When Ashton saw that the way was clear, aside from the giant creature of cold fire and teeth and claws, he made a run for it. Seiros was still unresponsive in his arms, and he could tell that his companions were right beside him; he saw Catherine skirt in and out of the way of fleeing Imperial troops, as well and Leonie and Shez doing much the same on his other side. He could not see Felix, but Ashton did not doubt that the noble scion was nearby. It wasn't as if he was being very considerate of their feelings with Seiros in his arms.
The dragon that descended upon the small path continued its rampage, though notably, Ashton could see it avoiding actually killing anybody; its claws would merely graze troops, and whatever energy was spewed from its maw was aimed at the structure of the palace itself, rather than aimed at anybody attempting to run. He knew that that could not go on forever; at some point, the Imperial troops would fight back, and Ashton didn't know what would happen then. He had seen Seiros in her dragon form once, tearing apart an entire army of conscripted soldiers during the siege of Enbarr back in his time, and considering that the dragon behind him looked considerably like Seiros in said form-
Ashton needed to file that thought away for later. If he didn't, he would be unable to continue running.
The commotion caused by the black dragon' entrance was enough for Ashton and his group to slip by unnoticed. Captains barked orders at their men, bows and crossbows were deployed, ballistae shot through the air, such was the chaos that Enbarr had descended into. The plaza the group had gone through when they first entered had become completely devoid of people, and there were only a scant few guards at the gates. They were quickly dispatched by Catherine and Shez, and after that, they were free.
Almost unbelieving of what happened, Ashton turned his head once even as he continued into the surrounding countryside. Pillars of smoke billowed into the sky, causing a dark gray haze to hover over the city of Enbarr. He hoped it wouldn't be the last time he saw the ancient city, with it broken and bleeding ash into the sky. Nonetheless, he turned back around, and continued forward.
"Put her down here," Flayn pointed to a small cot spread out along the grass. Ashton obliged, placing Seiros down where Flayn suggested.
Seiros had been sleeping ever since Ashton and his group had escaped Enbarr, although Ashton hesitated to call it a restful sleep. Even though Seiros must've been exhausted, she still fidgeted often, her face taut and brows furrowed as her head moved from side to side, as if she was being assaulted.
The sun hung low in the sky even as the pillars of smoke from Enbarr faded away. Ashton had a hunch on what, or who, the dragon that allowed their escape was, and he hoped above all else that he had escaped. In that moment, though, his focus was solely on the woman in front of him.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Ashton asked, his voice trembling. "I can heal as well, if need be."
"Ordinarily, I would say no, but…" Flayn shook her head. "Help me, please. She is very weak."
Once they had escaped Enbarr, the group had fled into the countryside before eventually finding Flayn. When they had her with them, they traveled further north, avoiding any Imperial patrols and convoys on the way. They did not stop until they were certain they would not be discovered, deep in a forest to the northwest of Enbarr. The trees nearly eclipsed the little sunlight remaining when Ashton and Flayn got to work.
"Any sign of… torture?" Ashton asked, feeling almost childish with such a question.
He had to keep himself from audibly letting out a sigh of relief when Flayn shook her head. "I do not think so. The only marks she has are around her wrists; no lashings and now other techniques I am familiar with. She does appear to be starved, though."
"Probably to keep her from transforming," Ashton suggested, keeping the green of the heal spell over Seiros' body. "As well as imprisoning her deep within the city, all of it precautions to keep her within their clutches."
"That would not be surprising." Flayn shook her head. "We are almost done. Anything else must be healed with food and rest."
Before long, and Ashton stood above Seiros, Flayn having declared the healing session finished and giving everyone their borrowed items. The Inexhaustible laid in Leonie's hands, and Catherine and Felix were given their Hero's Relics back. Ashton, however, could not move from his position, as if unbelieving that the person lying in front of him was really there. Her words from when he carried her away from the dungeon filled his minds, and he could hardly believe he was there himself.
Perhaps it was Seiros simply being there that dredged up the part of him that longed to go back in time again. Much as he appreciated the blood and sweat of his fellows, he could not relate to them the same way he had his old friends over a thousand years prior. Truthfully, the only one who had kept him grounded all throughout the journey was Flayn. If not for her, then Ashton would have simply broken apart a month prior.
Of course, the talks with Seteth and Indech had been welcomed as well.
In the end, Ashton was silent for the rest of the night. He was aware that someone tried speaking to him at one point, but he could not find it in him to respond. Not then. Not when he had so much on his mind. He knew they could handle themselves.
When he slept that night, though, he mercifully had no dreams. It was like he was back in the machine that had entrapped him a thousand years before.
Ashton awoke to someone knelt beside him, and it only took him a few moments to realize who it was.
It was at first light, judging by the grayness of the sky with a thin strip of orange light upon the horizon, almost entirely blocked by the trees that surrounded their camp. Everyone beside Leonie appeared to still be asleep, and when she saw Ashton wake up, she turned away and merely strung the Inexhaustible's bowstring, as if to make sure it was still functional.
Seiros looked down upon Ashton, her face disturbingly placid. Just as Ashton had seen within her cell in Enbarr, her hair had become more green compared to the blonde shade it held during the War of Heroes. Her green eyes shone in the gloom, staring down at Ashton's face before he sat up.
No words were exchanged as Ashton let out a breath before facing Seiros. He had no idea what to do. They both simply stood there, staring into each other's eyes, waiting for either of them to make the first move. Questions Ashton had since he had first awoken rolled around within his mind. Why was there a Crest system in place? What was Byleth? What had the Church done in the time since his forced slumber? What had she done since then?
Yet, no words came from him. He had neither the will nor the nerve to say such things at that moment. And he waited long enough that Seiros took matters in her own hands, and answered at least one question that Ashton had dreaded since he had awoken, yet never truly thought about: did she still love him?
They had already been close, so she did not need to move much in order to press her lips against his, a pleasant sensation Ashton had missed for months, and Seiros had missed for over a thousand years. Seiros reached her hand up and cupped it against Ashton's cheek, as if to keep him from moving as she deepened the kiss. Ashton closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling for all it was worth, not offering any resistance. After a few seconds, they parted.
"I have been waiting to do that again, for far too long," Seiros whispered, sending electricity up Ashton's spine. "Now I know that this is no mere illusion. You are truly here, my… my dear Ashton."
"I-I could say the same, but it has only been a few moons for I," Ashton stammered out before recovering his composure. "How are you feeling? From what I understand, you were imprisoned for over five years."
"It is… manageable," Seiros replied, before placing a hand against her stomach. "I am starving. I would be fed only sparingly, to keep me weak. To prevent any transformations I attempted."
Ashton nodded. "Yes, I thought the same when I saw you. I suppose they had to find some way of keeping someone of your caliber imprisoned."
Seiros waved a hand. "Indeed. But I would rather we not speak of these things. Ashton, I…" Seiros moved closer, pressing her hands against Ashton's chest. "I have missed you, more than you could ever know. I have dreamt of this moment for so long.."
Ashton stayed quiet after that, holding Seiros as she simply held onto him for dear life. He still had many questions, but he decided that they could wait until a more opportune time. Besides, he thought, nothing was more important to him in that moment than making sure Seiros knew that he was there, he was alive, and he would never go anywhere without her ever again.
It was wishful thinking, but Ashton had every intention of keeping his word. Of course, he had done so before, and the consequences had presented themselves thoroughly.
After a while, Ashton disentangled himself from Seiros. The sun would rise soon, and Ashton wanted to get something out of the way before everyone woke up. Wordlessly, he rummaged through his bag before finally finding the ring Seiros had left behind within Garreg Mach. When Ashton held it up, he could've sworn he saw a few tears trail down Seiros' face.
"It was still there," Seiros whispered. "I had half-expected it to be stolen. I did not wish for the Empire to take it. But I had no one to give it to. None visited me in the hours before Garreg Mach was under siege."
Ashton looked down at the ring in his hand, and the one on his ring finger. One had been worn by the passage of time, and the other looked as if it hadn't aged a day. Quietly. Ashton held Seiros' hand in his own, and placed the ring upon her finger. It was slightly loose; Seiros had been starved, so it made sense. Yet still, it fit, and Ashton felt his heart soar at the sight.
"How are you feeling, Lady Rhea?" Flayn asked, moving around Seiros as she stood in the middle of the camp. "Ashton and I did the best that we could manage, but no amount of healing magic can fix starvation."
"Besides that, Flayn, I am… fine," Seiros said, her hands clasped together as she bowed. "And I am not so weak that I cannot thank my saviors. From the bottom of my heart, I thank each of you for releasing me from captivity. The goddess blesses all of you."
"I'd go through it a thousand more times to get you outta there," Catherine said, crossing her arms with a proud smirk on her tanned face. "Not that we need to, obviously, but-"
"Gonna be honest, I did it for the money and, er, other things. But, I mean, I guess being blessed by the goddess is a good thing," Shez chimed in. "What I'm saying is that it was a pleasure to help."
"Mercenaries. I hope you never change," Felix said, letting out a small chuckle. "I was hoping that giant creature would follow us, but I suppose we're out of luck on that front. It was holding back when it fought those Imperial troops, I could tell."
Seiros' eyes narrowed before she turned to Ashton. "I was not aware of that."
Ashton tilted his head before tapping himself on the forehead with the palm of his hand. "Ah. You were likely asleep when that occurred. A massive dragon came down from the sky and cleared a path for us, although very few Imperial troops were caught in its wake."
Suspecting Seiros knew something, Ashton let her fill in the dots, if she had any idea who said dragon was. He had a hunch who it was; how could he not? There was only one person Ashton knew who had Nabatean blood in him, and who would be near Enbarr when the group went to break Seiros out. True to his suspicions, Seiros' green eyes widened as she turned to the group.
"What did this… creature, look like?" Seiros whispered.
"Black scales with swept back horns," Felix answered, "red eyes, and fully functional hands, it looked like. Nothing like any Demonic Beast I've seen before, though it looked a lot like murals of the Immaculate One. Not that you would know anything about that, huh?"
"Let us speak candidly. You know who I am," Seiros said, her lips thinning. "I suspect my Ashton had not the foresight to withhold that information. You all have known me as Lady Rhea, Archbishop of the Church of Seiros. You all know who I am, do you not?"
"You're Seiros," Felix said, crossing his arms. "In the flesh. Always have been. It's an open secret in Garreg Mach, now."
"Wait, what? That means…" Shez looked between everyone before shrugging. "I… I guess that doesn't really change much? I was the only one who didn't know, wasn't I?"
Ignoring Shez, Catherine stepped forward. "Rhea or Seiros, my debt and service to you doesn't end."
"I came here to get this bow and to help out," Leonie stated, "Makes no difference to me who you are. I just hope you know all the trouble folks have gone through since you've been away."
Flayn was silent, standing beside Seiros.
Seiros nodded her head. "Very well. Not all secrets can be kept forever. But back to the matter at hand; the dragon you all saw, did he speak? Did he say anything at all?"
Ashton watched as everyone fell silent before he decided to chime in. "He did not say a word, Seiros. Nor did I expect him to, if he is who I think he is."
"Our son," Seiros said, turning around. "Arawn, Ashton. He is alive, and he has returned after centuries of self-imposed exile."
"Self-imposed? This is the first I have heard of this," Ashton said, stepping forward. "For what reason would he exile himself? All I have heard from Seteth and Indech is that he simply vanished."
"I am… I am afraid the truth is a bit more complicated than that," Seiros murmured. "You see, Arawn - he took up the mantle of Champion, and led my armies alongside me. For several decades after you were lost to us, Ashton, he fought against the tides of Nemesis' onslaught. And one day, when Nemesis was no more, we…"
"Seiros, I realize there are others here and that you may not feel comfortable speaking of family matters," Ashton hissed, "but, I must know, why? Why would he leave? What happened?"
"He disagreed with what I had done," Seiros finally said, looking as if simply saying it aloud hurt her physically. "In my fury, I… allowed no survivors of Nemesis' army to live. Once I had regained myself, I no longer wished to do so, but the damage had been done. It was not this single event that led to it. I know he had become cold and distrustful of me in the years leading up to my final confrontation with Nemesis. In the end, it was merely the final straw, and I have not seen him since. Only when my…"
Seiros shook her head. "My apologies, I feel - may I please sit down? My legs feel much weaker."
Ashton moved forward and placed his hands against Seiros' shoulders and gently guided her down. He let out a breath.
"I do not blame you for taking such angry and rash action. What you have lost, some can scarce imagine," Ashton said, "that being said, I can understand why Arawn left."
Seiros closed her eyes and nodded. "I have had countless centuries to reflect upon my actions during the war, especially in your absence. I am sorry, Ashton, that I could not…"
Ashton shook his head. "No more talk. Rest now."
Laying her upon one of the cots, Ashton stood up and looked at the group, who had all been staring at the display with varying levels of bemusement.
"We can suffer Imperial territory for a day or two," Ashton said, clapping his hands. "Let us go hunting, and rest for the remainder of the day. I think we have earned such respite."
It was a chilly day, despite it closing in on summer. Even so, the sun shone brilliantly in the sky, with not a cloud in sight. And Ashton had plenty of time to enjoy it as he sat by Seiros' side, simply basking in her presence as she devoured what Leonie had acquired. That a Saint's Relic such as the Inexhaustible was being used to simply hunt would no doubt cause conniptions in the high priests of the Church, and Ashton almost laughed imagining Griselda's face upon even being told of something like that happening.
Of course, the smirk was wiped off Ashton's face when he remembered that Griselda had long turned to nothing but dust. It did not go unnoticed by Seiros.
"Does something trouble you, my love?" Seiros said, "If you have more questions, I will answer them."
"I have many questions, but they can wait," Ashton said, wiping his eyes. "Have you… ever thought of the people we fought alongside during the War of Heroes?"
Seiros hummed. "It is folly to think of such things. Not that I am demeaning your feelings; on the contrary. I have had over a thousand years to mourn the brave souls who willingly charged into the howling dark with me, while for you, they have been gone for only a matter of moons. I remember their names, just as you do."
"Roland. Ella. Saladin, Jasmin, Nothic," Ashton said, resisting the urge to count them on his hand by crossing his arms. "Imperial Prince Lycaon. Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg I. The countless scions of noble houses who fought in that war that I never truly met, I can remember their faces as clear as day, and when I sleep at night, I see them as if they had never truly gone away. I will be honest, Seiros: I wish I died."
Seiros' lips thinned and her eyes widened dangerously as she turned her head to meet Ashton's gaze. "Do not say that."
"You deserve to hear it from me before someone else goes on and on about the suicidal actions I have taken ever since I was released from that coffin," Ashton said, his face setting into a deep frown. "I wish I had died there, on that battlefield. Even if I would not be here now, at least then I would not be stuck in a land that is not my own for a second time."
"Ashton, not another word," Seiros demanded, although to Ashton it almost sounded like she was begging. "You are precious to me, no matter how long it has been since you walked the earth. I will not sit here and listen to your suicidal thoughts, and if I must, I will do everything within my power to dash them away from your mind. If nothing else, I am still here, Cethleann is still here, and Cichol is still here. Always remember, even if this world is different from the one you have left behind, that there are still people who care about you."
Ashton's lips trembled as he looked down. He had no compunctions about showing weakness toward Seiros; it was nothing she had not seen before, and they had both shown the other the depths of their issues.
"I mean, yes, that is true. I…" Ashton let out a breath. "I have whined far too much as of late. It seems as if that is all I do. Whine, whine, whine. There are others in this world who have lost far more than I, yet here I remain, wallowing in my own self-pity."
"We have both lost much, my dear Ashton. You lost your entire world, and I nearly lost my entire race," Seiros pointed out, reaching her hand out and grasping Ashton's. "It is normal to feel as you do. And you do not need to bear that burden alone."
Ashton moved his hand until he laced his fingers with Seiros', feeling his frown melt away slightly. "And here I believed I would be the one to comfort you, after spending five years within a dungeon. I suppose I am weaker than I thought."
"Then we are both weak, for I have had similar thoughts," Seiros professed, "there is no shame in showing our weakness to one another. Or have you forgotten the vow you made so long ago?"
Seiros raised her other hand, the worn ring sparkling on her finger.
Ashton let out a laugh at that. "I have a better memory than some people I used to know. Though, now that my mind is on it, I must ask you another question. It is a touch related to what we have already discussed, but I feel I must ask it all the same."
Seiros gestured for Ashton to continue.
"Do you ever find Alex and Liz?" Ashton asked. Though it had been some time since he had thought of his long-lost cousins, their fates were still unknown to him, and if they had perished, forgotten, in some far away time and place, he would know of it.
Seiros pursed her lips before shaking her head. "I am afraid I could find nothing of them, even long after I thought I had lost you. It is possible that they never came to this world as you did, Ashton."
"Either that, or they perished long ago," Ashton suggested, shrugging. "It was a dim hope, at best. There was very little chance I would ever see either of them again, but it could not hurt to ask. Perhaps they are elsewhere, as you have said. I am living proof that there are other worlds than these."
"True. Mother never spoke of such things, but then again, her knowledge far exceeded my own, and she never… she was never given the opportunity to pass on much knowledge before her death," Seiros admitted.
Ashton could clearly remember the topic of the goddess coming up and whatever conversation he and Seiros had beforehand became nothing short of miserable and melancholy. Not for lack of trying to lighten up, but because it would always put both of them in a dark place. He still remembered traveling to Zanado with her, and seeing the devastation wrought upon the Nabateans, and the temple bathed in the blood of the goddess.
Such things were, obviously, not a part of Church doctrine, and Ashton still clung to there being some sort of god-like entity behind his being sent from his home. He was far removed from the past of Fódlan, and even farther from the world he had been born in - the United States, he remembered it was called. He tried to remember his father's face, and came back empty.
Ashton imagined, for Seiros, it was much the same.
After that, they settled into a comfortable silence. Far away from battle and bloodshed and the inevitable march of time, they both found solace.
It was on the final day of their sojourn into the wilderness that surrounded Enbarr that they were found, though not by who they expected.
They decided to keep heading north until they found a village willing to house them, where they would then listen to any rumors that floated about which would give them a clue on where to go next. Ashton hadn't received a reply from Byleth, but he didn't expect to, either; they were constantly on the move, and Byleth had an army to manage.
Nonetheless, the only thing that mattered was that they get as far away from the Imperial capital as possible. There was no telling when they would be beset upon by Imperial troops, or if they were even being pursued in the first place; Enbarr was without a true leader with Edelgard off to fight, but once she returned, Ashton doubted she would simply let Seiros go. From what he had heard of the woman, she was determined to see her war through, and to have the Church of Seiros torn down at all costs.
To tear down the system was a good, if short-sighted, goal in Ashton's mind, but he knew where his loyalties lied, and no amount of decent points would see him betray those he loved or had come to know.
And it was during the final hunt of the day that he spotted one such loved one. Or rather, said loved one spotted him.
Ashton had his bowstring pulled back, ready to strike a grazing deer, before he heard rustling behind him. Bows were not his forte, but he could use one well enough; one of many things he had to learn in the Knights of Seiros, thousands of years prior.
When Ashton turned around to face the intruder, his shock was so deep that he nearly loosed the arrow from the feeling alone. Before him stood a tall man, at least several inches taller than Ashton himself. Dark green hair trailed down his clean-shaven face, with eyes so similar to Seiros' that he almost thought it was her. He wore no armor, instead opting for simple peasant clothing, although Ashton would notice the hammer slung across his back any day.
"Hello, father," Arawn said, his arms behind his back. "How are you doing on this fine evening?"
Another cliffhanger because I am evil but also because I was stumped and had just written 4k words of pure fluff. Feel free to hate me lol.
Now, next week will be an interlude chapter, but the week after that, I may or may not post because I will be getting my wisdom teeth (plus a few other ones that have been causing my issues) removed on the 8th, which is about as pleasant as you can imagine. But who knows, maybe I'll be struck with inspiration while I'm letting the painkillers do their work.
Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed, and see you next time!