Genres/Rating: Family, Friendship, History, Truth, Romance. (T)

Characters: Raine, Dimitri, Felix, Ashe, Petra, Ingrid, Mercedes, Sylvain, Dedue, Annette.

Summary: It was meant to be a simple war meeting, another out of so many as they prepared themselves once again for the battle ahead, but she had underestimated her students. They were not as patient, or as unaware, as she had wanted them to look. It didn't seem to matter to them that they would soon clash swords with former legends. If anything, such a thought didn't even seem to cross their minds. What troubled them more was her, her and her family, and she sat in her chair, stunned silent and unsure as eleven sets of eyes pierced her through and demanded answers she was not sure she could give them.

Horsebow Moon

Garreg Mach (War Room)

Afternoon

"All right... If that's everything, then I believe we can adjourn today..." Raine arched her aching back slightly as she glanced over at her notes, shuffling the papers into one clean pile as she listened to the rest of her class mumbling and muttering amongst themselves at her mention of dissolving the meeting. It had been shorter than normal, due to the fact that much more attention as needed to training rather than weekly meetings of politics and discussion of tactics, but she had come to accept her new normal rather quickly. The preparation for what was to take place at the end of the moon demanded all of their attention. They could dwell on what would come after when their swords, axes, lances, and bows could finally be put down. Peace would be a war all of its own, but all of them understood the need to put everything aside for what was to come next.

It had been a hectic week, taking her students aside to speak to them of the truth that Seteth had revealed to her and her generals a few days prior, but she hadn't seen a reason to keep any of it a secret from them. They were to march with her, after all, and any information she had was information they needed in order to both make an informed choice in joining her, and knowing what to expect in the battle to come. It had rocked all of her class, as she had known it would, and she had addressed each of their concerns as patiently and gently as she possibly could. It was not easy. There had been righteous anger, sadness, and disbelief, for all of the lies and the twisting of histories, but they were not emotions she would dismiss out of hand. It did not matter how much good was being done with their Crests or their Relics... The history of what had shaped them, what had created them, made all the difference in how they viewed their weapons and themselves, and it was right of them to have questions, concerns, and demands of her, even if she didn't have all the answers they wanted.

Still, she did not think her decision was wrong. It didn't matter how fiercely Seteth had pressed for secrecy, as she had no illusions that such a dark history could ever truly remain a secret. Besides, Claude and Leonie already were aware, and she would be damned if she allowed them to know, and purposefully kept her own students in the dark in tandem. It was unthinkable, and with Dimitri's agreement, she had shared everything she had been told without hesitation, or much mincing of words. She had to, if she wanted their support, and wanted them to be able to move forward with their own lives in a way that they could be proud of in the future. Of course, it had been rough and difficult to do, with many resisting such knowledge solely out of horror, but she did not blame them for that, either. Hadn't her own reaction been much the same?

Her hand thoughtlessly moved of its own accord to the hilt that pressed into her side, and reflexively her fingers drew back before it could make contact. Her body rejected the act that had once brought her comfort, and her stomach twisted with indignant fury that was growing harder and harder to quench. The sword that had become a part of her, that had saved her life, and the lives of those she loved so many times over... was merely a physical part of that young-looking girl who had shared her body, shared her soul with her, in what had been a different lifetime. Even the mere idea of wielding it made her feel sick, but the ice-cold pragmatism in her brain warned her not to dwell. She had one more battle to wage to close the war, and using Sothis' remains to slaughter the man responsible for her death had a poetic irony to it that even she could appreciate... even if she didn't want to imagine what the poor Goddess would ever think of such a horrendous end.

Despite her initial hesitancy, her fingers reached, and brushed with careful reverence against the cracked, empty hilt that had so many times felt like the warmth of an old friend's hand. It didn't matter that hole for the Crest Stone was empty. The sword knew her as well as she knew it, and it had become almost an extra limb in all of her time wielding it. Her body needed to know it was there, needed to find comfort in its cool, familiar touch, even though her mind winced away from it all the same. Dark, unwilling thoughts flickered through her head, laughing mockingly at her inability to find peace between the two newly warring halves of herself, and she heard herself whispering inwardly and with great pain, 'How connected were we, in the end? To the point where I'm now wielding your very bones...? Desecrating you even further every time I draw to battle... Even if I know I have no choice, even if I know that without your power I'd be useless on the battlefield, it still makes me sick to think that this is how we've ended up. What else do I have to take from you, before all of this is over? Was your power, your godhood, your soul not enough...? We should have traded places... The world needed you more than me, then. It still does.'

A sudden slam made her jump in her seat, and all eyes immediately went to the doorway where the sound had originated from. Felix was standing there, back to the lot of them, but his hand was heavy on the wood to prove he had been the one to slam the doors shut again before he had made his exit. He turned around slowly, and his face was a cold mask, his eyes glinting in a dark sort of wrath as they glanced about at the startled faces of his comrades who had either yet to leave their seats, or had been in the process of getting up. Each one was looking at him with some degree of concern, or even fear, but he ignored them all as he turned his gaze on his professor, who, as always, was sitting at the head of the table. She hadn't made a single move to leave, as usual, and he had known she would wait until all of them had left before she would even dream of following. It was simply her way, to wait on them, to ensure not even one of them had anything for her address before she would consider her own needs and wants, and the sight of her surprised seafoam-green eyes staring up at him pricked his temper all the further.

Turning sharply on his heel, Felix approached the table and pointedly pounded his hands firmly on the end to once again draw even closer attention to him. Most of the women in the room flinched or jumped at the action, but he ignored them all as Raine merely continued to watch him placidly, and his voice was a growl, impatient and irritated and furious all at once when he finally broke the thick tension by repeating her words mockingly, "If that's everything...? How long are you going to continue to pretend up there, Professor? No matter what's thrown at you, you don't even blink, and I'll admit we've appreciated that coldness since it's kept everyone in this room alive up until now... but still, you're going to sit there, and keep pretending, even when we're this close? You've given no orders. No instructions. Not even a damned hint of what our next move is to be. I don't care if everyone else is too afraid to ask you directly, as I'm not. What are you planning in that head of yours, and why aren't you telling us anything about it yet?!"

Raine blinked several times, unsure of how to even respond to such an unexpected tirade, but she was even more surprised when she saw Dimitri rapidly push himself to his feet as if he had been expecting this outburst for some time. His expression was ferocious, anger and wrath all rolled into a fearsome scowl she had not seen ever since they had left Enbarr, and the sight of it made her flinch back almost automatically from him. It was clear that something had passed between the two considering his immediate reaction, and as he swept out a hand, his voice commanding and sharp, it was only further proof when he began fiercely, "Felix, you are out of line! This is not the time or place to do this!"

"Be quiet, Boar! She's your woman, isn't she?! Out of everyone sitting here, you're the one who should be the angriest of all of us, and yet you keep preaching that we wait, that we listen, but there's been nothing to listen to! Nothing but building tension, and unasked and unanswered questions!" Felix's answer was a sharp as a whip, and Raine almost spluttered as she looked up at Dimitri to see his reaction. His jaw clenched and his hands gripped down into fists at his sides, yet he did not speak, and Felix almost scoffed at him when it was clear that he had no answer for his claims. He waved a hand, gesturing broadly to all who sat in the room, and he snarled at his future king as his silence spoke for him, "I want answers! Everyone here wants answers! Are we marching to war against the Church of Seiros, or not? I won't go back to Faerghus until I know. I won't leave Garreg Mach under the control of that woman, or her abetting kin, until I know exactly where it is she stands on it!"

For a moment, Raine wasn't entirely sure how to react to such a wild claim. She could feel all of the eyes on the room piercing her to her seat, but she could only return Felix's hot glare with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty. It was obvious enough that it was something that had been bubbling underneath the surface for longer than she had guessed, but for an eruption to look like this of all things... She shook her head slowly, trying to pick her words carefully when she finally broke the tense silence, "War on the Church of Seiros...? Are you mad? What in the seven hells gave you the assumption that I intend to topple the church? If you think I'm anything like Edelgard, I'm frankly quite insulted, Felix. I've no love for what they've done, nor for how they've twisted history to their advantage, but I've no desire whatsoever to go to war over it. Why would you ever assume I'd want to?"

"Felix spoke too fast, Professor. It isn't about the Church of Seiros. It's about the Archbishop." Annette was the first to answer, quickly breaking in over Felix before he could continue his tirade, and she shot him a warning look before he could even begin to try and interrupt. Her eyes were sharp despite her kind and understanding voice, and he could only stand to look at her for a handful of seconds before he looked away with a flexing of his jaw. She understood his anger well, and she knew his heart was in the right place even if his words were not, and so she spoke for him as Raine looked to her now questioningly, "We're well aware that you've no intention to follow in Edelgard's footsteps... That you don't wish to change the status quo under such violent means. That isn't what Felix meant. Rather... He wants to know what it is that you intend to do with the Archbishop, once all of the fighting comes to an end. And to be perfectly honest... I think everyone in the room wants to know it, too. You've said nothing since she returned... but we all can feel the tension. We all know that something is on the horizon... but we can't guess what that something is, unless you tell us. We can't offer you help if we do not know what it is you intend to do."

"What I... intend to do...?"

"Professor, please don't play dumb. We're all more than aware that Rhea has done things to you, and to your family, that she hasn't paid for. We may not know the exact details, but we aren't blind. Ever since the beginning of things, Rhea has been holding your strings, so to speak... and while you played along, it wasn't what you wanted." It was Ingrid's turn to speak, interrupting her professor before she could begin to form excuses, and her eyes were hard and flinty as she stood up from her seat to give due gravity to the words she was speaking. The tension in the room felt unbearable, and yet there was a certain freedom flowing through her now as all the whispers, all the side-eyeing and rumours were put aside to frankly address the truth no one had before had the courage to look in the eye. "Rhea is responsible for the things that have happened to you and your family, isn't she? Beyond everything else, and that isn't something we intend to put aside, either... But she has committed crimes against you, too, hasn't she? And you intend to take some sort of action for it, don't you?"

A quick, scathing glance at Dimitri was all that was needed for Raine to assess that he had said nothing, as she had sworn him to do, but still he was looking away with a taut jaw and guilt written clearly all over his face. He hadn't betrayed a word of what she told him, but even he hadn't managed to keep his fellow classmates from snooping, or from putting together the puzzle pieces on their own. Rather, she could guess he had worked hard at forcing their silence, trying to urge them to give her privacy and space, but it seemed they were not willing to listen to him any longer.

At first there was a wave of anger, but Raine found that she was unable to keep it raging as she looked from face to face of the assembled students before her. Some were looking away in shame and guilt, but others held her stare with righteous indignance, and those were the stares at pierced her through. Their anger was pure, but none of it was at all directed at her. Rather, it had been born for her, and the distinction was enough to quench her own and make her feel cold, tired, and surprisingly vulnerable. It was different, though she wasn't entirely sure how, when it was so many of them versus when it had simply been her brother, or Dimitri.

"Why... are you so concerned over this?" The words left her in a tired sigh, and she felt herself slumping back in her seat without much of a thought as she slowly shook her head in wonder. Felix's outburst had startled her, and yet also it had exasperated her. Felix's anger was nothing surprising, as he always had to be angry at something, but the conclusion he had reached in that rage still seemed so ridiculous that she wasn't entirely sure what to think about it. An entire other war, a war against the Church of Seiros no less, and he had spoken of it as if it was simply a matter of course. She couldn't even stomach the idea of another battle, let alone the idea of a second war, but from Felix's passion, and from the looks on of the faces of her students... They didn't seem nearly as bothered as she was. "Haven't you all had enough of fighting? Aren't you all looking forward to going home? There's only one last battle left before we can declare it all over, at least with any real certainty, and yet... You'd still give more...? For my sake, of all things?"

"Of course we would, Professor. And I think that you're not quite understanding our point, here. It isn't simply "for your sake" that we would continue to fight... It's simply how things should be for us. Or, at the very least, it is for me." Ashe's voice was quiet, but surprisingly gentle as he answered when no one else would, and his usually so keen eyes were shockingly soft as he stepped around his seat and approached the still-sitting professor who had pulled him along with her so kindly without ever once showing annoyance, exasperation, or irritation for his lack of knowledge, skill, or his less than savoury past. His chest ached to hear her speak to lowly of herself, to hear her clearly fail to understand why she was so important to them, and he would not permit such a thing to linger as he continued in that same kindly voice, "I won't dare speak for anyone else here, as that isn't my place, but... Professor, when I was scared, when I was lost... You were the one to tell me that no matter the foe you'd have to face to keep me safe, you would fight them for me because I was your student. Even if it was the Church of Seiros itself. I know, perhaps, you were only speaking hypothetically, to reassure me, but when you said those words... I still believed them. I really, truly believed that if push came to shove, if it meant protecting me, you would raise your blade to the Church, to the Archbishop, for my sake. If I wasn't willing to return the favour, after all this time... I may as well abandon my dream of being a knight, and return to the streets where I came from. I am only here today because you made me that promise, and made me believe that if you thought I was worth fighting such a battle, then I wasn't without merit."

"Ashe... I said those things because you were my student, and I was your professor. It was my duty to protect you, because you were under my wing. Things have changed since those days. And even then, I... I was only doing what I thought was right of me to do." Raine shook her head, pushing away the kindness even as it curled its way around her still heart in a desperate attempt to give it warmth that it could not feel. It made her twinge with guilt, with shame, to hear him speak so sweetly of an oath she had given merely out of obligation. She was not the woman he, or any of her students, believed her to be. "I was made into your professor against my will. Had I had a choice in the matter, I would have never taught any of you. I would have left the monastery with my family, without ever once considering any of you at all. When I realized that I was stuck here and there were no options left to me, I only did what I thought was right of me to do. It was an obligation, not a kindness. Everything I have ever done for you, for all of you, was out of obligation for my newfound duties. You're thinking me much kinder than I am."

"You can lie to yourself all you want, Professor, but we know different. It may have started as an obligation, but it certainly didn't stay that way for long." Sylvain remarked with an idle flick of his wrist, and though his tone was flippant, his eyes were serious as they bored holes into the woman he was addressing. He glanced around the room, taking in the approving nods and knowing looks, and it brought a lopsided smile to his face as he shrugged his shoulders before gesturing towards Ingrid with his thumb, "Obligation only extends so far... You weren't obligated to help Ingrid and Dorothea out when you discovered one of her suitors wasn't as good a man as he was pretending to be. You weren't obligated to help Dedue when he heard that the remnants of his people were staging an uprising against the Kingdom's mistreatment. Hell, you weren't obligated to help me when I was being an arse to you, but you did it anyway, because that's just who you are, Professor. You help because you can, not because you must. We see that distinction well enough, and we want to pay you back for it. It's that simple."

"Y-You're presuming too much-"

"Professor." This time it was Mercedes who interjected, and her normally so sweet and kind voice was stern, though admittedly also somewhat huskier than usual. The lattice of bruises that decorated her throat had faded well, only showing up as a faint blush of plum from where they had once burnt in a bright black, but her voice was still rough from the damage that had been inflicted on her by her brother. It took her obvious effort to speak, but speak she did all the same as Raine fell silent, unable to talk over her when she knew the trouble her student was going through in order to put her thoughts to speech, "This is one fight that you will never be able to win. Not only are you outnumbered, but you are also simply wrong. You can argue all you wish with us, and that much we'll allow you, but you won't change our minds no matter what it is that you say. Even if you shout, scream, cry... Even should you insult us, or yourself... It won't matter. We have not come this far together, as students and as comrades, to falter now. All of us have made up our minds, for one reason or another. We won't be swayed. We cannot be swayed. Even you must realize that much, even if you won't agree with us, don't you?"

"Mercedes is right, Professor. You know she is. We're probably the most stubborn class that Garreg Mach has ever seen. You taught us how to be stubborn, after all." Annette agreed with a nod, and she took her place at Mercedes' shoulder and laid a comforting hand on it as she did so. Her friend offered her a small, affectionate smile, sheepishly touching her throat as she understood that Annette was taking up the gauntlet in order to spare her more discomfort, and Annette gladly continued with a fierce glint to her eye, "It really doesn't matter what you say at this point. Not about us, or about yourself. We don't care about the details of how you came to be our professor, or why you taught us as you did. That doesn't matter. What does matter, what we do care about, is what happens to you after this war is over. We all have our endings we've been hurrying towards... Endings that you helped us find, or guided us towards when we said that was the future we wanted. Now, it's your turn. And we want to help you. No matter what form that takes. If it meant waging another war... I think everyone in this room would do it. And I can speak for Raphael and Flayn when I tell you that they'd agree, if they were here right now."

"I think we all can speak for Flayn on that... After what happened a few days ago, there's no doubt where she would fall on this particular issue." Ingrid agreed with a bittersweet smile, and her chest throbbed with pain as she thought of the lost, forlorn look that their healer had worn when she had explained her secrets to them personally, begging for their forgiveness for her secrecy even though no one in the room had even considered being angry with her. Once she had explained it all herself, laying everything from her true name to her current circumstances bare to their scrutiny, no one had doubted her sincerity. Raphael had been forced to practically keep her upright when her tears had started, and they had all recoiled in shock when she announced herself a traitor to them, to their professor, and told them of her wishes to repent by any and all means possible.

No one had dared to ask for the details, as none of them could even begin to imagine how or when Flayn could have committed any kind of treachery to their class or their professor, but Flayn had refused to allow them to say such things. She had insisted on her guilt, on her desire to do right by those she had wronged, and on that at least, they had been able to give her comfort. If she wanted their support, she would have it, and have it without question. No one would hold her responsible for the life she had been forced to live as a Nabatean, underneath the frightened guidance of her father, and of Rhea. What mattered to them was her actions in the present, not the past, and she had always been a friend to them. The tearful smile she had worn when she had been told as such had softened even the hardest of them, and Ingrid was glad that Raine had not seen such a thing, if only because she could imagine it would have made her even more discomforted than she was now.

Still... The importance of it, the emotions and the meaning did not escape the knight at all, and she refused to permit it to be swept underneath the rug. The tension in the room was still thick, and she could see Felix was still slightly trembling with wrath, and a desperate need to do something with it. His first reaction was always action rather than thought, and even if they did all agree with him on principle, there was still the matter of respect to be had. It gentled her voice, and she tilted her head slightly as she spoke again comfortingly, almost pleadingly, "Professor, you need to understand that none of us would be here today without you... and for some of us, that means more than we can put into words. Action is much easier for some of us than others, which is why Felix is so eager to claim he'd wage a war for you. We all would, and gladly, if it came to that. Of course, on the other hand, if that isn't what you want, we will respect that, too. Just don't ask us to sit idly by, is all. To pretend that... nothing is wrong, and that nothing should be done about what happened to you, or your family. You would never accept that for us."

Raine shook her head, feeling her temples throbbing as her emotions swirled in an ugly vortex deep somewhere in her stomach. Her fingers felt cold, and her limbs felt oddly detached from her body. She was leaning hard on her chair for support, worrying that if she didn't that she would immediately slide lifeless and unfeeling right to the floor. Dimitri was painfully still and silent on her left, watching the verbal melee with one drawn eye, but she could barely pay much attention to him as a dark sort of fit made her chuckle ruefully, "You lot are lucky that my brother isn't here for this farce... He'd rip you all to shreds for daring to assume that our family affairs are any of your business."

"It is our business. Why is it that such a simple concept can't seem to make it through your head?" Felix returned sharply, and his lips curled into a scowl as he imagined his professor's elder brother storming at all of them for their thoughts. It wasn't as if the man's hatred of the Church, of Rhea, was any secret to any of them. They knew full well that at the end of things, he intended to take his hatred all the way to the top of the institution that had ruined his family, and he hadn't kept that a secret from anyone, either. There was a damned good reason that Rhea was hiding in her quarters, and that even Seteth was doing everything in his power to avoid crossing paths with the dark-eyed mercenary. They feared him for his wrath... and Felix knew that they were right to. "I won't pretend to understand what it was exactly that was done to you, or to your parents, but I'm not blind enough or fool enough to not know where to place the blame for it. Your brother at the very least has made his intents clear. He wants to go after Rhea, when it's safe enough for him to do so. You're going to go with him. But yet you think it's not our business to know that, or not get involved? That's just hypocrisy. You can't be sticking your nose in our lives, making decisions and rummaging about for us whenever you want, and think we don't have the same rights."

"I must disagree with that point."

Dedue's voice speaking up from the back of the room brought any thoughts of further conversation to an abrupt halt, and all eyes turned to the tall man with a fair mixture of surprise and uncertainty. He was standing off to the side, isolated from the other students who had begun to crowd the table, and his expression was placid even as he took in the reactions of his peers. He raised a hand calmly as Felix rounded on him, interrupting him from starting an argument, and he crossed his arms behind his back before turning his eyes to Raine instead. His posture was immaculate, a soldier standing firmly at attention, and his voice remained calm and clear as he addressed her and her only, "If I may speak frankly, Professor...?"

"You don't need my permission to speak frankly, Dedue... As evidenced." Raine almost allowed herself a chuckle as she gestured vaguely at the gathered students who had ripped apart her boundaries and stormed in without clearly giving her a second thought. She was almost glad to see Annette and Ingrid wincing, looking ashamed of themselves, but she did appreciate Dedue's request all the same. It was a strange way with him, as she had discovered once the rumour mill had gone to work and word had spread of how her bed was rarely empty most nights. His disposition towards her had not changed, though there was a strange sort of current to his voice now whenever they spoke privately, as if he was giving her a deeper respect than before, which she admittedly had been too afraid to question him over. The implications were too much, and while he had never once stepped a foot out of line in addressing her relationship with his lord, there was still no questioning the fact that he knew. Whether or not he approved... Well, that was also something she was too afraid to question him on. "Say whatever it is on your mind... You may as well now, considering everyone else seems to be doing the same."

"Very well... Then, I shall reiterate that I disagree with Felix's reasoning, and do not find your unwillingness to include your students in your private affairs to be hypocritical. It is your right, and your right alone, to deem what is or is not appropriate to share with us. To think otherwise would be selfish, and undermining of your emotions." Dedue folded his hands behind his back, carefully aware of every pair of eyes that were scorching him, but still relatively unconcerned for them. Their opinions, in the end, did not truly matter. They could and would speak for hours on them, could and would raise a blade to fight or die for their professor, but in the end, he was aware of who it was who had the right to make the final decision on such things, and he would not be foolish and act before an order was given. "With that said, however... I believe that this conversation has been diverted from its original purpose, and in progressing as we have, your emotions have been injured. For that, I apologize. Yet... I must ask you, as I believe all of us here wish to... What is it then, that you would have us do, as your students and comrades, with the knowledge that we do have available to us at current?"

"In what respect do you mean? Felix is claiming he'd go to war over the damage to my family. That seems supported by at least half of you. The other half of you seem to want to know what it is that happened to my family, and where I place the blame, and what I intend to do about that blame." Raine pointed out shrewdly, but to Dedue's credit, he merely continued to watch her in silence rather than avert his eyes from her own. He didn't even shift uncomfortably, like so many of his peers did now that the tone in the room had grown so much sharper and deadlier, and she almost respected him more than she wanted to hit him for that. "My question to you is what will you do if I refuse to tell you anything? If I keep my secrets, my grudges, and give you no orders? Will you stand down and simply bite your tongues? Or will you act on your own?"

"We will be doing nothing that you do not be giving the approval of, Professor." Petra answered before Dedue could, and her adust eyes flashed almost with annoyance that such a question had been raised at all. She tilted her head, catlike and curious, but her hands had curled into fists at her side, and she stood tall, back straight and chin raised almost in defiance as she continued firmly, "We are your students... and we are also your soldiers. We will follow your orders. Always. If you say that you wish for us to do nothing... nothing is what we will do. We will not disobey. We have not come so far with you only to be showing such disrespect now. But, you cannot be lying to us, in return, yes? Do you not trust us to care for you, Professor? To be angry, hurt, or sad for you, as you were for us when we were of need? Or is it that you do not want us to be angry, hurt, or sad? We cannot understand, if you do not tell us."

"Petra's right, Professor. Why is it that you want to push us away so badly now?" Ashe moved fluidly to Petra's side, and he stood shoulder to shoulder with the future queen of Brigid without an ounce of shame or hesitancy in his features. He watched his professor closely, noting the discomfort on her face, in her body language, and it only made his brow furrow deeper in concern and worry. He was a sniper, after all, and little was permitted to be beneath his notice... and his training as a thief in his youth had taught him all he needed to know about reading patterns and routines. He shook his head slowly, hating himself for the words in his throat but forcing them out all the same as he corrected himself, "No... Not just now. It's always been like this. Whenever you're in need... You either hide it until it cannot be hidden anymore, or push us away from you. If I didn't know you better, I would say that you didn't trust us... but that's obviously not true. If you didn't trust us, you wouldn't fight with us. You don't put your back to anyone that you don't believe will have it when needed most. That's how you were raised. How both you and Sir Warin were raised. But off the battlefield... You won't let us in until it's almost too late. Like you want something to happen to you that we could prevent. Like you're punishing yourself for something, and suffering under it by yourself is the only thing you can think to do."

"Oh... That's it, isn't it, Professor...? You are punishing yourself, aren't you?" Mercedes' voice was soft, and she was the first to move and speak after the uncomfortable silence followed Ashe's proclamation. No one ever took his word lightly, and all knew his eyes were the sharpest in the class. If he had made such an observation, and especially one that she had not immediately tried to counter... It was more than likely truer than they wished to admit. Raine was looking away from all of them, jaw tightly clenched and hands curled into fists, but Mercedes didn't mind it as she took slow, careful steps about the table to where her professor was now standing. Her hand reached, settling slowly, gently on the older woman's shoulder, and she squeezed carefully as she murmured, "All this time, that's what it's been about. You still haven't forgiven yourself for everything that's happened over the past several years... You've been punishing yourself for all your failures, because if no one else will hold you accountable for them, you at least will. Am I right?"

Raine flinched away from the gentle touch, teeth grinding as the words hit home far too sharply for her to ever try to avoid. She heard Dimitri letting out a long, slow breath at her side, but he didn't speak up, either. His insight was as keen as Mercedes' was, but his mercy had forced him into silence. Mercedes was clearly not as giving, but it didn't matter. It was the truth, and Raine felt her eyes beginning to smart as those failures, the faces of her father, the villagers of Remire, her brother, her students, all of those who were now dead flashed in front of her face like lightning in the clouds. How many had she lost...? How many had she been unable to help? How many more would there be, before she would be put to task for everything she had done, and failed to do?

Suddenly she was being pulled, and Raine couldn't resist even as much as she wanted to as she felt Mercedes' arms winding themselves tightly, lovingly, about her trembling form. Despite her wounds, despite her obvious tiredness, there was a strange strength to her grip, and Mercedes held onto her almost as if she was trying to keep her from falling apart at the seams. Perhaps she knew more than Raine did, and she didn't resist, feeling her body slumping as Mercedes hugged her even tighter as she sighed painfully, "You want to be punished because you think it's all your doing... I understand. Believe me, I know... But it isn't your fault. None of this is your fault. Had you a choice in the matter, none of what happened would ever have come to bear... but you never had a choice. You were robbed of that, from the very start. And still you think that everything that went wrong was your doing. You only believe that because you're kind."

Annette twitched, feeling that familiar ache of guilt and realization blossoming through her chest at Mercedes' heartfelt words, and she understood just exactly how deep that truth was ringing out in her friend's explanation. After all, who else amongst them knew that kind of grief better than Mercedes' did? She had sought out judgement at her brother's hand, putting up her life against it because she thought it was only right of her to do, and she could see the parallels between herself and her professor more clearly than anyone. The thought of it made her shudder, and she was quick to join her friend, embracing both women with all she had as she spoke through a rapidly closing throat, "It's not fair... None of this is fair. Stop trying to carry all of this by yourself! We're here, too! All of us are here! We want to help! Let us help you, Professor! You're not in this alone! You'll never be alone! We won't let you!"

Dimitri stepped quietly aside, watching as the women of the group all rushed forward, clamouring to show their support in any way they could as the depth of their professor's suffering was brought kicking and screaming into the light. Raine all but disappeared between them all, buried in their arms and underneath their kind, gently consoling words, and he both ached with guilt for her overwhelming emotions and for his classmates' wishes to do something, anything, to give her comfort. The men of the class all stood quietly by, their eyes narrowed and faces drawn with similar guilt and emotion, and he could see their thoughts pasted clearly across their expressions as words across a page.

Sylvain was staring silently at her, discomfort and anger quietly simmering in his eyes, and Dimitri could almost hear the name of his dead elder brother in his thoughts as he watched Ingrid take her turn to embrace Raine tightly. Though he had not spoken much of their growing relationship, all had noticed that it had been shortly after Miklan's death that something between him and his professor had changed. She had pulled him out of the dark, had ripped away the mask of a joking clown, and Sylvain had made it clear that from that point on he would always give her his respect and his loyalty. His days in the war had proved it, as no one else had been her fiercest supporter, her most steadfast knight... and it was clear that he was wondering where he had failed so significantly to not see himself in her actions.

Ashe was watching them all, too, his brow drawn and his lips pursed into a scowl, but Dimitri could see behind the initial anger without much trouble. It had not surprised him in the least that it had been Ashe who had put the pieces together, as he had been there that day to hear Raine's declaration that she would indeed go to war with the Church itself if it meant protecting her students. She hadn't been speaking hypothetically, and both of them had known it... How else could her words have been half as comforting as they were, if she had been exaggerating just for their benefit? No, she had meant everything she had said and more. She couldn't lie to save her own skin. She wouldn't ever try just for their comfort.

Felix's glare could likely melt all of the snow in the north, but Dimitri did not begrudge his friend for his anger. It was righteously placed, even if he could almost hear the words that had to be beating a drum within his head. How furious had he been with himself, and with Mercedes, when he had realized just how deep her guilt over her brother truly ran? The word "martyr" had been on his lips, and he spoke it with such contempt that it could almost melt steel... but there was no denying the fact that even if he hated their actions, that their emotions still were real enough for them. For all his wrath, however, he was not subjecting either of the women to it, even if it had to be galling him to swallow it all. He did not wish to hurt those already in pain... and he would keep it bundled up close to his chest, at least for the moment, until he was permitted to use his blade to unleash it all.

Dedue however met his stare, and in those old, familiar eyes Dimitri felt both comfort and guilt staring back at him. He was thankful that Dedue had returned control to Raine with his words, with his disagreement of Felix's demands, and he would give him his appreciation when it was all over... but there was still that unspoken order laying between them. Dedue had not spoken up solely for Raine's sake. Dimitri knew his old friend, his trusted retainer, far too well for that. After all, who had been the one to watch over her, quietly and from a distance, ever since he had returned? Had spoken at length with her brother, had kept her secrets, and had kept a vigil over her when he had been too far gone to do so? Dedue knew his heart better than he did... and he had taken the task of protecting it, protecting her, as seriously as any obligation he had ever done.

A quiet breath escaped him, and his head turned in the direction of the infirmary where both Flayn and Raphael still were holed up. He could imagine their responses, their fevered support and their gentle compassion, but a part of him was glad that they were not there to witness this. Flayn was sensitive, too sensitive, to see her professor breaking down like this, and she would never forgive herself for the part she played in it. Her age and immaturity didn't matter. She was kin to Rhea and to Seteth, and for their crimes she, too, would hold herself accountable. Why else had she come to them in the first place, professing her guilt as a traitor, and expecting condemnation for things she couldn't have ever possibly controlled?

And then there was Raphael, a young man much too wise for his years, but knowing loss, guilt, and grief far more intimately than his warm smile ever let on. He would understand his professor, even if he would fight her to the death for her words, and he would be first amongst all of them to lift her up and keep her standing if he ever was there to see her stumble. He had been there for all of them, his smile wide and comforting, and his hands strong and supportive, and more than ever Dimitri wondered at him and his choices. He had let it all go, when he had been given a chance to turn to a darker path... and instead he had embraced the light, and never once looked back. He was a better man than all of them, and Dimitri knew his respect for him would never cease if for that and that alone.

Underneath the soft, gentle words of her female students, Dimitri listened to Raine's quiet sniffles as she was huddled in tight against all of them. Each of them were so desperate and eager to give her comfort, trading her from embrace to embrace as if they all wanted to hold her close and ensure she was never let go ever again. For her credit, Raine was permitting it and not protesting at all, and Dimitri wondered with a pulse of exasperated fondness if she was doing it for her own sake, or for their own. It likely was a mixture, but as he watched Petra hold her shoulders, while Annette tenderly wiped away the tears as they came... He supposed it didn't matter. They loved her, and whatever way they wished to show it was permissible. Blood did not matter to them. They had shed enough of it on the battlefield together to make such trite things meaningless. They were a family. They were a pride. Nothing would tear them apart no matter how many mistakes were made.

"I'm... sorry... I can't... give you an answer right now..." Raine's voice was weak and strained, her throat tight from the tears that she was still fighting off despite how easily they leaked from her eyes. The supporting hands, the comforting embraces, the firm stares of those who withheld their touch but gave her strength all the same... It was too much for her, and she could feel that accursed sensation of tightness once again beginning to encircle her chest. It was just like in the dungeons, when the world felt as if it was closing in about her, and though she knew she could be nowhere safer than here amongst her students... Her body was yearning for flight even as she whispered raggedly, "I just don't... have one for any of you... I don't know what it is I want to do, or how to do it. I won't push you away, but... I need a little more time... before I can tell you anything..."

It was difficult, asserting himself against those he knew had every right, if not an even stronger right, to demand justice for the woman among them, but Dimitri swallowed down his hesitation as Raine's words cast a silence over the room. He was gentle, but firm as he reached into the group, untangling her from their gentle holds and bringing her free, and from the way she blindly reached for him, he knew she had wished he had done so sooner. He winced at the thought, curling an arm protectively about her back, and as she tucked herself into his side, hiding her face against his shoulder, he spoke quietly, slowly for the staring eyes about him, "Let that be enough for the moment... I know all of you are impatient, and angry... You've every right to be. But for today... let it rest. For her sake, if nothing else. None of us here can truly say we support her, that we will always be there for her, if we ignore her wishes now. When tempers have calmed, when she makes her decision... We can reconvene, and show our support as she wants us to. Today... We've pushed enough."

There was a quiet fuss, but ultimately the women pulled away after a few murmured comments and caresses that Raine allowed silently. There were too many longing glances, too many worried stares, but all the same everyone allowed themselves to pull away, even if it was begrudging. However, as the crowd moved to the door, Felix spoke up, his eyes still narrowed and face still drawn into a scowl, "We'll leave it for now... but remember something. The both of you. You don't get to choose what we care for, or how we react to things, as individuals or as a group. We are the Blue Lions, and we didn't come this far by being anything less than a pride. You can continue to risk your skin, but don't complain when we stop you for your own good. Are we clear?"

Dimitri gritted his teeth, readying himself to snap back a harsh command, but Raine's hand on his wrist quieted him before the words could escape his throat. She looked haggard, her eyes dark and quiet, but the touch was more than enough to still him. He had already made too many mistakes, and he had no right to make any more moves without her consent. This was her stage to command, and command it she did as she refused to move from where she stood, carefully being supported by the much taller man beside her, but she did lift her chin, meeting Felix's steadfast glare head-on when she answered him softly, tiredly, "We're clear, Felix. I understand."

That seemed to be satisfying enough for him, and Felix was the first to leave as the others followed in a slow, lazy trickle. Ashe was the last, hesitating at the doorway with a long backwards glance, but Petra's hand was firm as she pulled him out to follow her and he did not disobey her wishes. It felt like forever for all of them to file out, and the final click of the door closing behind them all sounded almost like a peal of thunder. There was a tense silence left behind for the two who had yet to move, and it was broken when Raine let out a long, exhausted sigh and reached for the table in the same movement.

Dimitri watched, swallowing hard as he took her in with a wary, cautious eye. She looked like she had aged a decade in only a handful of minutes, and she leaned back on he table as she tilted her head back and let out another long breath. Her hands were trembling slightly as they gripped onto the thick wood that was supporting her weight, but otherwise she was working hard to disguise any sort of physical reaction she must have been having to what had just happened. Her pallor was sickly, and all the strength seemed to have disappeared from her in an instant. It made him wince, and his hands twitched with longing to reach out, to caress and support, but he held back as he instead spoke slowly, hesitantly, "Are you... all right...?"

The moment the question left his lips he felt like an absolute fool, and he wished he could take them back as her eyes flickered open to turn down to look at him. The exhaustion seemed to permeate into her very irises, but rather than scorn, he was met with a half-hearted sort of smile. She tilted her head somewhat, then reached out, her fingers idly toying with the collar of his tunic. He flinched in surprise, clearly not expecting a kind touch, and she slid a finger carefully under the hem, tugging slightly in reproach. He looked up, unable to help it when he knew what she wanted, and when his eye met hers, she instead surprised him with a question of her own, "How long have you been keeping them at heel?"

"For the better part of two moons. Ashe was the first to approach me, but he was more easily persuaded to hold off. But when Felix became involved, it became much more difficult." Dimitri admitted with immediate honesty, and his gaze flickered momentarily to the door as he remembered those curt and tense discussions that had worn at both his temper and his patience until he had all but threatened to make his suggestion into an order if they didn't leave it be. He shook his head slowly, regretfully, and he watched as Raine watched him with sharp, calculating eyes before he continued, "I convinced them that it would do no good to just spring this on you out of the blue, that you wouldn't appreciate being ganged up on, but... Tempers have been running high as of late, and you know how Felix is. He can't contain himself for long as a general rule."

"Two moons? I'm almost impressed." Raine remarked with raised eyebrows, but her words seemed to only make Dimitri wince away from her all the further in guilt. She sighed lightly before letting go of the table, and she reached with both hands to grasp his shoulders and pull him back towards her. He didn't fight, just as she knew he wouldn't, and she carefully but purposefully pulled him in until she could wrap her arms as best about his waist as she could manage. He stood still and quiet, allowing for her embrace but hesitant to return it, and she nuzzled her face into his shoulder as she sighed, "It must have been difficult for you... I'm sorry that you were put at odds with your friends over me. That's not something I would have ever asked of you... but I do appreciate the effort nonetheless. I'm sorry for being so difficult."

"You aren't difficult... This entire situation has been one problem after another, and there has been no chance for anyone to rest between it all." Dimitri answered with a frown, and his arms acted on their own, reaching to fold her carefully against his chest for a loving squeeze. She came all too willingly, glad for the embrace and leaning in closer for more, and he nuzzled his cheek to her temple. His hands moved with slow and careful purpose, massaging her tight shoulders as he held her close and muttered into her hair, "But, for better or worse, they have all been keeping a very close eye on you... and even if you never spoke a negative word about Rhea to any of them, they know full well that things are tense between the two of you. They expected this when she returned... What they did not expect was your continuing silence. Felix's temper couldn't hold out, no matter how much I urged him for patience... And he's right, even if it galls me. I should be angrier. I should be protecting you. But... I'm not."

"You're following my lead. That is protecting me." Raine corrected him with a poke to the chest, and she pulled away to fix him with a stern look. He quickly averted his gaze, unable to bear the heat of her stare, but she didn't mind it. The guilt permeating from him was almost tangible, and it reached through her tiredness to make her want to hold him all the tighter. He had worked to put this off for as long as he possibly could, and though she was not happy with the current situation... She understood exactly what was happening and why. And the two moons he had saved her from the pressure and unease was a blessing unasked for. "You've always valued my freedom to make a choice more than anyone else ever has. Don't think that's ever escaped my notice. You aren't acting not because you don't want to, but because you think I have the right to act before you do. You won't tread on that out of respect for me. Felix is wrong to say you aren't doing your part as my lover. He simply doesn't understand what I need from you, and frankly, I don't intend to tell him because that's none of his damned business."

Dimitri fought a smile at her heated mutter, wondering once again at just how kind she could be when he least deserved it. She should have been furious with him... and yet there she was, curled up snugly in his arms and giving him reassurance, rather than allowing any for herself. What she said was true, that he valued her freedom highly, perhaps even moreso than she herself did, but at the same time, it didn't give him peace to hear her acknowledge it. He pulled back slightly, his one good eye averting from her face despite his ache to want to study her expression, and his voice was quiet, hesitant, when he asked, "Are... Are you upset with me?"

"Dimitri..." Raine's sigh was equally exasperated as it was affectionate, and she reached carefully to cup his face in her hands and turn it back towards her. He only fought her a little, clearly still hesitant and unsure, but at her insistence, he gave in just as she expected him to. He reminded her strangely of a lost puppy all of a sudden, nervous and worried, and her chest tightened with sympathy and pain for him. Despite all he'd seen, all he had suffered and lived through... Making her upset seemed to be the only thing he was truly frightened of. Her fingers brushed lovingly against his cheeks, and she spoke softly, tenderly when he finally allowed himself to look back at her, "I'm not upset with you. You've done more than I could have asked, keeping everyone from jumping on me for as long as you did. I won't lie and say I don't deserve their ire, because I do, but I'm still grateful you kept them at bay until now. I wouldn't have been able to handle it two moons ago. Not with everything that was happening."

"Yet now is acceptable? On the cusp of what should be the last struggle?" Dimitri pointed out, unable to help himself from digging the hole he was already in deeper, despite her willingness to toss him a lifeline. As much as he appreciated her forgiveness, her care, he knew full well he didn't deserve it. Had he done his duty properly, his classmates would have been held off until Raine chose to confront them herself, but they both knew that would have never come to pass. The Blue Lions were obstinate as a group. As individuals, they were even moreso. They had been lucky to have eked out two moons... and it had taken every last iota of patience and political know-how to stretch that out, anyway.

"No time is going to be acceptable. I'm terrified of what's going to happen when my brother and I confront Rhea." Raine admitted bluntly, and a little part of her felt a thrill of finally saying so aloud, even though the rest of her winced away from the truth. Fear was useless, and liable to make her make a mistake. She couldn't be a victim to fear. Not if she wished for the truth. She needed to discard it and face everything head-on, regardless of what would be told to her, but such strength simply wasn't available to her after so much fighting, and her smile was tired as she leaned back on the table again, "I'm terrified of finding out the whole truth. Of how far her reach extends into the lives of myself and my family. It's one thing to speculate, even with the facts we have at hand, but it will be another entirely once she confirms or denies things with her own mouth. Warin is steeling himself for the worst. So am I. Which is amusing, in its own way... because I honestly don't believe what she can tell me will be any worse than what I tell myself. I can't judge how I will react... There's just so much anger and resentment that's built up over so long... Should I turn it on her, in the end? Should I let it go, and move on, regardless of what it is she says? I can't begin to guess what will be the right thing to do... and that scares me, too."

Dimitri ground his teeth, hating that helpless note in her voice, and the way she admitted to her fear and her inability to know how to proceed. He knew she always had doubts. She had begun this journey of hers full of doubt and uncertainty, but even as she grew into her role, there had been no comfort or gaining of steadiness. Rather, she only grew more concerned about where she placed her feet, and second-guessed every decision she made, no matter how good the outcomes of her previous ones proved to be. Even if everyone she had ever led joined together and praised her leadership, praised her skills in swordsmanship and tactics, she would never truly believe in herself... and it broke his heart to see how deeply she had been damaged. He reached for her face, his thumb brushing carefully over her lips before he muttered roughly, "You won't be alone... Regardless of what is said, regardless of how you feel now, when the time comes... You will not be alone to face it. It's small comfort, I know, but I will be there for you, in whatever capacity you need of me. Whether it to be your shield, or your sword. Even your shadow, should you choose to do nothing. It does not matter. I will not allow you to face this, or anything else, by yourself."

"And that's the thing I take the most comfort in... Knowing you'll be there for me, at the end of it all. I don't think I could do it without you. Warin has too much rage in him. I'd be so easily swayed by it if it was just the two of us. Knowing you'll be there keeps me grounded." Raine murmured, and she turned her face to nuzzle into his palm, holding his hand closer with her own as he stepped forward protectively and unthinkingly. He kept her closely pinned between himself and the table, surrounding her with his strength and touch, and the frantic racing in her head slowed just enough to be bearable with his presence. It surprised her in a numb sort of way, the sheer amount of influence he had over her emotions and her body's reactions, but she accepted it eagerly. She needed that unmatched strength to cling to, in the midst of this maelstrom. She would have long ago been swept away without him there to keep her safe and steady. And she loved him all the more desperately for it.

She bit her lip as he caressed her cheek, feeling the arc of heat and electricity surging through her skin as his thumb brushed against the corner of her mouth again in an absent gesture. She still felt frighteningly vulnerable, still felt tired and weak, but his warmth was intoxicating, and a reminder that she was allowed to show him this side of her whenever she wanted to, because he would always offer her comfort if she asked. She leaned further into his touch, her free hand dropping to curl about the neckline of his tunic before she asked in a whisper, "Can we go to your quarters...? I want you to hold me for a little while... I want to forget about everything that's been happening. That's going to happen. Do you mind?"

Dimitri felt himself stirring almost immediately at the plaintive request, and he almost hated himself for just how eagerly his body was willing to leap for her. Those soft, seafoam-green eyes of hers were bewitching when they stared up at him, and the way she bit her lip, as if she was anticipating both his refusal and acceptance all at once... That beast growled lowly in the back of his head, asking him why he was waiting, why there was a need to even leave the war room when the doors were closed and there was a perfectly good table to lean her over, and his trousers tightened to the point of pain as the hot images flickered rapidly through his mind's eye. He shook it away roughly, stealing back his reason and control, but his voice was ragged even as his thumb brushed again over her lips, "I don't mind at all, but... I can't promise that I'll be gentle..."

"That's fine... I don't think I want you to be gentle." Raine answered softly, and she stood up straight to press herself firmly into his chest, and her arms reached to lace themselves as best they could about his broad shoulders. He grunted quietly at the sensation of her curves flattening against the harder planes of his body, and the hunger that etched its way into his face only made her throb with desire. She was glad to see it, to know he felt that same insane need as she did, and she stood on tiptoe, mouth brushing just like a whisper against his ear, "I know you're afraid of hurting me, but I'm fully healed from my wounds now... I can take a little roughness from you. In fact, to be honest... I like it when you're rough with me. Knowing you can't control yourself because of me... It's very arousing."

"If you keep this up, you won't make it to my quarters... Do you know how difficult it is to not bend you over this table, and take you like the animal I am right now...?" Dimitri almost growled as his trousers once again brought a shooting pain up his spine, and that soft feeling of her body pressing so intimately into his did not help the problem an ounce. He didn't know how she did it, how she dismissed his concerns so easily and then brought them back around to them being things she enjoyed, but he couldn't lie in the face of her blunt honesty. It aroused him, too, to hear her say that she enjoyed knowing she could make him lose his head for her. If she only knew how much, perhaps, then she would speak with less candour. "Come with me, you minx... I'll give you what you want... and more, besides. Only remember that I tried to warn you, when you think of begging for mercy."

"I will." Raine promised with a growing smile, and she offered him one longing squeeze before releasing him. She wouldn't push his boundaries further, especially when she knew how honest he was being, no matter how much she was secretly yearning for it. If they began now, there was no telling when they would stop, and the risk of being caught was enough to cut through the desire and bring back better sense. It wasn't permitted, no matter how many people knew... She wouldn't dare to tarnish his reputation any further than she already had. However... Her hand slid along his arm, caressing each tense muscle through his tunic before finding his wrist, and her fingers interlaced with his before she murmured in encouragement, "Let's go. I'll follow you anywhere."

Dimitri fought a smile despite himself, wondering at her warmth, at her sweetness, despite everything. Her eyes were still slightly rimmed with pink, and her grip on his hand was weaker than normal, but still she held onto him like he was her lifeline. She asked for so little, and always with full expectation that she would be refused. He would never understand her, but he supposed it didn't matter. He ducked his head, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head as his hand enclosed her own, and he pulled gently as he went. She followed after him like a shadow, never once letting go, and he sighed into her hair as she tucked herself so naturally against his side, "And I you, my beloved... Let's escape this madness for a little while, just you and I."

AN:

Again, not a chapter that really went the way I intended it to go, and yet... I'm not really upset with it. There was a lot to unpack (though not much was actually unpacked) but there also was a lot to be addressed that never got addressed in Azure Moon. It's fun to touch upon the topics that weren't ever brought up because of the differences in the routes, but it's equally fun to go diving into characters and their motivations and feelings... Especially for Raine, in my case. Byleth being such a blank slate in many ways is good for the narrative, but of course, I never was writing a "Byleth". I always was writing a character with awareness and complicated feelings that only kept growing more complicated, and having that addressed was always going to be as important as the actual plot points of the game.

The fact that the "students" never got closure on the Crest system, or the Relics, even in Verdant Wind was always something that bothered me. I always wondered how some characters would feel with the information they're given, and how they would react when that information became "public knowledge". Of course, with characters who never got a chance to find out this knowledge, a lot of what I'm writing is just winging it. I imagine much anger, probably a good deal of revulsion, but also a lot of pragmatism. For the characters of the Blue Lions, war has always been a way of life. Out of all of the classes, they are the ones most knowledgeable, and "at home" in battle, because the academy was not their first taste of bloodshed. There's very little reaction to their first fight, and many see it as a matter of course if it means protecting their territory and family... Which, in turn, likely means that continuing to use the system to do so probably is not overly problematic, even if it would be jarring and distasteful in the long run.

Of course, that, paired with the knowledge that Raine's secrets likely take precedence over the secrets of their continent when it comes to personal feelings... ended up with this chapter focussing much more on Raine than it did the "truth" of the world. Which, also to me, felt very natural. The Blue Lions always felt more like a pride than a class to me, with so many already built-in relationships established, and over the course of her teaching, Raine worked very hard to enmesh that idea of teamwork and friendship deep into her students. Now, when push comes to shove, and it's Raine's turn to be suffering and at a loss, the pride circles to protect and defend, even if it may not be what she wants.

Anyway, there's one more chapter to go before the conflict with Nemesis, and then likely one or two more before the clash between Rhea and the siblings. From there, I'm not entirely sure how long it will take to wrap up the story. There are a few more loose ends I need to figure out how to wrangle, but so far, I've been enjoying myself, so I'll take my time to work it all out in a nice and satisfactory way. I'm grateful as always for your patience with me, and I thank you for reading this far. Drop me a review should you feel the need, and have a good one! Stay safe and healthy!

Mood: Playful.

Listening To: "Nothing Else Matters" - Metallica

~ Sky