Author's Notes: So, it looks like this will be my last update before the new game comes out. I'm not sure if I'm going to pick it up immediately or not, so I don't know what impact it will have on my release rate.

I don't know if the new game will increase traffic to this story since more people will be visiting the website or if it will trickle down to nothing since Three Houses will be old news. If you've been following this closely, you may have noticed by now that reviews are hard to come by, favorites have stalled out, and follows are actually trending down. So if you've been quietly enjoying this and following each release, dropping a review would mean a lot to me! I'll finish the story regardless, but it would definitely help boost motivation.

Anyways, please enjoy!

Chapter 38

Day 25 of the Harpstring Moon, Imperial Year 1180

"How much farther are we hiking?" Hilda complained as she trudged through an overgrown forest trail below Garreg Mach. Claude walked alongside her, barely hiding an amused grin.

"Until we get to our destination," answered Shamir, one of the Knights of Seiros, as she calmly cut a path for the group.

Hilda groaned, "Ugh… Why do we even need to come all the way out here? Didn't they build the training grounds for this exact kind of thing?"

"The training grounds are fine for working on form, but you need more variety. Too much time spent in a flat environment will dull your depth perception. It's not a realistic setting for most battles."

"Actually, I don't think I've spent enough time there for it to be a problem yet," Hilda said quietly enough for Shamir to not overhear.

Claude glanced at the people accompanying them, which included Leonie, Ignatz, Petra, Ashe, and Shamir's apprentice Cyril. The house leader observed, "Why did you even sign up for this seminar, Hilda? Did you somehow misread 'archery' as 'lethargy' while still half-asleep? Or did you hear 'slow' instead of 'bow'?"

"Seteth and even Professor Manuela got onto me yesterday for being too lazy. I thought joining this might buy me a few days of peace. But… I would have picked something else had I known it would end up like this…"

Claude was not sure how much he needed the lesson, either, but he thought it would be a good opportunity to learn more about Shamir.

His thoughts were distracted when Cyril bounded by as he tried to catch up. The boy was carrying a cumbersome set of painted wooden targets outlined like humans.

"Are you sure you don't want help with that?" Claude asked.

Shamir told him, "You're here to learn. Cyril's here to carry things for me, and maybe learn a little as a bonus."

Cyril nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the task was given to me, so I'm gonna do it. Aren't you used to people doing everything for you, anyways?"

Claude's throat began to tighten. He was once under the impression that foreigners were practically forbidden by the church, so discovering a fellow Almyran at the monastery that could expose the prince's identity at any moment had been a very unwelcome surprise. Thankfully, though, Cyril never said anything. Claude assumed Cyril was doing him a favor at first before ascertaining that the poor boy genuinely never made the connection. Had Claude's luck finally run out?

"I mean… you're like a duke's son or nephew or something, right?" Cyril clarified.

Claude hid his relief. Still just a duke. All peace and blessings be upon this oblivious child.

Shamir held up her hand to stop the students once they reached a stretch of the forest where the trees thinned out some. It was not an open area, but there was at least room to loosen arrows.

She explained, "Five red targets for hostiles. Three green targets for innocents. Cyril will set up the targets in the distance while I blindfold you. When the blindfold is removed, your orders are to eliminate the hostiles. You'll be given six arrows. Don't miss."

Claude was selected to go first. "Sorry if I set the bar too high," he apologized. He then turned to Shamir and asked, "Shouldn't I be spun around or something so I don't know which way I'm facing to start?"

Shamir looked indifferent, but Leonie enthusiastically volunteered, "Oh, we get to see dizzy Claude! Let me do it, please!"

No one interrupted, so after blindfolding him, Leonie spun Claude around seven times before setting him free. Her efforts were wasted energy since Claude swiftly downed all five red targets all the same. The other students were impressed, though Shamir only subtly nodded.

Petra and Leonie went afterwards, who both performed respectably, though not quite as fast as Claude. Hilda took her time eliminating three hostiles before running out of arrows. Shamir gave a few tips but chose not to chastise Hilda too much in consideration that the girl obviously did not belong there in the first place.

Normalcy was restored when Ignatz went next. He joked, "I'm not sure we need to use the blindfold when I can just take my glasses off," before downing all five targets, his only misstep being one shot that nicked a tree.

That left only Ashe. He started strong, but after knocking down four targets in four shots, he abruptly hesitated on the fifth. Shamir had instructed Cyril to position one of the red targets just behind a green one.

Her plan had the intended effect. She asked calmly, "What's the issue, Ashe?"

"What's the issue?" Ashe repeated in frustration. "The shot is too dangerous! I'm just as likely to hit the green target as the red one."

"They've been taken hostage, so they're dead either way if the hostile lives. Besides, I said your orders were to eliminate the hostiles, not save the innocents."

Ashe lowered his bow. "You can't be serious! My professor would never approve of such a lesson."

"Hanneman is a scholar, not a knight. Don't take his word on everything outside his expertise."

"Yes, you're a knight, Shamir! I-I know you're from Dagda, but at least here, that title carries certain expectations. That includes not endangering innocent lives. Isn't that right, everyone?"

Ashe did not find as much support as he expected. Ignatz probably agreed, but he was too scared to speak up. Hilda was also uninterested in dipping into the debate, while Claude was too interested in seeing how it would play out to interrupt.

Petra dissented, "Our instructor is correct. You must be taking the shot. Just do not be missing."

"I mean, you can't hesitate like that," Leonie added. "If you aren't ready for any situation, you're not going to last very long out there."

Ashe was despondent for the rest of the training, but he gave up on resistance going forward.

During the walk back to the monastery, Hilda whispered to Claude, "So… what was that all about? Does Shamir really not care about innocents dying, or was she just trying to train Ashe not to panic?"

Claude shrugged. "It's not the first option, though I agree that the second is definitely part of it. But I think there's more to it than that. She wants us to understand the importance of seeing the mission through, and that sometimes means reconciling ourselves with the consequences. With rumors of trouble in Gaspard territory, I don't think it's a coincidence that she selected Ashe. He failed the test."

Hilda was unnerved, and she pityingly gazed over to where Ashe was walking forlorn with downcast eyes. She joined him and started a chat, leaving Claude to finish the rest of the hike alone.

Souls on the Scale - Day 3 of the Harpstring Moon, Year 1187 (Fódlan Calendar)

Khalid was slow to stir awake from his dreams that morning up until the moment he registered the intensity of light penetrating the fabric of his tent. He immediately jumped up in annoyance upon that realization. Just how late had he slept? He had in truth been sleeping rather poorly, and it apparently had finally caught up with him.

He hid any of that frustration, though, as he dressed and stepped outside. The army was camped in an airy fir forest in the hills of Meteora. His two female retainers were sitting together nearby on a large boulder. Marianne was diligently writing something while Ariella practiced shatranj strategies. Ariella looked up when Khalid approached.

"There's the prince!" she greeted. "Long meditation session this morning, or were you having sweet dreams?"

"Heh! I have a personal tent for the privacy, you know. Wouldn't be much point if I shared with you all the secrets within, would it?"

Ariella extended a bowl of berries and wild herbs that they were snacking on, so Khalid took a seat next to them.

"Have you seen Farjad today?" Khalid asked.

Ariella replied, "He's still got a stomach thing going on. Poor guy. A few more people are sick this morning, so something is still going around camp. We probably shouldn't eat after each other."

They both looked at the bowl of food suspiciously but ultimately decided to ignore their worries. As he chewed on a strawberry, Khalid glanced over to where Marianne continued to write uninterrupted.

"What's that you're working on, Marianne?" he asked when curiosity got the better of him.

She finally looked up and answered, "It's, umm… a letter. For Felicitas al-Amin."

"Oh. I see," Khalid uttered simply.

He did not feel comfortable pressing the subject further. However, Marianne continued, "I plan to visit her when we return to Istakhr, but she shouldn't have to wait that long. I know she's already heard about Anthony's death by now, but she deserves more than a standardized letter of condolences and tales of the terrible way it happened." She drew two other rolls of parchment out of a leather bag. "I already wrote these ones. They're for his children… for when they're old enough to understand. None of it is very good, but I felt like I had to try."

Khalid knew Marianne had a great deal of respect for Anthony, but he was still surprised to see her so invested in her work. Ariella held up a hand and asked, "I suspect you're underselling your abilities. Is it alright if I read it? I can tell you if you actually have anything to worry about."

Marianne nodded and handed over the draft. Ariella's face was difficult to interpret as she spent the next minute looking the letter over. When she was done, she turned to her friend and announced, "Marianne… this is deeply moving. Felicitas will be very thankful for it."

"You really think so?"

"I do. Khalid, take a look and tell me if you agree."

Khalid accepted the letter and read it carefully.

Dear Felicitas,

This is Marianne, writing from somewhere in Meteora called the Dadia Forest. It is beautiful place, but I find myself unable to enjoy it due to the aching of my heart. I cannot imagine how much greater the pain is for you.

I am so sorry that I was not there with Anthony when he needed my help. He was there for me at my lowest hour, and I was unable to do the same for him. I know we have discussed the battle during the Siege of Astane when Anthony saved my life, but I speak of more than that. There were times during that campaign that I felt near a breaking point. I had spent years hiding from society, and I was only brought back by the beckoning of my friends. During that time in Shomal, though, my friends were far away. I was an insecure foreigner in a war I did not understand, feeling in some ways lonelier than ever.

But Anthony was there. He was calm and humble, but also empathetic and accepting. Even when I feared being judged by others, I knew I could trust in Anthony to provide encouragement. He helped me learn how to live again without needing to rely on my old friends to carry me through each day.

Anthony once told me that he was afraid he was not making a difference, and I am sure he shared his apprehensions with you as well. I can tell you this much- he made an impact in my life. It was a quiet contribution, one that some people will not understand. Knowing him, though, I think he would find that to be enough. In a way, I believe his mission lives on through me and every life he touched. My magic cannot bring Anthony back, but I hope it helps build the better, kinder world he dreamed of. I know he reached more people than just me, and I pray we will get to learn more of those stories in the coming months.

Khalid was not easily moved on a deeper level, but he felt his eyes begin to water as he finished the draft. And to think that she still had more to say!

He carefully returned the letter to its nervous author. He then cleared his throat and declared, "You want to know the truth, Marianne? Margrave Edmund once told me that he was certain you'd make an outstanding orator one day. I didn't really see it back then, but I'm beginning to understand him now. You really have a natural way for words that you can express with the quill. And with some training, you could be truly great, even in speech. I think this letter is beautiful, Marianne."

Marianne blushed gratefully. "I don't know about all of that, but… thank you both."

"And if you're ever struggling with your emotions, either about what happened the other day or anything else, remember that you can always talk to us," Ariella reminded.

"I-I know. I really appreciate you both. And Dimitri, too."

Khalid was by this time watching his brother trudge up the hill towards them. He had noticed some wyverns landing in that direction a few minutes earlier, so he was fairly certain what this visit was about.

"The scouts just returned. We're about to hold council at the command post," James illuminated once all eyes were on him.

"Thanks, James. I'll be there in a minute," Khalid replied.

The "scouts" referred to the redesignated group of wyvern messengers that Nousha had sent over during the battle. Their highest-ranking officer, Sarina, was assigned as commander of the scouts until the rest of the wyvern corps returned from Saba.

Khalid hopped off the boulder while his brother went on ahead. It was the perfect moment to push some boundaries.

He asked, "Hey, Marianne… I hate to interrupt you, but would I be overreaching if I asked you to join us?"

Marianne's body froze. "W-wait, what? But I'm-."

"From Fódlan? Debilitatingly shy? Don't worry; it's fine. We've lost so many generals lately that anyone with an official military education ought to be welcome in the discussions. Not to mention that our mages are becoming an increasingly critical component of this army, and we still don't have a proper representative for them."

"Umm…. Okay. If you think so," Marianne relented as she rolled up her draft, placed it in her bag, and handed it all to Ariella for safekeeping.

"Am I so unworthy of an invite, Khalid?" Ariella pouted, her poorly hidden smile ruining the effect.

"All in good time! Everyone knows the story of you helping save the army during the Tabarzin campaign. I could probably sneak you in on those grounds, but I don't want to push my luck all at once. When did you get so ambitious, anyways? This is the first time you've levied a complaint about it."

"I don't know… I guess once I became the only one left out. Ha! Well, it's fine, but I still expect you to tell me all about it!"

"That's a promise," Khalid said with a wink. "Let's get going, Marianne. My mother isn't known for her patience."

They never discussed it outright, but Ariella surely knew why he chose to prioritize Marianne first- granting more privileges to someone from Fódlan was the bolder political move. Conveniently, no one in the council even questioned Marianne's presence when they entered the tent. It was a small crowd- his mother and brother, Demetrius, Senusret, Kamran, and Sarina. Queen Tiana chose to let Demetrius lead the meeting, though it was not clear if this was a sign of trust or if she simply saw an opportunity to evaluate his abilities.

"This latest report confirms what the previous observations suggested," Demetrius began. "As difficult as it is to believe, their army really has split in two, with most of them returning to Metanoiapolis. This smaller contingent is presumably trying to stall for time. We don't see any personal standards of the royal family among this group. It could be another ploy, but if not, then both Justinian and Aurelian have gone home. I don't see a ploy of that kind accomplishing much, so I'm inclined to believe them."

"In that case, who would be the commander?" Senusret asked.

"General Narses is their most senior officer after Aurelian. I'm confident that he was chosen for the job. Aurelian does not like to break hierarchy." Demetrius placed his finger on a map, doing his best to keep it steady. "Narses set up camp in this little valley here. Can you describe it, Sarina?"

The lead scout explicated, "The best analogy for the shape would be a bowl with a slice in it. It's mostly surrounded by mountain ridges with a single outlet through a meandering gorge. The valley was created by a waterfall that drains out at the only accessible point. It's easily defendable, and the large plunge pool is a constant supply of fresh water."

Demetrius told them, "We'll have to march in proximity of their camp to take the direct route to Metanoiapolis. We could detour, but that would likely give Aurelian time to finish up whatever they're doing there. Our initiative would be squandered."

"I assume they picked a defendable position in case we mounted a surprise attack. It won't affect us that much since they'll have to come out and battle us on fairer terrain if we try to bypass them," Tiana reasoned. "Still, I didn't expect them to let us get that close to Metanoiapolis before making their stand. Just how many soldiers do they have available?"

Sarina passed out reports detailing her team's estimates.

"It would be incredible if we could pin Aurelian inside the capital's walls, and I don't think Narses has enough soldiers to believably box us in at the siege. He does have enough to slow us down with a battle, though," Senusret concluded after reading it over.

"We might have thought differently if we hadn't wasted so many lives at the Pinnacula," James groaned, still upset with his own role in the disaster.

Conversely, Khalid was ready to move on. He asked Sarina, "The mountains around the valley… are they climbable?"

Sarina shook her head. "Not by foot, Your Highness. The mountains are sharp and blanketed with loose rock. We can land our wyverns up there, but it would be inefficient to ferry soldiers if you're hoping to attack them from above."

Khalid leaned over the map and closely studied the target. An idea was already brewing in his mind.

"Sharp and loose… these mountains tower directly over this little valley, right?" he asked.

"That's right," Sarina answered.

"Would you say they're susceptible to avalanches, then?"

Sarina squinted. "Probably… What are you suggesting, Your Highness?"

Khalid jumped up and found where some goods were being stored. He returned with a bowl and a handful of almonds. He set the bowl in front of the others and dramatically dropped the seeds into it.

"I'm suggesting that we bring these mountains down on top of them. If we position our newfound explosives effectively, we can wipe them all out without a single casualty," Khalid explained.

The referenced explosives were collected from caches abandoned during the Meteoran withdraw from their main camp and auxiliary cannon positions. Faruq's army had planned to use them during the siege, but this alternative would provide a higher return on their value.

"It's brutal, but… efficient," James muttered. Sarina and Kamran were also visibly impressed by the plan.

The rest were less enthralled.

"If I may, Your Highness…" Demetrius uttered as he raised a hand. "I think we may be misinterpreting Narses's intentions. I know him quite well. He's not an inventive commander, but he's not an incompetent one, either. Sitting in a death trap sounds too incompetent."

"You think Narses camped there in hopes of us bypassing him and avoiding a fight?" Khalid put together.

"That's exactly what I think," Demetrius confirmed. "If we decided to engage him for some reason, he's got a solid defensive position. But a narrow entrance is also a narrow exit. We'll act like we're about to arrogantly attack, but then instead only station enough soldiers to block the passage. It will look like a besiegement, so he'll have a plausible excuse to feign despair at being trapped and not chase after us. I'm sure Aurelian flagged this base as a viable stronghold for the main army, and Narses used that to justify the selection even if it doesn't make sense with the context of his reduced outfit."

"Sure, but why?"

"Notwithstanding their victory, the Meteorans still aren't in a great position to win this war, especially after squandering the initiative by returning home. Narses is also a very pious man. I could easily see him choosing to save the lives of his soldiers over dying for a failing and now tarnished cause. His army won't be that eager for a fight, either."

"If so, appointing Narses for the command would be an uncharacteristic mistake for Aurelian. A touch too uncharacteristic," Kamran argued.

Demetrius insisted, "Aurelian is brilliant at tactics, no doubt, but that doesn't mean he's as effective at trusting the right people."

Marianne asked timidly, "If we have to leave soldiers to play along with Narses's scheme, will that hamper our ability to launch a siege of their capital?"

She was visibly worried that her question was stupid, but Tiana answered seriously, "I don't think so. The narrow passage will reduce the number we'll have to hold back." She then addressed the main issue by noting, "A seasoned general will surely know engaging him there is against our best interests, even with our numbers, so he must have picked that camp for a reason other than defense. I doubt he'd openly commit treason, and I guess collaboration would be too obvious if we tried contacting him in private. But there's a good chance Narses knows Demetrius is our top-ranking general now and is expecting us to decipher his intentions."

The council seemed to be swaying towards this decision until Khalid shook his head firmly. Though impressed by Demetrius's lucidity, he dissented, "You might be right about Narses, but I don't see how anyone here could feel comfortable betting on uncertainties right now. Even if he does want everything to play out this way, someone might break rank and engage us instead of patiently waiting for our army to get in place. We go with Demetrius's idea, and we might have a battle on our hands when we try to pass. We go with my plan, and we permanently remove the threat."

"Yes, but at what cost? Those soldiers have families, Your Highness," Demetrius gasped.

Khalid retorted quickly, "And so do ours. Which ones are we supposed to be responsible for? It's not our fault that Philemon and Justinian put them in this position. My father gave us a mission- victory. Their lives don't factor into that. Even if we spare them today, they might just be tomorrow's problem. You yourself admitted to not being aggressive enough at Sous River. Do you really want a repeat of that?"

The queen sighed and rolled her eyes. "You've both made your positions clear. Let's go around and hear from everyone else. You first, James."

The elder prince held up his hands defensively. "There's a lot of merit to both cases. I don't like the risk of Demetrius's plan, but burying an entire army without a chance to surrender will undo any sympathy the populace has for us after the massacre at Saint Alexis. So… I don't feel confident enough either way to inject myself into the debate right now."

Kamran had often come across as patronizing after "being right" at the last battle, but this time he shared sincerely, "Early in my career, I forced what had been Astane's leading tannery out of business after a protracted duel. I decided to hire my rival on account of his skillset and, well, because I felt bad about what happened. He acted all gracious and humble for it at first. A few months later, though, I discovered that he was repaying my generosity by embezzling from me. I told myself that I would never be played for a fool again." Kamran tied it all together by concluding, "Maybe Narses is sincere, or maybe he needs to be crushed like my old rival deserved. We've already squandered too many advantages to play nice here. I support Prince Khalid's suggestion."

"I agree with Agha Demetrius," Marianne muttered much more succinctly. Her voice was quiet, but her decision to outright object to her lord spoke volumes.

"My vote is for Prince Khalid's plan," Sarina said. "I can't feel that bad for the Meteorans right after they killed just as many of ours. This only makes things even."

Senusret crossed his arms. "I'm with Demetrius this time. He knows these people better than anyone here. Explaining to the Meteorans later on how we chose a plan specifically to save their lives could help make the occupation of this land go much smoother. Narses could be a valuable ally."

The Dagdan stared meaningfully at Khalid. He did not say anything, but the prince knew what the former mercenary was thinking of- their conversation after the Battle of Pyli Kyma.

Valuing the lives of his enemies, not just his subordinates… That bloodshed wasn't always the answer… That Khalid needed to understand what he was capable of when pushed to the brink…

Senusret was entitled to his stance, but none of that changed Khalid's logic.

That left Queen Tiana with the deciding vote. "Another split decision. Did you plan out alternating the votes like that just to annoy me?" she asked in exasperation. She shook her head and recommended, "Let's take a step back and ponder it some more until we can come to a consensus. I don't think we know enough yet to confirm if Khalid's plan is even feasible."

Khalid concurred, "Let me fly out there with Sarina and a few engineers first, and then we'll reconvene afterwards. We can't initiate my plan until nightfall, anyways. If they see us placing explosives up there, they'll figure out what's going on and take preventative actions. That wouldn't go well for us since their wyverns outnumber ours right now."

Thankfully, his mother did not deny his request for a potentially dangerous mission this time. She said, "Make it quick then, and take a couple of the Shakiriyya with you. If it's not viable, I want us ready to march and implement Demetrius's plan as soon as possible."

Demetrius, Marianne, and Senusret all looked dissatisfied with the decision but did not argue it further. Demetrius was particularly agitated as everyone was dismissed.

Khalid planned to immediately leave with the wyvern scouts, but Marianne held him up on the way out.

"Claude, umm… can we talk about this?" she asked.

Khalid put a hand on her shoulder and assured, "Can it wait until I get back? My mother ordered me to hurry, and trust me, you don't want on the receiving end of her disciplining."

That was true, but he was also simply not in the mood to be continually impugned over his plan. Marianne relented, so after Khalid gathered the needed engineers and retrieved Failnaught, the scouts were quickly airborne. To satisfy his mother, he invited two of the Shakiriyya to join them.

Sarina already had a route charted out for them. They kept low to the surface and flew within available canyons to evade the view of any possible Meteoran wyverns running reconnaissance. It was about a fifteen-minute flight, which seemed to go smoothly enough.

After briefly landing in the final canyon that offered cover and ensuring that everyone was prepared, Sarina led them out into the open. They anticipated having to deal with lookouts, especially considering that Elamite scouts had already flown over the area that day. This was immediately confirmed when Khalid spotted enemy wyverns circling over their base. Khalid and his companions would only have one pass over the valley before they would need to hightail it back to their own camp.

The opposing wyverns quickly dove into the valley as Khalid's group ascended, presumably to call for reinforcements. Khalid ignored them so he could focus on the terrain. It was all he had hoped for- the peaks encircling the valley were high, and the crags already looked loose enough to crumble under the slightest tremor. Despite the serrated ridges, there were multiple places where wyverns could land. Khalid glanced over at one of his engineers, who nodded in agreement.

Khalid turned his focus to the enemy camp at that time. It encompassed almost the entire bowl of the valley, but there was enough mass in the mountainsides to-

Time was up. An arrow pierced the sky near Khalid, and his scouts scattered to disperse the targets. They pivoted to leave, but Khalid watched as a host of wyverns chased after them.

This was a terrible decision on the part of the Meteorans. All of their warriors had launched as soon as they could reach their mount rather than attack in unison, so they never took full advantage of their numbers. The Elamite riders were also more skilled in battle. Many of them targeted Khalid after realizing who he was, but this kind of fighting was where he excelled most. After downing three enemies with arrows and using his wyvern's tail to launch a fourth on an expedited trajectory back to the surface, the Meteorans finally allowed Khalid's scouts to leave in peace. After all, what had the Elamites even accomplished with their brief visit?

Quite a lot, actually.

Even after fifteen-minute return flight, all of them were still smiling as they dismounted their wyverns back at camp.

"Was anyone hurt?" Khalid asked.

"I was worried someone nicked my haunches, but it ended up being an itch I couldn't quite reach while up there," one of them jested.

"Another impressive display from Meteora's finest!" someone mocked. "I shouldn't be too surprised when their three best archers apparently include the sardar's manservant and a scrawny cousin."

Khalid would have been bothered to hear the Meteorans' abilities derided just days after they decisively defeated some of Elam's greatest warriors, but he was still too giddy about the expedition.

"So… what did you think, Your Highness?" Sarina asked.

Khalid smiled, one of the few he had produced in recent days. He replied, "It's perfect. Let's head to the command post to hammer out the details."

The scouts worked together to quickly draw up a new map of the canyon, and the engineers identified the ideal positions for the explosives. There was some debate over the minutiae, but the unanimous opinion was that the plan was realistic.

"We need share this with the others," Sarina told the prince as the scouts disbanded.

"I know. You've had a long day, though. Get your gear off and grab something to eat. I'll take care of collecting the others and then come find you. Does that sound good?"

Sarina agreed, so Khalid took his leave. He was still in a good mood, but his smile evaporated when he saw Marianne and Ariella waiting outside the tent with unusually grave expressions.

"Khalid… we need to talk," Ariella said sternly in a voice her employer rarely heard.

"This is quite the ambush," he mused. "'Did Farjad's malady finally do him in? Was it quick and painless at least? Did he have any last words? Or… are you just acting like this because Marianne spilled the details of my proposal?"

Ariella was not amused. "Yes, she told me… as she should have. This is insane, Khalid. You mean to tell me that there's a plan that can prevent bloodshed altogether, and you'd rather massacre a thousand lives?"

"'Massacre' is a rather odd way of describing the deaths of active combatants. When I hear 'massacre', I imagine something closer to… oh, I don't know… maybe executing unarmed people taking sanctuary in a church, as a totally random example. And when Marianne told you about this 'bloodless' alternative, did she mention the potential risks?"

"There's the potential risks of Demetrius's plan, but there's also the guaranteed risk of infuriating an entire populat-."

"You're wasting your breath by reminding me. I've already heard it all," Khalid interrupted. "Let's forget the bigger picture for a minute since no one is agreeing on that. We also need to get Dimitri back, remember? Speed is of the essence, so we can't risk leaving these Meteorans around to bother us while he's still in captivity. And I'm sure a few of them will survive the avalanche, who we can then try leveraging for a prisoner exchange. If we just leave them there, we get nothing."

"And what will Dimitri think when he finds out what you did allegedly on his behalf?"

Khalid snorted as he shook his head. "Bless his heart, but Dimitri is impossible to please during wartime. He finds just about everything objectionable. Instead of hopelessly trying to satisfy him, the best thing we can do for his mental state is getting this war over as quickly as possible. My plan will help us do that."

Ariella smiled sadly. "You really do have a special talent, Khalid."

"Only one?"

She ignored this joke and explained, "You have the ability to say something awful and somehow make it sound almost reasonable with your confidence and charisma. Well, I know you too well for it to work on me. I can see what this is about, even if you don't. You're angry. Angry because they killed General Nader, and angry because you feel outsmarted by Aurelian. You've always needed to be the smartest person in the room."

"Do you really think I'm that petty?" Khalid asked.

"It's not just pettiness. It's a need for control. You were never the strongest or most popular, so being the smartest was what provided you security. You know I can relate to that much." Ariella's eyes turned downcast. "Aurelian pulled the rug out from under you, and I know you lost someone important. Unlike when it happened in Fódlan, you think you can fix it this time. But I didn't devote so much of myself to you for something like this. You're better than this plan. I know you are."

Rather than respond to her, Khalid turned to Marianne and asked, "And what are your thoughts?"

"W-well, I think I agree with Ariella. All of the Golden Deer believed in you, Claude. I'm sorry that you're only left with someone as weak as me, but I don't think the others would ever have let you debate a plan like this when there's an alternative."

"It's apt that you mention our classmates, Marianne. Do you think Edelgard was worried 'public image' or whatever when she killed them a-."

"I don't want you to be Edelgard!" Marianne shouted. "I want you to be you. When she declared war, you told me that you wanted to do things differently… to do them better. And you say things like that again and again. Is it all just empty words to grant a false impression of superiority? Do you actually believe anything you say?"

Khalid was momentarily at a loss for an answer. Just how bad had he offended them?

… No. It didn't matter. He still had to do this. If he had to shoulder all the guilt for the sake of those too weak-willed to take the shot, then so be it. He was trained for this, and he was prepared for it.

Khalid turned his back and said, "I'm headed to find Demetrius."

"To apologize?" Ariella asked.

"To tell him we have an important meeting to attend," he informed coldly.

As he left, Ella called out, "Just remember that there was someone else who thought killing was the answer to all their problems… and remember what they did to me."

Khalid flinched but continued on. He called out Demetrius's name upon reaching the agha's tent, but he was forced to enter when the occupant did not respond.

It was as Khalid feared. Demetrius was pitifully stretched out on the ground with his arm wrapped around a jug. Several empty cups were scattered around the space. Khalid was uncertain how Demetrius even got his hands on any alcohol while on the march.

"Demetrius… why do you do this to yourself?" Khalid asked dolefully.

The older man opened his eyes and cackled, "You've just now asking that question? You're about fifteen years too late!"

Khalid helped his companion sit up. "You were improving. Ariella told me as much, but it would have been obvious regardless. You lost weight, you looked more alert… why reverse all that now?"

Demetrius waved his hand aimlessly. "Well… you saw what happened to Nader, Anthony, and the others. Who doesn't need some sedative after that?"

Khalid shook his head. "That's not what this is about, though, is it? You were sober this morning. It's only after that last meeting that you went on a binge. Is this because you object to my plan?"

"What? Of course not, of course not!" Demetrius assured exaggeratedly as he suddenly stood. He stumbled against one of his tent's poles, nearly knocking it over. "Your plan is brilliant, Your Highness! A work of art! It will be remembered as the most efficient mass execution ever devised. Far more efficient than what we did to the Dékhomai!"

"That comparison isn't…" Khalid stopped himself. Nothing would sway Demetrius's feelings if the general equated Khalid's strategy to his very worst memories. Khalid instead told the man, "If you have a grievance, you've got my permission to take it out on me instead of drinking yourself to death. What good will you do anyone in this kind of state? We need you, Demetrius."

Demetrius snorted and wiped at the saliva dangling from his mouth. "Unlike those brothers of yours, I won't strike a prince. And what difference does it make? I only signed on because His Majesty said he would be better than my old masters. So much for that." His eyes focused some when he added, "I had an easy out available back then. I should have just taken it and spared everyone the trouble."

Khalid was alarmed by the implications of this statement, but there was little he could do. He said, "I'm leaving now, but try to clean yourself up. You can't participate in our meeting like this. Someone will let you know what we decide."

Demetrius bowed with mock acquiescence as Khalid left. The prince collapsed onto a nearby rock after stepping outside and buried his head in his hands.

Khalid was drained both physically and emotionally at that point. Before ever even committing to the plan, his retainers were incensed, and his general was wasting away. He had downplayed the issue of public perception, but just how angry would the Meteorans be if his own friends were already acting this way? They would be inviting unrest on a scale not seen since the days of King Harun.

Were Marianne and Ariella right? Was he truly driven by anger and insecurity as much as pragmatism?

He only had to look as far as the people that supported him. Sarina was unambiguous in her desire for revenge. Kamran supported it because he was stubborn and unwilling to trust others.

The people that opposed Khalid had not lost sight of the larger picture. He had lost sight of the person he wanted to be and was defaulting to the worst version of himself.

Khalid pictured Narses as he patiently waited for his redemption, only to instead be buried alive as a consequence of the prince's tantrum. It made Khalid sick to his core. Were these the same kind of images that haunted Dimitri?

Yes… his retainers assessed him correctly. He needed to do better. If he was going to change society, it would take more than devising efficient methods of execution, as Demetrius would put it. It was only natural that Khalid himself needed to evolve alongside the rest of the world. And if that meant he had to put a little faith in Narses's intentions and Demetrius's assessments, then so be it.

It was ideal timing, as Queen Tiana and Senusret were walking together nearby while engaged in conversation. Khalid approached them and reminded, "It's time that we meet again."

His mother raised a hand and told him, "Before we do, Khalid, there's something I want to talk with you about in private."

"If it's about my strategy… don't bother, because I've already changed my mind," Khalid said stoically. "Let's go with Demetrius's plan."

Senusret was understandably bewildered by this sudden change of heart. "Prince Khalid… But I thought you wan-."

"I was wrong. You all were right. There's no need to pander to my feelings. And I'm not going to pretend I changed my mind based on that scouting mission. The terrain was perfect. I changed my mind because it's the right thing to do."

Senusret looked over to the queen for help, who indicated her assent. She said, "This will simplify the decision, but we should confirm it as a group. I still need to speak to my son, so can you find the others, Senusret?"

Senusret finally released a deep breath of relief. "Of course. I'll see it done." He took a bow and said as his farewell, "Your Majesty… Your Highness…"

The two royals strolled through a section of the camp that was left unattended since the soldiers were all away for mealtime. With privacy assured, Khalid asked, "So there's something else you wanted to discuss? I assumed you were just going to try convincing me to change my mind."

The queen grinned. "Ha! Your initial assumption was correct, but it would have been embarrassing if Senusret realized that."

Khalid was not as tickled. "If you were against my plan, why didn't you just vote as such? We've wasted time for no reason."

"I had the deciding vote, but I wanted you to have a chance to reconsider. I didn't want your name eternally latched to that scheme."

"Then you could have tried convincing me from the start. You agreed to call out my mistakes!"

Tiana remained calm. "I thought we also agreed that we didn't want you stuck in my shadow. People would talk if they saw me publicly pressuring you into following my stances."

"That's fine, but you still waited until the very last moment to say something…"

"I first wanted to see if you'd reevaluate for yourself. I'm very proud that you did. I know admitting fault isn't always easy."

Khalid frowned. "I passed your test, huh? Well, you might want to hold off on the congratulations. I didn't come to my senses by being a wise, independent man. It was my friends eventually boring their way into my head."

"I don't think that lessens your choice at all," his mother assured sympathetically. "Everyone errs at times, Khalid. Surrounding yourself with the right people is how to ensure you mitigate those mistakes. Ghalib believed that trusting others was a sign of weakness, and look where that got him in the end. Your father and I wanted you to be independent, but we never wanted you to be alone."

Khalid turned towards her with a raised eyebrow. "Since when were you all that trusting yourself?"

"I have a short list… your father… Khatereh… and you. But that's because I was offered very few options. I know it hasn't always been easy for you, either, but you've been blessed with three incredible retainers, and even a few friends. Cherish that."

"… Yeah, I will," Khalid agreed as his voice quieted.

"Good. Now, like you've been asking, let's stop wasting time and head over."

As they walked back, Khalid shared, "By the way, I tried to visit Demetrius earlier…"

His mother sighed. "You don't need to tell me. I saw him, too. That's what Senusret and I were discussing."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I can't have an inebriated grand agha, Khalid. Not right now. But… I guess I'm feeling unusually forgiving today. I'll let him off with a warning given the circumstances, but I'm also going to make it very clear that it can't happen again."

This came as a relief to Khalid. Demetrius was responsible for his own choices, yet the prince could not help but feel some degree of guilt for what happened. Demetrius's knowledge of the Meteorans was invaluable.

The council meeting went as expected. Sarina and Kamran had not changed their minds. They were both confused and somewhat chafed upon learning that Khalid had reversed course, but they were intelligent enough to know that their cause was lost. No serious objections were raised to Demetrius's plan, so it was set in motion.

Khalid and Marianne exited the tent together where Ariella was waiting outside. She only needed to wordlessly read Khalid's expression to grasp the outcome. She immediately ran up and embraced him. He returned the hug.

"I really miss Nader," Khalid groaned. "And I'm so sorry, Ella. Sorry for not being the person you need me to be."

"It's okay, Khalid," his first retainer soothed. "I'm here for you… we're all here for you. And we're going to get through this… together."