AN: Forgot to mention it last time BUT the final scene at the end of chapter 21 is basically what happened the night of the Ball from Byleth's POV. I just moved it during editing because it caused a fluctuation in the chapter's tone with it being jammed in the middle.
Okay! That's it!
Chapter XXII: The Stones
Dimitri dreamed of flower crowns and moonlight waltzes—a pleasant dream for once. No robed mages or his cursing spitting family, just him and El.
If only things could stay like that forever...
The prince sighed softly as he stared up at his beamed ceiling, sunlight streaming in and decorating the room in warm golden light. He stretched with a pleased sigh and stood to get out his uniform when his eyes landed on the calendar.
Immediately, reality crashed down on his little fantasy and he let out another sigh—this one considerably more resigned.
Faerghus would require his return right about today. And when he returned he...well it was safe to say his brief time with El would be over. Her war would start soon after, would it not? And then...
His mind teleported him back to the previous night; laying underneath the light of a waning moon atop the wind rustled grass and flowers tangled in both their hair. It was there that she smiled at him, eyes alight with that fondness he'd wished to return for months now, her pink tinted lips tilted upwards in a content smile.
He'd just gotten the El of his past back, and now...
Ah, The Goddess truly did hate him—both of them; they had the scars to prove it. But there was nothing to be done except play with the hand he'd been dealt.
Getting ready for the day, Dimitri strode into the Dining Hall, and much like two nights prior, all eyes flickered towards him. Seconds later, the whispering began.
He could only catch snippets as he passed by the tables, but from what he could gather sent his cheeks aflame. He couldn't get out of the lunch line fast enough as overly curious students hounded him with questions.
"This is why you gotta stop missing Dining Hall meals, Your Highness," Sylvain snickered. "Rumours just pile up."
"I wasn't hungry yesterday," he sighed. "I was too—"
"Worried about the princess?" Sylvain said slyly.
Technically it was anxiety over their future together—or apart in this case—but he gave his friend a half hearted glare anyway.
"You can't blame them after you charged in here like a madman, can you?" Sylvain shrugged as he took a bite out of his food. "If I didn't know better I'd assume you were actually in a relationship."
"You don't already assume that?" Ingrid asked incredulously, glancing up from the book she and Ashe were sharing beside each other.
Sylvain batted a hand through the air. "What? No! I just like teasing His Highness; he's way too timid to start something with any girl let alone someone as imposing as Edelgard."
The Hall went silent a second time as the door opened once more. Edelgard strode inside with Hubert at her side, mask securely on as she elegantly glided towards the Black Eagles table.
From where she sat at her table, she caught his eye, and gave him a quick smile that he returned eagerly.
"I think you may be wrong in the ways of infatuation this time, Sylvain," Mercedes said with a teasing note to her voice.
"What?" Dimitri said, pulling his gaze away from Edelgard and turning confused to Mercedes's beaming face and Annette's giggles.
"Either your playing dumb or you simply don't realize the full extent of your love yet," Mercedes said good naturally. "If it's the latter, don't worry! You'll surely figure it out soon."
Desiring to change the topic as fast as possible, Dimitri brought up his second departure of the year to his Lions.
"As I'm sure some of you know, very soon I will be taking the crown from my uncle—less than soon in fact, a couple of days at most," Dimitri said. "He insists on a week long celebration before the coronation and I was wondering if any of you would like to join in perhaps in the middle of it directly before—"
"No," Felix said automatically, not even looking up from his plate. In truth Dimitri hadn't exactly been asking him; he'd already known what his answer would be.
"Of course, count me in," Ingrid said with a firm nod as Ashe eagerly said, "And, I!"
The rest of the Blue Lions all voiced their agreement and Dimitri smiled brightly. Even if he wouldn't have Edelgard by his side anymore, he still had the Lions.
He truly hoped their mutual friendship would endure.
-o0o-
An academy trying to kill one of their students—out of all the places Byleth could've taught, she was certain this one was the wackiest by far.
If she had a choice in the matter, Byleth wouldn't be doing this at all. She didn't know Edelgard really well if it all, but holy shit...
However, even though Rhea didn't explicitly say there would be hell to pay for disobedience it was pretty easily implied with the cold cadence of her voice and dangerous look in her eye.
Well, at least she and Seteth finally agreed on something. When Rhea had called her, him, and a couple of knights including Catherine into her Audience Chamber with a plan to eliminate the young heiress and her mage friends, he seemed to be the only one rightfully disturbed; wringing his hands and muttering curses under his breath until he left in a huff.
Byleth tried doing that too but Rhea insisted she was needed—and yes she was for phase four, but phase four was useless because the first three would probably already do the job perfectly well but she stayed anyway.
She currently missed creepy maternal figure Rhea—maybe that version of her would think twice about the crazy plan and at least didn't scare her half as much (and that was saying something).
She also missed Sothis—she needed someone to talk to about the madness and she was the only one she could speak with since there was a "no blabbing" policy on the meeting. Otherwise she would've gone to Jeralt, maybe even Claude.
On top of that, those mages were seemingly very powerful; Byleth would need Sothis's time magic just in case something went wrong.
She sighed heavily to herself as she made her way to the Golden Deer classroom only for a voice to call, "Professor,"
Byleth paused, glancing over her shoulder to where petite princess Edelgard stood, having her attention, she strode towards her purposefully and said, "I'm glad you're awake."
"Thanks, being knocked for two months is embarrassing though."
"I dare say it is; I've been unconscious for only a few hours and it's been quite the bruise to my ego."
"What's up?" Byleth asked, turning around fully and crossing her arms. "I know you didn't find me for small talk."
Edelgard inclined her head and smiled in a way that was clearly not genuine if the calculating coldness in her eyes said anything. "You're sharp."
"You're not very subtle," Byleth stated casually. Not a jab, just the truth, but the lightning fast furrow and smoothing of Edelgard's brow showed she'd taken offence.
"I simply wanted to ask about...the event that landed you bedridden to begin with," Edelgard said, stepping closer and peering intensely into Byleth's eyes. "Do you remember anything?"
"No," Byleth lied smoothly, instantly knowing what this was about. "Not fully at least. I think I was hit in the head with a spell but I don't remember, really."
Edelgard stared at her for a few moments and Byleth blinked blankly back. Finally she nodded stiffly, pastel eyes narrowing slightly as she said, "You are certain?"
"You're starting to sound very suspicious," Byleth said, and like she'd hoped Edelgard backed down.
"Apologies. I simply wanted to be prepared if something like that happens again. I hear they were the same mages from the Rite of Rebirth who attacked you and I wanted to try and understand how they worked."
Right. "Makes sense," Byleth shrugged. "Anyway, I have a class. Have fun with your research." The two made their separate ways, knowing that by the week's end Manuela would unknowingly send the Black Eagles on a mission that Edelgard would not return from.
Byleth paused, looking at Edelgard's retreating form over her shoulder and suddenly finding the urge to tell Edelgard the truth and warn her—maybe not in a way that would tip Rhea off to what she'd done but maybe—
An explosion shook the Golden Deer classroom and Byleth spun back around swiftly.
"Raphael!" Lysithea screeched.
"Sorry, sorry!"
Byleth sighed, opting to be quick with her warning to Edelgard until she saw the long line of guards walking towards her direction in a patrol.
Damnit.
Sighing, Byleth walked through the arc of purple flames that now arched her classroom and left her Deer screeching in horror.
-o0o-
"So!" Manuela said as she entered the Black Eagles classroom just as Edelgard was taking her seat. "I am about to assign you something that you've all been waiting for for a very, very long time," she placed her flask down before smiling and clapping her hands. "A mission!"
"YES!" Caspar screeched as Lindhart slumped into his desk and groaned. Bernadetta wailed, Petra and Ferdinand sat straighter in clear anticipation, and Dorothea sighed, picking a splinter from her desk.
"And an authorized one this time," Manuela clarified as she took her seat. "Not one that will get me laid off and have my salary cut in three quarters! Thank the Goddess teachers are scared of being hired at this place now," she added in a low mumble as she took a quick sip from her flask.
"That mission was still so epic though!" Caspar said. "Fighting a zombie Miklan and then his Demonic Beast form! That was awesome! Right guys?!"
Silence.
"Right guys?!"
"What is this mission be entailing?" Petra asked with a raised hand.
"Glad you asked," Manuela said, taking a slip of paper from her cleavage and unfolding it. "We're to relocate a super special bit of cargo to one of the Western Churches."
"A Western Church?" Hubert frowned. "I was unaware there were any left. Hadn't Rhea eradicated all of them after the Rite?"
"Lady Rhea," Ferdinand corrected, and Hubert shot him a glare.
"Apparently not," Manuela shrugged, folding the paper back and placing it on the desk. "Now, I must warn you that this mission is incredibly important—Lady Rhea seems to think this will stop the bird wizard attacks."
Edelgard inhaled slowly, exchanging a quick glance with Hubert before she raised her hand next.
"Edelgard?"
"Do you know...why exactly, Professor?"
"You mean 'what's in the heavy tomb'? No clue whatsoever dear."
Now what could that mean? Why would relocating something stop The Agarthans from—unless? Could it be—? No, no. They'd deduced The Crest of Flames was with Byleth, no? Why would it be in a tomb?
Could it be more Crest Stones? Hero's Relics? Would Arundel want that?
Intuition twisted worriedly in her gut and Edelgard bit her lip in thought. Byleth didn't look like she was lying, but then again that woman was incredibly difficult to read. But then again, again, how would Rhea know They wanted Crests? Unless there was no Crests and Edelgard was thinking too deeply into this. But what else would supposedly lead Them away? And that circled back to how Rhea would know about what they desired unless she just guessed, which was unlikely but she was there personally to save Byleth so maybe they let something slip? But Edelgard had fallen so low out of Arundel's favour so wouldn't it be best to just go for it without worry—?
A finger tapped her lightly on the back and Edelgard swivelled around to glare at the attacker.
Ferdinand flinched back and held up his hands placatingly. "Sorry! The Professor just asked you a question and you weren't responding—!"
"I was wondering if you were up for this, Edelgard. What with your fainting spell at the Ball," Manuela cut in and Edelgard fought the flush desiring to devour her cheeks. She sounded absolutely pathetic; poor damsel Edelgard fainting and having to be carried in the arms of her Prince Charming.
Thoughts of him didn't leave her in a better mood either—their night together was dreamlike and she only knew it truly hadn't been one when Hubert had picked a poppy petal from her hair with a sour look on his face that morning.
"I'll be alright, truly. I'm good as new," Edelgard insisted.
"If you're sure...we get ready to depart tomorrow morning. Now! Onto the lesson." Manuela got up and took up her teacher's stick as Edelgard decided what she would do about her doubts; she'd have someone ease them, Hubert would be far too conspicuous but maybe...
-o0o-
Dimitri placed his suitcase beneath the carriage seat and gave it a pat. "Alright, that should be enough," he muttered.
"You're leaving?"
Dimitri looked up and surprised and smiled when he saw Edelgard walking towards him briskly. She didn't return it however, mind clearly elsewhere. "I've only just heard."
"Yes my...my coronation approaches and—well my uncle wants me back. Don't worry, I have triple the security I've had last time; Lady Rhea was kind enough to lend me some of her Knights so the chances of me getting kidnapped by bandits again is slim to none."
"I'm relieved," Edelgard said distractedly. "However I need a favour from you before you go."
Dimitri blinked in surprise at her seeming agitation and he frowned worriedly. "Have I done something wrong?" Because if he'd once more halted their friendship when their paths were about to diverge, Goddess smite him now—
"No, no, not at all," Edelgard assured him with a shake of her head. "You see I'm going on a mission that includes relocating something top secret and important that The Agarthans supposedly want—"
The sound of Their name sent a pang of hatred stabbing into his heart but he said and did nothing other than clench his fists slightly.
"—and I feel...suspicious. Getting this mission immediately after The Professor wakes up—well I suppose it could be increased worry but...I don't know," Edelgard finished, glancing around to see if anyone was watching before stepping towards him to speak in a lower tone. "I want you to interrogate Byleth Eisner."
Dimitri furrowed his brow. "Professor Byleth? What would she—? Oh Goddess you don't think she...knows?"
"I'm not certain," Edelgard said. "I didn't sense deception but she's very good at concealing emotions. And if Rhea is conspiring against me—"
"Wouldn't she just publicly execute you if she thought for a second you were working with Them? I certainly didn't hesitate when I assumed you were The Flame Emperor from Duscur and she seems to have...quite a temper."
Edelgard frowned and tapped her lip. "That...is a fair point, yes. But it wouldn't hurt to make sure."
Dimitri winced and looked away, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "You...know I'm horrible with words, Edelgard. Professor Byleth will be suspicious of me instantly if I try prying for information."
Edelgard sighed and frowned deeper. "Another good point." She hummed in thought again before her eyes lit up with an idea. "You can check the cargo."
Dimitri's eyes snapped back towards her, wide and horrified. "You want me to...to scry important Church artifacts?"
"It could be empty. Possible trap, remember?" Edelgard pointed out.
Dimitri made a noise of discomfort as he crinkled the corner of his eyes at the distaste of the situation. "Couldn't...you do it?"
"I can't easily lift a tomb cover, Dimitri. You can."
Dimitri thought of this. It would be very bad for him, Near King of Faerghus to be caught snooping through something presumably so important to The Church but...if this was about Edelgard's safety...
His shoulders slumped and he sighed in resignation. "I—alright. Where is it?"
Edelgard beamed vividly and Dimitri immediately knew he'd made the right choice. "Rhea presented it to us, expressed it's supposed importance and had it carried away," she said. "That was about five minutes ago so you should be able to catch them."
Dimitri nodded. "Alright, consider it done, then."
Edelgard clasped Dimitri's hands as her smile broadened. "Thank you, my friend."
That title still sent giddy tingles up Dimitri's spine. Yes he'd certainly made the right choice.
Except maybe not because how was he going to get that blasted tomb out of the Knight's hand—
Dimitri's face brightened with an idea as she finally stepped from the bend of the hallway and revealed himself to the grunting struggling Knights.
"Afternoon!" He said politely and the duo, a man and a woman paused to simultaneously gasp out, "Your Highness."
"Would you mind if I carried that for you?"
With the long tomb in his arms, Dimitri followed the guards while formulating the rest of his plan in his head. He would give it the tiniest peek once their back was turned and pray he didn't make a sound—that was about all he could think of in such a short time.
As they reached a secluded area at one of the Monastery towers, they opened the door for him before standing guard on either side. Dimitri placed the tomb down with a grunt and quickly checked to see if they were watching him.
They were not.
With a deep breath, Dimitri was relieved to find the lid lift easily. He peeked inside and gasped in surprise at the brightness that greeted him. Once he adjusted to the light, he could see what was inside.
Crest Stones, dozens of them. Edelgard hadn't told him what to look for, but it wasn't empty and from what he knew the experiments had done to her, Them being interested in Crests didn't seem to be a stretch.
Dimitri gently replaced the lid and stood, nodding and smiling when the knights thanked him genuinely for his help as went to locate Edelgard before his departure.
-o0o-
If there was one thing Edelgard needed, it was to return to Arundel's good graces, especially now that she knew who Dimitri was and what his death could do to her if she wasn't given time to prepare her heart.
So when yesterday, he'd told her the tomb contained Crest Stones, she'd decided to snatch the opportunity to let him know and tell him where he could snatch them. She couldn't figure out any other precautions she could make and this was as good a chance as any. She simply needed to keep her peers out of the way and all would be good.
Of course, in her one track minded goal, she hadn't had the chance to properly send Dimitri off. Of course she'd seen him off but not properly.
For all she knew...
No. This was a worthy sacrifice. If Cornelia had his claws in him by now then it meant he wasn't dead. They still had some time together.
Unless him learning that he was pawn managed to—
Goodness.
Edelgard asked Hubert if he would like to walk around the Monastery with her to clear her head for the upcoming mission, and he agreed. It was then when she learned that she wasn't the only one feeling Dimitri's absence.
Unsurprisingly, Edelgard got this tidbit of info from a sulking Jeritza she found eating a bowl of vanilla ice cream by the pond.
"You do realize the Dining Hall is right there?" Edelgard asked with a raised eyebrow.
Jeritza sighed heavily and gave her a sideways glance. "What...do you want?"
"I'm concerned with your apparent boredom," Edelgard responded. "You happen to do reckless things like listening to The Agarthans when you're bored."
Completely ignoring her, Jeritza glumly stated, "I am currently unable to teach."
Edelgard blinked in surprise at the deceleration while Hubert chuckled and crossed his arms. "Seteth came to his senses and fired you, did he?"
"No. But I am unable to teach without the full class."
"You are unable to or you don't want to?"
"...I don't want to."
Edelgard rolled her eyes. "Then isn't your boredom your fault?"
Jeritza spooned a glob of ice-cream into his mouth and shrugged.
"Since when was that your policy anyhow? You taught just fine when Lonato's adopted son was locked in his room," Hubert said.
Jeritza didn't answer.
Edelgard narrowed her eyes.
"This has something to do with Dimitri, doesn't it?" She asked.
"...yes."
"Oh don't tell me," Hubert sneered in disdain. "That pathetic brat truly hinges on your ability to teach?"
Edelgard spared Hubert a disapproving frown while Jeritza said, "Yes," and frowned at the pond. "What will I do now that I can't teach people the beauty of death and the objective superiority of magic?"
"What an odd way of saying, 'what will I do now that the object of my obsession is leaving my sight?'" Edelgard sniffed.
"That...too," Jeritza sighed.
Well, at least he was being honest.
"Perhaps you can do something," Edelgard said. "No killing—"
"Then I have no interest."
Hubert rolled his eye at Jeritza's melodrama as Edelgard patiently said, "You may not kill, but you can fight—or at least distract."
Jeritza sighed heavily and hissed a "Fine...it's better than fantasizing Dimitri's knee on my neck...palm presses against my skull...teeth ripping veins from my neck..."
Hubert wrinkled his nose and spat, "Pathetic," under his breath as Edelagrd gave the madly muttering Death Knight a look of abject disgust.
They quickly moved on, after that, making one more round around the Monastery before returning to the gates where everyone was prepared to leave for Charon territory.
It would take a day's journey she'd estimated, and she'd told The Agarthans as such in her letter to Arundel.
As the Black Eagles marched onwards, that nagging doubt didn't go away.
-o0o-
"So, why'd you invite me on your little super secret, super exclusive field trip again?" Jeralt asked with a raised eyebrow as he, Byleth and a batch of other Knights stood at the ready, overlooking the soon to be occupied church.
"I'm afraid of your boss," Byleth admitted in a low voice and Jeralt chuckled.
"Don't blame you," he muttered back. "She gives off this..."
"Deranged aura?" Byleth suggested.
"Pretty much. But she's not here now so I don't see what the issue is. You think she'll hurt me while you're gone or something?"
Byleth frowned. Truly she's requested her father's presence because she needed someone grounded to stop her from careening into guilt at her strange bout of cowardice but now... "I didn't. But now I do."
"Heh. I survived two months, think I could have handled a day or two."
Byleth sighed heavily and toed the dirt with her boot. "Can you not mention that again? It's embarrassing."
"Hey it was hard for me too," Jeralt said, squeezing Byleth's shoulder. "I was...scared. More scared than I've ever been and Rhea wouldn't let me see you, had you holed up in her chambers just you and her."
Byleth imagined being trapped and unconscious as Rhea gave her that odd obsessive look day in and day out before she shuddered.
Jeralt laughed. "Yeah, exactly." He patted her back firmly. "Good to have you back, kid."
"What're you too talking so seriously about?" Alois said cheerfully as he shoved between them and grinned at both individually. "We're going to take a massive blow to the enemy; you should be celebrating!"
"They could just retaliate ten-fold," Byleth pointed out.
Alois's smile slipped before it brightened once more. "We'll tell Lady Rhea to quadruple security when we get back! Yes! That'll help!"
"What's even supposed to happen here anyway?" Jeralt asked Alois.
The man grinned, wagging a finger. "Can't tell, Jeralt! Lady Rhea made an exception for Byleth's comfort but this mission is still top secret!"
"They're coming!" A Knight called, and everyone peered over the cliff's lip to find the Black Eagles trudging forwards with the carriage holding the tomb of counterfeit Crest Stones.
"The hell? Ain't that Manuela and her kids?" Jeralt demanded. "They aren't robed mages!"
"Nope. As far as we know, only Princess Edelgard is in cahoots. Maybe her retainer too, but he's undecided," Alois said simply.
Byleth's hand began to shake and she swallowed down bile as she wondered if she could rush down quickly and stop this after all—to hell with the consequences. The Seiros mages would try and stop her and maybe they would for she was outnumbered—
"Mages!" Catherine commanded. "Initiate the avalanche in three, two—"
From behind them, a dark figure charged down a higher mountain ledge on an equally pitch horse. Everyone either dropped to the ground or dodged with cries of surprise as the creature and it's rider charged straight down the mountain side.
"What the heck was that?!" Catherine exclaimed as everyone watched the rider leap over the group of students before circling back and twirling a deadly scythe.
"I still can't tell you anything, Jeralt," Alois muttered. "But uh...this wasn't part of the plan..."
-o0o-
Dread intensified dramatically when the designated church came into view and Edelgard kept shoving the feeling down.
A part of her knew that something wasn't right, that something amiss was in the air but she ignored it, she didn't want to believe it.
It's not like she had time to doubt anyway, for the sounds of hooves thundering down a mountain caught everyone's ear.
"AH! What is that?!" Bernadetta shrieked in horror as Death Knight galloped at full speed straight down towards them.
'This is it.' Edelgard thought, nodding to Hubert who took the cue and swiftly made his way to the carriage.
She was seeing this through to the end, even everything inside her was telling her to stop—she didn't get this far listening to doubts hissing in her ears.
Death Knight jumped over them before swiftly circling around, scythe twirling menacingly in the evening light.
Taking advantage of the chaos Edelgard broke away from the group and knelt into a bush, Warping directly behind the church.
The very decrepit, very quiet, very abandoned church.
Why would Rhea want something oh so important to be relocated somewhere it couldn't be protected?
Already, Edelgard knew the answer.
Hubert Warped beside her with a palm on the tomb and Edelgard whipped around towards him. "Hubert—"
The mountain behind them lit up with dozens of magical circles before exploding.
With dual screams, Edelgard and Hubert were thrown violently backwards. The retainer slammed against the church's stone foundation and the princess crashed through one of the stained glass windows, tumbling across the shard littered wood and only stopping after she'd slammed a firm palm against the ground to halt her movements.
Her palm stung and shook as she slowly forced herself into a kneeling position, rainbow glass sliding off her body as she took in deep breaths to calm her too-fast heart.
Moments later, the interior of the church lit up with glyphs too. Edelgard's eyes widened, quickly activating her Crest to its fullest capacity just as the interior collapsed in on itself.
She nimbly leapt to the side twisting out of the way, jumping over, ducking, all in the span of less than a second. Her feet had never had to move so fast, her Crest never needing to expend so much energy. The balls of her feet ached with each shot of debris she deftly avoided and the back of her hand was getting warmer, her blood boiling, her vision getting blurrier—
She staggered, tripping backwards and crashing against a large stone as a giant beam tumbled towards her. Only then did she have the sense to Warp outdoors where she collapsed in a heap, gasping for breath behind a high wall of rubble.
"Hubert..." she choked out. Sighing in relief when she saw him staggering towards her form. A shield flickered weakly around him before he fell to his knees beside her.
"It was—" he breathed.
"Counterfeit," a voice answered.
The duo turned swiftly to find Arundel with a "Crest Stone" in hand, shattering it in his grip. "Really, Edelgard. Kronya leaves your side for a week and this is the foolishness you do. How pathetic."
Edelgard squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled shakily, saying nothing. Because truly, what could she say? It was pathetic.
"Seiros tried to kill you," Arundel said slowly, looking down at Edelgard with cold eyes. "I wonder..." he drawled, crushing another fake stone under his boots while walking towards her. "Why is that?"
Edelgard cursed as she gritted her teeth and looked away, blinking away the fresh blood that had dripped from her cut brow and onto her eyelid. "I—"
"Edelgard."
"It—The Battle of Eagle and Lion," Edelgard whispered, still not looking at him. "When Byleth caught me she...she must have remembered—"
A hand forcefully grabbed her by the face and forced her to her feet. Hubert's hands sparked with magic as he shot upwards but Arundel blasted him away without looking at him, eyes trained solely at the helpless little girl at his mercy.
"And you neglected to tell us," he hissed. "Why?"
Edelgard opened her mouth and closed it, furiously blinking back tears of both fear and rage. Rage at herself for not listening to her intuition, for desperately jumping at a chance to be a valuable asset again, for being forced to be one in the first place.
Fear of the millions of things Arundel could do to her.
The bastard's lips tilted to the side in a crooked smile as he swiped a stray tear with his thumb. "I see," he said. "I see."
He let her go and Edelgard forced herself not to collapse once more. She stumbled backwards with a grunt, straightening her shoulders and staring him dead in the eyes. Slowly, her mask was glued back in place.
"That doesn't work on me, Edelgard. You know this," Arundel said amusedly. "But don't fret...I won't punish you for this."
Edelgard felt hope at those words, hope she quickly crushed when she remembered the last time he'd dismissed her without immediately doling out punishment.
Her father could no longer walk now.
"I speak honestly. Punishment doesn't seem to work on you...no, no I think I'll move on and try a different tactic this time."
Before Edelgard could decipher his meaning, Arundel had snatched her arm and levitated Hubert with the other, whisking them both away into a blast of bright light.
AN: Two chapters left! I've decided Part II will be very character driven, so the other housemates will be getting their backstories told/character development/relationship development. Taking suggestions on who gets the light shined on them first!
Today's song is "Technicolour Beat" by Oh Wonder! However it's for the tiiiiiny Dimigard moments in here and not for the rest of the chapter, lol.
Fantasy Fan OUT!