Imperial Year 1178. Under the direction of Archbishop Rhea, the Eastern Church of Fódlan'is permitted to expand its operations by way of a knightly order. As part of the agreement, a detachment of knights will assist in the defense of the Leicester Alliance's fortress: Fódlan's Locket Within the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, the Western Church remains silent at the news.

For a year after, the Broken Blade engage in further missions across Fódlan. Examining local centers of worship. Fighting against bandits and corruption; acting as a shield for the defenseless. The Broken Blade's reputation stretches across Fódlan independent of the Knights of Seiros.

Guardian Moon, Imperial Year 1179. The Broken Blade returns to Garreg Mach Monastery from a deployment in western Faerghus. Their arrival is met with dire news.

Guardian Moon, Imperial Year 1179

"Greetings, Captain!" The gatekeeper's voice was cheery as usual. "Plenty to report today!" Even at matters when it shouldn't be.

Knights and monks nearby were whispering in groups. Jittery and nervous. "What happened while we were away?" With the rest of the Broken Blade busy entertaining themselves in town it was just Byleth and him for now.

"I've got two pieces of good news, and one terrible."

Naturally. "Let's start with the good."

"First: old Tomas the librarian has returned from Ordelia territory in the Alliance."

Thank the goddess. His replacement was startlingly incompetent. "The second?"

"We've finally got a new combat instructor assigned. Jertiza von Hrym from the Empire. I've seen his skills first hand - I think he'd be a tough match, even for you."

Another thing to be thankful for. But House Hrym? They were responsible for the Hrym Rebellion, which would cause the Insurrection of the Seven. Which led to Patricia and Volkhard's flight to the Kingdom. The Tragedy of Duscur. The Punishment of Duscur. The border troubles. The Dagda and Brigid War. Not a single good thing came out of that whole damn mess.

If he was good news, what was the bad? "And what's got everyone running around like someone died? Did someone die?"

The gatekeeper frowned. "One of the students was reported missing yesterday. Lady Monica von Ochs of the Empire."

Heiress to her house. "Is foul play suspected?" Ochs wasn't very wealthy after the Dagda and Brigid War ravaged their lands and killed her father, but she was still an heiress worth a fair sum.

"The initial reports are she fled of her own will. Must have been pretty skilled to make it past this gate guard!"

It was rare, but students sometimes broke under the pressure. Still, the recent years have been too unstable to just accept the idea as presented. And Guardian Moon wasn't the best month to run away in. "I'll report in to Lady Rhea. Byleth, go see what you can find out."

His son nodded without expression. "Where was she roomed?"

"I believe it was on the second floor of the dormitories," said the gatekeeper. "It should be marked."

"Any physical description?"

"She had vibrant red hair and eyes."

Byleth nodded again and wordlessly head off. Following in his son's gumption Jeralt headed up to Rhea. He didn't spend long in the audience chamber as Rhea pulled him aside into the vacant office as he gave his report.

"Thank you for your continued service, Jeralt. How fares your son?"

"Well. Another mission without a scratch on him. He's already looking into the missing Ochs girl."

"You've heard already? I appreciate your alacrity in these matters."

Jeralt nodded. "Who was her professor this year?" Really should have gotten that from the gatekeeper, now that he thought about it.

"Professor Vaike took charge of the Black Eagle House this year."

Jeralt only had two meetings with the guy but he was quite the hothead. Some kids might find him too overbearing. "We'll do our best to uncover the truth."

"Please do." Rhea crossed her fingers in prayer. "For next year may be the most important in all of Fódlan."

"What for?"

"From the Empire will arrive the Imperial princess Edelgard von Hresvelg. From the Kingdom: Crown Prince Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. And from the Alliance, the next sovereign duke, Claude von Reigan. The heirs of Fódlan's future."

Garrag Mach was going to be the most important political location in all of Fódlan. Anyone looking to damage one of the nations or the church just had to cut one of the brats and it'd be open war just like that. If the kids themselves didn't try it. Even if tensions between the Empire and Kingdom had dulled they still existed. And there was one other point to address as well. "So, Duke Reigan finally legitimized one of his nephews, did he?" Bit late to send him to the academy though.

"Claude von Reigan is the duke's grandson."

"Huh? Really?" Godfrey von Reigan died without any heirs. That meant he was the son of Godfrey's sister, Maria von Reigan, who'd long vanished from the public eye. Or some otherwise unknown bastard.

"An official investigation carried out by the Eastern Church has confirmed he possesses the Crest of Reigan."

Then that was sure to be a fascinating story of its own. "I've distracted us. My apologies."

"I will officially task you with uncovering the truth behind Monica von Ochs's disappearance. Whether by her own flight or underhanded means, seek the truth."

"We will do our utmost." Jeralt bowed, and was dismissed.

Finding the girl was far more important than fixing his growling stomach or making sure the paperwork was taken care of so he headed straight to the student dormitories on the west side and rose up to the second level. A few students were gossiping in loud whispers in the halls, and there was even a pair of knights on duty outside the room which was assuredly Monica's.

The doors to the room showed signs of forced entry. Maybe she really was kidnapped? Inside, Byleth was checking over the modest interior. Red carpet for the Black Eagles, a tucked in bed, a dresser with the bottom drawer empty and little of note on the desk. Nothing seemed to indicate a rushed exit. "Find anything?" he asked his son.

Byleth was next to the dresser, checking the empty bottom shelf. "Not yet." He knocked on wood. "But there's something here."

Jeralt moved in closer. "What do you mean?"

Byleth pushed the drawer back in, then out. "Hear that?"

"No?"

"There's an odd scratching sound when I pull it out."

Jeralt crossed his arms. "It's an old piece. Probably had a hundred people use it."

"There's no hitch on the slide." Byleth ducked under and looked under. He rolled back his shirt sleeve and reached in… and pulled out a small purse.

"A hidden coin purse, huh?" Jingling as it was withdrawn. Pretty full from the size.

"The only coin I've found."

Smaller than his hand, so it wasn't a lot of money. But if you were running, why leave any behind? "You think someone abducted her, then made her room look like she'd left of her own accord?"

"It's a possibility."

Plenty suspicious, moreso with the state of the door but... "We still don't have much to go on. Let's go check with her professor and classmates. See if she was acting stressed."

Byleth nodded and the two of them headed towards the homerooms of the three houses. It was well after regular instruction hours but Professor Vaike was still in the Black Eagle classroom. A few of his students were speaking with him, but once Jeralt and Byleth arrived he dismissed them. "Gentlemen," he said without the fire Jeralt expected. "Are you here about Monica?"

"You've got it. What can you tell us about her?"

The man sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Well, she was a sullen girl. Not quite friends with her classmates. No real rivalries, either. Kept to herself, mostly. Decent grades, but nothing standout."

Someone easy to overlook and quick to excuse if she vanished… "When was the last time you saw her?"

"Four days ago."

Four? "The gatekeeper said she was only reported missing yesterday."

"Indeed. We assumed sickness and left assignments at her room."

"No one tried to speak with her?"

"As I said, she had no real friends. The students I tasked with delivering her assignments didn't wait for a response. I delivered the papers myself yesterday and forced my way in when I didn't receive a response."

That explained the damage to the door. "Any incidents with other students?"

"None I was aware of. Though, I don't think I'm fit to answer that if one of my students ran away."

"What about a kidnapping?"

Vaike sat straighter at the idea. "I have thought it over. House Ochs hasn't been the most prosperous House since the war. Maybe any kidnappers thought they would spend money on ransom rather than rescue but…"

"There's been no note," Jeralt finished.

"Right. Her family had some old rivals back in the Empire but none of them were involved with this year's student body."

A bit of new information but nothing that got them any closer to an answer. "Well, thank you for your time, Professor. If you hear anything or have any other ideas, let us know."

"I will." The man fell back in his chair. "And… May I confide in you, Captain?"

Why did everyone? "Sure."

"I think regardless of the future of this situation, I am not fit to teach."

"What gave you that idea?"

"If she left of her own accord, I overlooked any troubled behavior. If she was taken, I could not protect my students. What right do I have to keep teaching?"

He couldn't speak against that. "If it's your decision."

"It is."

"I won't fault you. But, I would if you gave up on her."

A smile tugged at his lips. "You're an interesting man, Captain. I wish you stayed at the monastery more often."

Jeralt shrugged. "A lot of people say that."

"Then I'll not keep you any more."

Jeralt and Byleth spent the rest of daylight interviewing and investigating any lead they could possibly get. They double-checked her classmates who only repeated Vaike's testimony in their own words. The knights saw not a hair of her and the monks the same. Repeated the same by grounds staff and pilgrims and other houses' students. Even Cyril hadn't seen her and he walked the grounds more than anyone. The complete lack of evidence was suspicious in its own right. If the girl was so average a student, how had she evaded detection by highly-trained sentries and hundreds of people? While carrying luggage?

The same went for any kidnapper. Had they warped out of the common areas? Another round of questioning brought information that Monica focused on a physical skill set, so it was unlikely on her head. Warping an unwilling participant was highly dangerous. She could have hired someone to warp her away but that seemed a stretch...

Her last appearance four days prior had been on the eastern side of the grounds. Closer to the monastery staff quarters. Normally it was restricted from student visitation so Jeralt had the idea that maybe they'd overlooked something, but the section's servants hadn't seen her either.

They had so little to go on that Jeralt even checked with the returned Tomas in the library if he saw anything.

"I cannot say that I did," the vetern librarian answered. "Miss Ochs did not seem much for company from her time in the library."

"She a bookworm?"

"It seemed she preferred them over people. Much like myself." The man let out a chuckle that turned into a cough. "To think such a suspicious circumstance should occur upon my return to Garreg Mach."

It might have seemed suspicious coming from anyone else but Tomas had served half as long as Jeralt had (and with ten times the effect of aging). His loyalty and dedication were beyond reproach. Even if he wasn't, the man leaned so heavily on his cane and strained just to breathe between sentences. He simply couldn't have abducted her himself.

But it did give him another idea. On the other recent arrival.

The new combat instructor: Jeritza von Hyrm. Jeralt confronted him at the training grounds.

"Who?" Though a mask may have covered the upper half of his face the sheer boredom of his voice made his feelings clear enough.

"Monica von Ochs. The missing girl? It's why the whole monastery is on edge."

"Oh. That."

"Not very concerned, are you?"

"Is it not the knights' job to provide security? That is not what I am here for."

Man was looking more suspicious with each line. "All right, combat instructor, did you see anything suspicious regarding Monica's training here?"

"Perhaps." Jeralt waited for something else, only to grumble and give him a description of the girl. "Ah, her. No, I saw nothing. She did not care for my lessons. Like so many others."

"I see."

It all felt just a bit too suspicious for Jeralt, so he made sure to keep tabs on the guy for a while. But neither Shamir or Byleth found anything connecting him to the girl. Jeritza sometimes went into town for an evening, towards sweets shops of all things apparently, but was otherwise content with either training or standing around being unapproachable in the monastery. If he was responsible he hid it well.

Their investigation found no purchase. Days turned into a week, a week into weeks and those weeks turned into the next month.

Pegasus Moon, Imperial Year 1179

Without hope. There was nothing below in Abyss. No information on the monastery's secret passages. No word ever came from the girl returning home. She was lost and beyond their help. The investigation was eventually ruled as her running away. They'd failed. As simple as that.

Byleth kept trying, bless the kid for caring even if his face never showed it. But it was also impacting his other work. Any time he wasn't trying to desperately track down cold leads he was on the training field. Day after day it was hour after hour of defeating student, squire or knight. Even the holy knights were feeling his ire and more than once Jeralt had to force himself into combat to make sure things didn't go too far.

A lot of the time he couldn't stop it. He didn't know quite when it happened but Jeralt was the one that was struggling more in their bouts. More and more Byleth evened out the disparity between their victories in practice. And if it was this bad for him the other fighters were doomed.

He spied Byleth sparring with Alois, and crushing him utterly in hand-to-hand combat. Against Gilbert and overwhelming the man's practiced defense with speed and deft feints. Shamir's misdirections and insight proved no match for his son. Holy knights, Saint soldiers. Some of the best veterans in the church couldn't keep up with him. The only one other than Jeralt that could retain parity was Jeritza.

If he kept the pace most of the church's military was gonna end up in the infirmary.

Kid needed to get out. Do some good again. jeralt approached Seteth near the end of the month and asked for a new assignment.

Seteth looked up from the documents he was gathering on his desk. "Nothing outstanding, and certainly nothing for men of your caliber."

"Caliber isn't the point. Byleth just needs to get out and do something. Being here this long is wearing on him."

"I've received the reports of his constant dueling, but that is not so out of bounds, is it?"

"It is when the infirmary is overpacked with his opponents. You can see the line from here." Jeralt pointed it out.

Rarely was Seteth surprised but the man's eyes shot open like lightning. "Goodness. I simply thought Professor Manuela had passed out again."

"If anything she's overworked!"

"Damn straight I'm overworked!" her yell conveniently timed itself.

Seteth settled back in his chair however. "It's going to be difficult enough finding a replacement professor for next year following Professor Vaike's resignation. The church would be weakened considerably by your absence. Especially given the importance of our next host of students."

"I can leave Alois behind, he's plenty experienced with the rigors of the office by now. I just need to do what's best for my kid. You know? And with him single-handedly weakening the monastary's defenses it's better for security if he does leave." He embellished a tad.

To his surprise, Seteth nodded. "While it's a far cry from the danger you're accustomed to, there is unrest in the Ochs territory at the moment."

"Sounds perfect." If he can't help the girl, at least he can help her people.

"I take it you have yet to inform Lady Rhea of your intentions?"

"Came to you first to make sure there was something we could do."

"Prudent."

"But I think I can manage it. I think he's more likely to hurt himself here than afield." Mentally, anyway.

"Then I wish you a safe return."

Telling Rhea was going to be another ordeal. Every time he wondered if she would finally put her foot down and prevent Byleth from leaving. But after all these years she kept relenting. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe his paranoia had amounted to nothing but ruining their relationship. But it was too late to change the past.

He engaged with her in the audience chamber. Her alone standing in front of the ornate throne. "I've accepted an assignment to the Ochs territory. There's plenty of unrest and there's gonna be more with their heiress missing. A perfect place to put the Broken Blade to good use."

A slight dip of her eyes. A soft sigh of disgust. "Do you find Garreg Mach so unsightly, Jeralt? It seems you spend more time abroad than at home recently."

Home. Yes. This would always be his home. "My heart will always belong at Garreg Mach. But should we remain I fear more for my child's safety than abroad. He pursues the Ochs girl with a ferocity I've never seen before. Hones his blade on imaginary kidnappers while using real people. He needs a release, do some good for the world. Doing some good for Ochs's people might be just what he needs."

"Then shall you return another day? And leave with the moon?"

"Plenty of the knights serve abroad for time such as ours."

"It is not solely your duties I concern myself with. Your dear child's life has been so chaotic. He has seen so much death."

"We both knew that was a possibility living here."

"Were man not so fixated on violence."

Only were the Goddess return. "We'll return. We always have. We'll make sure those royal heirs get the best combat education Fódlan has to offer."

"Goddess protect you, Jeralt. Your son, and all who go with you."

Jeralt went about telling Byleth who responded with his usual stone-faced acceptance. But the tension in his shoulders eased, his hand did not grip his sword quite as hard. Little things. Important things.

With flowers set on her grave, they set out the next day. Former professor Vaike accompanied them. Broken Blade on mission again.

AN: I think I broke twenty editing passes on this chapter so hopefully it's pretty quality!

Man, it took me until writing this to realize how suspicious it is that Tomas shows back up in the same timeframe Monica gets kidnapped.

Anyway, thank you all for the Reviews, Favorites and Follows.

In order to celebrate the release of Three House's final DLC (or maybe final for DLC pack 1, hopefully) the final chapter of Broken Blade will be coming out sometime later this week! As well as the first chapter of the sequel series which will probably be called: Ashen Wake. Finally getting to Byleth's perspective. And just to preview how different that will be... The final BB chapter and first AW chapter tell the same events. BB final is 4 pages. AW1 is 15.

But also some bad news. That's it for everything I wrote back in November (barring Byleth's memories of BB events from his perspective that will show up way, way later on). So no more weekly updates for a while. I intend to get some good Cindered Shadows play in, figure out how to meld the Ashen Wolves into the story proper. Current idea is to start writing in the back half of February and try and get something posted mid-late-March. Maybe throw out another Edeleth one-shot for Valentine's Day.

See you soon. Or not because that would be kind of creepy, really.