Hey, everyone. As I promised, this next chapter's came faster than the last one did, something I'm quite proud of. Also as I thought, this is the first chapter post-Three Hopes' release. Without spoiling anything for you all, Dimitri and the Blue Lions faired pretty well. As for this story, well, we're still in canon Three Houses territory, albeit with some modifications. Moving on, this chapter will be pushing things along with some nice romantic and platonic fluff and some fanon world-building. I hope you all enjoy!
I do not own anything.
Chapter 8-Azure Calling
Despite the day supposedly being a free day, the entire Monastery remained in a constant buzz. It was inevitable given the incident that had caused all the day's activities to be suspended, and not just the first day's, but apparently the next two or three. An attack on the Holy Tomb by what had been identified as the Western Church. There had been injuries and fatalities, the latter of which would take some time to be buried and given last rites. Word had spread that Lady Rhea herself would administer them.
Word also was she was quite furious over the attack, yet highly pleased with what had came out of it.
Marianne couldn't get the image of the sword out of her mind.
She'd seen four Hero's Relics in her lifetime. They were gruesome-looking weapons, reminding her more of bone then again. In fact, they were the direct opposite of Sacred Weapons; she always took that as a potential sign that the Saints of old might have been closer to Saint Seiros than the Ten Elites had been. Such a blasphemous thought but it was one that stuck in her mind like a splitter. Whenever she saw a Hero's Relic, she felt herself seized by a wave of unease that would refuse to settle for hours. She remembered seeing an axe-based Relic and felt like she could feel a pulse coming from it. The whole encounter was unnerving to say the least.
But that wasn't the feeling she got when she looked to Professor Eisner's sword. Then again, she'd only seen it for a couple of seconds, maybe a minute or two at best. Still, it was a somewhat simple yet powerful looking sword. It certainly held power as he used it to decimate the last of the invaders in the Holy Mausoleum. Looking at it reminded her of descriptions of the legendary Sword of the Creator, the sword once wielded by the King of Liberation, Nemesis. Of course, all she'd ever seen were artistic depictions, just like everyone else over the last millennium. She and the rest of the Blue Lions had been amongst the first to lay eyes on it. And apparently in the hands of its new owner.
"Professor Eisner possesses the Crest of the Goddess, and now the Goddess' divine sword." She murmured. Of course, the cats she was feeding were confused. They looked up at her curiosity, asking her what she was talking about. "The Crest of the Goddess has not been seen on an individual in centuries, and the Hero's Relic associated with it hasn't been seen in that long a time either. In fact, after the War of Heroes it presumably vanished from history. "Saint Seiros is said to have sealed it away. It seems like that legend was true…quite literally."
One of the cats, an orange-furred feline named Kay, jumped into her lap and begged to be scratched. With a tiny smile Marianne did just that, making the cat meow in enjoyment. Some of his compatriots protested, wanting their turn first. Giggling, Marianne promised them that they'd have their turn, but for now it was first come first serve. A decision that Kay of course basked in as he was the first comer.
As a summer wind blew across the courtyard Marianne found herself wiping a few beads of sweat from her brow. They were officially in the heart of summer with the highest weather having set in. That heat was exasperated by the periodic bouts of rain; those same passing rains led to rainbows that gave the Verdant Rain Moon its name. Growing up in Alliance territory had given her the privilege of witness those natural phenomena every year. Marianne always quietly enjoyed them. Small as it might have been she was looking forward to seeing those rainbows at Garreg Mach. She was sure that when the first rainbow came about many would take it as a sign from the goddess. There was so much talk now, even though the attack on the Mausoleum was only just a couple of hours old, in several more it'd be one day old.
It was honestly hard to believe. She'd found it surreal whenever she thought about it.
Her, Marianne von Edmund had ran from the horse track all the way to the Holy Mausoleum to aid a class that wasn't her own. The Blue Lions may not have been her class, but they were still her classmates. Most importantly, there were people in the class who'd been kind to her. Their kindness stuck with her and motivated her to act, and they got her thinking in ways she hadn't before.
"You know, it's not surprising that Professor Eisner was chosen to wield the Sword of the Creator." Her words caused a resounding cry of approval from the cats. From them and some stories she'd learned that Professor Eisner had a soft spot for cats, for animals in general. Several of the cats, including Kay, had been fed and tended to by the blue-haired man. All of them had developed a soft spot for the former mercenary…just like Marianne was beginning to. He was kind and rather insightful, more so than anyone she'd ever met.
Go to him. Byleth's a good guy! He gives the best treats! Kay called from his spot on Marianne's lap. His words made her eyes widen. Even though there's that big guy, the Blue Lions are pretty nice! Byleth! Ashe! Mercedes! Ingrid! All of them are so great! His words were echoed by the rest of the group leading Marianne to being surrounded by a group of meowing cats. It wasn't the first time she'd been in this situation, and she was quite happy for that. The multi-colored and curious animals wee some of the first friends that she'd made at Garreg Mach. She was grateful for their constant presence.
"The Blue Lions," Marianne whispered. "You all do know they're not actually cats, right?" She jokingly asked the feline group.
"Eh, fifty-fifty on that one. They're pretty close, reminding me of a wolf pack more than anything."
"EEEH!" Marianne jumped, tightly holding Kay in her grip as she spun around to face the owner of the voice. "C-C-C-Claude!"
While the rest of the cats hissed at him for ruining the moment the Golden Deer leader held up his hands in apology. "Sorry, sorry, guys! I didn't mean to ruin the moment, I just felt like speaking up!" Marianne sheepishly nodded in understanding while some of the cats continued to hiss at him. Their forgiveness was going to come a little harder, something Marianne recognized. She offered him the food bag so he could begin working his way back into the cats' good graces. "If you want to be technical, they are cats, lions to be specific. Dimitri's definitely the leader, but Professor Eisner's a pretty powerful force himself. From what I've seen they've got a good relationship."
"They all seem to, except for Felix and Dimitri." Marianne noted. Kay jumped from her lap and took a seat at her feet as the next cat, Mariel, took great joy in her new position.
Claude handed out food at a leisure pace, having quickly assimilated into the tranquil mood. "Yeah, I've noticed. It's just a theory but maybe it has something to do with the Tragedy of Duscur, I heard House Fraldarius lost some members during the king's assassination. Wouldn't surprise me if Felix blames Dimitri for it, even though it's kind of illogical to."
The suggestion made Marianne think. While that wouldn't have been a stretch, what she'd seen of Felix made her think it was something else. It wasn't the grief of a lost loved one aimed at another; she had a suspicion that it was something else. Her brow knitted as she tried to figure out what that something was. Obviously, it was something she didn't know.
"What you did was pretty brave, Marianne." His words brought her out of her thoughts and left her looking at him.
She bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Claude."
"What are you apologizing for? Marianne, you ran off because you heard people were in danger. That's a pretty brave thing to do, especially given you had to walk through a small massacre to reach the Blue Lions." The archer gently retorted. "I dipped in to survey the scene, albeit after the Knights of Seiros had already started cleaning up." There was a short pause as he seemingly gathered his thoughts. "Marianne," Claude began, "Is it true that Professor Eisner wielded the same sword Nemesis did? And did he really find it in the supposed tomb of Saint Seiros?"
"I honestly don't know. The truth is I just arrived…after most of the fighting had taken place." Felix's words rung about her showing up too late to do anything rung in her head. He'd been right, and for most of the day Marianne found herself feeling a little frustration at it. She kept on wondering what would have happened if she had been there. "As for the sword, I think it might be the same. Honestly, I don't know since I haven't seen it myself since he saved us with it."
"The Death Knight…it's a miracle that he didn't kill any of you."
"No, but he came dangerously close to. He would have killed me if Dimitri hadn't saved me, and then came Professor Eisner." She paused remembering the righteous anger that enveloped him as he called out to the masked warrior. "When he appeared ready to fight him though the Death Knight seemed…excited."
"Because he now knew he had a worthy opponent." Marianne caught something in his voice, something that unsettled her. Claude was apparently aware of it as he shot her an apologetic look. "Sorry, sorry. It's just…let's say I know those types of people. They live for the thrill of fighting, and there's nothing like a worthy opponent to get their blood pumping. According to legends, Nemesis was able to blast apart mountains using that sword. Something tells me the Death Knight knows those stories too and is looking forward to facing that kind of power, especially in the hands of a skilled fighter like Professor Eisner. If they clash, that's going to be one big battle."
Hearing that made Marianne pause and think about how such a battle would go. Truthfully, she honestly shuddered at the imagery. She didn't like fighting, and she didn't like the thought of the people she cared about getting hurt either. Making sure they didn't die was one of the reasons she taken up the arts of healing. She had confidence in Professor Eisner's fighting ability, but if he was hurt in such a fight…she'd want to be there to heal him afterward.
"Claude," she whispered. "Does it…feel like something is going on at the Monastery? Or even across Fόdlan?"
"Yes." He blatantly answered. "Honestly, it's frustrating knowing this Death Knight character is out there and he might have backers. That's looking most likely to be the Western Church since they were the ones caught red-handed during the break in. I heard that they're all slated to be executed by the Archbishop."
"Yes, that is the punishment they brought on themselves for what they did." Marianne responded. It was faint but she could see some apprehension on Claude's face as he looked at her. She removed her hands from Mariel's fur and lanced them together. "Claude…what they did was blasphemy, not to mention people got hurt and died. If not imprisonment for the rest of their lives, death is nothing short of what they deserve." Marianne was subconsciously aware of the edge in her voice. Memories of the destruction she saw came back to her. What the Western Church had apparently done…she was a timid and shy person, but perhaps she had some bite in her. She probably did, considering her cursed blood.
What made it worse was the possibility of any of the Blue Lions potentially dying. If they had died, then she knew she'd have held the Western Church responsible.
As it seemed that she'd have shocked him into silence Claude spoke again. "You know, you're right. I guess…I'm still adjusting to Fόdlan. That said, there are some things that are just wrong. There's some stories about the Death Knight, not at all the pleasant kind. For the Western Church to ally with someone like that…I guess they've gone that off the deep end."
"To commit the sort of actions they did, I imagine so." Marianne responded. "I…fear that he may come around the Monastery again."
"He could already be here considering that he's wearing a mask so no one knows who he is. If it's a to even begin with. The more I think about it the more all this sounds like a big 'ole mystery. Gotta say, there's a part of me that really, really wants to solve it."
Remembering several little details regarding the Blue Lions behavior Marianne realized something. "I don't think you're the only one who feels that way. Maybe…so do others, including the Blue Lions."
"I don't want to pry, Marianne, but I'm honestly curious as to why you ran off. Ignatz told me that once he told you that you took off like an arrow from a bow. Like I said, impressive." His words caused Marianne to tense up, visibly so as her fingers knitted together. "You've gotten pretty close to some of them, I hear. Would that happen to include the future king of Faerghus himself? If so, I approve!"
"C-C-Claude! I-I-I can explain! A-A-And it's nothing like what you think!" Marianne immediately defended.
"Hahaha! You don't have to, even though I'm totally sure you've got an explanation. Seriously though, I'm happy to hear that you've been making some friends, even if they are outside of the Golden Deer." The green-eyed leader said to ease her. "If you're thinking of changing Houses, I really wouldn't blame you or mind. Something tells me once word starts spreading about Professor Eisner's shiny new sword the Blue Lions might see an uptick in transfers to them. Especially from some ladies who think they can score with their teacher."
At the implication of such a thing Marianne's cheeks flushed red. She knew that some women could be quite…forward in their romantic advances. Or in just in their pursuits of a meal ticket or fast track to stability. Marianne never asked those people where their sense of shame was, she felt like it wasn't her place. That feeling had somewhat grown since she became friends with Hilda, who seemed like that type as well.
On the flipside, she doubted that Professor Eisner was the type of man to give into such wily advances, no matter how intense they were. Dimitri wasn't the type either, a fact that she found herself taking surprising solace in.
"Claude," she said once she pushed those thoughts from her mind. "If I…were to transfer to the Blue Lions you…wouldn't mind, would you?"
"Nope, not at all." The curly-haired archer answered near immediately. "I'd like to think the Golden Deer's a good house-"
"It is." Marianne immediately proclaimed. "I-I-It's just I…I think that I might be a better fit in the Blue Lions." She didn't tell him the full truth, and she was sure that Claude knew that. Thankfully, he didn't press him on the potential half-truth. "I'm still thinking about it. N-N-Not to mention I'd have to run it through my father."
"I don't think he'd mind you changing houses. In fact, if you graduate with all the right skills then I'm sure he definitely won't mind. I hear that he's a pretty practical man. All he cares about are results. Of course, I've only heard it all, I've never met the man himself. What's he like?"
Marianne found it a little interesting that he'd never met her foster father. The thought actually made her think about what she'd discussed with Professor Eisner. Almyran. He had the skin tone for an Alymran, and…she heard that archery was the primary style of combat in Alymra, especially the higher class. Having spent three months beside him she'd seen his incredible accuracy with a bow up close. Not to mention how he's had to have some aspects of the Alliance and even Fόdlan explained to him. She needed Professor Eisner to point her in what was seemingly the right direction. Marianne remembered how he'd advised her to consider why he was keeping such a secret.
"My father is…a practical man as you said." She started knowing he would have liked an answer to his question. "He didn't believe in the curse that my Crest brings me, nor does he believe in many superstitions. He is also very shrewd and calculating, especially when it comes to politics. Like I said though, it would probably be best to inform him of my potential transfer." She said potential because she was still thinking about it. While a part of her heart was now telling her to do it, she was still hesitant. When would that hesitancy fade? Would she wait for it to fade…or would she wipe it away herself? "Knowing him, you may be right. My foster father would encourage me to do so if he thinks I'll…come out a better future margrave. He's not one of the types who insists that their child stays in the Golden Deer."
"Yeah, those types of parents can be…tough when you're thinking of making a change." Claude openly mused. Smiling, he patted her on the shoulder. "Like I've been saying, if you think you'll be better off in the Blue Lions, then go for it. It won't change the fact that Hilda sees you as a friend, and so do the rest of us."
The her that would have recoiled at his touch was nowhere to be found. The her that would have tried to brush off his words was gone.
The Marianne that smiled back at him was seemingly someone different, someone that had seemingly taken the place of the depressive girl. "T-T-Thank you for that encouragement, Claude. I promise, when I come to a decision, I'll let you know."
"I'd appreciate it if you let me be the first to know. As House Leader I like to think I'd be informed first. Well, maybe second after Professor Hanneman. If you change houses he'd definitely have to be notified."
With a fond farewell Claude departed. In contrast to his entrance, some of the cats chose to follow him, something he didn't at all mind. Marianne smiled watching him leave, a sense of calmness falling over her. Such moments had become more common as time had passed. It wasn't just the passage of time, she realized it was the people that she'd been talking to. People who under normal circumstances she never would have interacted with, or even met.
Marianne held her hand out and concentrated. The curved-horn emblem that was her Crest appeared in the palm of her hand. It glowed with a dark blue that contrasted the lighter coloration of her hair. She quietly looked around the courtyard; she did so after summoning her Crest instead of before, something that wasn't like her. The her from the start of the school year would have been utterly horrified at the reckless move. Marianne knew that what she was doing was reckless, dangerous even. Regardless, she was feeling whimsical and couldn't stop herself. One could also say that she was perhaps growing a little bit braver.
Her accursed Crest hovered in her palm.
Storm clouds didn't suddenly roll in nor did the sound of beasts echo across the Monastery. The world seemingly went on. All the relationships that she'd grown over the past three months would hopefully remain as they were.
"My curse," Marianne murmured. "Is it possible that it is breaking?" The thought filled her with an incredible odd yet welcoming sense of hope. Thanks to it the afternoon sunlight on her face felt just a bit warmer.
And then that warmth was gone.
Sitting up, she looked around, feeling an intense chill racing up her spine. Someone was watching her; she could feel it. The cats around her realized that as well and went on immediate guard. A few hissed and even made a beeline for a nearby corner. Seconds later and Marianne heard a frightened yelp followed by screams. Obviously, the cats had found their target, and they were putting their claws to good use.
As cruel as it might have sounded, a small part of Marianne was happy to see her furry friends mauling the Crest scholar.
"Infernal little beasts! In the name of the goddess, get off!" He shouted while trying to shake one of them off his leg. His angered caramel brown eyes turned to her and narrowed in greater aggression. "You, you unsufferable demon in human skin. Suppose you're mighty proud of the mayhem you caused the other night, aren't you? Desecrating the Holy Mausoleum? I knew you'd-"
"T-T-That wasn't me! That was the Western Church!" Marianne instinctively shouted. Somewhere inside of her anger was beginning to build up. She'd known he'd been at the Monastery all month. He too was a believer in the goddess, and like her he believed that the goddess should have taken her from the earth. Under normal circumstances she'd be giving into his ferocious words, but somehow, she was finding a backbone. "I had nothing to do with that attack. I went there to help."
He sneered. "Help? Help do what? Send countless people on their way to meet the goddess herself? Besides, how can I take the words of a beast?"
Marianne could feel her heart quickening and her ability to breath becoming impaired. Still, that small bud of anger within her was growing. All around her, her cats continued to hiss and claw at the Crest scholar. They could sense her growing distress and wanted to do something about the source of it. A tiny voice in her head beckoned for her to give them the order, or even do it herself. It wouldn't be the first time that a sudden ice sculpture appeared out of nowhere. What held her back from doing so was the realization of how much it'd come back to bite her. Not to mention she felt like there'd been enough violence for the past couple of days.
That restraint took hold of her, leading her to gather her inner strength and turn away. "Goodbye, Mr. Ellerton." She sent out a silent message to her cats. Several were reluctant to leave, but for her sake they chose to do so. Her shoes clacked against the stone as she began to hurry away.
"You can make up all the excuses you want, but the truth will come out! The damage done at the Holy Mausoleum will not be the last! You will bring further death and terror to the Monastery if you stay here! If you were a true believer in the goddess, you'd stop polluting her sanctuary!" The older man shouted as Marianne walked away. His voice hit her like a clap of thunder, yet she kept on walking.
They echoed within her like a shout into a cave. The words aroused something deep within the darkness. No. No! He's wrong! This wasn't my fault! I had nothing to do with this! Such adamant words slammed against the echoing accusations leaving Marianne feeling like she was about to trip over her feet. The internal war that she'd always found herself fighting returned. Yet again, she wondered if it would ever end. And if it did, how would it end?
Two Days Later…
"Huh, suppose I really was looking at it wrong. Guess it's a good thing that you're here, Marianne."
She could feel herself smiling. Hilda's own smile was twice as big as hers as she quickly threw herself back into her work, a sight that would make several including her family weep in joy. Marianne had a feeling that her brother in particular would be praising the goddess after seeing the leaps and bounds his sister had made, even with her remaining laziness.
Though Hilda had complained when classes started back up, she was there with the rest of them. Likewise, she was there learning most of the lessons Professor Hanneman was there to teach them. Maybe those two days of rest had given her a little burst of energy; how long it would last nobody knew, but for the moment the Adrestian man seemed happy with it. Marianne was as well. She'd long since accepted her friend's laziness, but she was always happy to see her putting effort into something.
Effort. Marianne supposed that she had a strange relationship with the concept herself. When she first came to the Officers Academy, she honestly didn't want to do anything besides pray for the end. Here she was, almost three months later having made several concentrated efforts to better herself. Granted, she'd needed a couple of motivators to do so, but now she could say that she was indeed putting effort into her studies. There was now a part of her that wanted to succeed. Granted, she still had little idea what she wanted to do after graduating.
She remembered coming across Ferdinand in the stables just the other day. Naturally, his lifelong wish to succeed his father and enter into public service came up. Marianne had been mostly quiet during the exchange, but she did find herself wondering if she could find it in herself to follow his league. At heart, she doubted it, but there was no harm in thinking about it. Some said the closer one got to graduation the more they had to think about their future. It was said that went for commoners more so than nobility like her, but Marianne didn't like to think about those differences. Marianne didn't like to think that the path of nobility was one set in stone. At least she hoped it wasn't.
Magical theory was her favorite subject, perhaps because she was a sorceress herself. Amongst all the Golden Deer, she'd found herself ranked highly, amongst the top ten. When Marianne heard that she was honestly surprised, even asking if there'd been some sort of mistake. She wasn't Lysithea, who was unanimously declared the strongest sorceress in the entire house; going even further, she was perhaps one of the strongest mages in the entire academy. Marianne still felt incredibly nervous about her name being put in the same category as the white-haired girl. Speaking of which, Marianne had heard that she'd spent the two-day break training…and spending time with one of the Monastery's works, Cyril she believed. The two seemingly had quite a similar work ethic.
Work ethic. Everyone seems to be so diligent and determined, then there's me. She thought to herself while going back to her own studies. Ice Magic could freeze a person both fatal and non-fatally. In fact, there were times people had been put in cryostasis to save their lives. The possibility that she might need that ability had taken root in her mind, and it drove her to study the arcane knowledge written in the tome in front of her. Images of blood and bodies from two days ago appeared in her mind. They made her body tense up, but she wasn't seized with bone-chilling fear. If any of them had been injured and in need of urgent medical care, would I have been able to help them? If not my abilities, could I have frozen them and moved them in time to get them to people who could? She'd seen a handful of frozen patients in the infirmary. They were thawed out carefully, and usually once they were given immediate medical attention.
Holding up her hand, she manifested a collection of icy sparkles. Their faint glow seemingly reflected the curiosity that she held within her.
"I will be there for you, rather you want me to be or not."
If Dimitri had gotten hurt…well, Marianne knew she'd throw herself into healing him. At the same time, she would feel…something toward the person that wounded him. She felt something toward the Death Knight and the people who'd caused that catastrophe in the Holy Mausoleum. In thinking about all of that Marianne realized something-she could perhaps now understand how Dimitri felt when he rushed to help her. In remembering those words Marianne felt an ugly flower bloom within her. The flustered retort she'd given and how the air between them had been left tainted by that last encounter.
As she turned the page on her tome, she quietly began to wonder how she could clear it. To do that she'd have to find him. Then think of what to say to him. Marianne briefly shuddered at the future dilemma. Ironically though, it made it easier for her to focus on her studies for the moment. Maybe she'd come up with an answer in the midst of it.
-O-
"Marianne?"
She nearly dropped her fork and knife at the sound of his voice. Looking up with quiet surprise, she felt immense relief in seeing his face. "D-D-Dimitri?" She could detect the slight relief in her voice.
So did Dimitri, who seemed a little surprised by it. "May I sit with you?"
"Y-Yes, please." As he took his seat beside her, her mind raced with all the thoughts she'd built up over the last hour. "I-I've…I'm…I'm happy to have you here." She internally cursed herself for not being able to say what she really felt. Again, she'd hope that courage would amass within her while they sat and ate together.
Apparently, she wasn't doing a good job of it as Dimitri took her intense thought as disdain. "I'm sorry…I should have eaten in my quarters. I just remembered you asked me to stay away from you."
Hearing that lit some kind of fire in her. It compelled her to look straight at him and shake her head. "No, no. I've actually been thinking a lot about what you said since then, and…how I acted. I'm sorry, Dimitri."
"Marianne, you don't have to apologize." He gently retorted.
"Yes, I do." She affirmed. "I do have to apologize to you. You deserve it because you were just doing what you thought was right. On top of that, for me to continue to hold that against you would be hypocritical. I told you to stay away from me, yet…I haven't been able to stay away from you. When I heard you and the Blue Lions were in danger, the warning I gave you, everything...I forgot it all and ran to get to you all." He went wide-eyed at her words. That was quite understandable since it was the first time that he was hearing them, hearing why she showed up in the Holy Mausoleum. She took hold of that small bit of courage within her and stretched it out for as long as she could. "If it's…someone that you care about, or just someone in danger then…"
"It's just something I believe in. Not a national or chivalrous code, not entirely." The blond stated. When they met each other's eyes, Marianne found herself being taken with the kindness that was overflowing from him. "Thank you for coming to our aid."
She was silent for a minute, his praise making her feel like she had the sun's rays on her skin. "About that time, when you said you didn't regret risking your own life…"
"I'm truly sorry if I did something to offend you in saying that." He said. "I must ask though…what happened? Why do you so vehemently reject any attempts to help you?"
"Because of my curse." Marianne answered. "Misfortune is a constant around me, and I fear it spills over into anyone who gets close to me. I hate it when that happens. For someone like you, who disregards his own life…I…I worried about you. You're someone that I don't want to see getting hurt. I-It's as I said before, when I heard that you all were in danger in the Holy Mausoleum I rushed there as quickly as I could. Disregarding what trouble I could bring you all."
"Except you didn't bring us any trouble, you brought us relief." His gentle voice was a welcome summer wind. She found herself entranced as he looked not at her but down at the table. "When it comes to disregard for one's own life, I'm remiss to say I know a bit about the subject. I know that I can use some improvement in that regard." His wistful voice had a hint of humor to it, probably for her sake. She was a little surprised that he wasn't some sort of comparison between the two to cheer her up. "As for your misfortune, I disagree on that notion. In fact, I believe the opposite; you're something of a lucky charm of sorts."
She couldn't help but gap at him in shock. "M-Me? Lucky? I'm sorry, but I don't agree with that. My entire life has been nothing but a string of misfortunate events." Even as she spoke the words, she was surprised to feel a part of herself raging against them.
Dimitri's own response bolstered that rebellious side of her. "But misfortune finds us all. Perhaps those around you have suffered, even perished, but look at you. You're still here, alive and well. Not to mention your presence has been a boon to others, myself included."
"That's…" Any rebuttal died in her throat as his words sunk in like weighed stones. He was right, she was still here. And others were thankfully for that. Placing her utensils down, she stared at her now open hands. Almost an hour early and she'd been turning tome pages, trying to figure out how she could better use her abilities to help others. The feeling of being able to help people was a joy that she couldn't describe in words. Likewise, the presence of people who seemingly cared about her made her feel like her life was less of a blight on the world. "Do you…really think that of me?" Marianne asked in a whisper.
"Yes, I do." He answered. An understanding look came over him as he seemingly gazed at an invisible horizon. "It doesn't feel good, does it? To be the one left behind? You feel guilt for not dying with the others."
Her eyes widened in shock. "H-How did you know?"
"I know the feeling…and I've wondered why I lived while others, far more deserving, did not." Dimitri said with a sympathetic smile. The warm wind encircled her, comforting her more so than she ever thought possible. She didn't bother to question if he was lying, because Dimitri never lied to her. In the back of her mind a piece of information regarding him was retrieved. "You and I are the same. Maybe you should fear being cursed with misfortune for coming near me. I live a very dangerous life."
"Hehehe." The laughter was slipping out of her before she was fully conscious of it. Even once she was, Marianne didn't feel like stopping. It'd been a while since she'd laughed like this.
Dimitri's face became one of pleasant surprise at her reaction to his words. "A smile and a laugh, coming from you that's a rarity. It must indeed be my lucky day."
"I just find the idea amusing." She admitted, still smiling at him. "It's strange to think to think that someone like you could have something in common with me."
"Is it so terrible a thought?" He inquisitively asked.
"No, no. It's not that. It actually makes me happy." The warm winds went beyond the surface, seeping into her very soul. "It makes me happy to know that there's someone out there who understands how I feel." And who is able to make me feel…happy, happy and wanted. She was too shy to say that second part. Marianne thought that maybe she might find the courage to tell Dimitri that, to let him know just how happy she was to be around him. What if I want that happiness to continue? This joy that comes from being around him? She felt her heart skip a beat as the choice she'd been debating came back to weigh on her mind. "P-Professor Eisner, how has he been since the Holy Mausoleum? I've heard that the sword he wields is actually the Sword of the Creator."
"It is, the strongest Hero's Relic of them all, and in Saint Seiros' tomb of all places. To say that it was a shock is an understatement. Of all the possibilities, that one never crossed our minds."
"Your minds?" Marianne asked.
"Yes, you see, for the last month Professor Eisner had the Blue Lions investigating any suspicions activities around the Monastery. You could say we were running our own investigation, one that eventually yielded fruit. We ascertained that the Holy Mausoleum would be the Western Church's target; we were right, but even we were all surprised at what we found." The blond prince explained. "Professor Eisner coordinated all of it. Personally, I'd say that the sword has found the right bearer. He's probably the best swordsman I've ever seen, and one of the kindest and most insightful men as well."
"He is." Marianne absent-mindedly said. Upon realizing it, she felt Dimitri's gaze on her. "W-W-We've spoken a few times. He is indeed quite a kind and considerate man, more so than all the stories have made him out to be."
"The less reputable stories. Those involving his combat prowess I can certainly say are true." He jubilantly laughed. Marianne laughed too, knowing that the warrior in him was pleased to have such a combat capable instructor. "He can be a little odd at times, but none the less he's always supportive of us. Even if he must at times take a firmer hand in doing so. It's hard to imagine that he grew up a simple mercenary, albeit his worldly travels have given him a wealth of experience."
"Does he…talk about his travels often?"
"Yes, sometimes when we ask him of them and sometimes of his own free will. The lands he's been to and the things he's seen, it's enough to truly make one wonder what lies beyond Fόdlan. It can make one think about the ways in which we're blessed…and the ways in which we're held back by our costumes and prejudices."
There was a short pause during which he looked at her, hesitancy in his eyes. Marianne realized he was waiting for a potential rebuttal from her. She knew that there were many who'd have launched into a fiery one at his words, and maybe have demanded a word with Professor Eisner. However, Marianne wasn't one of those people. If anything, hearing Dimitri speak of his professor's worldly travels and wisdom made her more curious and more inclined to be around him. And Dimitri himself. And the rest of the Blue Lions. All of them really. She nervously looked down at her plate, noting that a pious girl like herself probably shouldn't have been having such thoughts, but she couldn't help herself.
"Dimitri," she began. "Is…Faerghus a good place to live?"
"I would not have anywhere else in Fόdlan as my birthplace." The smile he wore was only bright for a second. When that second passed it fell as a heavy sigh passed from his lips. "Having said that, I will admit it's not without its flaws, many of which have done great damage to the land. Especially its people, all of its people."
"You're talking about the people of Duscur, aren't you?" He nodded leading her to temporarily retreat into her own thoughts. "Why are they hated so much? Is there any specific reason?" She hoped she wasn't being too intrusive in asking him, or potentially bringing up bad memories.
"There are many, but very, very few I'd say are valid." He shook his head indicating even those so-called valid reasons might be flimsy, at least in his eyes. "Historically, the people of Duscur have always resisted Faerghus rule. Before Faerghus there was even a resistance to imperial rule as they had their own faith and costumes. For some, the fact that Sothis was integrated was enough, but otherwise it was ideology. Even then, the reasons for the animosity are still more mundane. Duscur has always been rather rich in natural resources. There are some unique ores that can only be mined there. Likewise, some herbal flowers and vegetation that grows nowhere but there. As Professor Byleth once told me after I explained it to him, all the reasons you need for an exorcise in greed and subjugation."
"I see. I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories."
"Marianne, you did no such thing. In fact, I'm…happy I can discuss such matters with you. Even amongst the Blue Lions there are few that I can discuss this matter with. For some it a topic that's best left…unspoken of under most circumstances." From the sound of his voice Marianne wondered if he'd learned that through personal experience. She heard that several members of the Blue Lions shared their nation's hated for the brown-skinned people. It was just like how many of her own countrymen, including her best friend, loathed Alymrans. That led her to thinking of the prejudice Adrestians showed Dadgans and Brigidians. "Everyone has their prejudices, for whatever reason." She said having let her inner thoughts seep out.
"Quite so…but, I want to think everyone can have the chance to overcome them. I've been making strides to make that happen within the Blue Lions. If I can do so with my house here in the Officers Academy, maybe there is hope for me doing the same in Faerghus."
If Marianne were to describe Dimitri in that moment, she'd use the word, ideal. He was the ideal prince of some fairy tale. The dashing young prince who recognized the wrong in the world around him and was actually trying to fix it instead of letting it be. In his eyes though was where she saw reality. Though determined Marianne could see a glimmer of something else in them. She took it as Dimitri's realization he was talking about a goal he would struggle to accomplish, or even fail at.
Something in her gut tightened. That tightness within her led her to speaking out again. "I believe you can do it, Dimitri." It was so tempting to merely stuff her face with her food, especially while it was still somewhat warm. "It all sounds like a daunting task, but…if it's you then I have faith it can be done." Looking away from him became impossible as his face lit up like a candle. She was just as enthralled by the glow of his face as he was by her words.
"Marianne, that's…that's…quite reassuring to hear." He said once he'd overcame the shock. The smile he gave her was a contender for the best one she'd ever seen on his face. It made her heart dance in such fervent joy. "Thank you for those reassuring words, Marianne. They…they mean quite a lot."
His words ignited a greater fire in her cheeks, so hot that she had to look away least she burst into flames. Marianne was suddenly happy that Hilda had decided to eat with Caspar today. She could only imagine how her pink-haired friend would have reacted to this. If she'd been there Marianne was certain she'd have combusted like a dried-up oak hit with a fire spell. Hilda would have enjoyed watching her burn, then feed the flames by needling Dimitri. Oh, just thinking about it made her blush even redder.
Something that didn't go unnoticed by the royal beside her. "Marianne, are you alright? I haven't done something to upset you, have I?"
Was there an idea to his generosity? Frankly, she didn't want to find out, and Marianne didn't want it to end either. "N-N-No, not at all, Dimitri. I'm just…like I said, I'm just a little overwhelmed is all. Happy too since I've met someone who can understand how I feel." She paused, attempting to gather the courage to speak. It was made easier and harder by looking at him. "I…I'm…I'm…happy that I met you, and that you've taken the time to get to know me."
Again, his surprised smile seemed as bright as the sun itself. "I…honestly feel the same way, Marianne. I'm glad that we had the opportunity to meet one another. Honestly, a part of me shudders to think what my school life would be without you here."
Finally holding grasping a sizable chunk of courage, she looked at him and smiled. "Me too, Dimitri."
Where once there had been dark clouds, light had seemingly pierced through the black. Those dark clouds were pushed aside by a strangely warm northern wind. Marianne didn't spurn the light, she welcomed it. Unknown to her, Dimitri did the same as well. Such a moment would remain between the two of them, though it wouldn't be the last. That included the last that they would share privately.
Duscur, Faerghus' internal neighbor and most recent conquest. The latter description wasn't exactly the kindest, but many spoke it for what it was. Ever since the Tragedy of Duscur the natives had been slaughtered to near extinction and their lands seized. It was a story not uncommon but quite painful to read. For those 'd live through it, words couldn't describe the horror.
Marianne had met Duscur natives before. In the aftermath of the so-called Punishment of Duscur, the survivors had scoured across Fόdlan. Inevitably, a handful made their way to her adoptive father's territory. He treated them with no certain disdain, accepting them and only asking they didn't cause trouble. Needless to say, many did their best to follow that condition. After what they'd been through Marianne didn't blame them for wanting to stay low. She could sympathize with the desire to remain unseen and unheard of.
Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her and she got up and walked over. "Um, Ashe?"
"Marianne? Hello! I didn't notice you for a while! Suppose I was so engrossed in my studying. It might make a big difference on our up incoming mission." The commoner student said.
"Your mission?" She repeated. For the last fifteen minutes she'd seen how absorbed Ashe had been in his stack of books, all focused on Duscur. Cyril himself periodically peaked at one, his eyes squinting before talking to the green-eyed boy. Both boys had clearly been discussing something, and now Marianne had an idea of what it could possibly be.
"Yes, the Blue Lions have been given a mission to head to the territory of House Kleiman. Apparently, there's some Duscur rebels who are attempting an uprising. Prince Dimitri wants us to go and stop them before they get themselves killed." Remembering the last time the Blue Lions had been charged with stopping an uprising, Ashe's grimace made sense. "If we don't go then…it's possible that the rebels will be killed, or…potentially worse." He clearly didn't like the implications of what "worse" was. Marianne was wise enough not to ask him; a part of her honestly didn't want to know. "Not just him…many of us feel like we can't allow that to happen, especially Dedue."
The stern but considerate giant appeared in her mind. Several times she's seen him in the greenhouse, at times alongside others. Marianne genuinely found it hard to imagine him being the "murderous giant" some of the rumors had made him out to be. Then again, that's what rumors did-distort and warp.
Just like…no, no. Don't make this about yourself. She told herself as she felt herself beginning an unwanted slide. "I see. I'm…sorry to hear that. Just the other day Dimitri talked to me a little bit about the situation in Duscur."
"It's…it's all just so tragic. Many of the reforms that Lord Lambert was trying to do would have benefited the people of Duscur. That said, I'm sure those same reasons are why someone might have…" He stopped, seemingly realizing that he was perhaps saying too much.
As far as Marianne was concerned, he'd said enough. "Ashe," she began. "You don't believe that the people of Duscur killed King Lambert?"
He shook his head. "When I think about it, it just doesn't make any sense. Why would you assassinate someone who is trying to help you? From what I've gleaned, his late highness was actually well-liked amongst the people of Duscur." Deep sorrow fell over the archer as he slumped forward. "I wish I…I wish I could have met him, and he could have met Dedue and the other Duscurians we have living around here."
Marianne found herself lost in thought. King Lambert, Dimitri's father. What she knew of him simply came from word of mouth, including her own adoptive father. He spoke highly of him and called his death a tragedy, not just for his family but for all of Faerghus. Based on how things had gone since his untimely demise, she was inclined to agree. That path of thought led her to thinking about Dimitri. He spoke of his homeland with clear fondness, even if he acknowledged its faults. Those same faults that he also planned on trying to fix.
Somewhere deep inside of her, Marianne found herself standing at a crossroads. Two roads stretched out before her. One was tinged with icy woods giving it a light blue shine to it. The other simply stretched onward into colorless darkness. Both of them called to her, albeit in different ways. If she stepped to the icy right, then she had no idea what awaited her. On the right was obscurity, the thing that she'd hoped to maintain upon coming to the Officers Academy. Had she stayed close to that goal? Would making this decision make her stray from it?
Again, the face of Faerghus' future prince appeared in her mind. She saw his blue shoulder cape bellowing as he walked down the icy road.
"Ashe," Marianne called again, her choice having been made. "This mission to Duscur, how soon is it? Would Professor Eisner be willing to allow…others to come along on it?"
He was silent, then he went wide-eyed as he got the implication of her words. "Marianne, you…don't you and the Golden Deer have your own classes and missions?"
"We do, but…we can request to be sent out with other houses for certain missions. Or we can be requested." Personally, she always doubted she'd ever be personally requested for such things. Marianne also doubted she'd ever take the initiative like this. Perhaps it was a sign of just how much she was changing. "I'd…like to help in any way that I can."
His face lit up with such joy it was a little startling. "Marianne, we'd appreciate all the help we can get. We already have Cyril going with us. It'll be his first time traveling to Faerghus."
"I heard it can get pretty cold, even in the summer." The Alymran said upon his return. "So, Marianne's coming with us? You use ice magic, right? That should help in slowing down the Kingdom soldiers. The Professor said the goal is to slow down, immobilize, and neutralize. Your ice magic could be good for that."
"And your style of archery." Ashe laughed. It got an amused chuckle out of the dark-skinned boy. Apparently, they had a different style of archery. "The Professor would love to have it aboard! I'll go talk to him about it!"
"C-Could I come too?" The thought of seeing Professor Eisner didn't seem so bad to her. He was actually one of the people that Marianne would say that she'd grown comfortable being around. The same thing went for Ashe to a degree. If she set out on this venture, would she grow more comfortable with the rest of the Blue Lions? They seemed like such a close-knit group, would there be a place for her there?
"Of course! Come on, let's go see him right now!" Ashe proclaimed.
"Uh, Ashe, what about the books?" Cyril called, bringing the silvery-haired young man back down to reality. "On second thought, if you want to go, it's fine. I'll take care of them."
"Um, actually could you keep them all here." Marianne countered. "If I'm going to travel to Duscur then I'd like to know as much about it as I possibly can."
"That's actually why we're here in the library, studying." Ashe cheerily noted. "Marianne and I will be right back. In the meantime, Cyril,"
"I know, keep on practicing." He looked down as an aura of shyness overcome him. "I…think I'm starting to get a little better."
"We'll be back to help you study." The blue-haired girl proclaimed. She decided to wait until she and Ashe were out of the library, clearly out of Cyril's earshot. "He's just now learning how to read, isn't he?"
"Professor Byleth, Mercedes, and myself have all been taking turns teaching him. He's actually been coming along quite fast." The Faerghus native confessed. "I can sympathize with him. If it weren't for my adoptive father, then I wouldn't know how to read either."
Literacy was one of the biggest differences between the nobility and the commonfolk. It was rather hereditary since nobles made sure to teach their children how to read, and that cycle continued. For the latter, it was a little harder. The average common had very little writing comprehension, and sometimes writing comprehension. That too was passed down since it wasn't often they could afford for their offspring to learn what they could not. Orphans like Cyril often had it especially hard.
"The fact that you're all doing that, that's incredibly kind of you." She whispered to him.
A sheepish smile overtook his face. Marianne had to admit, Ashe could look quite…adorable when he was smiling and laughing. He had a certain boyish charm to him that went well with his kind personality. Without a doubt, he was a kind and upstanding boy. "The Blue Lions are full of kind people, even if some of them don't immediately show it."
By pure chance she took a stab at who he might have been referring to. "Felix?"
He nodded. "Yes, even him too. He can be quite…abrasive, but beneath it he too has a kind heart. Even to Prince Dimitri, albeit he doesn't like showing it."
"Why does he hate him so much?" Marianne immediately asked. Yet again, the interactions between the two filled her mind.
Ashe shook his head. "I don't know. There are times I want to ask Sylvain and Ingrid about it, but…I just get the feeling it's something personal. Whatever it is, I think it might have to do with the Tragedy of Duscur."
Again, it all goes back to that event. She mentally affirmed. There were parts of her that were opening up. Amongst them was a curiosity that utterly amazed her. She wanted to learn more about this kingdom-shattering event. The thought of asking Dimitri directly about it popped into her head. The idea was rejected as soon as it came about; it'd be too rude and probably too direct, especially since it'd seemingly come out of the blue.
Glancing skyward she saw a bright blue sky the color of her hair dotted with puffy white clouds. If her request was accepted, she had a feeling she was going to be seeing snow earlier than she was expecting.
Late Night…
Training. The prince, he is still training. Probably best he sleeps. He'll need his energy.
She wasn't surprised to learn that Dimitri was still training at this hour. Students staying out past curfew wasn't unusual, especially when it came to training, either with a weapon, magic, or both. More often than not the Knights and teachers were lenient in allowing them to do so. Sometimes the positions of those individuals played a factor. Perhaps that was the case with Dimitri.
Regardless, Marianne knew she wasn't going to be going to sleep as quickly as she would have liked. Thanking the cat for the information, she bid Dorte and the horses farewell for the night and made her way over to the practice hall. The closer she got the more she could hear the sounds of grunts and air being slashed apart.
What made her jump was the sudden clap of thunder. She felt magic in the air and quickly raced toward it.
"D-D-Dimitri!" Her shout immediately got his attention. The prince turned around to face her, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, and his exposed arms. What really drew her attention was the lightning circulating around his spear. It was undoubtedly magic, and it was quite powerful from what she could see. "You're…using magic. Strong magic."
"Only a little." He said while giving her a bow like he was the one intruding on her instead of the other way around. "What are you doing out so late?"
"I was…I…was…getting some extra practice in, for the mission. It'll be the first time I've ever done one like this." It was a lie that she hoped he wouldn't see through. "Thanks again for allowing me to join you and the Blue Lions on your mission."
"I appreciate all the help we can get in avoiding unwanted bloodshed. The truth is your ice magic will come in quite a bit of handy. You're actually better at it than Ingrid."
"S-She's still the better fighter though." She declared.
"Sometimes it isn't always about being the better combatant. This mission will prove that as the goal isn't to defeat countless enemies, it's to save lives, even if it involves rather unconventional means. For our class, this will be something of a first…and a challenge for us." His gaze drifted from her to his spear. Lifting it up to his chest he concentrated and summoned a few arcs of twisting lightning around it. "There is a force called magnetism that binds all metallic objects. If one can manipulate lightning, they can to a degree manipulate this force as well. Armor meant to protect can become weights. Weapons meant for battle can be made immovable or even removed from the battlefield. Any of these things I'm hoping will help me keep those Duscurians from getting killed. "His shoulders sagged, and the lightning died down. "I can understand why they're doing this. The lands Duke Kleiman claims is their home, and they have a right to it."
"Who was it that decided that Duscur would be given to him?" She questioned, hoping she could get another piece of the puzzle that was the Tragedy of Duscur.
"It was a decision reached by my uncle, and the kingdom council. Of course, the survivors weren't given any say in the matter. After its decimation, something had to be done about the land, especially since it still had many natural resources. House Kleiman was quick to stake their claim, and back it up. Dispute was short-lived and the matter was quickly and quietly settled. Duke Kleiman holds little love for the survivors…but he refrains from having them all killed. A small mercy…but a life spent living underfoot of another isn't something to be happy about."
Having heard all that Marianne blurted out the first thing that jumped into her mind. "When you become king would you give the Dusurians back their land? Even if it meant coming into conflict with House Kleiman?"
"I would like nothing more than to do so. Unfortunately, I know that'd be easier said than done. Even as king, I won't be able to simply take territory away from one noble, even if originally it wasn't theirs. Not to mention giving it to the survivors of Duscur would be a public spectacle, one that would earn me no small number of enemies."
That Marianne had no doubt about. As an aspiring noble in the Alliance, she'd seen how vicious politics could get, especially when land was involved. As far as House Kleiman was concerned, they probably believed that they had an unshakable right to the land that used to be Duscur. It was uncomfortable for her to think about what they would do with the prospect of it being taken away and given back to a few hundred or thousand survivors, even if that decree was coming from the reigning king himself.
"For the sake of those survivors…I'll do my best. You have my word."
"I know you will, Marianne. Still, hearing that is reassuring."
The sounds of the night were a quiet symphony around them. Hearing it made Marianne entertain the thought of simply standing by and watching Dimitri continue to train. Perhaps she could even give him some pointers. It was quite a surprise seeing him channeling thunder magic; combined with his spear work and his phenomenal combat abilities would double, maybe even triple. If she could help him do that then it'd boost his odds of survival.
"It's late, so please allow me to escort you back to your dorm room."
"Only if you promise you'll go to sleep as well." The words flew from her mouth before she'd even realized she'd said them. Surprise colored Dimitri's face while hers was overtaken by embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean say that; it was rude of me."
"No, it's alright, Marianne. You may have a point. Even I need my sleep." Brief as it was Marianne could have sworn she spotted a shadow dash across his face. Was he actually trying to put off going to sleep?
"Um, if you want…I can…escort you back to your dorm. I can get back on my own." Her timid voice sounded.
"That would be nice, but please, allow me. As a man of Faerghus, it's my duty."
Her cheeks reddened at his words. Marianne knew she wasn't like most girls, but like them, hearing such a declaration made her heart flutter in what was undoubtedly joy. Enhancing that feeling was the memory of all the interactions he'd had with her. Positive interactions that left her feeling like…like…she was normal. Alternatively, they made her feel special, even though she was sure Dimitri would have done this for any other girl.
Marianne heard Hilda's voice encouraging her to do something to make it so that Dimitri would treat her differently from other girls. What amazed and even frightened her was that there was a part of her that didn't think it'd be so bad to listen to that voice. It grew louder as she shot Dimitri several looks, many of which she hoped went unnoticed. Given how she found him looking at her, that hope diminished. Still, having him looking at her…it didn't make her feel so bad. She didn't feel nervous or uneasy having his blue eyes on her.
"Have you…ever been to Duscur, Dimitri?" She decided to ask to get some conversation going before they reached their destination.
"Twice. The first time was when I went with my father." He answered with a fond smile despite how painful the memory no doubt was. "As for the second time, all I saw were the ruined shadows of a once beautiful land. It did me no comfort knowing that it was my own countrymen who'd unleashed such devastation on the land. To know the true beauty of Duscur I'd advise you to speak with Dedue. And feel no hesitation in doing so."
"He's actually not that scary." Marianne suddenly said. Her sudden outburst made Dimitri laugh. Feeling no restraint, she laughed with him. "I mean, he can be a little intimidating on first contact, but he's quite nice. I've seen him several times in the greenhouse. The cats say that he's quite kind to the plants."
"The cats? Ah, yes, that's right! Your Crest allows you to communicate with animals! That's quite an incredible ability. I've only heard of a few like it in Faerghus." Dimitri responded to the rather personal bit of information.
"You…really think so?" Marianne nervously asked.
"Marianne, there are many wonderful things that can be had in being able to communicate with animals. Not to mention useful. You can speak to the birds to find out what they know, and such a thing can make a difference between life and death. I believe in Adrestia there's a legend about a warrior who learned of an impeding assassination from the birds."
"I-I know the story as well. The legend goes he came about the ability to understand birds via a blessing from the goddess."
"As I said, perhaps your Crest is not the curse that you believe it to be." The prince offered.
The story was actually one of her favorites, even if it had something of a tragic ending. She supposed such things were a given the more violently one lived; that surely went for warriors and knights. Looking at Dimitri, she was remiss to include him in that category, a warrior prince of a warrior nation. She heard that some Faerghians preferred death in battle, seeing it as an honorable end to their lives. Even without asking, Marianne had a feeling that Dimitri would be accepting of a demise like that. The thought was only there for a moment as she adamantly pushed it away. She didn't want to think about Dimitri dying in any way. The possibility made her heart ache in distress.
Likewise, it seemed to ache when they finally reached their destination. Was it the pain of impeding separation?
Looking into his blue eyes Marianne was inclined to say yes. She wanted to spend more time with the blond prince.
Albeit certainly not enough that she would invite him in, especially given its mess state. That would be incredibly embarrassing.
"Thank you for escorting me back, Dimitri. I really appreciate it." She said stepping into her room but not closing the door on him.
"It was my pleasure, Marianne. I also feel like I should thank you; if you hadn't been there then I might have kept on training until midnight."
"Dimitri," His words invoked another spark of curiosity within her. "Why do you train so hard? Is it…are…" Now that she'd followed her curiosity, she was regretting it. Once more, she was treading on a dangerous subject matter, one she had no right to.
"Marianne, it's alright. As I said, you're not the first to tell me to…take it easy. Professor Byleth has told me the same; I very much imagine he'd be telling me to get some sleep." His eyes drifted down to his hands, which were held at his side. She'd seen them so expertly wielding a spear. "I train so hard because…it relaxes me. Be it real combat or practice, I feel at easy when swinging a weapon. It's not a habit that I am proud of, but…it puts me at easy in times of anxiety." Dimitri looked up and gave her a small smile. "Professor Byleth has been attempting to help me find other ways of relieving anxiety. He's been teaching me to play cards."
She felt like she had to clean her ears out or ask him to repeat himself. "C-C-Cards? P-Professor Byleth?"
"Yes, we were quite surprised as well. He's quite the card shark. Hehehe, as you can imagine he has quite the poker face. He's been attempting to teach me how to maintain one myself."
Now she was trying to picture Dimitri sitting at a table playing cards, including with Professor Eisner. It was an image she found incredibly odd…yet also highly enticing. As Dimitri himself had explained such a scene had apparently happened. And based on the joy in his voice, it'd likely happen again and again in the future.
"Have you ever beaten the Professor?" She found herself asking.
"Only once, and that was through pure luck more than anything." The blond laughed. "That's the thing about cards though. It's less strategy and more pure chance, making the best of what you have. Professor Byleth told us that's what battles can be like sometimes, more so than strategy games like chest. You do not know what hand life will deal you, so you make the best of the cards you are dealt. That's what he told us one afternoon when we found ourselves taking turns playing with him. I must admit, it was actually rather comforting advice."
"The cards life deals us…" Marianne found herself repeating. "He's so much nicer than I thought, and so…different."
"That's we have discovered. I suppose that's a given since…he's told us he's never interacted with people on a daily basis like us." Dimitri explained. "He did so with a smile that we all knew he was telling the truth. Talking to people and getting to know them…I think that's one of the finer aspects of life, and how we can bridge the gaps between us. I…" He trailed off as he seemingly grew hesitant in continuing. Marianne felt her heart furiously as she waited-and hoped, for him to continue. She wanted him to continue. "I…feel like I've done that with you, Marianne."
She heard her own heartbeat thundering in her chest. Even more amazing, she felt her lips curving into a small but genuine and warm smile. "I feel the same way, Dimitri. And I'm…happy that we can get to know each other better."
"Me too." He bowed to her again and walked away, hopefully to his own dorm to get some sleep. Once he was gone Marianne walked over to her bed and outright fell atop of it. Marianne's heart couldn't stop beating; she was just that excited. Now she found it difficult to sleep after advising Dimitri to get some. Oh, the irony.
And the joy that came with the affirmation that he truly enjoyed spending time with her and talking to her. Well, further affirmation.
"The Blue Lions," She whispered when she finally crawled beneath the covers and tried to get to sleep. At some point she was going to have to make a decision…and she felt herself leaning toward one particular decision even more than before.
I'd say after this chapter Marianne will be needing just one more push before she makes the jump to the Blue Lions. It's been something of a slow burn over these last couple of chapters, but I have wanted her to make the transfer by at least half-way through the school year. Guess that's on the verge of happening now, huh?
The Crest Scholar is someone I wanted to officially introduce a chapter or two earlier, but couldn't fit him in. He made his first appearance this chapter…and got chased out by a pack of angry cats. Things will only get worse for him in future appearances, I can promise you all that.
Looking at the game calendar I realized that Dedue's Paralogue happened the same month that Miklan steals the Lance of Ruin. Between the two, I decided that the former would be a better mission for Marianne to tag along on, especially since in her paired ending with Dimitri it's stated they had great political success. Not to mention it's just nice to picture her, a kind person, sharing Dimitri's sympathies regarding Duscur. I can flex my creative writing muscles in describing what it looks like now after the Punishment of Duscur. Oh, and some campfire conversations with the Blue Lions over what happened. Part of the Lions' story is that the Tragedy of Duscur affected so many of them directly and even indirectly. Marianne's an outside to all of that so I'm eager to write her reaction to everyone.
All that should happen in the next chapter, so be on the lookout for it! Let me know what you all thought of this one! Take care, readers!
