Author's Notes:

Well... I'm back. I've had a complete draft for about a month, but I only made it about halfway through my review before I left on vacation.
It's been one thing after another since then. I wasn't able to write much during the trip, I got sick and jetlagged, and my grandfather passed away. Thus, this took a lot longer than I wished. I had gotten into a pretty good groove for a few months, but I suspect I'll struggle to get back into the same pace going forward. Which is a shame, because I'm really looking forward to finishing the final few arcs.
Anyways... here is the product of the wait. I hope it isn't too disappointing.

StellarLupine- I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter! It probably won't come as a surprise to hear that Aurelian's speech difficulties are pretty heavily inspired by my own life (severe ankyloglossia that made me almost unintelligible until I got a frenectomy, being judged for speech cluttering habits, speech digression during social withdraw around the same age...). Thank you for keeping up with this story!


Chapter 40


Day 6 of the Garland Moon, Imperial Year 1180


The door to Professor Hanneman's office was already open, but Dimitri knocked on it anyways to get his teacher's attention. Hanneman had been intensely studying a book, but he quickly shut it and beckoned Dimitri inside upon the interruption.

"Ah! Please do come in, Prince Dimitri! It is most kind of you to spare a moment of your day."

"Of course, professor. What is it you wanted to talk about?" Dimitri asked as he sat down.

"Well, I know I have a tendency to be long-winded, so I will try getting to the point. Do you know of a student in the Golden Deer House named Marianne von Edmund?"

"Of course."

"Very good. Well… as you may know, we have the opportunity to recruit students from other houses to join us here in the Blue Lions. I believe we have much to offer, and I was thinking that Marianne might be a prime candidate for recruitment. What are your thoughts?"

Dimitri's eyes widened with pleasant surprise. "I think it's a splendid idea! She seems like a very sweet girl, but perhaps a bit uncomfortable in her current setting. Not to say that her classmates have done anything wrong, of course, but maybe we could provide her with whatever security she's currently lacking. It would be her choice to determine if we are a good match, naturally, but I agree that we should try."

"Yes, that is a good reason, indeed," Hanneman said thoughtfully.

Dimitri's smile faded. "… That has nothing to do with why you asked me, does it?"

"Well… I wouldn't say it isn't at all part of the picture…"

"Does this have something to do with your research?"

Hanneman sighed guiltily. "It appears you've seen right through me, Prince Dimitri. I suppose it does sound a bit callous now that you put it that way. In truth, Lysithea von Ordelia would have been my first choice, but I fear I may have irreparably damaged that relationship already."

Dimitri crossed his arms. "What exactly is your research about, professor? I mean… I know you investigate Crests, but towards what aim?"

Hanneman was surprisingly slow to answer. He stood and began to pace his office.

"There are many factors to consider, with many possible goals and outcomes… But I am unsure of how wise it is to go into details at this time. I fear aspects of my research will not be entirely well received in some circles, particularly among the nobility. I have necessarily provided certain details to Seteth and the archbishop, of course, but I have tried to keep the delicate minutiae out of public discourse."

"It is true that I'm a prince, professor, and I understand the role Crests play in our society quite well. That being said, that does not mean I endorse of the current state of the nobility. I promise to not judge your research, just as I promise you the upmost privacy."

Hanneman adjusted his glasses. "Very well, then… your curiosity deserves an answer. Without indulging in the details of my history, my ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between people with Crests and those without. I do not know exactly what that will look like, as it would depend on what my research proves to be feasible. It could involve, for example, developing safe ways to implant Crests, or creating weapons as strong as Hero's Relics that do not require Crests."

Dimitri sat upright in his chair, now fascinated by the turn of discussion. "Professor… not only am I unbothered by your research, but I find it most inspiring."

"Inspiring, you say?" Hanneman repeated proudly.

"Of course! Has Sylvain ever mentioned his older brother Miklan? Miklan was passed over as heir to House Gautier because he did not have a Crest. I can't justify any of Miklan's other actions that resulted in his full expulsion from the Gautier family, but that was one of my earliest firsthand experiences with the shortcomings of the system." Dimitri shook his head as he frowned. "It forced me to reflect on what kind of changes should happen. We need something that both respects the value of Crests without degrading people that never received one. The only idea I came up with was to create new titles with new forms of inheritance. For example, someone like Sylvain could be offered a separate title as a 'Defender of Faerghus' with its own pool of income and rights so we can defend our northern border, while familial inheritance based on Crests alone would be outlawed, thus sparing Miklan. T-that comes with its own shortcomings, of course. A solution will probably require implementing a multitude of strategies from more than one mind."

"Indeed. There are rarely easy answers to such complex questions," Hanneman agreed sadly.

"Which is why your research is so important! It tackles the issue from a perspective that has never been properly considered. I know you are from the Empire and currently work under the support of the church. But when I become king, I promise that the resources of House Blaiddyd are also at your disposal."

It was perhaps too bold of a claim for someone who did not expect to live long on the throne, but perhaps Dimitri could earmark some of his assets to Hanneman in his will.

"Prince Dimitri, I…" Hanneman was emotional as he sat back down and asked, "Do you know what your greatest asset is?"

"My Crest?"

The professor smiled. "For this one time, I must say 'no.' Nor is it your title, your wealth, your knowledge, or your work ethic. It's your heart, Prince Dimitri. Your ability to listen, learn, and empathize makes you not only great as a student but as a person. If more of the nobility reflected your decency, my research would be of much less consequence."

"I do not deserve such praise, but I thank you all the same." Dimitri stood and said, "If that is all, professor, I do need to be going soon. I'm sorry for being judgmental about your request earlier. I will try spending more time with Marianne when I can."

"No, no… the critique was well deserved," Hanneman sighed. "Do speak with her, but do so on your own rationale. Please continue to do what you do best, Prince Dimitri."

The student nodded and replied, "And you as well, professor."


Perdition and Redemption - Day 4 of the Harpstring Moon, Year 1187 (Fódlan Calendar)


"I know you're a shadow of the person you used to be, Your Highness, but… I still can't believe you actually went through with it. Edelgard was right- you've somehow managed to merge your worst qualities with Claude's. Really incredible work there," Sylvain spat as he walked alongside his former friend.

Dimitri was hiking through a dry creek bed as he continued his escape from Metanoiapolis. He had a decent idea of what direction Khalid and the others would arrive from, but it was too risky for Dimitri to take the most direct path. Morning had come, and Meteoran search parties had likely been sent out to find him while he was still vulnerable. Hopefully Florian succeeded at convincing everyone that he lost track of his prisoner while responding to the rampage of the Demonic Beast.

It was already hot in those early hours, and the barren rocks that populated the terrain seemingly reflected all of the sun's light. Between that and his lack of sleep, Dimitri was too tired to walk quickly or argue with Sylvain.

"You knew what a Hero's Relic did to my brother… and how much it damaged me," Sylvain continued. "You told me how sorry you were and how wrong everything was, but then you go and willingly the same thing to someone else once you think I'm gone. You really are a blight that just refuses to die. Instead of eliminating the people responsible for our deaths, you leap into in some other war and desecrate people that have nothing to do with you."

"I'm sorry…" was all Dimitri could muster. Sylvain would justifiably not accept this answer, but their conversation was interrupted by screeching overhead.

It was a Meteoran wyvern patrol. Its members were too far away to notice him yet, but he dove under a twisted bush that extended from the gully wall for good measure. He had dumped rocks into the rowboat to sink it in the shallows to cover his tracks, but his enemies probably had a strong suspicion of his objective.

Dimitri patiently waited for the patrol to pass, but it was taking longer than anticipated. That was when he heard unexpected commotion. He cautiously stuck his head out to decipher the meaning of it…

The wyverns were engaged in combat. Arrows were being exchanged between his pursuers and another set of wyverns. The Meteoran patrol was too outnumbered for a proper fight, so they were soon forced to withdraw back to the city. That left only the other set of airborne warriors…

Friends.

Dimitri scrambled up to a higher elevation and began chasing after them, calling out for help. They were still some distance away and did not immediately notice him. Dimitri was not about to give up, though. He slipped on a boulder and moderately scrapped his arm during the tumble, but this delay just prompted him to run faster. They had no reason to suspect that he was behind them, but once he was out of the gully, he would be visible from a wide radius due to a lack of tall vegetation.

His efforts eventually bore fruit just as it seemed like the wyverns were beyond reach. Dimitri heard the faint note of a flute, which prompted the wyverns to gather. They then spun around and advanced towards Dimitri. He fell to his knees in relief upon realizing he was rescued.

One wyvern landed near him while the others circled above. A woman squinted as she approached before exclaiming something in native Almyran.

"The Tempest of Fódlan!" she then uttered in disbelief. "But… how?"

"I escaped."

"H-ha! Yes, I can see that! I think Her Majesty will expect a fuller explanation, though. Well… come on, then. Let me help you." The woman assisted him onto the wyvern, and after ensuring he was settled, the pair were shortly airborne. The woman exchanged a few words with her equally surprised companions, but they wasted little time after establishing the basic facts. Dimitri's obvious weak state was a motivation for the hurry.

Dimitri finally got to appreciate the current state of the war from the sky. King Faruq's army had approached Metanoiapolis from the expected direction and was now splitting into smaller divisions to cover each road into the city. The wyverns were on a trajectory for the largest group approaching the central gate that Dimitri had entered just a day earlier.

Most of the division continued its march, but some of its members approached to great the new arrivals. Dimitri's wyvern had landed near the back, and no one seemed to have noticed him yet as his companion helped him down.

"Looks like they didn't give you much resistance, Sarina," Queen Tiana noted.

"They did not, Your Majesty. But I don't think that was an ordinary scouting mission. They were looking for someone. Nika, could you…?"

The captain of the scouts paved an opening for Nika as she helped Dimitri forward. There was a collection of gasps, swiftly followed by Marianne and Ariella hugging him after they sprang off their horses. Ella was hugging tighter, while Marianne was already wetting his shoulder with tears. Khalid was right behind them, looking only slightly more composed.

"And here I imagined myself putting together some brilliant scheme to break you out. Looks like you took care of the work for us," Khalid joked. "How are you?"

"Alive, which is all I'd even ask for," Dimitri answered. "I've been saved by others so many times that I'd rather not be any deeper in debt than necessary."

Ariella said, "It's only been a few days, but it's felt so much longer. I try to be the optimist, but I was more than a little worried that we'd never see you again."

Queen Tiana let them enjoy the moment a little longer before interrupting, "Alright, alright. We're all glad you're back, Dimitri, but we need to keep moving. Once we organize a base outside the walls, we're going to get you a proper meal and a place to sleep. You look like you just crossed the Maranjab on foot with nothing but your own clothes and fluids for nourishment."

"Until then, do us a favor and share every detail about your captivity that you have time to provide," Khalid requested.

Dimitri shook his head. "Sleep and the story can both wait. The most important thing is Princess Juliana."

"Juliana? … Did you find love while in captivity, Dimitri?" Khalid teased.

"No, but… I can explain on the way."

The army was short on horses after the slaughter at Saint Alexis, and though Dimitri initially refused to borrow someone else's, he eventually agreed to share one with Ariella since she was so lightweight. She used her magic to mend Dimitri's scrapped arm as they rode.

No one was smiling by the time Dimitri properly explained himself. He did not go into the details of his escape, but he did tell of the assistance provided by Florian and of Justinian's intentions for Juliana.

"We can all agree that her rescue is of dire consequence," Queen Tiana said. "But we have plenty of time to formulate plans and decide on the best one. There's still a long and probably boring siege to deal with before that of that any comes into play. Our timescale is more likely to be weeks or months than hours or days."

"Will we have nothing to do until our cannons and other siege equipment arrive?" Dimitri asked.

Khalid replied, "Good question. We outstripped our supply train since we got here far sooner than anticipated. However, we've been in communication with the fleet. They're going to land a couple ships so we can borrow their cannons in the meantime."

This plan made sense to Dimitri. They had already begun the final approach to Metanoiapolis as he explained a bit more about what he knew, including Justinian's spiraling sanity and his purge against Aurelian and the Sentinels. He did not feel comfortable mentioning the demonic beast yet; most people listening would have been terribly confused even if he did bring it up. He dodged questions for more details about the escape by saying that he was too tired and would dig into the minutia later.

"There's something we need to address," Tiana raised after Dimitri's conclusion. "I'm Queen of Almyra, and I don't know anything about this supposed communication with the Sentinels. Even the story is fake, the letter was probably forged by someone listening to me right now. Anyone care to speak up?"

There was a pregnant pause before Prince James pulled out a letter of his own. He said sheepishly, "I hope you'll forgive me for not telling you sooner, Your Majesty. We felt that the plan had the best chance of success if no one know anything about it, but even then, I never imagined it would have this kind of effect. A forged letter was given to a general from each division based on who had the closest ties to Meteora. I didn't even think to check if Anthony's had been taken. I kept this one with me, and I gave another to Demetrius right before we parted. I requested him not to read the contents. Can you confirm that, general?"

"That much is true. I wouldn't have guessed the truth if I got a hundred tries at it," Demetrius claimed after scrambling to find his letter. He had seemed distracted ever since hearing what happened to the Sentinels.

"You said 'we', James. Who's 'we'?" the queen asked.

"That would be me," Kamran answered. "The entire thing was in fact my idea. I came up with it while discussing strategies with Prince James down in those caves."

James added, "I did the actual writing since I have more familiarity with the Meteoran culture. You're free to read your letter now, Demetrius. I'd be interested to hear how accurate my impression of you was."

"I didn't know you were so close to my father, Prince James," Farjad said perhaps too unwelcomely.

Khalid avoid an argument by interposing, "Well, it was a clever idea and professional execution. Good work to you both."

Kamran accepted the praise without question, but James demurred, "There's no denying the results, but we got lucky. We've tried plenty of little tricks like this during this war, and most of them never lead to anything. The only difference this time is that it ended up in the right hands."

It was surreal for Dimitri to hear the letter that he watched nearly topple a government being discussed as an afterthought the next morning. Prince James's point was essentially true, but Dimitri was not convinced this was merely a "little trick" that got lucky. Its creators knew the exact victims to target, and the letter was written convincingly enough to maintain credibility. Khalid apparently agreed, as he could not quite hide his disappointment at being left out of a feat that would garner acclaim back in Istakhr.

Queen Tiana insisted that she should have been clued in on the plan, but she just as quickly congratulated Kamran and Prince James and moved on. They had, after all, reached their destination.

Dispersed archers stood atop the crenellations of both the inner and outer walls of Metanoiapolis, but they seemed uninterested in the new guests. As King Faruq's army began to set up camp and plan out earthworks, none of the defenders even bothered to launch a single arrow to test the distance.

Dimitri did not pay much attention to any of this, though. He was ushered into one of the first tents pitched, and Ariella quickly started a fire using magic to prepare Dimitri's first meal as a freed man. Dimitri was left alone to rest as his friend cooked, but sleep evaded him. What were Florian or Juliana doing? Had Aurelian's execution been carried out as scheduled? Had Justinian done anything else irrational?

An important conversation played out around the campfire while the participants assumed Dimitri to be asleep. The convalescing escapee was close enough to hear almost every word.

"My mother said it herself… Juliana has to live. But that's easier said than done," Khalid observed. "It will need to be a clandestine operation that goes ahead of the main army. The royal guards with Princess Juliana can't have time to react. The airspace above the palace will be heavily monitored, so the only feasible way to get there will be by ground."

Prince James contributed, "Agreed, and I think I should lead this mission. I've spent more time at that palace than anyone here other than maybe Demetrius, but we need him leading the army. Not to mention that he's slow, and he hasn't seemed like himself since he heard the news. His brother was in the Sentinels, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember," Khalid muttered, but he did not immediately respond to the rest of his brother's message. The youngest prince had almost certainly planned to lead the mission himself on behalf of Dimitri, but James's logic was sound. Additionally, letting both princes participate would help keep the mission altruistic rather than letting it devolve into an opportunity to earn renown over the other.

"Is… there a problem, Khalid?" James asked.

"Of course not!" Khalid recovered. "I was just surprised that you'd volunteer for this kind of thing. You feeling sick, brother? I hadn't heard of sudden irrational courage being one of the recent symptoms, but you never know."

"Hey! I might not be the bravest person around, but I'm not outright selfish," James protested. "There's usually someone more qualified for these kinds of jobs than me, which is why I don't feel too much contrition for standing back. There's no getting around it this time, though."

Khalid finally assented, "Ha! Alright, fair enough. If you're going to captain this, though, I hope you won't mind if I join. The guards won't let us get anywhere close to Juliana, so our best chance is if we take them out from a distance. Though… the throne room is going to be crowded with other people taking shelter, so it's going to be nearly impossible to take a clean shot."

"Well, I have a partial solution to that," James offered. "The throne room actually has two levels. There's the main floor, but there's also a balustrade that wraps around the room on a second-floor balcony. You should have a freer shot from there."

"Won't there be people up there, too?" Khalid asked.

"Unlikely. There's no door to it that I'm aware of. The terrace was built to display statues of old saints, but one of their former kings decided the statues were idols and had them removed. I remember servants on ladders putting seasonal decorations up there, but it's otherwise empty. It's not really built for humans, but you're probably nimble enough to climb up. The actual issue is that I still have no idea how we'd ever breach the doors without triggering a response."

Farjad must also have been nearby, as he suddenly proposed, "Could you try smoking them out? You know… set a fire under a door or near some ventilation. They might be compelled move somewhere else without realizing that we're waiting for them outside."

Khalid disagreed, "Maybe, but there's a chance they'd kill Juliana before they leave. And even if they didn't, we'd be stuck without a good shot again. It will just be a bunch of people in a crowded hallway."

Ariella recommended, "There's another possibility. We could try warping you onto the balcony from outside, Khalid. They'd never see it coming, and you'd have your angle."

"Marianne has never mastered warping," Khalid reminded.

"I wasn't talking about Marianne. I was talking about me. You know I've been practicing for a while now, and I've gotten the hang of it."

"And you feel confident you can pull it off under pressure?" Khalid asked.

"I'm certain."

There was a pause before Khalid said, "… Okay then. I think that's what we should go with."

"I… don't mean any offense, but is it wise to hinge the entire plan on unproven magic?" his brother asked.

Khalid replied dryly, "She said she can do it. That's good enough for me. If you've got any better ideas, now is your chance to enlighten us."

James relented, "Well… what do you need to pull this off, Ariella? How close must we get?"

"I've never been to this throne room, so I need a way to know where I'm targeting. If I have no visual of the space, I really need to be right outside the room's wall to set a destination. If there's a window or something I can use as an aid, though, it will be quite a bit easier for me."

"There's a set of windows along one of the walls, and I think there was a garden with some trees opposite of that. If you're able to climb one, you could probably get a decent look inside," James reasoned.

"I'm from the Mikdash. I probably have more experience climbing trees than anyone here."

Farjad advised, "Even if we get Khalid inside undetected, he'll probably only have time to shoot one or two guards before everyone realizes what's going on."

"And that should be enough," Khalid assured. "Justinian's plan will be controversial, to say the least, so I doubt he's given the order to very many people. Honestly, my bigger worry is that even after dealing with anyone threatening the princess, I'll still be stuck in a room full of people threatening me. I'm sure most people in there will be servants trying to stay alive rather than actual soldiers that ought to be on the frontlines, but still… sheer quantity can compensate for a dearth of quality."

Dimitri had heard enough. He rolled off of his mattress and stepped outside the tent.

"Have her send me in with you. I'll clear space for us so we can grab the princess and run," he told them.

Everyone's eyes widened with surprise, and Ella scolded, "Dimitri, you're supposed to be asleep right now!"

"I won't get any rest until this is over."

Khalid snorted, "Well, we're all going to miss you when you die of sleep deprivation in a couple days. You do realize we can't even execute any of this until we get inside the city, right?"

"Fine... I'll get some sleep and food before then, but that means there's even less reason to not include me in the plan."

"Your aid would be beneficial, but you had to leave your lance behind, right? Would we have to retrieve it before we go for the throne room?" James asked.

Dimitri shook his head. "There's no guarantee we'd find it. My lance is powerful, but I am still capable without it."

Khalid's face brightened some when he heard this. He said, "Hard to say 'no' to someone that confident. That makes four of us if you agree, James. I know you've spent more time at the palace, but Dimitri has been there much more recently and probably has a decent idea of how to navigate it."

James nodded his acceptance, but Marianne hesitated, "Two uses of Warp is very demanding. At the academy, we were instructed to only use it once per battle. Will you be alright, Ariella?"

Ariella smiled uneasily. "I've managed to use it three times in a row, actually. … O-only on some birds, I'll admit, but I think the urgency will give me whatever strength I need."

Marianne and James did not seem entirely convinced, but her claim went unchallenged. While he still had the chance, Farjad interjected, "Well… got room for one more?"

Khalid suggested, "I love the enthusiasm, but we need to keep a low profile for this. We shouldn't bring anyone that doesn't have an essential role. Maybe you can look after Marianne while we're gone." He turned to Marianne and explained, "Hopefully there's no reason why we'd need your healing magic more than the army. Will you be fine without us?"

Marianne nodded gently. "Yes… it won't be a problem."

With the dilemma settled, Prince James soon took his leave. Ariella also finished preparing Dimitri's meal, which she presented with a bit of embarrassment.

"It's just some kebab… with venison meat. Sorry… our options are limited right now," she apologized.

Dimitri shook his head and promised, "It won't be an issue. Thank you, Ella."

Even without taste, Dimitri's body realized how desperately it needed the nutrition once the food contacted his tongue. He merciless downed three chunks of meat in rapid succession, shocking his companions.

"Write it down, Ella… we finally discovered the secret to getting Dimitri to care about food. It's been deer all along," Khalid mused.

Farjad complained, "Yeah… count me out. That was the last meal I had before getting sick. It might take a couple years for my body to forgive deer. I'd usually rather not associate with my father's business, but I'm tempted to sway him in favor of manufacturing leather from deer going forward to rid ourselves of these beasts."

"Deer are not bad creatures," Marianne protested. "Everyone has a last meal before any illness. It's not fair to begrudge the food for it every time."

Khalid joked, "In other words, I suggest not talking bad about our four-legged friends. Deer hold a special place in my heart and Marianne's."

No one seemed to be genuinely upset yet, but Dimitri was worried that the conversation could get uncomfortable if it stretched out for much longer. After all, images of dead deer might prompt bad memories, and Ariella was unironically poisoned by a meal.

Dimitri planned to change the subject, but he only got through a single word before being cut off by a staggering blast. Everyone immediately turned towards the walls, where smoke was now rising from the inner gate. Shouts could be heard from within.

King Faruq's forces immediately began to debate the meaning of this, but they had only twenty seconds or so to form a conclusion before a second explosion occurred. This discharge caused the outer gate to detonate into a wave of splinters. For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, Dimitri shielded the nearest person from a hailstorm of debris. There were two obvious differences between the events. Firstly, he was defending Ariella instead of Florian this time. Secondly, this latest affair was completely unexpected.

After everyone was back on their feet and confirmed to be unharmed, the commanders of the army were quickly assembled to assess the situation.

"What are we looking at here?" Queen Tiana rapidly asked. "This isn't some new sabotage that I wasn't informed about, is it?"

Everyone shook their head in denial. Senusret told them, "I saw some of their soldiers running away after the blast. This was probably done by Meteoran insurgents that want us to end the war quickly, not Elamite partisans."

"They might be trying to lure us into the barbican for an ambush. We can't just rush into this," James warned.

Khalid quickly dissented, "An ambush? No. Maybe if they just opened the gates… but blowing them up? There's no undoing that while under siege."

Dimitri spoke up, "This city was already on the verge of open revolt while I was here, and that was before Justinian betrayed Aurelian and the Sentinels. Senusret is right. This is no trap- it's insurrection."

"Then we need to press our advantage before the loyal soldiers can adjust. I'd wait for the civilians clear the area first, but I think quick action here will ultimately save lives," Tiana concluded. "Demetrius, get ready to command this army. Senusret, I need you to manage communication with the other divisions. Tell them to hold their positions for now, and once we have a firm foothold the city, give the order for them to follow behind us. I also want wyverns sent out to the fleet. Tell them to begin an immediate bombardment."

Khalid hurriedly grabbed his mother's arm. "Wait! James and I's team needs a distraction to get within the palace walls. A salvo on the palace from the ocean could prompt them to reposition many of their guards to that side. Dimitri and James- how quickly can we reach the palace from here?"

"Doing my best to accommodate for the complicating factors, I'd guess around fifteen to twenty minutes," James suggested. Dimitri nodded in agreement.

"Then have the fleet wait that long," Khalid requested. "They'll probably need a lot of that time to prepare, anyways."

Tiana nodded and motioned for Senusret to fulfill the orders. She then asked, "So, both of you princes are going after Juliana? You're not exactly taking my request for caution to heart."

Khalid replied, "We can expla-."

"Don't. Just hurry up and do it. And please don't make me regret it."

The queen had seemingly aged a few years in the span of a week, and Dimitri was beginning to understand why. Khalid assured, "We won't. Farjad, you explain the plan to Her Majesty, and then go defend Marianne."

James was struggling to convince Theodora that he had to leave without her around the same time, but all concerns were eventually settled. Most of the army was assembled, so Demetrius jogged between his subordinate officers to give orders. This included enumerations of the squadrons to take, the route of each group, and the designation of rally points. Dimitri doubted he could have made any sense of it even if Demetrius told him directly at half the rate, but the commanders seemed to grasp the message. Basic plans had presumably been established for the event of a breach while Dimitri was away in captivity.

Dimitri did understand Demetrius's final command. The acting grand agha stood before the army and vowed loudly, "These saboteurs are showing us a great deal of trust, and I'll be damned before we disrespect that! I swear upon whatever god you follow that I'll personally bring hell upon you if I hear of looting or any other crimes against the city's civilians." After sufficiently scaring everyone into submission, he switched temperament, raised his sword, and shouted, "Victory comes to those with the will to achieve it! Now come with me, and let's put an end to this nightmare!"

Despite everyone's worries about Demetrius's mental state, he had been an entirely new man ever since the path into the capital was cleared for them. The army cheered as it marched forward at his command. Khalid wrangled his three companions and asked, "Are you ready?"

Everyone nodded, and James suggested, "Let me lead the way. The Meteoran army will probably focus on blocking the main roads, but I know a few back alleys we can take."

"Alright. We're right behind you, James," Khalid agreed.

It was small but well-balanced squad. The three men all brought swords, though they had different primary weapons- Khalid had Failnaught, James carried a tabarzin axe, and Dimitri wielded a borrowed lance. Ariella only brandished Edelgard's dagger, but any Meteoran that underestimated her would get a rude introduction to magic.

After removing anything that identified them as members of the Elamite army, James's team followed directly behind the first line of soldiers to cautiously cross over the moat and pass through the gate. As predicted, there was no ambush waiting for them. In fact, no soldiers were waiting for them. Either everyone stationed at the gate participated in its destruction, or everyone still loyal to Justinian immediately fled to avoid being overwhelmed by the invaders.

The streets were not entirely empty, however. Civilians raced towards the palace in a panic instead of waiting the battle out in their homes, and a line of less fickle Meteoran soldiers were quickly approaching from the opposite direction along the main road. Rather than greet them, James pulled his companions into the nearest alley.

They were not the only ones with this idea. The winding corridor was compacted with even more civilians than the main road, presumably doing everything they could to avoid the combat. Many of them hauled precious belongings that they feared would be looted by King Faruq's army. Some of the possessions spilled onto the cobblestone and could not be retrieved during the stampede. Other items were being tossed out of windows to family members below. Dimitri was hit in the head by a necklace at one point, which stung but was at least not as gross as some of the objects lobbed at him the prior day.

The situation had both drawbacks and benefits. On one hand, it was impossible to advance quickly through the mess. However, it was also too chaotic for any Meteorans to pay them any attention. Some of residents even carried tools of war among their possessions, so the assortment of weapons carried by the infiltration team did not stand out much.

They did eventually cross paths with a group of lost soldiers that realized that the princes and their retainers were not locals. This led to a brief fight during which Dimitri, Khalid, and James cut down each opponent while Ella pulled careless civilians out of harm's way. The fleeing noncombatants shrieked and called for more help upon realizing that enemies were amongst them, but the previous status quo was restored after James pulled them into another equally crowded alley. James's shoulder had been slightly slashed, but he waved off help.

The squad made continuous progress towards the palace, but the rate slowed the closer they got. The stampede made each step nerve-racking, and Dimitri had to stop at one point to help an elderly woman back to her feet before she got crushed. He was profoundly tempted to aid a lost child crying in an alcove, but he knew he would never catch back up.

Barely enough space was afforded to avoid suffocation. The heat was stifling, and every breath was labored. It would have been more comfortable to be a vegetable in a boiling pot.

Oh dear… the thought of food. Some unlucky girl was in the wrong place when Dimitri vomited his unfinished meal. He apologized profusely, though she probably never heard him.

Finally, though, the trial came to an end. The final road ran parallel to the palace, and it was somewhat less crowded as people huddled around their chosen destinations. Some sought sanctuary in the Hippodrome and the basilica, but with those options quickly filling, most people remaining on the exposed street were scrambling to enter Justinian's abode. Many of them pounded on the heavy bronze gates of the palace walls, but another group further down the street was trying to enter through a gash in the fortifications that was being plugged by royal guards.

The four were huddled behind a set of crates in the shadows as they weighed their options. Dimitri knew exactly what was responsible for the hole in the wall, though the others were understandably confused.

"Was that done by the same people responsible for the outer gate?" Ariella pondered aloud.

James shook his head. "The other job was probably done by loyalists of Aurelian from the regular army. They wouldn't have access here."

"It still begs us to ask why the Meteorans have been shirking their repair work," Khalid mused. "I guess Justinian purged the entire stonemason collegium after one of them noticed that his divinely gifted hairline was beginning to retreat."

"I know what caused the damage," Dimitri told the others. "… It happened last night."

Khalid's eyebrows rose. "Is that so? Hmm… I would have agreed with James, but now that I look closer, some of the defenders up on that wall actually are regular soldiers, not just royal guards."

"Justinian probably summoned help after the royal guards had a sudden reduction in numbers last night…" Dimitri muttered.

Khalid squinted, probably starting to piece together the truth, but it was not the time for such a discussion. He instead stated, "Whatever the case, it helps disperse the troops, especially around the actual gate. There might only be four of us, but we'll have another stampede to provide cover for us again if we can get those gates open. Ariella… do you think you're ready to take that third Warp to human trials?"

"Three instead of two? Y-yeah, of course," Ariella replied, doing her best to hide her nerves. "Should I do it now? Am I warping Dimitri?"

"Dimitri, yes. Now, no. We still need to wait for our signal," Khalid answered.

Dimitri had almost forgotten about the signal until the thunder of cannons from the fleet served as a quick reminder. Most of the sentries topping the wall sprinted along the rim so they could help counter the new threat at sea. Faruq's army had not yet reached the palace, so the Meteorans only left enough soldiers to handle the desperate civilians. Some of commoners decided that the palace was not such a safe place after all and scrambled to hide in the nearby buildings instead when the barrage started, but most still insisted on being as far away from Elam's infantry as possible.

"And there's our opportunity," Ariella observed. "Are there obstacles behind that wall, or is it an open space?"

"It's free of impediments," James confirmed. He looked at Dimitri and said, "We'll be inside just as soon as you get that gate open."

"And try not to die," Khalid ordered. "Or vomit. It's probably been a good long while since you were last warped."

Dimitri nodded and readied his lance as Ariella raised a hand. He was enveloped in light for only a moment before finding himself suddenly somewhere else.

Dimitri likely would have retched per Khalid's prediction had he not already emptied his stomach, but he still stumbled against the wall in a bout of vertigo. Several guards were already staring at him in confusion, probably wondering if their former prisoner had somehow spent the entire night hiding on the palace grounds instead of actually escaping.

The palace's defenders spent a moment too long evaluating the situation. Dimitri found his balance by the time the nearest opponents engaged. One Meteoran took a lance through the chest, while another's jaw was slashed open by Dimitri's sword.

Dimitri cut down another two before the remaining soldiers fled. He lunged at the gate, removed a set of braces, and pushed the doors open. He barely managed to step aside before he could be trampled. Meteoran reinforcements were on their way, but they came to a stop after realizing that it was far too late to prevent the rush. They then retreated towards the doors of the palace structures to prevent anyone from getting inside.

Dimitri was still trying to catch his breath when his three companions found him. He nodded when they asked if he was unhurt, and Prince James led them towards their target. They lost some cover when most of the panicking civilians made a dash deeper into the palace grounds, but there were enough confused people walking about that the group of four did not draw too much attention. They eventually slipped into the garden described by the elder prince.

"The throne room is behind those windows up there," James confirmed. "… These trees are skinnier than I remember. Will it hold you?"

"Any of you three would probably snap it, but my size does occasionally have its uses," Ariella dismissed with a grin. "I could, umm, use a boost up, though."

Dimitri quickly complied. Ariella had no trouble scrambling up after reaching that first branch, and though the tree sagged some under her weight, it ultimately deemed her worthy to stay.

"I think I can see that balcony," she said as she squinted. "Lucky us… I don't see anyone up there. So… are you both ready?"

Khalid held Failnaught up and replied, "I'll let the results speak for themselves."

"You first, then," Ariella snorted as she raised a hand. Khalid was spirited away, and Dimitri prepared to follow suit. He looked up when there was slight hesitation. Ariella's body was shaking, and streams of sweat ran down her face.

She stuttered, "D-don't worry, I'll b-."

Dimitri did not hear the rest, as he suddenly found himself inside the second floor of the throne room. Khalid knelt beside him, still scanning the faces below. The scene was astonishingly chaotic, with the lower floor jammed full of people packed tighter than the cathedral during the Goddess's Rite of Rebirth or the academy lunch line during Sweet-Tooth Week. The room retained all of their clamor, too, which was an unpleasant experience for the ears.

"I didn't expect finding her to be the hard part…" Khalid said under his breath.

Thankfully, Dimitri recognized her headdress from the night before. He pointed it out and whispered to his companion, "Right there… the one with the pearls."

"Good eye," Khalid muttered as he raised Failnaught.

A guard stood on either side of Juliana, and despite the general crowdedness of the room, they had carved out a bit of extra space for themselves. This made the shot easier for Khalid. His first arrow drove into the back of the soldier protecting Juliana's right before he ever knew what happened. Thankfully, the other guard's reaction was to look around and find the source of this attack rather than killing Juliana. Khalid loosed his second arrow just as he made eye contact with his foe. Within a second, the man was writhing on the ground with a shaft impaled through the base of his neck.

"Now, Dimitri!" Khalid ordered, having to shout above the terrified shrieks below. Dimitri stood up tall, ran farther down the room, and leapt over the balcony. He inadvertently tackled several servants in the process, but he quickly scrambled to his feet and grabbed the princess's arm. It was possible that the two dying guards were the only people with orders to kill the princess, but that was not a chance they were willing to take. Florian would have agreed.

"… Dimitri?" Juliana uttered, her eyes wide with equal amounts of surprise and fear.

"Florian sent me. You need to come with us if you want to get out of this alive," Dimitri told her.

She did not resist as he guided her towards the door. A few soldiers were mixed within the servants, and they moved to intercept the intruder. Khalid neutralized two of them from above, while Dimitri finished another with his lance. Everyone cleared a path for him after that, so Khalid hopped down to join the escape.

Dimitri kicked the doors open, but reinforcements were already approaching from down the hall after hearing the disturbance. The Boar was prepared to cut a path through them, but Khalid had another idea. He drew his sword and put it to Juliana's neck. Dimitri was about to object until the Almyran prince whispered to them both, "Please stay calm, and I'll get us out of this."

Dimitri was not sure if Juliana was "calm" or just too terrified to speak, but she remained acquiescent when Khalid shouted to the soldiers, "One wrong move and I kill her! With that in mind… you're going to let me, my old friend, and my new friend leave out this window. If you don't like that idea, I'll let the tall blonde here do the talking. Some of you might recognize him."

The window only consisted of an iron grate, so Dimitri kicked it out without waiting for an answer to enhance the message. When the soldiers halted, Khalid told the princess, "Climb on out. I'll be right behind you."

There was an awkward dance of footwork as the soldiers tried to advance when Khalid necessarily removed his blade from Juliana's neck but then vacillated when Dimitri made a brief motion in their direction. This pattern kept up several times until all three were out the window.

"Get us out of here, and fast," Khalid ordered Dimitri.

Dimitri nodded as he got his bearings. The courtyards of the palace all looked quite similar, but he knew which direction would lead them back towards the city based on the position of the sun. As he ran, he asked Khalid, "Do we need to find Ella and Prince James?"

"No, they're smart enough to take care of themselves. Getting Juliana to safety is our first priority."

This finally prompted the princess to ask, "What do you want with me?"

"We want you to live," Khalid explained simply. "I don't expect you to believe me, but Dimitri here claims that your brother planned to have you killed before the possibility of capture. That's what Florian told him. We all agreed that was a pretty stupid idea and did what we could to stop it."

This put a bit more authority in Juliana's step as she ran. She told them sadly, "It's easier for me to believe than you might expect…"

The cover provided by the terrified civilians could not safeguard them forever. Shouts were exchanged between sentries from various windows, walls, and rooftops, which soon resulted in four soldiers coming in hot pursuit of the infiltrators. Khalid managed to down two of them with his bow while waiting for openings between noncombatants that ran across his line of sight. He managed finish the third with his sword, but Dimitri felt a sudden tug on his hand holding Juliana when the final guard attempted to pull her away. The Meteoran simultaneously lunged forward with his blade aimed for Dimitri's stomach, but Dimitri quickly brought his lance down on his enemy's face as he spun around. Blood sprayed over both Dimitri and Juliana as the man tumbled over dead after just failing to reach his sword far enough for victory.

All spirit vacated the princess's eyes as she dabbed at the blood on her face, and her body was almost limp when Dimitri urged her to keep running. He unfortunately recognized the expression all too well, as it matched his when he beheld the scene at Duscur. It would not be easy to forgive himself for saddling someone else with such trauma.

Dimitri, Juliana, and Khalid made it out the gate without further trouble. Meteorans soldiers and civilians were pouring out of the streets from the opposite direction, but they were too worried about their own survival to notice that the princess was being taken away. Elam's army was not far behind them.

Leading this particular division was none other than Queen Tiana herself. She had been involved in very little direct combat during the war, and Dimitri was beginning to believe that any stories of her being a "demon queen" were greatly exaggerated. His doubts were quickly resolved, though, as he watched her mercilessly cut down anyone that dared challenge her. What she lacked in raw strength was easily compensated by speed, skill, and patience. She did not demonstrate even an ounce of fear as she dodged each blade swung her direction using only the minimum amount of motion necessary. Demetrius and the Shakiriyya would undoubtedly have preferred that she stay out of harm's way, but no one was going to stop her while she was in such a trance. Perhaps the knowledge that the princes were isolated up ahead prompted this more proactive role.

The queen's face morphed when she noticed her son and his companions rapidly approaching. She ran out to meet them and then guided them back to the others.

"Where are James and Ariella?" she asked.

Khalid answered, "Haven't seen them since Dimitri and I were warped inside the palace. I'm sure they're fine, but I'm still headed back for them."

"As you should," Tiana said. She then waved to some of her guards and ordered, "Khatereh, I need you to find a safe place to hold the princess until the city is fully secured. Take some of your best with you."

Princess Juliana was still in a lost, listless daze. As Khatereh sorted out a plan, Dimitri put a comforting hand on Juliana's shoulder and withdrew the letter she wrote for him the prior night. When the princess's eyes finally steadied on him, Dimitri said calmly, "I didn't need this in the end, but it meant a lot to me. I hope this helps repay my debt to you and your cousins. We both owe our lives to Florian. You're… going to be fine, Princess Juliana. It's almost over."

Juliana nodded subtly in recognition, if not agreement. Nothing else could be said before Khalid asked, "Dimitri, are you coming with us?"

"O-of course…"

Dimitri turned to follow, but his legs suddenly began to buckle. Lacking both sleep and nourishment, he had only managed to press forward using sheer willpower. With his promise now fulfilled, that fuel quickly dried up. He briefly recovered after stumbling against the wall, but Dimitri's memory of the events that followed afterwards were clouded. He remembered someone catching him, and several people calling out his name in worry. He was carried away shortly thereafter. The usual shouts of battle eventually grew in tenor, and several instruments rang in his ears.

Everything became quieter after that until he heard someone repeating his name.

"Hey, Dimitri… Dimitri, are you there?" Ariella asked from beside him.

Dimitri was staring at a stone ceiling while stretched out on a mat. The light penetrating the nearest window was orange from the setting sun.

"I knew you were finally awake," Ella noted. "How are you feeling?"

"I-I am fine," Dimitri lied over his throbbing head. He must have been quite unconscious if his mind could not even produce its usual nightmares. "… Where am I?"

"Reception hall of the palace. It's being used as a field hospital. You passed out after the rescue, so they carried you here for some well-earned sleep."

For some reason, Ariella was also on a mat, and her head had been bandaged. Dimitri asked, "Are you okay, Ella? What happened to you?"

"Oh, me?" she chuckled. "I also passed out, as it so happens. You almost got to see it. Warping you inside the throne room sapped the last bit of strength out of this pathetic body. The fall from the tree could have been fatal, but thankfully James was there to slow me down. I'm, umm… beginning to understand why your academy was a bit conservative with the use of Warp." Rather than linger on yet another near-death experience, she raised her head and called out, "Khalid! He's awake!"

Khalid was speaking with Demetrius not far away. He quickly slid to Dimitri's side, with the acting grand agha following not far behind out of curiosity.

"You alright, Dimitri? You collapsed so suddenly that I was worried you had been poisoned. It wouldn't be the first time, after all," Khalid observed.

Dimitri shook his head. "Do not worry about me. But… what happened?"

"The battle is over. Their resistance crumbled almost as soon as we entered the palace. Casualties weren't severe. We've dispatched messengers to all remaining garrisons in Meteora. They will likely surrender without much objection," Demetrius answered.

Khalid expounded, "Their army was too disorganized to put up much of a fight. We've heard lots of reasons why- anger over food shortages, the massacre at Saint Alexis, the purge of the Sentinels and General Aurelian, and Justinian's unpopularity have all been cited. We heard an even more recent rationale, though. A horrible monster was allegedly unleashed upon the city last night. The rumor is that Justinian somehow transformed one of his best friends in a perverse experiment to create the ultimate weapon. Most of his remaining supporters forsook him after that. That didn't mean they automatically wanted to defect to Elam, of course, but fighting for only their own self-interests was never going to get them very far."

"It wasn't Justinian. That monster was my fault," Dimitri muttered, unwilling to deceive on the subject any longer. Khalid surely knew by that point but was trying to play along.

Demetrius and Ariella both paled, but Khalid insisted, "And that fact isn't going to reach anyone other than my parents and the people in this circle. We can discuss it later, but that story is not going to change anything for the better."

No one chose to challenge this, so Dimitri asked, "The Meteoran royal family… what happened to all of them?"

Khalid answered, "Juliana is still safe, thankfully. Aurelian was executed on Justinian's orders sometime before dawn earlier than originally planned. We don't know if that decision was related to the incident with the monster or if Justinian panicked for some other reason. As for Justinian himself, we found him about an hour ago. He apparently made some grand speech about a dignified death once he knew the city was going to fall, but he switched into civilian clothing shortly afterwards and tried to flee. I guess someone recognized him, because his body had been trampled, stabbed, and abused by his own people before our army ever found him."

"And Florian?"

Demetrius frowned and said, "We just heard a few minutes ago that he was finally identified. He died in combat somewhere in the middle of the city. I don't think the person responsible for killing him knew who he was, so it might take a while before we learn anything more than that. It's a shame… he seemed like a decent young man."

Ariella was upset by the news, presumably having formed a positive impression of him during their brief coffee visit at the end of the Tabarzin campaign. Dimitri was too unsurprised to visibly react, but he still felt something inside his chest wither away.

Everyone was still reflecting on the state of the world when even more news arrived. A messenger struggling to catch his breath ran up with a letter and handed it to Demetrius.

"I've returned with news from Blachernae," the newcomer gasped.

"And…?"

"Your brother is alive, general! He was beaten before being locked up, but he was going to be given a trial. He's been released on your orders. He's not in shape to travel right now, but he's going to be fine. Sergius wrote you this note so you won't be worrying over him."

A potent mixture of relief and joy caused Demetrius to cover his mouth as his eyes began to water. He managed to reply, "Thank you, truly. You… you may go now."

Demetrius finally sat down alongside the other three, his body still shaking with emotion.

"I'm glad to hear about Sergius. You must have mixed feelings about what happened to the Sentinels," Khalid reflected.

Demetrius shook his head. "Justinian was a pitiful ruler, but I can't begrudge him for what he did to that order… even if it was for the wrong reasons." He looked down, exhaled deeply, and muttered as his voice cracked, "They're really gone, aren't they? I'm safe now?"

"… Do you have something to tell us, Demetrius?" Khalid prompted.

"… I suppose I can. The truth of that day…"

Ariella guessed, "When you were accused of murdering those Sentinels?"

Demetrius snorted. "Oh, I killed them alright. And I'd do it again."

There was an awkward silence until Ariella asked, "There has to be a reason why, though… right?"

"I'll give you the context, and you can decide if my actions were out of line," Demetrius told them. "Remember that this was at the end of the Dékhomai campaign when we breached a house they were using as one of their last bases. The occupants scattered, and I was sent to hunt one of them down along with a couple Sentinels. We found her alone in a dark alley. She had badly sprained her foot during the escape." Demetrius shook his head. "She had no weapons, and I hoped we could take her prisoner instead of killing her. My companions had… other ideas. They wanted to, umm… have their way with her before doing anything else."

A chill ran through the room as everyone understood where his story was headed. He continued, "I told them to stop, and when they wouldn't listen, I tried yanking them off of her. It escalated quickly after that, with the end result being me putting a sword through both of their guts. Another Sentinel had just approached at the other end of the alley and saw what happened. I couldn't murder a bystander, and I knew the order would kill both me and the woman. So… I picked her up and ran."

"She's the one who taught you magic, right?" Ariella asked.

Demetrius nodded. "She did it as thanks for saving her life. I knew I had to turn myself in to Meteoran authorities at some point, but I could never win in court... the evidence was too strong. That's why I asked for a trial by water when I finally went in a couple days later. She taught me one of the spells they were working on, which was capable of limited self-healing. I cast it on my burned hands at night while alone in my cell. No one expected me to know magic, so my survival at the end of my three-day internment was deemed a sign from Nabataea." He glanced at his scarred hands as he said, "The spell is limited, of course, and I could only heal them so much without it being obvious that I was receiving treatment."

"Would the court not have taken the circumstances into consideration?" Khalid asked.

"Maybe. It's true that while we had a mandate to kill the Dékhomai, the sins those men tried to commit were still deemed a gross impurity. But it still wouldn't have been that easy for me. The tribunal was run by the formal army, not the Sentinels, but the order was so powerful that they still had representation there. More problematic, though, is that I could not tell the whole story. The Sentinels had leverage on me."

"Your brother…" Dimitri muttered.

"Indeed. Sergius is true Votary, but he's guileless and harmless. His only job was to send recommendations to churches on theological matters. No one appreciated how brutal the military wing of the Sentinels could be until that campaign. Once you're in the system, though, there's no getting out. I immediately received a visit from the Sentinels while in captivity, and they made it clear that things wouldn't go well for Sergius if I spoke of the truth. The truth may have been enough to spare me, but without it I had only two choices- accept my guilt and execution, or undergo the ordeal. Until now, His Majesty is the only person I've ever told what happened. I had to talk him out of doing anything rash, but I don't think he ever saw Meteora the same way after that."

"I'm surprised they still let you go free. Knowing the Sentinels, I would have thought they'd try to assassinate you at an opportune time in case you changed your mind," Khalid observed.

"That's one of many reasons I wanted out of Meteora. I guess they eventually decided a botched assassination was a higher risk than me jeopardizing my brother. But I also think they knew I didn't deserve it. The Sentinels weren't upset over those two men- if they were going to spawn more scandals that would humiliate the order, their demise was for the best. They didn't care what happened to me so long as I stayed quiet… though that also meant they didn't give a damn that it ruined my life." Demetrius's expression hardened. "So no… I wasn't innocent. But my ordeal was the first step towards justice, and I suppose Nabataea saw it fulfilled today."

Ariella asked, "What happened to the woman who helped you?"

Demetrius shrugged sadly. "I wish I knew. I hope she escaped the purge, but I'll probably never know the answer. Doesn't stop my mind from thinking of her almost every night. Emmelia… her name was Emmelia." He then stood suddenly. "But I'd rather linger on the good news today. A celebratory drink on behalf of my brother is in order."

"A small one, I hope…" Khalid cautioned.

"Ha! Of course. I don't want your mother claiming my head after coming this far. I might pour out a second in memory of the Sentinels, but don't worry… that one might be the smallest ever." Demetrius almost bowed, but he instead put his hand on his heart at the last moment. "Until we next meet."

As the general left, Ariella called out, "Demetrius! …All of us are really glad that you're still here."

Demetrius smiled ever so slightly and nodded. After he was gone, Khalid turned to Ariella and suggested, "I know you only stayed here this long to watch over Dimitri. I think it's time that you do some walking and stretch those legs, wouldn't you agree?"

Ariella nodded understandingly and said her goodbyes. When only the two men remained, Khalid told his companion, "We've got the Shakiriyya digging through the rubble of the royal barracks. They're supposed to report to either me or my mother immediately if they find Areadbhar."

"I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to hold it again…" Dimitri muttered.

Khalid frowned and took a few moments to think of a reply. "Needless to say, I was surprised when I realized what you did. I'd say I was a bit impressed, too, but… I know that's not what you want to hear right now. Whatever your feelings on right versus wrong, I think trading the lives of a couple murderers and their abettors in exchange for everything you helped accomplish is at the very least forgivable. We'd otherwise probably still be sitting outside the city as everyone within starved. More than anything, I'm so sorry you were ever put in that situation to begin with. I share some blame for that."

Dimitri slammed his palm against the floor. "I just-."

He stopped when his hand bumped against something unexpected. He picked the item up and examined the object. It was the pouch Florian gave him.

Khalid noted, "Ah, right… that. We found that on you when we moved you here. It's seen better days, but I try to not throw things away without permission."

The pouch had been crumbled, and the ball of cheese had been melted into a disgusting, sticky glob by the heat it had been subjected to over the course of the day.

It was Florian's final gift… and Dimitri had forgotten all about it. Why did he not eat it? He should have eaten it!

Khalid quickly realized something was wrong, and he pulled Dimitri into an embrace just as the man began to sob. Khalid tried several variations of soothing words, but none of them mattered as much as him simply being there.

The group of two eventually became three when Marianne hurriedly joined them. She had presumably been attending to wounded elsewhere before discovering the scene.

"Dimitri, Claude! Wha-what's the matter?" she asked frantically.

Dimitri pulled away from the hug so he could face his friends.

"I'm just so tired… tired of being nothing but a tool of death. I lie, I kill, I destr-."

"You're much more than that, Dimitri," Khalid promised. "You're a protector. You're a friend."

Dimitri glanced around to confirm their privacy and then added in a lower voice, "But I was supposed to be a king. My people trusted me as the person who could steer us to a better Faerghus. I was in a position to do so much good, but I was so blinded by vengeance and the expectation that I'd die young that I couldn't fully grasp that. I could have helped build a world where no one has to make the kind of choice I did. Instead, all I did with my position was take advantage of my friends and lead them straight into their graves. Then I just… I just threw everything away!"

Marianne looked away uncomfortably. "I-I did the same. I ran from my responsibilities. It's not your fault that the Empire destroyed your home. I have no such excuse." She asked Khalid, "M-my adoptive father. When he thought I had, umm… died… how was he?" Her eyes then widened as she glanced at Dimitri and stuttered, "S-sorry, never mind, forget I said anything! I didn't mean to make this about me!"

Dimitri assured, "N-no, it's more than fine. Please go ahead, Khalid."

Khalid answered Marianne, "He was distraught. And guilt-stricken… he told me he wished he could have done better." He shook his head slowly. "Listen, Marianne. I don't know how great Margrave Edmund was as a father, but I get the sense that he truly did care about you at the end of the day. A great orator or not, maybe he just didn't demonstrate it very well back then."

Marianne put a hand on each temple. "And I let him think I killed myself. He still thinks that!"

Dimitri's thoughts were too muddled to add any input, but it did distract him from his own wallowing. Khalid proposed, "Well, we could always bring him evidence of your survival once the war is over… only if you feel comfortable with it, of course. The fallout would not be nearly as complex as people discovering that Dimitri is still alive. But if we do… I don't see our little group lasting in its current form. You won't be able to keep running from your past. Your life will look a lot different, Marianne."

"I just… I don't know," Marianne murmured.

"And that's fine. You don't have to make that decision yet. Just remember that we're here for you, alright?" Khalid said as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"O-okay… I will. Thank you, Claude."

The prince stood and asked, "Are you two going to be alright? There are still things I need to get done today."

When both nodded, he gave a final comforting smile and said goodbye. Marianne was clearly exhausted from her work and stayed behind with Dimitri. She asked nervously, "Is it alright if I umm… lie down? I'm tired, but I don't want to be alone right now."

Dimitri nodded and made room. "Yes, o-of course," he said as calmly as he could, trying not to make things embarrassing. He was not sleepy in the traditional sense, but he was still emotionally drained.

"T-thank you, Dimitri."

Dimitri tried to stay quiet so she could sleep, but he eventually held her hand when he noticed that her erratic breathing was not steadying.

"It's alright, Marianne… we're alright… you're alright," he said softly.

Marianne's breathing calmed some, but she opened her eyes to look at Dimitri. "Do you ever have anyone to tell you that, Dimitri?"

"W-well, it's not rea-."

"Please, don't start with any of that. You have a good heart, and you deserve to hear it."

"You… still think so? Did Khalid tell you what I did?"

"I know what happened. But… it doesn't change anything." It was now Marianne's turn to take her friend's hand. "It's okay, Dimitri… we all still love you… you're still a good person."

Dimitri said nothing in return, but a small smile graced his lips as a single tear fell. Her words triumphed over his misgivings, and the two were soon peacefully asleep.