being as cold as ice?"
"Blood of ice?" Ignatz asked.
"Yeah. I heard some stories that the place is so cold that the people there have icy blood" Hilda answered.
"Well I wouldn't put too much stock into legends. Most of the time, they never turn out to be true. And like I said, let's wait for them to get here before we judge them" Claude informed.
"I supposed you're right" Hilda admitted.
"Alright then, we'll go with Princess Fjorm first. Third child of the Niflese siblings, King Hrid's younger sister and if the stories are true, she's apparently a daughter of a former Faerghus noble and quite the catch too" Claude rested his arms behind his has, with a teasing smirk as he did so.
"Oh, if that is the case, then I'd best prepare myself to be as presentable as possible. After all, a beauty like her deserves only the finest in Fodlan nobility", nearly everyone rolled their eyes hearing that from the mouth of Lorenz.
"Right, I'm going to pretend I never heard that. Moving on…. It looks like the last person on this list is the youngest of them all. Fjorms' little sister, and fourth child of the Niflese royalty, baby Ylgr. Looks like you won't be all alone anymore Lysi- "
"Don't even think about it" Lysithea shot a menacing glare at Claude, who took it seriously this time.
"O-okay, just don't turn me into dust right now" he pleaded, "anyways, she's still too young to study with us but it looks like they'll arrange private tutors just for her as requested by her brother, King Hrid. That being said, it looks like they still want volunteers from our house to babysit her if she chooses to stick with us. Anyone interested?"
"I really don't know the first thing about babysitting. Sorry Claude" Leonie declined.
"Admittedly, this is not one of my areas of expertise" Lorenz sighed in defeat.
"Same here" Lysithea and Ignatz spoke in unison, taking each other by surprise.
"I'm sorry Claude, but I'll only make it worse if I said yes" Marianne kept her gaze downward as she said so.
"I could try" Hilda offered, giving a ray of hope for Claude, "but I don't know what she wants or likes. And looking after a princess seems like a lot of hard work"
"Oh, come on Hilda" Claude exasperated, slightly frustrated at the answers he was getting.
"I can do it!" Raphael spoke up, getting everyone's attention, "I have a little sister back home and I used to take of her all the time, so it shouldn't be a problem for me. I'm used to kids"
"That's all well and good Ralph but how do you know she's going to act just like your sister. She IS a princess from place we barely know of" Hilda pointed out.
"Please don't jinx it Hilda" Claude whined, "I'll take what I can get. Hopefully, she won't be too much trouble for Raphael or the rest of us"
"Anyways, that about wraps it up for this meeting" Claude continued, "sorry to waste some of your weekend time and I know it's a lot to take in, but hopefully we'll be more than ready when the time comes."
"Naturally. My noble charms will be more than sufficient enough to win them over to our house" Lorenz bragged.
"Or send them running to the other houses" Leonie joked.
"Preposterous. That is unlikely to ever happen" Lorenz argued back, completely missing the joke as the two entered into a back and forth war of words, before others eventually joined in as Claude watched it all from a distance. At times like these, he couldn't help but wonder if these constant bickering with each other would be the undoing of the Golden Deer, compared to the unified front that the Black Eagles and Blue Lions displayed. Yet, at the same time, he liked it this way; it made them feel more genuine, truer to themselves and more trustworthy. Claude couldn't help but laugh at the thought of him being proud of his houses' members being what they are while he himself had secrets layered on top of each other. Still, what they see with the Golden Deer is what they would be getting, and he hoped the people of Askr and Nifl appreciated it.
"Is something the matter Claude? You're awfully quiet" Hilda approached him and questioned.
"It's nothing really" Claude answered, feigning ignorance with a smile that seemed forced.
"Right" Hilda wasn't buying it but decided to let it slide since her classmate was adamant in keeping secrets from everyone. Knowing his tendency to do things like this, she gave up trying to pry into him a long time ago.
In truth, Hilda's suspicion was correct in that Claude really was concerning himself with something. It actually had to the with the fact that the Church of Seiros, and Rhea in particular was willing to enter into negotiations with foreign nations and even willing to accept their Prince and Princesses as students here. Of course, there was the obvious political leverage and their influence in Fodlan guaranteed their control over most of it for a long time. So why would they entertain the notion of entering into friendly agreements with Zenith? They had never done this with Sreng, Duscur or Almyra, even if they had a Duscurian, a Princess of Brigid, a Dagdan and an Almyran (or two) as students or faculty members here. To his knowledge, the Church had always been adamant in warning the ruling nations against establishing contact and having relations with other nations beyond its borders. As a matter of fact, they made a rule to decree this isolating thought. Yet, they not only made an exception for Askr and Nifl, they were practically rolling out the royal carpet just for them; a stark contrast from how Fódlan usually looked upon outsiders. What made Askr and Nifl so special?
The more he thought on it, the more questions just kept piling up and his curiosity was salivating at the prospect of getting the answers. In any case, there was no use in thinking about it now and he suspected that he wouldn't get a straight answer from the church. Thus, it would seem that his answers would most definitely lie within the future students from Askr and Nifl. Now all he had to do was wait patiently for their arrival.
Note:
If you reading this at the end of story, I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I'll be sure to address them as best I can. I'm also open to suggestions and ideas as well. Once again, hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you think.