Chapter 1: The War Still Rages Within

Summary:

Byleth has won it all, survived every challenge. And yet she looks back and sees the past in sorrow as she remembers the man she failed to save, of those lost along the way. The madness claimed so much, and she still stands. Can her lovers bring her some joy on a dark day?

Dorothea stirred in her bed, reaching out for a woman she realized wasn't there. Stirring, she blinked and looked out across the large mattress, seeing only Petra sleeping peacefully on her chest, without their lover.

The songstress sat and dozed for what felt like forever, waiting for the young professor to return, but she never did.

"Love?" She whispered at last to the woman next to her, and the Brigid woman blinked. "You know where Byleth went?"

Petra shook her head and yawned sleepily. "I do not." The Brigid woman shifted in bed. "I may go look?"

"Might be wise." Dorothea slid out of bed and put on her slippers, then a large peacoat. Petra put on her own coat and the two headed out into the monastery's rainy night.

Ever since the war concluded and Claude stepped down from his seat at the Alliance, Gareg Mach had been a bustling hive of the new kingdom's seat. Even at this hour, there were plenty of people to question as to who had seen the new queen.

Eventually, the pair spotted her in the darkness of the east, where Byleth Eisner sat at her father's grave.

Dorothea hurried through the darkness of the midnight rain to come by her side, quickly taking off her coat to wrap the queen in it as she had little but a nightgown on.

"Love." She whispered to Byleth. "Oh love." She kissed her forehead. "What in the world are you doing out here?"

"I…" Byleth's voice was cracked, raw. "I dreamed about him. I could hear his voice again, he was here. I…"

"Shhh, it's okay." Dorothea told her. "It's alright. He's always here with you. But he wouldn't want you catching a cold."

"It would not do to be catching death." Petra agreed, shielding a solemn Byleth in her arms. "Please come with us, ghràdh."

She did not resist when they brought her to her feet and the group returned to their quarters. Petra immediately set about stoking the fire before setting a pot of tea over it to brew, while Dorothea stripped her lover of the rain-soaked coat and nightgown she wore, then bringing her fresh clothes.

"Such a stupid thing." Byleth remarked. "It was just a dream, but… made me go all the way out there in the cold."

Dorothea knelt before her, smiling softly at her. "My mother died when I was just a kid." Her voice was quiet and sweet. "I still miss her, all of these years later." She reached up and pressed a hand to Byleth's chest. "Jeralt lives here. He will eternally be with you, be a part of you. He is the foundation of your heart."

"My heart doesn't even beat." There was the faintest, driest note of humor in her voice.

"You know what I mean." She chuckled. "He is with you, always."

Petra brought her the pot of tea, pouring her that almond blend she was so fond of. "My love?" Byleth looked at her. "You have done amazing things. Grandfather is old enough to remember war against the Empire, he tells me that 'Slavery flees us when the most valiant stand tall'." She handed her the cup. "It is thanks to you that we are free."

Dorothea smiled sweetly. "Jeralt's daughter struck down a madwoman and defeated the Empire, struck down Nemesis himself, and now leads a new union of Fódlan. That's certainly a legacy to lead."

Byleth accepted the cup gracefully. "Thank you." She whispered to them, before she took a deep drink before settling the warmth in her hands. "I wonder if I could have done more, stopped Edelgard in her madness' tracks."

The two other woman sat on the bed beside her, squeezing her tight. "I think you did wonderful." Petra whispered to her.

Byleth looked up at them with a faint hint of tears in her eyes, only to find herself assaulted with kisses and snuggles from her lovers. When she gave off the quietest giggle they had ever heard, they returned it a thousand-fold.

Petra stood and hurried off to grab her whatever snacks she could from the kitchens this time of night, while Dorothea held her. Byleth drank deeply of her tea, then smiled sweetly at her lover. A few minutes later, Petra returned with an armful of sweetbuns and other sweets. "You have needing of better cooks." She smiled warmly. "This was all they had when I went."

"Goodness." Dorothea laughed as the three of them dug through the pile of food. "Petra, I don't think you needed to steal everything."

"I had not been stealing!" She protested. "They did not have enough treats for their queen."

Byleth smiled as she ate a sweet bun. The three of them conversed late into the night, but something inevitably seemed to be bothering her.

"Love?" Dorothea asked. "I can tell something else is off tonight too."

Her eyes glanced down, then back up at the songstress. "I suppose." She shook her head softly. "It's a silly worry."

"Share with us." Petra invited. "Please, m'eudail."

Byleth looked up at her. "Petra… I have a silly fear. That… I did something wrong with only having the one ring to offer, and… I gave it to Dorothea."

A lack of understanding crossed Petra's face, but was quickly followed by a realization. "Oh!" She smiled. "A ring of promise, the silver one!" Byleth nodded. "People in Brigid do not share rings, do not worry, my love. I have read all about ring promises in books, but I do not require one. We exchange words on Brigid."

"Words?" She inquired.

"Yes!" She exclaimed. "I may do it now, if you like."

"If it's proper." Byleth nodded. "I wouldn't want to do it wrong."

"It is not difficult." She shook her head. "Come here." Petra reached out and held the other two women's hands. "I, Petra, give you my promise. Spirits of Earth, please be guiding us home for all of our days. Spirits of Water, please be filling our cups with kindness and good fortune. Spirits of Wind, please be gifting us freedom and divine protection." She looked out over them. "Those are the words we are saying in Brigid to give someone our promise."

"I promise too." Byleth nodded.

"As do I." Dorothea smiled. "I love you two. Nothing will ever bring me more joy to sing than those four little words."

Together, the three women sat, eating and drinking until dawn was near, when they had fallen into one another's arms to sleep well into the afternoon. When they awoke, the storm had passed, and the sun broke through to shine down onto the new kingdom.