Felix couldn't focus on anything, especially not now that his father was at the monastery. As everyone made preparations for their assault of the Great Bridge of Myrddin, Felix had tried to clear his head by going to the training grounds. But his sword felt like deadweight in his hand and his mind was too clouded to focus on anything.
Which was how he found himself instead in the greenhouse by the pond. The waning evening light filtered through where the glass had broken in the years of disuse. And while much of the native plant life had somehow managed to flourish and overtake the greenhouse, the blooms that he was looking for were nowhere to be seen.
He felt stupid, looking for pieces of her here. But he couldn't help the way that his mind sought her out amongst these halls. It was here that he fell in love with her.
"Oh, Felix." A voice called out from the entrance. "I didn't think I'd find you here."
Felix turned around to see Sylvain standing in the doorway, looking about at the overgrowth. He didn't reply to his friend, instead turning back around to stare at the plants before him. Felix hoped that ignoring the redhead would give him the hint to leave, but instead he heard as Sylvain's footsteps drew nearer.
"You looking for her too?" Sylvain sat on the ground beside Felix, jerking his chin at the plants.
"She's gone." Felix answered curtly.
"I know I shouldn't be surprised given Dedue had to work so hard to keep those flowers from Duscur alive, but a part of me was hoping they'd still be here." Sylvain sighed. "I keep looking for traces of her now that we're here, but it's as if time has eroded her away."
"Why are you here?" Felix asked, glaring at Sylvain.
"Same reason as you I figure." Sylvain shrugged. "I was walking by and I remembered how she used to sing to those flowers. I wanted to see if they were still here."
"Her voice was so beautiful." Felix said quietly.
"I'd give anything to hear her sing again." Sylvain ran a hand through his hair as he thought about their friend.
"Why did you sleep with her?" Felix blurted out, immediately embarrassed by his question.
"Huh?" Sylvain looked over at his friend in confusion.
"She wasn't just another one of your meaningless hookups because you two were actually close." Felix decided he might as well commit to his line of inquiry. "Tell me, did you…did you love her too?"
"In a way." Sylvain looked up at a hole in the ceiling as he sighed. "But my love for Eve was platonic, never romantic."
"Then why sleep with her?" Felix frowned. "You know me better than I care for you to; I know you knew how I felt about her. And for argument's sake, you knew how the boar felt about her."
"She asked me to." Sylvain answered simply.
"Why would she do that?" Felix balked.
"It was the day His Highness told her he was in love with her." Sylvia's elaborated. "I told her that maybe the best course of action would be to break his heart then so he wouldn't go on getting hurt. I think I told her it was like 'cauterising a wound'. She asked me to help her do it."
"And you agreed?" Felix didn't understand his reasoning— or hers for that matter.
"Felix, I'm not a good guy." Sylvain laughed bitterly. "And we weren't close until after it happened. I saw her proposition as an easy way to satisfy my wants."
"But I don't get why she would have even thought of that as a solution." Felix stared hard at the ground as if the answer could be found there.
"Eve wasn't a good person either." Sylvain said quietly.
"You-!" Felix had tackled Sylvain to the floor before the older man could react. He had his fist raised ready to strike him when he paused.
"I know you loved her, I know that." Sylvain put his hands up in surrender. "But you have to admit that the way she strung you along while always intending to marry His Highness was never fair. Eve was selfish and everything she did was for her own agendas which she rarely ever let anyone know what her motives were. She herself admitted to me that she knew she wasn't a good person."
"Being selfish doesn't make someone a bad person." Felix let go of his grip on Sylvain's collar as he straightened back up to sit where he had been previously. "And even given all that stuff she always cared about others. She put herself in danger every mission to protect us all."
"I didn't say she was a bad person, Fe, she just wasn't necessarily a good one either." Sylvain brushed himself off as he sat up. "I think you know better than most people how things aren't that black and white."
"Everything was a grey area with her." Felix shook his head.
"Uh, speaking of Eve…" Sylvain trailed off, unsure of how to navigate the topic he wanted to bring up.
"What is it?" Felix looked at his friend warily, picking up on the shift in his tone.
"I was talking to your dad earlier and he wanted me to get your opinion on something." Sylvain looked at Felix intently, trying to gauge his reaction.
"What does that fool want?" Felix grimaced at the mention of his father.
"He wants to make a grave for Eve, even if we don't have her body." Sylvain explained. "He wondered if we should put one here, in Fhirdiad, or in Fraldarius."
"Shouldn't he be asking the boar's opinion?" Felix asked with more than a little venom. "She's his wife."
"Well, he tried to ask Dimitri, but he wouldn't hear him out after hearing Eve's name. His Highness told your father to just do as he pleases." Sylvain shrugged. "He knows that you and I were close with her, so he wanted our thoughts on the matter."
"…She would hate to be here." Felix said after a moment of silence. "She hated the Church, hated Rhea. I don't know her reasons, but I wouldn't put her grave here."
"That's what I said. And I think your father knew a bit of that too." Sylvain nodded.
"So it's between Fhirdiad and Fraldarius, huh?" Felix huffed.
"On the one hand, Fraldarius makes the most sense." Sylvain mused. "She served your family for so long and she very much considered it home."
"But?" Felix looked at his friend curiously, hearing a sort of reservation in his voice.
"If we told Dimitri that we planned to put Eve's grave in Fhirdiad, he might find it more urgent to liberate the capital than he currently does." Sylvain gestured vaguely.
"The boar doesn't care." Felix tutted.
"He does, Fe, he really does." Sylvain sighed. "Say what you want about the circumstances of their marriage, but you can't deny that he loved her dearly. He would've done anything for her. And even the way he is now, I know you hear how he calls out for her at night. If we could convince him that a grave would be a way to put her soul to rest, he might be open to the idea of changing course."
"He loved her so much, but he let this happen." Felix grimaced, recalling his confrontation with the boar at the cathedral. "I would've fought tooth and nail for her, but what did he do? He calls out for her at night because he knows it's his fault she's dead. He can blame Edelgard all he wants, but he knows the truth."
"That's not fair, Felix." Sylvain shook his head. "None of us were there, we don't know the circumstances. But I don't think that His Highness would've let them take her without a fight."
"Her grave needs to be in Fraldarius." Felix stood up to punctuate his point. "I don't care that she married the boar, she's not a Blayddid; she's a Fraldarius."
And with that, Felix walked away without giving Sylvain a chance to reply. He didn't care about the strategic advantage of putting her grave in Fhirdiad. Eve had been a pawn of the Church when she was living and he wasn't about to make her death a bargaining chip either. Besides, he did truly believe that if she were to have a grave anywhere she would want it to be in Fraldarius.
"Our scout has returned. As expected, there are quite a few Imperial soldiers stationed there." Gilbert addressed their group from where they had gathered a short distance from the Great Bridge of Myrddin.
"I see. So the enemy has prepared for our arrival..." Dimitri squinted with his good eye. "It matters not. I will kill them all, whether they are one or one hundred."
"That's not necessary." Byleth frowned.
She had hoped she would see an improvement in Dimitri's behaviour after having spent time back at the monastery surrounded by the people he had known before the war. But instead it appeared that he only continued further and further into his bloodthirstiness.
"What would you do, if you saw the people who stole everything from you? If you saw them right before your eyes, living carefree lives and feeling no guilt. Would you feel nothing? Do nothing?" Dimitri towered over Byleth as he questioned her. "Five years ago... Did you not deem the woman who killed Jeralt to be unforgivable? I am most certain that you did. You couldn't let her get away with her crime, so you took up your sword in pursuit."
"You're right." Byleth conceded.
"Precisely my point." Dimitri grimaced. "We're the same, you and I."
"But I-" Byleth tried to elaborate.
"You're wasting your time." Felix cut her off. "There's nothing to be gained from exchanging words with a boar that has lost its mind."
"Felix..." Gilbert glanced at him with a cautious look.
"This is war." Felix gestured around them. "Every last one of us has lost someone we care for. But we choose to suppress our anger and go right on living. Do you know why?"
"Because it's pointless." Byleth murmured.
"That's right." Felix nodded before pointing back at Dimitri. "All the boar is accomplishing is stacking up more corpses."
"Tell me, Felix... If the dead are beyond reach, is it not also pointless to mourn or even bury those who are lost?" Dimitri turned to Felix with a meaningful look. "To make a headstone for a woman whose body we don't even have?"
"Ha. That mind of yours." Felix laughed humourlessly, turning his attention back to Byleth. " I'm done here. Remember, Professor. It's not compassion for this fool that has brought our army so far. There are those of us who despise the Empire, and those who side with the church. If we keep running down this path, it's only a matter of time before the ground beneath us collapses."
"That's enough, Felix." Rodrigue cut in.
"You're a damned fool, old man." Felix spat with distaste.
"The soldiers are ready to march on your command." Rodrigue now addressed Dimitri.
"Then let's move out at once. Every moment counts." The prince nodded.
"Understood. Let's show those Empire dastards the power of the Knights of Faerghus!" Rodrigue grinned, ever an optimist in the face of despair.
As their scouts had reported, there were a multitude of soldiers stationed at the bridge. And it appeared that they had been ready for an assault. Without the element of surprise, the Kingdom forces knew it was going to be a difficult siege. But they had Rodrigue's extra forces and the leadership of Byleth which was enough to give them hope of success.
Dimitri became singleminded in his pursuit of General Ladislava the moment he became aware of her presence on the battlefield. Being able to take out one of Edelgard's most trusted generals took priority over everything else in his mind. And even better, she had been one of the leaders of the attack on Garreg Mach all those years ago.
But as Dimitri pushed forward without a second thought, he unintentionally isolated himself from the rest of his forces. Byleth was trying her best to get to him to offer support, but had to redirect herself when the Alliance lord Acheron appeared. Surrounded by enemies, even Dimitri struggled to stave off all of his attackers. And as he moved to block one assailant he realised too late that he had instead put himself directly in the path of another soldier's attack.
As the prince braced for the impact, a flash of silver and a clash blocked the oncoming blow. Dimitri's eye widened as he realised who stood before him in full armour.
"Your Highness! Apologies for the late arrival." Dedue turned around to offer a nod at the prince.
"Dedue... You're alive... How?!" Dimitri was still frozen in shock, unable to process being reunited with his vassal after all these years.
"We can discuss it later." Dedue shook his head. :For now, allow me to join your forces."
Dimitri nodded in understanding and the two of them turned their attention back to the fight. Their brief paused had allowed some of their allies to draw closer to where the prince had rushed ahead in pursuit of Ladislava. Various cries of astonishment and joy were heard as their classmates recognised Dedue, but they all stayed focused on the objective as they pressed forward.
"To repay Her Majesty's favour, I will not let you pass!" Ladislava cried as their forces closed in on her.
"She's not planning on surrendering." Byleth said to Gilbert beside her.
"It does not appear that way." Gilbert nodded in agreement. "I suppose there is only one way for us to end this."
Ashe was the one who shot down Ladislava's wyvern with several perfectly aimed arrows. And as soon as she was on the ground, Dimitri was upon her like a lion on the hunt. It didn't take long for the Faerghus prince to dispose of the general which quickly brought about the end of their battle at the Great Bridge of Myrddin.
As the dust settled, everyone began to converge on Dedue, amazed to see the man of Duscur still alive.
"Dedue!" Everyone saw a glimpse of the old Dimitri as he was able to greet his friend once more. "Why...How are you here? You died. Five years ago..."
"I was saved by my brothers. Men of Duscur." Dedue answered curtly.
"Those people you were with... They were of Duscur? And they saved you?" Dimitri asked incredulously.
"Your Highness. I asked that you fulfill your long-held desire, did I not?" Deduce asked after nodding in response. "Allow me to once again act as your sword and shield. Please, let me witness your triumph. I want to behold the moment your wish is finally granted."
"Dedue... Of course. And in exchange, I ask that you swear something to me, here and now." Dimitri reached out to put a hand on his vassal's shoulder. "Do not ever throw your life away again. Understood?"
"Your Highness..." Dedue's eyes widened in surprise before his usual stoicism took its place in his features. "Understood."
Satisfied, Dimitri turned away while the rest of the Blue Lions flocked to reunite with Dedue. Curious to see how his demeanour might have changed after seeing his long lost vassal, Byleth followed after the prince.
" Idiots. Embracing death for the sake of that woman." Dimitri was muttering to himself, shaking his head as he looked at the death around them. "Truly foolish..."
"What troubles you?" Byleth asked.
"I... I don't know." Lately Dimitri had been so sure of himself and his path, at least verbally. It was surprising to hear him falter.
"Do you regret killing them?" Byleth asked, wondering if she might now be able to break through to him.
"They were just beasts with human faces. I had no choice but to kill them, and so I did." He shook his head. But despite his harsh words, he didn't seem to certain anymore. "That...that is all there is to it."
"Your Highness." Gilbert interrupted, heading over to the two of them with a piece of parchment in his hands. "A letter recovered from Ladislava… It's from the Emperor."
"Read it." Dimitri's eyes darkened at the mention of Edelgard.
Ladislava,
I have also heard reports similar to the ghost stories your men speak of. Since our last correspondence, I have sent two separate battalions to investigate this case. Neither battalion returned. I assure you it is not just you who is experiencing a disruption in supply convoys. Throughout the Empire, battalions have been attacked on their way to the front lines by what they say is a single assailant. I have tasked Jeritza with finding this so-called 'Crimson Ghost' and putting an end to this disturbance. In the meantime, you may need to rely on Acheron and the other lords from the Leicester Alliance who have aligned themselves with our cause for supplies. I will write when I have an update.
Emperor Edelgard