AN: Me: More chapters for you guys!
Also Me: Doesn't update in three weeks.
Apologies! I I knew what I wanted to happen but the words were fighting me for the longest time—also I got distracted while looking at FE3H soundtracks and found some dumbass in the comments defending Thales while simultaneously calling Claude the most immoral of the main characters and I'M SORRY but my conscience wouldn't let me leave until I tore him a new asshole.
Anyway.
Reviews!
Dragon lord Syed 101: I understand that, Jeritza IS a good foil to Dimitri tbh. And yup! We'll see how his teaching goes this chapter!
Matt Rogen: Same! I love Gatekeeper as much as the next guy so he'll be making more appearances soon! And YES. Why isn't Judith Golden Deer exclusive and Randolph and Ladislava for Black Eagles or Rhea for Silver Snow? I was so sad that I couldn't play as Rhea :(
Random Fan: Thanks! And yes to everything you said, lol. People can be so tiring sometimes...and we'll get to see teacher Death Knight in today's chapter!
CuddlyUchiha: I'm glad! I loved that opening scene too tbh, and the Blue Lions teaching is...something! Lol
Klaw117: Yes, everyone knows that Dimigard is real and perfect! And yes, that's a Byleth thing—a more accurately a Mercenary thing, ha ha!
PlopPrince: Thanks! I'm glad I surprised you :3
HistorianSayori: Thank you very much, I'm very well, and don't worry! This story will NOT die (unless I do)! I have the ending planned out already and it'd be a waste not to use it!
Hope you enjoy! This one is MUCH longer than last chapter!
Chapter XII: The Rite of Rebirth
Dear Father,
I am aware I haven't been able to get back to you in a timely manner; I must apologize for that. Life has been getting progressively more and more hectic and things are moving far more rapidly than I anticipated. Classes have been rather interesting to say the least, Professor Manuela is eccentric but clearly knows what she's doing and the Eagles are all intriguing in their own little ways. In response to your previous letter
Edelgard hesitated, quill hovering over the scented parchment before she shook her head and continued writing.
no, I haven't made any friends. The closest I've gotten are friendly acquaintanceships with Prince Dimitri and Dorothea Arnault—although that's more because both insist on speaking with me and not really due to any initiation of my own. I feel the other students are either intimidated or nonchalant when it comes to me and I find myself fairly unbothered by that, I haven't the time to waste on friends.
But I'm sure you are uninterested with the careless ramblings of your daughter. How is your health? Please tell me you are staying away from the macaroons and the strawberry tarts for breakfast and for the love of Fódlan don't even think about dessert! I know it's difficult but your condition is fragile and I don't want you to forfeit your life over a mere lack of self-discipline. I implore you to continue following the sugar-free nutrition diet I gave the cooks before I left.
I'm looking forward to reading your response.
Love,
Edelgard
Edelgard checked the letter over once before finding it agreeable and neatly folding it into the lavender envelope she had on standby. She then sealed it with a wax stamp of The Family Crest—The Crest of Seiros to be more accurate.
Edelgard shuddered at the sight before standing from her seat at her vanity. That was one one of the first things she would tweak once she came into power.
Every week on a Friday was Correspondence Day—the only time students could give and receive letters from their loved ones. And Edelgard was ashamed to admit she'd only attended it once on her second week at the Monastery.
But now with the next phase of her plan in motion, and that ever present anxiety creeping into her heart, Edelgard needed to remind herself of one of the many things she was fighting for.
When Edelgard exited the Monastery and entered the village, she was greeted to the sound and sight of copious chaos.
"Hey! I was there first!"
"Children, stop your shoving!"
"My grandfather has land in that madman's territory and he's too old to move; you're crazy if you think this letter isn't urgent!"
Voice overlapped one another and there was no line in sight. Shoving, cursing, and at some points outright sobbing filled the cloudy morning and Edelgard stood there with her letter grasped in two hands and a lump in her throat.
This was only the beginning—and already people were in despair.
"Princess Edelgard!" One of the knights manning the table called, tearing Edelgard out of her wallowing thoughts. "That a letter you got there? Come, I'll send it on its way."
"No, it's alright," Edelgard said. "I'll wait—"
"Nonsense! Come on up."
Edelgard couldn't let out another sound of protest before the once panicking crowd quieted and parted for her with reluctant bows and curtsies.
It was one of the most ludicrous things she had ever witnessed, but seeing as how words clearly weren't going to convince them of that, Edelgard sighed softly and stepped forward.
She muttered an apology to the boy who had been in the front of the "line"—one of the Lions if she recalled correctly, but the freckled boy simply smiled kindly and bowed politely.
Edelgard's jaw clenched. Just one more reason this war needed to happen.
She handed her letter to the knight with a quick thank you and stepped aside to let the Lion boy go next.
As Edelgard exited the crowd, she crashed into another someone and staggered forwards with a startled squeak.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" The girl she had crashed into cried, dropping the two letters in her hand to grip Edelgard's shoulders and right her properly. "I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you okay, Your Highness?"
"I'm fine, thank you," Edelgard said, straightening her back and fighting the flush of embarrassment from colouring her cheeks.
The girl sighed in relief. "Well I'm glad—"
"Ingrid!"
Both girls turned to the Monastery entrance where Felix Fraldarius stood, arms crossed and that perpetual frown of his in tact. "Class."
"Class?" The girl—Ingrid repeated in shock. "Professor Hanneman is healthy again?"
"Nope. Some masked fellow named Jeritza is teaching us."
Edelgard gasped quietly as Ingrid bent to quickly pick up her fallen letter. Death Knight? Teaching the Blue Lions? But why—?
Wait. Tomas had claimed that Arundel had wanted him to do something...which was why he used The Death Knight to go after them. Edelgard hadn't put into question what Arundel had wanted, too busy frustrated with Tomas and having to half-heartedly explain why she knew the Blue Lions where in trouble—but the only one who was in critical condition was Hanneman and now...
Now Death Knight was teaching them.
Oh for the love of—
"I wish I could have known," Ingrid lamented. "I hope I'm not too late..." she gave Edelgard a quick curtesy before dashing off towards the Monastery, blonde braid swinging in a pendulum like manner.
Edelgard hardly noticed, stomach writhing in discomfort as he remembered the euphoric fascination Death Knight expressed towards Dimitri. She knew from experience that approval from Death Knight was dangerous validation indeed.
The Princess shook her head and rid herself of the thoughts as she continued on her way. It seemed all she did was worry nowadays—not without good reason of course, but she need not dwell on the worst side of things.
Her heel met the familiar crunch of paper and her gaze flickered downwards to find one of the letters Ingrid had dropped. Edelgard quickly retrieved it and smoothed the creases, looking up to find Ingrid's form just getting atop the steps.
"Excuse me!" Edelgard called, speed walking after her. "You dropped..." her voice trailed off as Edelgard noticed the seal at the front for the first time.
The Family Crest of Arundel.
Edelgard's steps abruptly stopped as she stared at the letter wide-eyed. Why in the name of...?
"Thank you," Ingrid said breathlessly as she dashed back down the steps and took the letter from Edelgard. She gave her a quick respectful nod and dashed back up towards the impatiently scowling Felix.
Lovely.
Now she once again had to furiously rack her brain as to what else that man was planning behind her back.
-o0o-
Dimitri felt like a butterfly pinned to a board as he sat alone in the Blue Lions classroom. More accurately, he was a boy whose gaze was pinned into a forced and rigid smile by the man who now sat at the teachers' desk.
Jeritza stared unblinkingly at Dimitri with dark blue eyes, and those eyes held a sort of...fascination in them. As if Dimitri were a particularly interesting specimen that he oh so badly wanted to dissect.
"F-Felix is taking awhile, isn't he?" Dimitri said with a forced chuckle, if only to break the suffocating silence. "Would you like me to go—"
"No." Jeritza hadn't even yelled, hadn't moved his head from atop their perch upon his steepled fingers, but there was a force behind them that made Dimitri inclined to obey.
"Oh. Well...if that is what you wish."
Jeritza hummed softy to himself before standing so sharply the chair he sat on sent an almost deafening screech into the stagnate atmosphere.
Dimitri flinched.
"Such a skittish little creature," Jeritza said, but the observant way he said it gave Dimitri the impression that he was saying it as a statement rather than in mockery. "And yet so much power dancing within..."
The man slowly and gracefully walked around the teachers' desk and strode over to Dimitri's, the prince feeling mounting anxiety the closer he got to him.
Goddess, why was he so scared? Jeritza had done nothing to him and yet every instinct within him was commanding him to run away...
Jeritza stood before him, head tilted to the side almost curiously as he pressed his palms against Dimitri's desk and leaned forward. Dimitri could see his own wide-eyed and terrified face perfectly reflected in those daunting eyes. "You have a darkness, I know it. I've seen it."
"I—Professor I don't—" Dimitri's confused and tense stammer was abruptly cut off as Jeritza grabbed his face, fingers squishing his cheeks.
The prince made a muffled noise of surprise as Jeritza narrowed his eyes. "I wonder...I wonder how I can call that darkness—"
"I don't why you couldn't do it yourself but I got Ingrid and she's getting—" Dimitri, who's face was effectively stuck in place could only see his saviour from the corner of his eye. Confusion momentarily clouded Felix's face before his amber eyes sharpened, flashing to Jeritza. "What are you doing?" He said in a dangerously slow tone.
Jeritza spared Felix a lazy glance before letting go of Dimitri's face. The boy sucked in a shape breath and sat back in his seat, body thrumming with unease as Jeritza stated, "Nothing."
Felix's scowl did not leave, and his eyes followed Jeritza as he spun on his heel and took a seat behind the teachers' desk once more.
After a moment, Felix took his seat as well and the rest of the Lions filed in soon after.
"Oh, Dimitri! I never knew you were let out of The Infirmary!" Mercedes said with a smile. Jeritza glanced at her, but his eyes didn't hold an eerie and inexplicable fascination in them...instead there was...sorrow?
"We were all so worried!" Annette cried. "I'm super glad you're okay."
The expression on Jeritza's face was soon gone as he turned his face forward once more and told the Lions, "Where are the others?"
Ingrid staggered in panting a moment later and gasped, "S-Sorry, Professor! I didn't—oh, Your Highness! I didn't know you were—!"
"In hindsight I suppose I should have told you all I was alright," Dimitri said with a bashful smile. "I'm sorry."
"Nevertheless, Your Highness. I am...relieved that you've recovered so quickly. I was growing worried I must admit," Dedue said.
"We all were," Ashe piped up.
Dimitri smiled at the Lions, feeling a deep sense of happiness at the affection he was being shown. "I have no intention of dying any time soon, my friends, don't you worry."
"Aye, that's what I wanna here!" Sylvain grinned and gave Dimitri a good natured punch on the shoulder.
"Good," Jeritza cut in, and Dimitri tensed as the Professor regarded the prince with that chillingly dark fascination again. "I need to duel you first."
Dimitri gave him another forced smile. "Ah...yes! Surely we can duel soon, if you wish."
Jeritza smiled wistfully before he sat back down, gaze sweeping across the entire classroom and mercifully, the look in his eyes and the mysterious smile faded.
"I am Professor Jeritza, your new new and permanent teacher for the Blue Lions class," he stated.
Dimitri blinked twice and regarded Jeritza with surprise. "'Permanent?' I thought you were merely substitute until Professor Hanneman returned?"
Jeritza steepled his fingers and placed his chin atop them once more, giving Dimitri a cool glance. Despite the neutrality of his face, he couldn't help but feel like the look was...mirthful.
"Yes...substitute as in, Hanneman shall no longer teach and I now fulfill his purpose."
The words held forebodingly in the air, and Dimitri could tell all the Blue Lions could feel it—all of them tensed, shifting bodies and bitten lips filled the room.
"You say that as if he's...gone, Professor but I hardly think that's the case. According to Professor Manuela he needed to be sent away for further treatment, but surely he'll be alright soon." Dimitri insisted. He knew it was rude to assert that Jeritza's job was merely temporary—but if Jeritza was here to stay than that meant Hanneman...
Dimitri swallowed and dispelled the thought with a shake of his head.
"Oh no! He really is out of commission, isn't he?" Mercedes said worriedly. Jeritza turned to look at her, his expression flickering to something unrecognizably sorrowful again before it smoothed out.
It was something that reminded Dimitri a lot of Edelgard.
"Do you know when he's coming back?" Annette asked curiously. "Did Professor Manuela say when he'll get better?"
"I do..." Jeritza said, drawing the two words out as if they were delicious treats. An eerie smile spread across his face, as did the haunting look in his eyes. "He has gone on a very, very long journey I'm afraid, and will not return."
More uneasy silence followed and Dimitri felt dread weigh down on his heart like an immovable boulder of misery.
"But that is besides the point," Jeritza said, smile fading back into a look of neutrality as he appraised the class once more with his dark blue eyes. "As your Professor, I must choose a topic and simply explain it, yes?"
Ingrid nodded stiffly. "Y-yes sir."
"Foolishness." Jeritza stood up with a scowl. "We will be doing practical teachings. Speaking orally and expecting you to learn complex battle techniques and spells is pure idiocy. Now then..."
Jeritza crossed his arms behind his back and walked down the class aisle with a slow and elegant stride. "How many of you know magic?"
Only Annette and Mercedes rose their hands.
"And archers?"
Annette dropped her hand and Ashe rose his.
"How woefully inadequate," Jeritza drawled with a sigh. "With the lot of you only using close ranged combat and having only two possible healers, you put your House at a solemn disadvantage."
Felix scoffed and Dimitri fought the urge to jump from his seat and clamp a palm over his friend's mouth. The prince had a dreadful feeling that Professor Jeritza was not a man that should be angered—and Felix's sharp tongue would certainly put him on his bad side.
But the explanation for such crass behaviour would be possibly offensive, would it not? "Oh I'm sorry Professor, I merely assumed you would attack my friend is all!" That wouldn't fly all that well. And he hardly knew the man, after all; Dimitri's intuition could be incorrect.
Even with that reasoning, Dimitri could not forget the irrational panic he had felt when he had grabbed his face, and still flinched sharply when Jeritza's eyes flashed and zeroed in on Felix within a split second before the swordsman continued with, "Magic is for weaklings who lack the discipline to wield and master a weapon."
"Hey!" Annette cried at the same time Jeritza gave another slow and eerie smile.
"Is that so? In that case we shall prove the validity of your statement. Unsheathe that weapon you supposedly have the discipline to wield and become my first demonstration."
Felix smirked and stood. "Fine," he said haughtily.
"Felix, wait a moment—" Dimitri said, getting up from his seat only to be stopped with a raised hand from Jeritza.
"If you would like to fight me, Dimitri," he began, eyes taking on the horribly fascinating look again. "I can take you up on your offer in my spare time. Right now I am afraid I have a class to teach."
Swallowing, Dimitri slowly sat back in his chair and watched the two warily.
Felix unsheathed his sword, the blade glittering in the dull morning light and Jeritza remained still, hands remaining crossed casually behind his back.
"Well?" Felix asked with a frown. "Aren't you going to ready a spell?"
"Hmm? Oh no. I don't need to fight the likes of you to prove the disadvantages of melee combat."
Felix furrowed his brow. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Jeritza shrugged. "Nothing. I'm simply not in the mood to expend precious energy."
Felix scoffed and sank into a fighting stance. "Fine. Your loss."
Felix charged suddenly in a blur of black and a glint of silver and he swung his sword in a wide arc. Jeritza leapt back nimbly, and danced to the side to avoid a follow up side swing.
Felix pivoted, aiming for a spin attack with a loud war cry but Jeritza caught his forearm with ease, squeezed, and before Felix could break free, Jeritza had twisted the arm in his grasp and shoved Felix to the wooden ground.
Felix grunted as he hit the wood and tried to get up but Jeritza placed a foot atop his chest and eliminated the possibility.
"No...it appears this would be your loss, Felix Fraldarius," Jeritza stated causally to the writhing swordsman beneath his boot.
"Now then," he said, stepping off an angrily flushed and humiliated Felix, "Seeing as how the rest of you are throughly convinced of melee combat's inferiority—yes?" Jeritza paused to give Ashe and his raised hand a sideways glance.
"No disrespect, Professor Jeritza but...does beating someone who just happens to prefer melee weapons make long ranged attacks suddenly superior?"
"Yes," Jeritza said simply before continuing onwards. "As I was saying, I will instruct you on casting a Fire spell. Take out your books."
Dimitri and the other Lions took their previous books out and set them atop their desk.
"Now," Jeritza said, turning on his heel to face the class, a book of his own in hand. "We will spend the rest of this class trying to set it aflame."
Dimitri balked. "Set it aflame? Professor Jeritza, these books belong to the church!"
"Who they belong to is inconsequential. They are horribly inaccurate and I despise them and thus they will burn."
"Uh...inaccurate in what way, sir?" Sylvain asked with a frown.
"Oh, plenty of ways. It is so utterly atrocious I won't repeat them and give you misinformation," Jeritza responded as his book burst into flames.
"But, Professor," Ingrid said, "Shouldn't we decide for ourselves if the information is useful or no—"
"No."
Ingrid clamped her mouth shut and looked down at her book with uncertainty.
"But...I don't feel comfortable burning them," Ashe said nervously. "Can't we burn something else?"
Jeritza sighed heavily in annoyance and cancelled the flames on his book, setting the half charred tome aside with a scowl. "Do all of you have reservations on burning books?"
There were a few muttered affirmatives and Sylvain shrugged with an "Eh."
"Fine. You will fling them at one another instead here in this classroom."
Dimitri tensed and Ingrid said, "But, Professor, this is a wooden classroom and as you demonstrated, the Fire Spell is—"
"The next student insolent enough to talk back to me will find themselves writhing on the floor like a slug drenched in salt," Jeritza said casually as if he had made a mundane statement.
Silence.
"But...I do suppose it would be folly to launch flames within a flammable structure—especially seeing as how you are all unsure of how to properly control such power." Jeritza frowned in thought before stating. "In this case we shall—"
"Morning, Professor! Something to report!" A cheerful Knight chirped as he handed Jeritza a note.
Jeritza let out another annoyed sigh and snatched it as the knight saluted and trotted out of the classroom.
The man's eyes narrowed as he looked upon the note before it burst into flame. "Class dismissed," he said as he turned on his heel and stalked outdoors.
Dimitri felt the tension in his muscle blissfully unravel as Felix sneered, "What a waste of time."
"Come now, Felix! Let's not be rude," Mercedes frowned. "Without Professor Jeritza we wouldn't be having any class."
"That...is true," Dimitri admitted with a frown. Though at the same time, he couldn't deny how truly anxious Professor Jeritza made him feel. "What do you all think of him?"
"Lousy," Felix said immediately and Sylvain snickered. "You're just saying that because he kicked your ass, Fe. Personally I find it a bit early for judgment."
"I thought he was terrifying," Ashe shivered. "It was like...I don't know how to explain it."
"Same here," Annette frowned. "It was his eyes—there's something super creepy there!"
"I do not like the way he looks at His Highness in particular," Dedue added darkly.
Ah, so Dedue had noticed it to. He supposed it wasn't too much of a shock, his retainer was very perceptive after all.
"Hmm, what do you mean, Dedue?" Mercedes asked curiously as Dimitri tried fruitlessly to banish all thoughts off that look with a shake of his head.
"Like he was a piece of meat fit for devouring," Felix supplied and Dedue nodded in solemn agreement. "That man is more beastly than The Boar himself."
"We don't know him, Sylvain is right," Ingrid said. "But if he's a possible threat to His Highness we need to keep a close eye on him."
-o0o-
How could they do this to her?
Ice-cream, the cafeteria was selling ice-cream and Edelgard had only figured this out just now!
The princess stared longingly at the menu where it proudly—mockingly proclaimed Strawberry Ice-cream: 3 gold.
Edelgard bit her bottom lip and squeezed the tray in her hand. She loved strawberry...
But she couldn't possibly buy it; not with so many witnesses! People already saw her as a love-sick teenager secretly loving Dimitri by night and shunning him by day (or some such foolishness), she need not have her love of dessert be added on top of that. If only she had come earlier...oh, she could wait until everyone was gone but what if it was done by then?
Should she swallow her pride and just buy it or—?
"Edelgard?" A horrifyingly familiar voice asked. The girl tensed and glanced over her shoulder to find Dimitri waiting behind her with a curious frown. Immediately, multiple heads in the Dining Hall turned to stare at them. "Are you going to order?"
"Yes, sorry," Edelgard muttered, trying and failing to keep the warmth from devouring the pale of her cheeks as she fished out her coin purse and turned to the server. "Just the vegetable wraps, please."
The server left briefly to complete her order before returning with the lunch and placing it on Edelgard's tray. She uttered a simple thank you and moved to to sit at The Black Eagles table. Had Dimitri seen her staring? She was sure he wouldn't tease her about it but—
'Stop it,' she told herself. And so what if he saw? She hadn't nothing to be ashamed of! Even though she was fantasizing about ice-cream instead of thinking about her goals...
She shook her head firmly. There would be a time for ice-cream—now simply wasn't it.
As Edelgard took her seat beside Hubert she sighed softly and unwrapped her knife and fork from the napkin they were cocooned in.
"You seem rather down, Lady Edelgard," Hubert noted.
Edelgard was about to turn to him with a reply when Caspar unceremoniously plopped onto the bench in front of her and groused, "Man! I swear those Deer get special treatment from Lady Rhea! Why do they get to go on a mission and we can't?"
"I'm personally fine with that," Lindhart said as he sat behind Caspar with a yawn. "Let them do all the killing. Soon all that'll be left are peaceful patrol and escort missions."
"Psh, hardly! The Blue Lions got ambushed by a local freak in a mask on their 'peaceful' patrol mission. All this means for us is that we're stuck doing jack all with our learned skills!" Caspar grumbled and stabbed into his plate as if the food had personally offended him.
"The Golden Deer are going on a mission?" Edelgard said with a frown. "This is the first time I'm hearing of this."
"Oh yeah, Rhea sent them after those Western Church morons and they're leaving today. It's all the way in the Kingdom after all," Caspar said with a full mouth.
"It's Lady Rhea, Caspar," Ferdinand told him as he took a seat next to Edelgard—much to her dismay. "And as much as I too would like to show off my superior prowess with my lance and horse riding, I do believe with masked knights running around, it isn't the safest."
Rumours. That had been bee excuse to Rhea, she had heard rumours and gotten worried. The Archbishop had seemed too relieved at the students' safety to be suspicious but Seteth had not.
"And you knew he would attack the Lions specifically? Quite the intuition, Princess."
Rhea had effectively cut him off with a mild chiding but Seteth's narrowed gaze had remained.
Edelgard was already garnering suspicion and it frustrated her to no end.
"Then why are the Golden Deer going? Gah, it makes no sense! I'm telling you, it's favouritism!"
"Who cares? Both of you shut up so I can sleep."
"Lindhart, why'd you even come here if you're sleepy? Yeesh!"
Edelgard was also confused as to why Rhea had sent students to deal with a rebellion after what happens to The Blue Lions—why that was absolute madness to her! She supposed this went to show how incompetent the church truly was.
Buy that was good—this meant the Holy Mausoleum was ripe for the Agarthans's plans.
Beside her, Dorothea dropped gracefully onto the bench and purred, "Oh Edie! When is you and Dimitri's wedding?"
Edelgard's fork paused half-way to her mouth and she huffed, glaring at the girl. "Don't tell me you believe those foolish rumours, Dorothea."
Dorothea snorted and poked Edelgard lightly in the shoulder. "Of course not, I'm only teasing. But anyway, me and Ingrid were going to have a—"
"No, Dorothea."
Dorothea sighed disappointedly. "I really thought that romantic night with The Prince would've softened you up to the prospect of human interaction."
"You mean the night you and Professor Manuela forced me into?"
"Oh come on, Edie! I read your essay; you enjoyed it!"
Edelgard turned back to her food and didn't answer. In truth, she supposed Dorothea was correct; she had enjoyed that night with Dimitri—horrible play aside. But now...now when things were starting to grow more tense she couldn't possibly get distracted now.
"Perhaps," she admitted. "But as I've said before, I am a busy person."
Dorothea hummed and turned to her dish, cutting it delicately. "Alright, but just know the invitation is open."
"I'll keep that in..." Edelgard's voice trailed off when she caught sight of Jeritza in the serving line. "...mind—Hubert, save this for me, yes? I'll be right back." She didn't even wait for a response as she stood sharply and marched purposefully towards the man.
"Professor Jeritza, is it?" She said in faux calmness, when she reached the masked figure.
Jeritza blinked at her. "...yes."
"Is it alright if I speak with you?"
"Fine. After I—"
"Now?"
Jeritza frowned. "I want ice cream."
Edelgard's polite smile tightened and Jeritza sighed in defeat. Reluctantly, he stepped out of line and followed.
"This...teaching position, did The Agarthans put you up to this?" Edelgard asked as soon as they were out of the Dining Hall.
"Yes."
"And didn't I tell you not to take orders from them?" Edelgard demanded, stopping abruptly to turn and glare at Jeritza.
Jeritza shrugged. "You did...and I ignored you."
Edelgard narrowed her eyes at him. "You do realize that this relationship we have only works if you cooperate with me?"
"Yes."
"Then why disobey?"
"I wanted to see Dimitri again," Jeritza said, a tiny smile spreading across his face, eyes alight with an emotion she couldn't quite place. "I am certain he will be the one to bring me to death's gates—how I long for its sweet em—"
"You disobeyed a direct order from me and played along with those...things just so you could get a chance at being killed by Dimitri?" Edelgard asked incredulously.
"Yes."
Edelgard shook her head and crossed her arms with a scoff. "Unbelievable."
"But as of now he seems fairly frightened of me—very unlike the pure rage and hatred he portrayed when I first fought him," Jeritza said thoughtfully, a musing expression taking over his face. "Why he fights me as The Death Knight but fears me when I hold that side of me under control is bewildering..."
"Death Knight," Edelgard said firmly and Jeritza blinked dazedly, looking down at her with semi-unfocused eyes and a "Hmm?"
"This is the last time you disobey me, understood?"
Jeritza sighed heavily. "Fine."
"And..." Edelgard began to add, then paused.
Jeritza rose his eyebrows. "And?"
Edelgard inhaled slowly before giving Jeritza a firm glare. "Stay away from Dimitri."
Jeritza tilted his head to the side and regarded Edelgard for a moment before responding with, "That...I cannot promise."
Edelgard couldn't say another word of protest before Jeritza turned on his heel and strode back towards the Dining Hall.
The princess huffed and turned away, leaning forward against the stone banister and letting the cool wind comb through her hair.
She couldn't, for the life of her figure out why she cared so much.
-o0o-
Nerves threatened to paralyze Edelgard's entire body as she helped decorate the ballroom with teal tulle and green chrysanthemums for the upcoming Rite of Rebirth. It was only through sheer willpower and practice that her hands weren't shaking madly.
For the near entirety of the Blue Sea Moon, The Golden Deer had been mildly subdued and The Blue Lions even more so—what with one of their members, Ashe (who had apparently been Lonato's adopted son) locking himself in his room out of grief.
Edelgard has to continually remind herself that this was for the best, that soon all this pain and suffering would be worth it all.
Fluffing up one of the bouquets she had finished, Edelgard could see Dimitri from the corner of her eye. His brow was furrowed in absolute concentration, tongue poking slightly out from between his semi-parted lips—all this so he could gently polish the saucer held gingerly in his hand.
Assumedly feeling eyes on him, Dimitri glanced up from his task and caught her gaze, a tiny smile gracing his lips. "Excited for the festivities, Edelgard?"
"Quite," She lied. "I hear the food for such events are phenomenal."
"Ah, feasts," Dimitri chuckled wistfully as he gently placed the saucer down and adjusted it neatly atop the others it was stacked atop before picking another and polishing that. "I can't remember the last time I've enjoyed one."
Edelgard rose a skeptical eyebrow, "You, future king of Faerghus can't remember the last time you enjoyed a feast?"
"Oh, don't misunderstand; I've been to plenty—my uncle is...rather fond of them. It's just..." he paused both in speech and his polishing before the back and forth or the rag continued and Dimitri reclaimed his voice. "I haven't been able to taste a thing in four years. It's hard to enjoy the finest delicacies offered to you when you can't taste what's supposedly so fantastic, you see."
It was Edelgard's turn to pause, in the middle of snipping a stem she let that information sweep over her before continuing. "I'm...sorry."
"No need," Dimitri said, giving her a sad smile. "I've gotten used to it. Though if I could I'd—I'd think I would want it back."
"I could imagine," Edelgard said sympathetically, finding herself frowning at the thought of having a chocolate piece melt on her tongue and not tasting a thing—at the thought that such a thing was already a reality for Dimitri. She then lightly added, "But you may never be able to have Flayn's cooking again."
Dimitri laughed, and gave Edelgard a tiny grin. "I doubt it, the passion placed within it is far too captivating to let go of."
"Passion doesn't equal quality—as I'm sure we've learned already."
"Ah, yes. We learned it rather amusingly that day, didn't we?"
"Amusingly? Speak for yourself! I contemplated suicide," And then Edelgard cursed herself for the joke, remembering who she was speaking with. But thankfully, Dimitri let out another amused laugh. "You? The great Edelgard von Hresvelg? I doubt it."
Edelgard smiled and the two lapsed into a companionable silence that was only broken up by the squeaking of glass and the snip of scissors slicing through flower stems and tulle alike. Dimitri then stated with some amusement, "I realize this is the first conversation we've had in quite some time."
And that simple, mildly hopeful statement immediately reminded Edelgard of why she had been avoiding this in the first place and thus, her mood immediately plummeted.
Her returning nerves migrated to her scissor hand and by extension into the too deep and embarrassingly uneven cut she'd made in the newest piece of tulle.
Sensing her dampened mood, Dimitri's smile faded and he quickly said, "Oh! I—my apologies I...I overstepped again, haven't I?"
"It isn't you," Edelgard reassured him. It was The Agarthans—or more accurately their insistent meddling with both their lives that kept her from getting too close.
Speaking of meddling...
"Your new Professor, how is he?" Edelgard asked, and nearly regretted it when she saw Dimitri noticeably tense and the elegant teacup he was holding shattered.
The prince let out a colourful stream of curses as he knelt to collect the broken pieces as he said, "He's...fine. Why?"
If his reaction was any indicator, that was a blatant lie. But he was alive and presumably well so at least the insane Professor hadn't done anything physically to Dimitri.
So she chose a different, analytical, non-friendly topic that wouldn't give her amusement in any way—but at the same time nothing that would make him anxious or suspicious; she'd hardly get accurate information that way. So alas, asking about the letter Arundel had sent to his friend Ingrid would have to wait. Instead she stated, "I realize The Golden Deer are absent."
"Hmm? Oh, they're patrolling the Holy Mausoleum," Dimitri supplied, a note of relief in his voice that the Jeritza topic wasn't being expanded upon.
Edelgard stopped her movement and her eyes widened. "Pardon? I mean...why?"
"I'm sure you've heard of the assassination plot against Lady Rhea?" Dimitri asked, and when Edelgard nodded he continued with, "Well, Claude was dubious of its validity and suspected it was a distraction—I have to agree as well; keeping a note detailing such information seems fairly suspicious—Edelgard?"
Dimitri hadn't even finished before Edelgard had began briskly walking away, pulse pounding in her eardrums and hands twitching at her sides, now lacking the energy to control them.
That was there master plan? To use the most obvious ruse imaginable?
Fools. All of them.
No matter. Now she just needed to draw The Deer away.
-o0o-
"Honestly! We're missing the festivities and nobody is here! Can we leave? Please?" Sothis whined.
"That could be just what they're waiting for," Byleth muttered back to her as she rounded a pillar and continued to search.
"Or you and that archer boy's logic is flawed! I heard they were bringing in dancers, Byleth! Dancers! You have no idea how badly I wish to see them!"
"Be patient," Byleth said.
"It's clear over here, Professor Byleth!" Raphael called, voice echoing in the large dimly lit chamber. "Can we leave now? I'm getting kinda hungry."
"Patience," Byleth repeated her statement to Sothis to him. "We have to be absolutely certain that nobody is going to show up."
"Well, how about this?" Hilda piped up. "We can leave now and rush back at the first sign of trouble! Sounds good, right?"
"The time it takes to run back here from The Ballroom could make a world of difference," Lysithea said. "I vouch we—"
Even from where they were, the sound of an explosion could be heard.
"Damnit! We had the wrong place!" Leonie cried as she and the other Golden Deer brandished their weapons and went charging out of the Mausoleum.
"Seriously? You mean to say we could've been enjoying dinner and performances all this time?" Sothis cried.
"Not now, Sothis," Byleth said tightly as their footsteps carry them to the empty hallway—that was until several Knights poured into them with weapons, and one—Catherine—paused to call out, "Professor! There are suspicious figures attacking The Ballroom!"
Claude paused and frowned. "The Ballroom?"
"Claude, will you hurry up? Goddess!" Lorenz snapped over his shoulder.
"Hold on!" He called to the Deer. Byleth skidded to a stop and regarded Claude curiously, noticing the familiar suspicious look in those vibrant green eyes. Byleth held up a hand to stop her students and nodded towards Claude to silently ask him to voice his worries.
"Something isn't right," the boy said darkly.
"Yeah, obviously! People are getting attacked!" Hilda exclaimed.
"No, guys, think! These people tried to distract us by acting as if they're going after the Archbishop—but really they're after something else."
"We've established that, Claude," Lorenz said with an eye-roll.
Claude ignored him and continued, "So...they threatened The Archbishop on the very specific day of The Rite of Rebirth to do what? Crash a party? That doesn't make sense; why go through all the trouble? What exactly do they gain other than sick satisfaction?"
Byleth frowned in thought and nodded slowly. "You think it's another distraction."
Claude gave Byleth a mirthless smile. "That I do, Teach."
"But...people are still being attacked," Ignatz pointed out. "We have to help them ms the Knights don't we?"
"Besides, you could be absolutely incorrect," Lorenz added. "What if those people are trying to kidnap a particular person?"
"We split up," Lysithea suggested and Byleth nodded in agreement before saying, "Claude, Hilda, Lysithea—with me. The rest of you go to The Ballroom."
There were overlapped words of affirmative before the two groups split off.
As the foursome dashed into The Holy Mausoleum, Claude cursed. "I knew it."
"Damn!" A voice growled in he distance, a blue glow emanating from his hands. "Death Knight, get those brats!"
The four Deer stopped abruptly as the sound of hooves echoed throughout the room, turning sharply to the right, Byleth saw an onyx armoured rider atop a equally pitch horse galloping from the shadows. The man brandished his scythe and it crackled with electricity. "Gladly," he stated ominously from beneath his mask.
Byleth narrowed her eyes, shouted, "Stand back!" To her students and charged forward with her iron sword. Just as Death Knight prepared to swing his scythe, Byleth dropped to her knees, using the smooth marble and her momentum to slide beneath the knight's horse and stab her sword in its abdomen.
As she slid out from under, the horse let out a pained whinny and collapsed, forcing the knight to jump off to avoid being trapped beneath its body.
"Woo! Cool move, Teach!" Claude cried happily—but quickly moved to leap out of the way of a Thunder Spell.
"Do not let that hit you!" Byleth said firmly. "Hilda, get that mage by the casket!"
"Right!" Hilda nodded firmly and Byleth was surprised she wasn't hearing any complaints from her pink haired student as she dashed off.
Death Knight charged for her but was stopped as Lysithea blocked his path. "I don't think so!" She snapped, before letting loose a barrage of Dark Spikes.
The Death Knight leapt side to side, dodging each and every one with maddening ease before swinging his scythe, the blade crackling with electricity.
Lysithea gritted her teeth and leapt backwards, nimbly jumping out of range and sending a giant orb of Miasma at him simultaneously.
The solid purple orb hit its mark, sending Death Knight hard to the ground and crumbling the marble. "You..." he said in a voice of near awe before rolling out of the way of Lysithea's next Dark Spikes attack.
Death Knight spun to block a blow from Byleth's sword before grabbing her wrist and sending her flying towards another orb of Miasma that Lysithea had been sending his way.
Byleth cried in both surprise and pain as the spell slammed against her armour and sent her skidding across the floor. Sothis hissed in sympathy within her mind and Lysithea cried, "Professor, I'm so sorry!"
"Never you mind, help Hilda!" Byleth commanded just before Death Knight's scythe swung towards her. She quickly rolled out of the way as an arrow thunked against his spiked armour.
"Hey, Jerk!" Claude called and Death Knight turned to look at the archer with his eerie red eyes, giving Byleth the perfect opportunity to scramble to her feet and charge once more.
Death Knight had already lunged towards Claude though, and the archer was stuck dodging; his arrows completely useless.
"Forget him!" The mage at the Mausoleum's end barked as he held up one of his hands and used the other to continue opening the casket. "Get the girls!"
An unfamiliar Crest flashed blue in midair before a translucent barrier appeared, stopping Hilda and Lysithea from going any further.
Hilda growled and threw her entire weight into her axe swing. The barrier cracked and the mage squawked in horror.
Byleth's attention was snatched back to her present battle when she heard Claude cry out in pain and the sound of crunching bones as he slammed against a pillar.
The Professor inhaled sharply, eyes wide as they darted between The Death Knight charging his scythe and the groaning Claude, helpless against the pillar.
Byleth didn't even think, just charged forward, jumping before the Thunder Spell without another thought.
"Teach!" She heard Claude exclaim before light filled her vision, the anticipation of pain rushing adrenaline through her body—
And everything froze.
-o0o-
It was them.
That was the only thought that managed to worm its way into Dimitri's brain as The Ballroom descended into chaos.
Students evacuated the area, Knights were hit with dark spells, tables exploded, glass shattered...but all Dimitri could see were the people responsible for it all.
Their bird masks, their dark robes, their Reason Spells.
It was them.
One of them turned to him, and suddenly Dimitri was a boy again, tiny and helpless and about to die. All quivering limbs and wide eyes and pleas at the tip of his tongue—
The mage turned away and shot Thoron at a Knight instead.
Dimitri blinked in bewilderment. What on—?
A masked mage gurgled blood and collapsed beside him and Felix pulled his sword from his corpse. He fixed Dimitri with a sharp glare and snapped, "Focus, Boar!"
Yes. Focus. It was them.
It was them.
The fear disappeared and Dimitri grinned slowly, hand gripping his sword hilt so hard it dented before he lunged into the fray with a delighted cackle.
With one swing, he lopped a mage's head off, and with another the severed arm of the next. The corpse covered him in its blood and the mage that had lost his arm screamed in agony. Dimitri licked the blood off his lips and stabbed his sword through the pathetic creature's skull before charging off to find his next victim.
A mage in the midst of blasting a Knight met his end after Dimitri rammed his elbow against his face. He relished in the feeling of the mage's shattering bones and the sight of blood seeping from within the mask before he kicked another so hard in the throat that his head snapped back and he fell to the blood soaked floor limp.
As Dimitri continued to slay the monsters that had taken his loved ones, he could hear them crying in joy, heard them cheering him on and praising him. It sent a warmth through Dimitri's chest even as the blood drenching his skin and uniform chilled a now buried and horrified part of him begging him to stop.
But he didn't stop.
"No!" A mage wheezed as Dimitri held him by his throat and squeezed. "No! Merc—!" Dimitri grabbed his face and snapped it firmly to the left, silencing him forever.
He tossed the corpse away and looked around him, searching the bloodied ballroom for any more survivors as his chest heaved and his body shook with euphoria.
Only when he could find no more, only when all he could see were the corpses of mage and knight alike did he feel the blood caking his skin, the metal tang of it burning his nose, the weight of it hanging heavy on his clothes.
And heavier still was the weight of shame.
Dimitri slid to his knees, euphoria fading into horror, and heavy panting becoming heavy sobs.
What had he done? Oh Goddess what was wrong with him? He could still feel the bones cracking beneath his fingertips, hear the screams of agony—
He sucked in a sharp breath as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, there stood Lambert, and for the first time since he died, smiling.
No, grinning—rotting teeth and all.
"Your Highness," Lambert said. And when Dimitri blinked in mild confusion he saw Dedue instead, loyal Dedue with his solid hand on his shoulder and his green eyes filled with concern.
"D-Dedue," he whispered, hearing the murmurs of fear from the remaining Knights and students surrounding his prostrated form. "I—" his voice broke and he pulled Dedue against him, squeezing him into a tight sob filled hug.
-o0o-
"Honestly! What were you trying to accomplish with that little stunt?" Sothis snapped angrily.
Byleth gave the girl an indignant frown. "I couldn't let him die and I couldn't think of anything else."
Sothis puffed her cheeks before sighing heavily. "Well...everything is fine. I stopped the flow of time for now."
Byleth hesitated before asking, "What will happen once time resumes?"
"The Thunder Spell with hit your heart and you will share Hanneman's fate," Sothis huffed as Byleth flinched.
"But, if I could stop time perhaps I can—ah! Here we are! I'll send you back just a tiny bit; do not make such a folly mistake again!"
Before Byleth could respond, the world shattered around her and she was back o the marble floor.
"Hey, Jerk!"
Pushing away the uncomfortable send of déjà vu, Byleth didn't even wait until Death Knight turned around this time, she lunged forward and attempted to stab at him with a furious war cry.
He jumped back and charged towards Byleth instead of Claude—much to her relief—and the two begin a deadly bladed dance.
Once again, the mage pulls up a Crest shield, and once again Hilda caused it to crack dangerously. But before she could finish the job, several mages appeared in flashes of pink light and began to join the fray, forcing Lysithea and Hilda away from the barrier.
One mage's attempted to send Miasma towards Byleth was quickly thwarted as Claude fired an arrow at his throat. The mage gurgled and collapsed but more replaced him.
"Yes!" The mage at the casket cried. "It's unsealed it's—a sword?"
Hilda cut through a mage that was in her path before slamming her axe against the barrier and shattering it.
"We have something! Let's get out of here!" The Casket Mage called before grabbing an oddly glowing sword and disappearing in a pink flash of light.
The Death Knight shoved Byleth aside and disappeared too with an annoyed sigh and the other mages quickly followed suit.
"They got away," Byleth cursed through her panting as she threw down her sword. "Damn it..."
"Goddess, who were those creeps?" An equally winded Hilda demanded as she hefted her axe atop her shoulder.
"I—" Lysithea stared dazedly. "I-I think I know them but I'm not fully sure."
"Well, one thing's for sure," Claude said with a frown. "That thing they stole was definitely a Hero's Relic."
Byleth turned to Claude in mild surprise. "Those weapons you told me about?"
"Just the same—I could tell by the freaky orange glowing."
Hilda sighed and her shoulder slumped. "Oh gosh. If that's what they stole, Rhea's going to kill us..."
-o0o-
AN: And there you have it, the longest chapter yet! Plot progression, action, and a dash of Dimigard! Next chapter will be split into three parts and I've been planning it for weeks! Let's just say it's a lil twist on the Miklan is Causing Trouble with his Family Heirloom Weapon Because He's Salty Arc—and it's spiced with 98% more Dimigard than the previous chapters :D
Also, anyone can figure out what Crest the Casket Mage was using for his shield? ;3
Till next time!
Fantasy Fan OUT!