AN: I wanted to keep up my Friday streak but alas, life wasn't having it. Today's chapter will be a make up chapter, but this week Friday I'm hoping to post another!
Anyway, I'm utterly baffled with my follow count yet again! Because 46 follows? WOW.
And again, I shall respond to my lovely reviewers!
GirthJohnson: The beginning segment was my favourite part to write so I'm glad you liked it so much! Honestly I have this very dark obsession with seeing Dimitri suffer despite the fact he's me fave lord so there will be more scenes like this in later chapters! I too adore crazy Dimitri, Chris did a phenomenal job voice acting him honestly.
Random Fan: Oh there's nothing weird about that! I too freak out when a story I like updates haha! And I'm glad I'm keeping the characters in character so far! I find Edelgard specifically to be rather difficult to write so I'm relieved I'm doing an okay job!
katlizhan: Yeah FF is weird at times lol. Glad you liked the feels and parallels! Honestly, i see Dimitri and Edelgard as two sides of the same coin—they both lost people they loved to TWSITD and were scarred because of it, but while Edelgard and singularly focused on the future, Dimitri can't let go of the past so they both have no regards to the consequences they cause at present. And yes, I shall be taking a few liberties on the lore and stuff!
Anyway, the plot moves up a gear starting today, and so does the word count. There's also some action, fluff, and that sweet, *sweet* angst so buckle up folks!
Also I'm going to just pretend the school year starts on the Great Tree Moon when the game starts because this girl is NOT wasting time writing a zillion "Dimitri keeps trying to get Edelgard to open up but she's just not having it" scenes to fill up the first two months because I do not want to bore you guys and I'm sure we're all wanting some action.
Anyway, enough me! Hope you enjoy!
-o0o-
Chapter III: The Weapon
There were rare instances when even the outdoors couldn't steel Edelgard's nerves. It was a shame too, the night was merciful in its mild weather and shined silvery moonlight across her pacing form beside the fishing pond.
Arundel had contacted Edelgard shortly after breakfast that morning through "Tomas" who had relayed that the man posing as her uncle was "pleased with this turn of events". She was unsure and more than slightly apprehensive of what that meant.
Was he speaking of her brief conversations with Prince Dimitri? Why? From her evaluation from this morning he didn't appear to have what it took to walk alongside Edelgard. Yes, his willingness for self-sacrifice was noble; but his seeming unwillingness to sacrifice anyone else wouldn't do for the path Edelgard was cutting.
Then there was the eerie bloodlust that had escaped his mouth.
Either Arundel saw something else in Dimitri to be manipulated, or he was speaking of something else entirely.
She despised not knowing what Arundel was up to, hated more than anything that he had his spies to keep an eye on her but she couldn't keep one on him, loathed the fact that she was even worried. This was probably why he hadn't bothered to elaborate in the first place—to set her on edge, to remind her who was holding the cards.
Edelgard stopped pacing and huffed as she glared up at the sky, fingers biting into her gloved hands due to the tight clench of her fists.
No, the outdoors were certainly not enough, she needed to blow off some steam. And so, Edelgard made her way to the Training Grounds.
As she opened the large doors she was met with the scent of sweat swimming with the air's currents. Sand shifted under her feet and the only light was that of the Great Tree Moon.
After a deep breath, Edelgard selected a training axe from the weapon rack and gave it a little testing twirl to determine its weight.
Satisfied, Edelgard took the axe and focused her attention on the training dummies in front of her. Another deep breath later and she was dashing forward in a burst of addictive adrenaline, pivoting then striking, ducking under invisible attacks and striking with double handed blows and grunts of exertion.
She imagined cutting down Arundel and Rhea and every single monster that tainted Fódlan. She imagined cutting her future, cutting the suffocating strings that the Agarthans strangled her with.
With a dramatic twirl and battle cry, she decapitated the dummy's head and sent it crashing to the ground with a soft thump as straw spilled out of it.
"You have a truly mesmerized fighting style," a voice said, causing Edelgard to blink out of her mild trance. She swiped a hand across her sweaty forehead before turning to glance at the voice's owner.
"Prince Dimitri. I wasn't expecting anyone to be up at this hour," Edelgard said to the prince as he lingered in the doorway.
"I could say the same," Prince Dimitri said with a small smile. "As selfish as it is, it's nice to know I'm not the only one who can't rest. Anyway, you don't mind if I train as well, do you?"
"Go right ahead," Edelgard said, hoisting the training axe over her shoulder and walking over to the weapon rack. "I was just finishing up."
Edelgard was in the midst of returning the axe back to the rack when Dimitri said from behind her, "The way you fought reminded me of the way you dance. You...taught me how to dance. Did you know that?"
She sighed, (this again?) before curtly answering. "No."
"I...see," Prince Dimitri sad softly, reached the weapon rack while he turned to look at her and it was then that even in the darkness Edelgard could see the magenta circles haloed around his eyes. Was he even sleeping?
"But I still wish we could..." Dimitri's shoulders slumped and he turned back to the rack, sliding a hand idly down a lance. "It feels as if you want nothing to do with me, Edelgard. As if you're humouring me for some ulterior purpose."
Edelgard opened and closed her mouth before looking away. "I assure you it isn't personal, Dimitri."
"So I'm right then."
"To...an extent. Yes."
Prince Dimitri laughed softly to himself and finally chose a lance. "I see," he repeated once more.
Silently, he passed by Edelgard and she had the inexplicable desire to say something but...what? "I'm sorry that talking with you is frivolous now that I'm certain you aren't a suitable ally"?
So she held her tongue and turned to watch him. He was certainly different in his fighting than she was, not as light on his feet or fancy but admirably precise with his stabs and swings, and the power behind every slash sliced sharply through the air.
Prince status aside, it was clear he could've made a good ally due to his fighting talent alone. And of course if it was true they had been friends, it was a shame she had no time to—
It was what it was.
Edelgard turned to leave when she heard the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the floor.
Edelgard made a noise of surprise before spinning around to find Prince Dimitri collapsed on the sandy ground. "Wha—Dimitri!"
Edelgard sped walking over to the prince's heaving form and crouched next to him as he struggled to open his eyes. "Your Highness?"
"Ngh...I'm fine," Dimitri grunted as his eyes fluttered open and he forced a smile. "Just a little...dizzy. It will pass."
"You're positively fatigued," Edelgard countered with a frown as she scanned his face. Now that she was closer, she could not only see the circles around his eyes but the excessive paleness of his face and the weariness dulling his ice blue eyes. Her thoughts were then transported to the scene of him buckling on the stairs earlier that day.
"When was the last you've slept?" Edelgard asked as Dimitri struggled to his knees and then used his lance as leverage to stand properly.
"I'm fine," Dimitri repeated the lie and sank back into a fighting stance on quaking muscles.
Edelgard scowled at that. Future enemy or not, she refused to just sit back and watch such self-destruction take place with her doing nothing about it.
"You're going to bed," Edelgard said, punctuating that statement with a firm tug on Dimitri's shoulder and effectively stopping him from slashing his lance again.
"No," Dimitri said stubbornly. "I mustn't rest."
"Look at you!" Edelgard cried in exasperation. "You can hardly stand!"
"I can't rest!" He repeated as he glared at her fiercely, and this time Edelgard could see something else in his eyes, not weariness or hope or sadness—but determination, and most prominently dread. Pure undiluted dread.
"Nightmares," Edelgard said quietly. Empathy pinched her brow and seeming confusion pinched Dimitri's.
"Nightmares?"
Edelgard quickly ironed out the thoughts morphing her face before answering. "Apologies for assuming, but...this is what this is all about, yes? You're afraid to go asleep. But if not nightmares, what?"
Dimitri's eyes fell to the ground before his eyes closed. "I..." he paused and let out a shuddering sigh.
"You don't need to answer, but you do need to rest," Edelgard said firmly. "Come, I'm not taking no for an answer."
Prince Dimitri opened his eyes and stared at Edelgard in what looked like contemplation before sighing and nodding. "Alright," he murmured, walking wearily towards the rack to return the lance.
As the two left the arena, Prince Dimitri fell forward again, and would've fell to the ground if Edelgard hadn't caught him around the waist and forced him to lean against her. The extra weight caused her to stagger to the side before regaining herself.
Edelgard felt his arm tighten around her own waist in turn and he murmured a weary "thank you" into her hair.
While the prince was heavy and at least a foot taller than her, Edelgard didn't complain as she aided him to his assigned room. Instead of focusing on the strain on her body and the uncomfortable proximity to the prince's, she focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
When they reached the steps to the noble dorms, Prince Dimitri's knees buckled on the last one and Edelgard let out a yelp as she braced herself to hit the hardwood.
The prince regained his footing however and instead of hitting the ground they crashed against the banister.
"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm troubling you—"
"Enough," Edelgard said sharper than she intended to. "We're almost there."
She gently nudged Prince Dimitri back against her, his chest pressing tightly against her arm.
"Why?" he asked quietly as they continued the slow walk.
Edelgard furrowed her brow. "What do you mean, 'why?'"
"You told me you didn't care for me. And yet here you are insisting I get rest."
"Prince Dimitri, I'm not the type of person to stand by and watch others suffer for needless reasons, no matter who they may be," Edelgard said firmly. "Now come, not sleeping isn't healthy."
She elbowed the door to the prince's bedroom open and gently eased him onto the bed. He let out a soft groan as he sank into the mattress, eyes fluttering closed and a relieved smile spreading across his face.
Quest done, Edelgard got up to leave when Prince Dimitri murmured, "Thank you, Edelgard."
Edelgard glanced back at him once, opened her mouth to say something, then changed her mind and left.
-o0o-
"Welcome all of you to a fresh year of learning!" Archbishop Rhea said as she addressed the students within the Audience Chamber. There were three neat rows of Black Eagles, Blue Lions, and Golden Deer all standing to attention.
"Before announcements begin, I would like to announce your house leaders for this year."
Rhea's eyes locked with Edelgard's and gave her a pathetic mockery of a motherly smile that made her stomach churn. She had to fight fairly hard to stop herself from glaring back.
"Princess Edelgard von Hresvelg, you will lead the Black Eagles. Please, step forward."
From the corner of her eye, Edelgard saw a young orange haired young man—Ferdinand von Aiger—slump his shoulders and scowl as she forced a polite smile onto her face and stepped forward like Rhea asked.
Polite applause followed until she took her place in front of Rhea.
The Archbishop then turned to the group of Blue Lion students. "Prince Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. You will lead the Blue Lions house. Please, step forward."
Edelgard watched as Prince Dimitri bowed slightly and said, "I am honoured," before walking forward as well. The weariness in his eyes was still there, but it had lessened greatly from the previous night and his movements were less jerky and stiff.
He caught Edelgard looking as he took his place next to her and gave her a warm thankful smile. Edelgard nodded in return.
"Claude von Riegan, you will lead the Golden Deer house. Please, step forward."
Both Edelgard and Prince Dimitri watched the newcomer curiously as he strode forward and turned back around to bow dramatically to the applauding students. "Thank you, thank you!" He had dark ruffled hair, olive skin, green eyes, and a face that was admittedly easy on the eyes.
Edelgard couldn't help but notice that his smile was forced.
Rhea waited until Claude turned back around to continue. "I am hopeful that you three will lead your individual houses with humility, patience, and compassion as the future rulers you were born to be."
Edelgard, Prince Dimitri, and Claude all bowed simultaneously as Rhea turned to her advisor.
"Seteth. The announcements, please?"
Seteth nodded and said, "This weekend, we will be sending the three of you on a camping trip with one of our professors. This will hopefully help strengthen your relationships and serve to help with alliances in the future. And to the other students, at the end of this month we will be having a mock battle to determine your skills. Do make sure to practice beforehand; I would loath for things to turn out like last year. That will be all."
Rhea clasped her hands and bowed to each of the groups. "May the Goddess watch over you."
As the students began to disperse, Claude von Riegan stepped between Edelgard and the Faerghus Prince with a grin.
"So, buddy time with my fellow leaders! I gotta say, I'm kinda looking forward to this!"
Prince Dimitri gave a smile. "I too am looking forward to getting to know you—Claude, is it?"
"That's the name, Your Princeliness!" Claude winked and then turned to Edelgard. "Looking forward to learning more about you too...Eldergods, right?"
"Edelgard." she said irritably with narrowed eyes.
"Ah! Edelgard, got it! ANYWAY!" Claude stepped back and delivered a hard pat to both lord's shoulders causing them to flinch. "I've gotta make sure my Deer are in top shape to kick both your butts! 'Bye!"
Claude exited the Audience Chamber while whistling as Edelgard and Prince Dimitri exchanged a glance.
"He is certainly interesting," Edelgard commented.
Prince Dimitri's lips twitched upwards in amusement. "Something tells me that wasn't a compliment."
"It wasn't. And I see you took my advice from yesterday."
Prince Dimitri's smile brightened and he nodded. "Indeed. I was worried at first but...for the first time in a long while my ghosts—"
He sucked in a sharp breath and quickly looked away.
Ghosts? Edelgard filed that away for further speculation.
"Well, in any case I'm glad you're feeling better," Edelgard said honestly. "Though do try to refrain from such destructive practices in the future."
"Well...I'm not entirely sure I can promise that," The prince admitted quietly. He turned back to her and bowed lightly. "But again, thank you."
Edelgard watched him stand back up and leave swiftly with an air of anxiety before exiting the Chamber as well. As she was leaving, she saw Tomas lingering outside and nodding towards multiple students who passed him by.
"Tomas," The prince greeted as he passed as well.
"Prince Dimitri," Tomas said with perceived warmness, though he eyed Prince Dimitri's retreating form with a gleeful darkness in his gaze.
Edelgard frowned to herself. It seemed the "pleasing change of events" had something to do with Prince Dimitri after all.
The question on Edelgard's mind was why?
Edelgard found her answer that weekend during the camping trip with her fellow house leaders and after almost dying by the hands of a bandit.
-o0o-
The camping expedition was led by the professor assigned to the Golden Deer house; Professor Edward and a few Knights of Seiros. He was a tall balding man with a quiver of arrows strapped to his back and a bow around his shoulders. He did nothing but hum and had been doing so for hours.
If Dimitri hadn't had been drilled extensively on manners from before he could speak, or didn't already have ghosts screaming at him on an almost daily basis, he would've lost his mind during the first half-hour and snapped at him to stop.
Speaking of ghosts, they hadn't bothered him last night. He had been so sacred, so certain that going to rest would anger them, so guilty the moment he woke up that morning when he realized that his renegade body had given in to sleep...only for them not to appear.
Was it because of Edelgard? His wandering eyes landed on the princess who was as carefully neutral as always. Snow white hair trailing behind her and eyes staring unyieldingly forward.
Could El make ghosts disappear?
Edelgard gave him a sideways glance. "You're staring."
"Hmm? O-oh!" Dimitri quickly looked away in embarrassment, feeling the heat of shame burning his face. "I'm sorry I—"
"So!" Claude said, slowing his stride to walk beside Dimitri. "Since this is supposed to be a bonding exercise I say we learn more about each other!"
Dimitri mentally thanked Claude for the divine intervention before answering. "Certainly! All though I can't say I'm all too intriguing."
Claude batted a hand. "Nah, that's nonsense, Your Princeliness. Everyone's interesting in their own way."
"Well in that case...is there something in particular you'd like to know about me?"
"I do," Claude said, and Dimitri saw something in his verdant gaze that wasn't casual friendliness.
It made his skin prickle.
"Is there a reason in particular you favour the lance?" Claude asked, pushing a hanging tree branch out of the way.
"Yes, actually," Dimitri said, considerably relieved he wasn't being asked moral questions like Edelgard had.
"The royal family has had the Hero's Relic Areadbhar for generations and those blessed with the Crest of Blaiddyd have always been the ones to wield it."
Beside him, Dimitri heard Edelgard scoff but he couldn't quite figure out why.
"My Father wielded it," Dimitri continued, and he could see him now. Not his ghost, but his memory as he regally stood atop his horse with Areadbhar pointed forward.
He felt that familiar ache in his chest at the thought of Lambert and he lowered his gaze to collect himself before saying, "I too wanted to wield it so I chose to practice with the lance."
"You don't have Areadbhar with you," Claude pointed out as he gestured to the iron lance gripped in Dimitri's fist.
"Oh no, no. I'll get that after my coronation when I come of age this year."
Claude hummed thoughtfully before looking over Dimitri to address Edelgard. "How about you, Princess? Why do you like your axes?"
Edelgard turned to lock eyes with Claude and Dimitri felt the awkward sense that they were having an evaluating staring contest.
Goddess, why were those two so...intense?
"I used to train mostly with swords," Edelgard answered finally. "But as I got older, I found I preferred the strength and power behind the swing of an axe."
"An axe makes it harder for you to move though, doesn't it?" Claude asked.
"Perhaps for most people. But I posses the Minor Crest of Seiros—it enables me to stay nimble, even with an axe."
"Huh, interesting."
Dimitri furrowed his brow as he felt a pang of jealousy stab and worm it's way into his heart like a deadly parasite. Edelgard hadn't been nearly as conversational when he had been speaking with her...
The blonde shook his head to rid himself of such foolish thoughts. It wasn't Claude's fault that Dimitri lacked charisma and had been asking the wrong questions and was all around just a—
Claude pressed a firm hand against Dimitri's chest and another against Edelgard's. The action and sudden contact startled Dimitri and he was about to question Claude's sudden behaviour when he noticed the archer's face.
The smile was gone now, replaced with a dark frown and his eyes were narrowed and sharp.
"What's the holdup, kid?" One of the knights asked from behind.
"We're being watched," Claude said forebodingly.
Dimitri sucked in a sharp breath as he too began looking around the forest, now suspicious of every bird tweet and rustling bush as he slowly sank into a fighting stance. Claude nocked an arrow in his bow and Edelgard hefted her axe over her shoulder.
The Knights of Seiros unsheathed their swords slowly and Professor Edward was still humming and walking forward.
"Professor Edward!" Dimitri whisper-shouted but the man continued walking.
Dimitri attempted to run forward but was grabbed by Claude. "What are you doing?" He hissed.
"If this is an ambush—"
"Look, it's pointless to get yourself killed too. Just wait—"
"How can you say that?" Dimitri demanded as he pulled out of Claude's grasp and dashed forward to grab Edward by the shoulder.
Edward stopped humming abruptly and turned to face Dimitri with lazy brown eyes.
"Mr. Blaiddyd?" He drawled.
"Stand still," Dimitri whispered, "There might be—"
Dimitri heard before he saw the arrow piercing through the darkness of entwined trees. Quickly, Dimitri slammed Edward to the side and allowed the arrow to wiz past them. It thunked against the tree behind them.
And then men from every direction came pouring out of the forest's nooks and crannies, brandishing swords, axes, and bows. Shouts and war cries disrupted the bird song and filled the air with the language of bloodshed.
"Bandits!" One of the knights cried before he dove forward and plunged his sword into the nearest one. Dimitri spun off the now hyperventilating Edward in time to block a blow from a sword with his lance. With a growl he pushed back before stabbing the lance's blade between the man's eyes.
Dimitri outwardly winced but a darker, buried, part of him luxuriated in the blood that spilled onto his arm.
He pulled his lance out and ducked under an attack from an axe before stabbing precisely through the heart of his attacker.
It was only when Dimitri pulled his lance out of this one that he saw Edward running into the woods with horrified screams.
"Get him!" A bandit barked and a group of them moved to follow the retreating man.
"No!" Another man called out.
Dimitri turned to see a man standing atop a large rock. Messy brown hair and a beard adorned his face. As he spoke, Dimitri noticed he was missing teeth.
"He's not important, get the noble brats!"
The group immediately turned back towards Dimitri and he dropped his travelling bag and sucked in a slow breath of concentration. He truly wished he had been able to get more sleep.
With a battle cry, Dimitri lunged forward. He slashed the nearest bandit across his chest and side stepped another's sword swipe before slamming his elbow into a bandit that had tried to attack him from behind, hearing the sickening (delicious) sound of crunching ribs.
Dimitri grunted as an axe clashed with his lance and he kicked the bandit hard in the thigh. The man crumpled to the ground with a scream of agony that was quickly silenced as Dimitri stabbed through his skull to end his misery.
With each man Dimitri stabbed, broke, and killed, more came to replace them. And with the ache in his muscles still there from his two nights of vigorous training and no sleep, he was at a huge disadvantage.
An arrow buried itself in Dimitri's calf and he staggered back against a nearby tree with a gasp of pain.
The archer responsible shot another, this time aimed at Dimitri's throat but Dimitri was quicker this time. He dropped into a roll and slashed at the archer's shins. He collapsed with a groan and fell atop Dimitri's lance.
Panting, Dimitri struggled to his feet and pulled his lance out with a sharp tug only to be tackled to the ground by yet another bandit.
Dimitri cried out in pain as his skull slammed against the hard earth, a cry that turned into scream as his assailant plunged his sword into Dimitri's side.
"Ha!" the bandit spat, spittle splattering across Dimitri's face. "Now I've—ARGH!"
Dimitri kneed him in the stomach and threw him off his body before he retrieved his fallen lance and stabbed the man in the throat.
And...there were still more of them.
While in a crouched position, Dimitri once again blocked an axe from decapitating him but then had to push back to quickly roll out of the way of another from behind.
Unfortunately, the direction Dimitri rolled in had no ground.
The prince yelled out in surprise as he tumbled down a ridge. The world spun dizzyingly and his wounds tore open with each impact against the rocky sloped surface. After what felt like an eternity, he crashed unceremoniously to the clearing below.
He would've screamed again at the hard fall, but the air had been effectively slammed out of his lungs and his bleeding wounds felt as if they were leaking both blood and liquid strength.
Above him, he saw the bandits hesitating at the edge of the ridge. He figured it wouldn't take them long to decide to follow him.
With a pained grunt, Dimitri forced himself onto his stomach, crawled forward onto his knees and staggered onto his feet in search of his lance. He ignored the steady ripping of his shifting flesh, the blood soaking his uniform and painting the grass crimson, the sound of tumbling rocks as the bandits edged their way down the rocky ridge side.
There, he found it not too far from where he had landed and was about to torturously bend to pick it up when he heard a cry of agony.
Dimitri gasped, and stared wide eyed above the ridge where he had heard the blood chilling scream.
El.
Those bastards hurt El.
Slowly, slowly, a familiar burning rage replaced the chill of panic in his system.
-o0o-
Edelgard was in the middle of burying her axe in another man's chest when Claude ran off.
From the corner of her eye, she could see a flash of yellow as he sprinted into the woods like a woodland creature, followed by a group of yelling bandits.
"Claude!" Edelgard exclaimed indignantly whilst leaping back from an attack and taking her frustration out on a sword wielder's arm.
She ignored him even as he writhed and screamed on the floor and chased after the traitorous coward with a scowl. "Claude! Where are you going? Claude!"
"What are you doing!" Claude yelled over his shoulder.
"What are you?! How can you abandon—!" She paused in her rant as Claude skidded to a stop and aimed his nocked bow at her.
Edelgard gasped in shock as the arrow narrowly missed her face, sliced through a few strands of hair, and embedded itself in the throat of a bandit that had been trailing them.
But he wasn't the only one, and more bandits began running after them.
"Hey, Princess! Cover for me!" Claude called as he dashed into the darkness.
Edelgard gritted her teeth angrily before turning back around to take down the bandits running towards her.
With a battle cry, she swung her axe into one man's side, twirled out of the way of a feeble attempt at retaliation and buried the blade into another's throat as she did so.
"Damn you!" The bandit with the wounded side growled as he lunged forward with yet another pathetic swing. Edelgard jumped over it and in midair and gave a swing of her own toward the shocked man's head.
As she landed, she pulled her axe out of the corpse's head and dashed behind a tree. It made a quick wooden shield for the two arrows intended for her before she was charging forwards again.
One by one, unfortunate bandits fell to her twirling axe until the grass beneath her feet was decorated in limp bodies and sticky blood. She looked down at her handiwork, body shaking involuntarily and a lump forming in her throat.
Slowly, Edelgard looked at the red stained hand not holding her axe. This was nothing compared to the lives that would be lost in the future.
'No more doubts.' she reminded herself as she took a deep breath and swallowed the lump finally.
They snapped open when she heard a deep roar pierce through the momentary silence. Edelgard spun around just in time to block a hard hitting attack from another bandit, however the force of his blow and his running momentum sent her flying backwards onto the bloody grass with a grunt and sending her axe twirling into the bushes.
Edelgard quickly scrambled to her feet and frowned in confusion as she watched the man look around instead of attempting to attack her again.
"Where's the—"
Edelgard unsheathed her dagger and lunged forward, taking advantage of his distraction—he was faster, swinging his axe towards her chest. Eyes widened in shock, Edelgard skidded through the wet ground and bent back underneath the swing.
She got up and spun in an attempt to stab his neck but the bandit's axe met her dagger. Vibrations trembled through Edelgard's bones but she didn't relinquish her grip on her weapon. Instead she jumped back and blocked another attack from him.
Edelgard was stuck on the offensive. With nothing but a dagger and her wits keeping her alive at this point. The tides then pushed further to the man's favour as she tripped backwards on a knight corpse with an embarrassing shriek of surprise.
She crashed against a tree and then twisted her body to avoid getting sliced by the man's axe.
'Get it together.' she told herself fiercely before she lunged forward once again.
The man caught her wrist just centimetres before the dagger could stab out his eye. Edelgard would've screamed in frustration, but instead she let out a loud scream of agony as the bandit kneed Edelgard's elbow joint with enough brute force to break it.
Still, Edelgard fought the urge to collapse in anguish and instead gripped his wrist and pulled him forwards with the very same broken arm.
She wanted to faint at the pain, but remained firm as his eye became impaled from her dagger.
The bandit screamed in rage and pain before tossing Edelgard like a rag doll to the ground.
Edelgard's breath was ragged, her vision was spotted with black dots, and her right arm was in absolute misery. But she could not lose consciousness—not here.
"I was told not to kill you..." the man growled. Blood seeped from between his fingers and he staggered towards Edelgard with murder in his remaining eye. "But Kostas don't have to find out..."
Edelgard gave the man the most defiant glare she could muster through pain blinded eyes as she struggled to her feet with one arm and exchanged the dagger to her left hand.
She knew she probably wouldn't win. She also knew she'd die trying anyway.
The man lifted an axe, prepared to swing and Edelgard lifted her dagger—
An almost animalistic roar tore through the dawn and from behind the bushes, Dimitri charged through. Lance glittering in the dying moonlight, teeth bared, eyes burning with a flammable darkness Edelgard remembered seeing in their first conversation together...
The Crest of Blaiddyd flashed blue upon the back of Dimitri's hand as he swung his lance in a wide arc and slashed clean through the man's torso as if it were made of butter.
Edelgard gasped in shocked horror as the two halves of the bandit fell to the grass and his gushing blood painted her and Dimitri bright red.
-o0o-
Somewhere nearby, a man watched the scene with a smile before turning to his companion. "I told you he'd make a lovely weapon."
-o0o-
AN: UM. Yeah I'm sorry, I did NOT mean for things to get so bloody but believe me when I say that feral Dimitri simply cannot be controlled whoops!
I'm trying to give each Crest a unique ability in this story based on the dragon the powers originate from and the character's personality. Thus, the Crest of Seiros shall be also known as the Crest of Elegance :3 (I also wanted El's Crest benefits to be opposite to Dimitri's). I was originally going to make it ice magic because Dragon Rhea Boss attacks you with ice/snow based spells and the White Beasts spit blue fire things at you.
But nah. Edie ain't no dragon.
Anyway, I very much wanted to keep the format of Edelgard and Dimitri switching POVs between chapter breaks but every time I switched to Dimitri's POV the chapter jogged in place and the pacing was ruined except for the near ending scene. So an Edelgard POV central chapter this time!
All of the Dimitri scenes I ended up cutting will probably end up in a later chapter, so don't worry you most likely will not be missing anything.
Have a lovely Christmas, and hopefully I'll have another chapter this Friday!
Fantasy Fan Out!
NOVEMBER 2020: THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN REVISED