The Empire and Alliance had an official agreement by the end of the day; it was early evening by the time it was all said and done, so discussion on what it meant in the immediate future carried on the following morning.
The Alliance lords or those representing them met with Edelgard as she requested. Whether it was made easier or harder that four of them were former classmates, she couldn't tell; Claude and Lorenz had official titles, while Lysithea, Marianne stood in for their respective fathers. Holst—she knew him in name only, although Hilda was at the bridge as well—was in Goneril's place.
She began by glancing at Claude.
"You've told them the full situation at Fhirdiad?" Edelgard asked.
"I brought it up as soon as I could," Claude replied.
"Good. I don't have to repeat myself." She looked towards the rest of them. No one seemed particularly well-equipped for this kind of discussion. "Simply put, I do plan to take Fhirdiad from Cornelia—there's just a few things that need to come first."
None of them questioned her directly. Lysithea was the one who spoke up first.
"You have some idea of what to do in the meantime?"
"All I'm asking for now is for the Alliance to look out for Dimitri, Rhea, and those who slither in the dark until we're ready to move to Fhirdiad. I don't quite expect much progress, to be honest—Dimitri likely went to the nobles that are still loyal to the crown, Rhea would've hid somewhere that safety was more guaranteed, and those who slither in the dark are everywhere but elusive—but I would still appreciate it."
"The greatest reward—an emperor's gratitude," Claude joked. She cast him something like a frown and he had the decency to attempt hiding a chuckle. He put on a more serious look after a moment. "We will help, though. I don't think any of the great lords will complain too much."
Edelgard nodded, turning back towards the rest. "I'll have a similar search on my end, so it's not a task I'm asking of just you and your citizens. I only need a few more weeks to finalize things with Fhirdiad; Claude will likely be the first to be notified."
"No matter what it will likely still call for at least one day of roundtable arguments," Claude warned. "We would need to establish who's giving what, but even if it takes a week or so it will come."
"That promise is still more than I've gotten from some," Edelgard said. "But that is all I need. For the most part, I intend to stay at Garreg Mach—if you do happen to find any leads, please let me know."
The other five all gave some kind of agreement, and after a moment they dispersed. Nothing much was left to do at Myrddin, so Edelgard prepared for the trip to Garreg Mach.
—
"They won't come for you. You should know that by now."
Cornelia stayed just out of reach of the fallen king's chains. Dimitri himself refused to even look at her; she couldn't tell if it was out of indifference or rage.
"Honestly," Cornelia continued, "No friend of yours will even find you. The Alliance is searching harder than they are—and they're with the Empire now, if you're curious."
The king muttered back; he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than respond to her. "They likely think I went with the church. Someone will come."
"Your enemies—the ones that aren't already here, I mean—will find you before your allies even think to look in Fhirdiad."
She looked around a bit for the keys to the cell, prompting the king to glance at her—curiously, at first, then with a certain amount of darkness.
"What are you doing?"
"You want to see your stepmother, don't you?"
"…You mean to kill me, then?"
Cornelia offered a cold laugh. "Oh, she didn't die. Did Edelgard never tell you? Patricia—or Anselma, whatever you want to call her—survived the Tragedy. I know where she is."
"I find that hard to believe. Why would you be so generous?"
"Your stepsister will be coming in the next month or so. She wants you out of her way—she's not one to let an enemy soldier live in their old home. You do remember Arianrhod, don't you? You should be glad Edelgard thinks you worthy enough to be saved from the same fate. She'd like to finish you off herself, I hear."
Dimitri just fell silent. Cornelia opened the cell door, gesturing for a few mages to come over. She had to stay here to greet the emperor—she simply wanted to be the one to send the broken king off. He wouldn't play his part as well if he didn't know exactly who was the cause, even if the details were changed.
When the chains keeping him close to the wall was undone, he immediately tried to attack them—rather effortlessly, the other mages knocked him back down again, and he received a new pair of chains to keep him line.
"I really was hoping you might go willingly," Cornelia mused. "You don't want to see Patricia, then?"
Dimitri barely looked her in the eye as he stood back up, mages on either side of him. "I'd rather believe she's dead than on terms with the people that were responsible for that tragedy."
"The truth hurts, boy," Cornelia said, simple and cold yet smiling, "And blood runs a little too thick. The family resemblance between the three of you is uncanny." She looked at the mages. "You know where to bring him, and you know what will happen if you fail. Make sure the emperor isn't bothered by his presence."
The mages murmured an agreement, and forced Dimitri away. There were still other people hidden away in the dungeons, but she cared a little less for them; the king wasn't quite done with his role yet.
