Chapter XXI: The Aftermath

"Manuela!" Dimitri screamed as he rammed his shoulder against the Dining Hall doors. They flung open, and within seconds all eyes within the large room were locked on both him and the limp body draped in his arms.

"Goddess is that—?"

"What happened?!"

"Oh no..."

Concerned whispering followed Dimitri as he dashed towards the staff table where Manuela was already swiftly rounding.

"Oh dear, dear, dear," Manuela frowned as she placed a hand on Edelgard's bleeding forehead and muttered, "Concussion."

Hubert shoved through a swiftly growing crowd of curiously worried students, eye locked viciously on Dimitri as he and Manuela simultaneously asked, "What happened?" With differing intensity.

"We were—it—The Goddess Tower and then I—she—I don't—!" Dimitri tried grasping for the right words but they slipped away from the grasp of his fumbling mind and left his sentences muddled and nonsensical.

"Calm down," Manuela said firmly to Dimitri, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. "I need you to carry her to the Infirmary, and I need all of you to step. Back! Thank you!" She snapped to the crowd as the students pushed closer, The Black Eagles yelling and exclaiming in confusion and panic at the forefront.

"Make room, all of you!" Seteth commanded firmly, he too stood from the table to send a harsh sweeping glare to the student body. Most everyone stepped back, with the exception of Hubert who stood stubbornly by Edelgard's side and followed her, Dimitri and Manuela out of the sea of students and towards the infirmary.

"Alright, dear," Manuela said as they strode swiftly through down the hallway. "Tell me what happened again—but in a language I can understand, please."

Taking in a deep breath, Dimitri told Manuela what happened with a shaking voice; how they went to the Goddess Tower, had a conversation, and when she moved to leave, suddenly fainted and tumbled down the steps.

"All those stairs?" Manuela frowned, unlocking the Infirmary door and opening the door. "It's a miracle she's still alive. Put her on a bed, quickly."

Dimitri gently complied, supporting her head the whole way as Manuela instructed just before the woman held her glowing palms above the gashed forehead.

"Hubert, make yourself useful and bring me a wet rag, please?"

Hubert nodded curtly and did as he was told while Dimitri watched the rise and fall of Edelgard's chest with anxiety, fearing any second now it would still.

"Thank you," Manuela told Hubert as she wiped away Edelgard's blood, revealing the deep gash. She hissed in sympathy before placing her magically glowing hands over it once more.

Dimitri breathed a sigh of relief as the wound knit together neatly before Manuela's hands travelled lower on her body. There were the sounds of cracking and popping bones that had Dimitri wincing as Hubert seemed to become increasingly angrier; the prince could feel his sharp green eye burning a hole through his face even though his whole attention was on Edelgard.

"Alright," Manuela said, stepping back with a nod. "She'll need a few more hours for the magic to properly fix her bones but she'll be alright. Let me just give her the potions she'll need once she wakes up..." Manuela left Edelgard's side, migrating to the cupboards sifting through different coloured vials.

"Thank the Goddess," Dimitri breathed, the tension swiftly dissipating from his body until Hubert said, "A word, Prince Dimitri?"

Dimitri glanced at Edelgard once more before nodding and following Hubert out of the Infirmary.

As soon as they were far enough from the door, he hissed, "What exactly did you do?"

"Nothing!" Dimitri exclaimed. "Hubert, you may keep your ill feelings towards me but know that I would never hurt her."

And of course, his mind brought up contradictions to this statement; squeezing her wrist too tight in the library and getting her in trouble with those beasts, attacking her when he thought she was the Flame Emperor...

He of course knew saying such things wouldn't help his case, even if he mentioned how guilty he was about the whole ordeal.

"So she simply fainted?" Hubert said in clear disbelief.

"What do you presume happened? That I shoved her down the steps?" Dimitri demanded in equal incredulousness. "Has there been a single thing I've said or done that implies I would ever desire Edelgard's life?"

Hubert scoffed and crossed his arms. "And what does that prove? You could have simply been accumulating goodwill to garner her trust and eliminate her."

"Are you hearing yourself?" Dimitri demanded in frustration. "I've had multiple chances to kill Edelgard that I didn't take because I don't want her dead! Why is that so hard to believe?"

"You can't deny your insipid infatuation with her from day one wasn't suspicious," Hubert countered.

"She's my childhood friend who I hadn't seen in four years! If I wanted her dead I would have told Lady Rhea about—!" Dimitri swiftly killed the words about to escape his tongue but it was too late. Hubert's eye flashed dangerously as he took slow deliberate steps towards the prince.

"Tell Lady Rhea what?" He asked in a low voice. The air crackled with the sensation of awakening magic and Dimitri swallowed nervously. Lying would do him no good.

"About...her plans," Dimitri said warily and Hubert clenched his fists, eye narrowed. "A week ago she told me everything and—well we had an argument. I took her aside to make amends and she suggested the Goddess Tower."

"You still haven't explained why she fainted," Hubert said.

Dimitri shook his head. "I don't know, truly. We'd said our goodbyes and then—" he paused, replaying the moment in his head, eyes widening in realization. "El," he whispered.

Hubert frowned deeper. "What?"

"I called her El, and then she froze...and pitched forwards," Dimitri said.

Goddess, he'd hurt her again, hadn't he? He didn't know how exactly but he had triggered something with that nickname and then she'd—

"Dima?"

He hadn't heard that nickname since Miklan, but the way she said it was simply...

Did she...remember?

"What was she thinking?" Hubert muttered under his breath with a shake of his head before looking back up and narrowing his eye at Dimitri once more. "If you do anything with this information—"

"I told you before, Hubert, Edelgard is worth too much for me to kill," Dimitri said firmly.

Hubert chuckled darkly as he turned on his heel and walked back down the hallway to the Infirmary. Without looking back he said, "If you're truly aware of Lady Edelgard's goals, I pity that sentiment."

Dimitri swallowed thickly and looked away.

Hubert was right, even if Edelgard did somehow remember he doubted anything would come of it.

Nothing had changed.

One of them was still going to die.

-o0o-

"Would have liked you to not wake up in that heavy gown but Dimitri was fairly insistent on not taking any article of clothing off save your shoes," Manuela snorted as she gave Edelgard another vial to drink, which she downed in a detached manner. "What did he think I would do, anyway? I'm not a monster for goodness sake! Ah, well, at least he cares."

The scars on her body may have been blessedly spared from foreign eyes thanks to Dimitri, but also thanks to him she bore a brand new one on her heart.

After she'd been given the go ahead to leave the hospital by Manuela a day after her tumble with the strict instruction to stay away from any taxing activities, Edelgard had immediately gone into her room without acknowledging anyone and laying in a fetal position on her bed. Her dress spilled off the mattress and her loose hair draped over her face.

El.

With a single word, Dimitri was suddenly not just the awkward prince who had a strange fascination with her, who was haunted by ghosts, put his body before hers in order to keep her safe, and laughed at horrible plays. Suddenly he was also the boy who'd extended his hand in friendship forever ago, who she'd taught to dance, who stayed up late eating sweet buns with her, who'd given her a dagger and a few words of encouragement that had pulled her through the most painful of her tormentors hands.

Suddenly, he was Dima.

He was Dima.

Dima.

Edelgard let out a shuddering breath as she curled further in on herself. How could she kill Dima? She couldn't kill Dima, she owed him everything—but he wouldn't join her, meaning he was in her way—maybe she could convince him to surrender? Step down peacefully so she could—no, that didn't seem like something he would do, did it? Something else, something else—

There was a knock on her door. "Lady Edelgard?"

She ignored him, her thoughts getting louder and louder, anxiety causing her to quiver and tears lining her eyes.

Why Dima? Why did it have to be Dima? Why couldn't he just have been some random, kind prince with no connection to him at all? It would still hurt terribly but at least he wouldn't be Dima—

Another knock. "Lady Edelgard? Are you quite alright?"

'Stop it,' Edelgard told herself, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath before rolling onto her back. She'd told herself no more doubts, even if Dimitri was a long forgotten and beloved part of her past she couldn't stop now, she was far too close.

Opening her eyes, she mentaly steeled herself before sitting up and calling in a blessedly steady voice for Hubert to enter.

Her retainer stepped in with a respectful nod and bow before closing the door behind him. "Lady Edelgard, I am grateful to see you awake."

"Thank you. Nothing important happened while I was out?"

"Not that I'm aware of...all though Professor Byleth has returned to the land of the living."

Edelgard's eyes widened, anxiety spiking as she slowly asked, "Is she?"

Hubert hummed in confirmation. "The Golden Deer are in celebration of course so it's a bit louder than usual but other than that, all is right as it can be in the world."

So Byleth hadn't told Rhea anything? Or perhaps she had forgotten? Edelgard would need to subtly pry that information from her when she was ready to make sure she was truly safe.

"No, on second thought, there is something I feel I must discuss with you," Hubert said, looking down at her with a frown. "It has something to do with something the Prince said at the night of the Ball."

Talk of Dimitri. Good. Lovely. Fantastic.

The annoyance Edelgard felt at the conversation only appeared on her face with a subtle pinch of her brows as Hubert continued. "He claims that you...told him."

Oh.

Hubert gave Edelgard a pointed look as she looked away with a soft sigh.

"Princess, you didn't truly—"

"I didn't tell him everything," Edelgrad said defensively. "Not of the plants existing in his Kingdom nor Arundel's plans for him, but…"

"You told him everything else?" Hubert demanded incredulously.

"I know, I know," Edelgard said, clenching the bed sheets beneath her hands and unclenching them again. "But in my defence I told him of my past in a moment of weakness—"

"And the war? Your alliance with the Agarthans?" Hubert asked, crossing his arms. "What reason did you have to reveal such sensitive information then?"

"He wanted...needed to know who'd orchestrated Duscur, so I told him of Arundel and the others," Edelgard said and hearing those words made her realize just how embarrassingly deep she'd fallen into the snare of friendship, even before knowing he was Dima. "Then we had our argument and I told him about the war."

Hubert sighed heavily and sat on the bed next to Edelgard after pushing away her red skirts out of the way. "His days are numbered," he said, honest and blunt.

"Arundel won't kill him, Hubert. He needs him," Edelgard said even though she knew it was a clear and desperate lie. Not forever he wouldn'd; he'd dispose of Dimitri when he was done, throw him away like garbage, and he could kill the prince earlier still, if she angered him enough.

And even then, a battle was inevitable, if Arundel didn't kill him Dimitri would eventually escape his puppet strings and stop Edelgard from completing her conquest, he'd more or less knew that too if his tearful goodbye was anything to go off of.

Hubert must have known she was too intelligent to not understand this, so he said nothing of it, instead he squeezed her shoulder and said, "I simply hope you know what you're doing."

Edelgard smiled bitterly.

She didn't.

-o0o-

Unsurprisingly, sleep did not reach Edelgard. Instead she went to her usual spot in the night, the small stone veranda leading to the Dining Hall and sat on the wall circling it.

"I'd hoped to find you here."

Edelgard's shoulders tensed as she looked over her shoulder against better judgment. Her eyes found bright blue ones staring right back, seemingly analyzing her gaze for a moment, before a soft smile spread across his face. "I see it now," Dimitri whispered breathlessly.

"See what?" Edelgard questioned as he stepped closer with a slowly broadening smile.

"That...spark of recognition it…" he paused midstep, hand reaching for her before he held himself back with seeming restraint, clenching the outstretched palm and looking down with soft sigh. "I suppose it's too late to be happy that you...remember."

"I don't remember everything," Edelgard said, as if that made a difference. "But it's coming back to me. Slowly."

"What do you remember, exactly?" Dimitri questioned curiously, hoisting himself atop the wall beside her and propping his face atop a fist.

Edelgard's lips twitched. "You had a very horrible singing voice."

Dimitri coughed and flushed while Edelgard laughed softly before continuing. "You loved cheese, I remember. You were always dragging me to that one blacksmith near the castle because he made new weapons every week and you loved to see them. You made me flower crowns whenever we played in the meadow and that's where I…" She swallowed. "That's where I let you call me El."

Edelgard turned to him fully and wondered how she'd managed to forget him. Yes his baby fat had lessened considerably, and his hair had been cut, but everything else about his face was so painfully, beautifully, Dima that—

Without really thinking, Edelgard launched herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his broad shoulders and burying her face in the crook of his neck. "If it wasn't for you I—" she let out a shuddering breath and hugged his stunned form tighter. "I've missed you, Dima."

Only then did Dimitri hug her back, squeezing her tightly and resting his cheek on top of her head. "As did I, El."

'Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry,' Edelgard tried swallowing the emotions bubbling to the surface and threatening to spill from her eyes as she squeezed Dimitri even tighter.

She felt his hand fall to her hip where that dagger lay at almost all times and he murmured, "Do you remember...what I said when I gave you this?"

"You wanted me to carve my own path," Edelgard said. "Even when I didn't really remember I knew what it represented. I knew there was a reason I loved it so."

"Good," Dimitri said. "Even if it differs from my own I'm glad you were able to find a path to carve out."

Edelgard didn't try dissuading him again, and he didn't do the same to her in return. He slowly pulled back and looked her in the eyes with a sad intensity as he whispered, "I only ask...I only ask that you don't forget me again, El."

Edelgard smiled and said, "Then I want the same thing from you."

Dimitri chuckled and pressed their foreheads together, twining their fingers in an action that had quickly become a meaningful staple between the two of them. "I could never forget you, El. Never."

"If that's so simple, I want one more thing," Edelgard said, pulling her head away and sliding off the wall, tugging him off with her. "You got your dance, now I want my flower crown."

Dimitri grinned and the two strode hand and hand towards the lawn before the fishing pond searching for flowers to braid.

-o0o-

Cool wind brought goosebumps to Byleth's flesh and the light of the moonlight was bright beneath her eyelids. When her eyes fluttered open, Rhea was smiling above her.

"I knew the fresh air would be good for you," she cooed, stroking her cheek maternaly as Byleth frowned and looked around in confusion. This wasn't the Infirmary, this was the balcony outside the Audience Chamber wasn't it? What was going on? Why—?

Rhea clutched her chin and forced her to look at her once more. "It is quite alright, you are perfectly safe here."

Byleth blinked slowly. "How long?"

"Two months," Rhea responded, smoothing her hair. "But there's no worry, you're safe as I said."

"What happened?" Byleth demanded, trying to sit up only to be pushed back down.

"You need rest, Byleth."

"Father and my students are probably worried. I need to see them."

Rhea laughed lightly. "Oh, this is just like you isn't? Worrying about others before yourself! This is why you have the teaching position in the first place."

It probably did make sense to listen to Rhea, her head was muddled, and while she knew she was supposed to be bedridden she didn't exactly know why, so her mind was clearly trash at the moment—and also surprisingly silent. Where was Sothis, anyway?

The doors opened with a flourish and in stepped Seteth with a dark frown on his face. "And this is why the blasted Tower is prohibited. Why doesn't anybody listen?"

"Seteth?" Rhea frowned, looking up from Byleth to gaze at her advisor. "Did something happen at The Ball?"

Seteth sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. "It just so happens that—" he paused as he absorbed the scene before him and frowned. "Oh. You're awake, Professor Byleth, I'm glad you've finally come to."

"I still feel weird...and my brain friend is gone."

Seteth blinked in confusion as Rhea's face lit up. "Friend? Who is she?"

Byleth blinked twice. "How did you know she was a she?"

Rhea beamed, gasping in delight, and seemed about to ask something else when Seteth cut her off. "Rhea...I do believe it is important to know that The Goddess Tower is particularly fatal and we need to put up better precautions—Edelgard gained a nasty concussion after—"

Byleth sucked in a sharp breath and shot up, staggering off Rhea's lap and crashing against the balcony doors.

"Byleth?" Rhea said worriedly, standing swiftly and holding her shoulders to steady her.

"That's right," Byleth muttered as the memories came flooding back. "It was—it was Edelgard. She brought me to those...people."

Rhea tensed instantly and Seteth said, "I beg your pardon?"

"Edelgard was bringing me to those weirdos in the woods," Byleth clarified with a frown as she tried to remember the details. "I caught her hand before she could Warp me though and she kept desperately trying to—"

"Seteth," Rhea said, her voice devoid of maternal warmth and now frigid with cruelty. "Take her. We will have one last event to end this ball."

"Rhea!" Seteth exclaimed in horror as the woman breezed past Byleth and stormed towards the doors. "Rhea, stop!"

"NO!" Rhea roared, and Byleth flinched as the archbishop's voice boomed throughout the Chamber, green wisps of energy rising from her body like eerie flames and eyes glowing a similar colour. "That wicked child is working with them! I let Tomas slip from my grasp, but I will end her worthless life now."

"Listen, Rhea, listen! If we kill the heir apparent to Adrestia what do you think will happen?!" Seteth exclaimed, Rhea narrowing her eyes as he continued. "Our relationship with them is shaky as is, do you think there won't be all out war if we kill their princess?"

"She is a traitor to all that is holy!" Rhea spat venomously.

"Be that as it may, we can't rush blindly on nothing but emotions!"

"Do you want another Red Canyon, Seteth?!" Rhea practically shrieked, causing Byleth to flinch again while simultaneously wondering where she'd heard that name before. That was where her first mission had been, no?

Seteth flinched as well, face twisting as if he'd just been slapped, before taking in a deep breath and saying, "Of course not. Which is why you mustn't do this Rhea. Do you understand? If the Empire brings her full might against us—"

"Then I will destroy them!"

"You're not being reasonable—!"

Byleth cleared her throat loudly and both adults turned to her as if they'd forgotten she was there. They probably did, Byleth was used to it though.

"Hi. What's going on?" Byleth asked.

Seteth hesitated but Rhea answered darkly, "Edelgard von Hresvleg is a traitor to Fodlan and will be executed tonight."

Byleth frowned at that. She supposed it made….sense but Edelgard was just a kid still, wasn't she? It seemed a bit over extreme. She then asked, "Wouldn't it be better to get information from her? She's spying for someone, right?"

"Yes! You see, Rhea? We should try gaining some information—"

"Do not be a fool, Seteth, she won't tell us anything."

"No," Seteth agreed. "However we can lure out those mages."

Rhea seemed to contemplate this with a thoughtful frown as Seteth turned to Byleth and walked towards her. "You were captured by them, did they tell you what they wanted?"

Byleth tilted her head to the side and tried searching her brain before nodding and saying, "Yes, The Crest of Flames Stone."

Rhea gasped and turned to Byleth sharply as Seteth said, "Why would they want it? It came with the sword they stole, did it not?"

Byleth shrugged. "I guess not because they wanted it really bad. They think I have it for some reason."

Seteth hummend and furrowed his brow. "Odd," he said as Rhea took in a deep breath and glanced between the two with a determined gaze.

"I know what I want to do."

And what a thing that must be, because Byleth found Rhea downright terrifying looking in that moment. Of course she always unnerved Byleth but there was a special kind of loathing burning in her eyes.

"We will give Edelgard false information regarding the Crest Stone's location," Rhea explained, hands clasped behind her back as she strode back towards the balcony. "We will have someone watch her and alert us when she calls her masters and then when they are in position there will be...an accident." Her eyes glinted at that last part as she stared off into the distance.

"Seteth, you will find a suitable place for an ambush. After this I'm certain those fiends will get my message."

"Rhea—" Seteth said hesitantly.

"Am I clear?" Rhea demanded forcefully.

Seteth nodded jerkily as Byleth hesitantly asked, "So...we're going to assassinate an eighteen-year-old girl?"

"Her age doesn't matter," Rhea said simply. "She is a sinner of the worst kind, and thus, must be punished."

-o0o-

AN: Here's some fluff before we plunge back into the angst sea tomorrow ladies and gents! Took me fifty billion hours to choose a song but I finally decided on "Break my Broken Heart" by Winona Oak! Have fun sad bopping while reading this short but sweet chapter with that foreboding lil ending!

Fantasy Fan OUT!