A/N: Thank you to Cinderlord for betaing this chapter.
Chapter Six
If there was one word that you could use to describe Leonie Pinelli, it was tenacious. She got what she wanted, not because she was a spoilt noble from some rich family, but because she had the guts and determination to do so.
She was fourteen when Jeralt the Blade Breaker came to her village. Famed as one of the greatest knights of the century, Leonie had stormed the tavern he had been drinking in and basically demanded he teach her. And that had been that.
A few lessons with a lance and bow, and she never looked back. Who else got to learn under the legendary Blade Breaker? Who else could claim to be his protegee?
Then she heard about the Ashen Demon. Daughter of Jeralt, a master swordsman that had seen countless battles since she was a child. She had no remorse, no mercy. Every kill was brutal, cold, and efficient, all done without emotion. For a while, rumours of Jeralt's demonic child had died down.
Until word of his arrival at the monastery.
Leonie rushed down the corridor, desperate to get to the training grounds. She had just gotten word from her house leader of all the people that her mentor was here to stay. She couldn't help the giddiness swell inside of her at the thought of the reunion.
The girl basically skidded to the next corner, nearly barrelling over a bunch of other students as she bolted towards her destination. She was nearing the training grounds when she heard a familiar voice.
"Why do you have so many daggers in your coat?" Jeralt asked.
Leonie was not expecting a childish voice to answer. "Mom said I was too small to use a proper sword."
"That's not what I was asking, but okay, sure. We'll go with that."
Leonie entered the training ground, coming to a halt to see Captain Jeralt himself, holding a couple of daggers in hand. Before him, was a smaller child that couldn't be older than six, also holding a few daggers.
"How are you hiding all of them?" Jeralt asked.
The little girl shrugged, causing her mentor to sigh. "Alright, let's see what you can do with them then."
Outside of a few spectators, the training ground looked normal. If you didn't count that one obviously burnt wooden dummy that had been turned into ash.
Strangely, Leonie didn't see any magic students in the training ground though…
A loud bonk and clatter of steel caught her attention.
Jeralt rubbed his chin, a thoughtful look in his gaze.
"Good throw. Nice form," he complimented but then added almost immediately, "but you're not supposed to hit your enemy with the handle."
Morgan pouted and crossed her arms. "It always hits like that…" she mumbled under her breath.
Jeralt stepped forward and took a dagger in his hand. He showed Morgan his finger placement on the weapon.
"That's because you're spinning the blade too much. You want your thumb to secure the handle, your knuckles to direct the blade," He mimed a throw with the dagger, before properly throwing it. It flew across the room and hit a wooden dummy dead centre in the head. Jeralt nodded with satisfaction. "Just like that, the weight of the dagger will do the heavy lifting. Want to give it another shot?"
"Captain Jeralt," Leonie called out, interrupting the one-on-one lesson.
Two heads turned to face the orange-haired girl as she marched towards them. She held her head up high, pride in her eyes as she gazed into her mentor's. What would Jeralt say after all this time? Would he be proud?
"It's been a long time since we last saw each other," she smiled confidently. "I'll have you know I kept up with my training after all these years."
"I see," Jeralt said slowly, looking down at the preening girl. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"
Leonie froze. Her smile dropped as her heart did. The girl looked at her mentor like he had just grown a second head.
"Wha- b-but you… I'm your number one apprentice!"
Her mentor looked confused.
"You travelled through Sauin village?" Leonie tried again. "About five years ago? Little fourteen-year-old girl, daughter of the local hunter?"
Jeralt blinked sheepishly as he took the time to think. Morgan looked up at her grandfather, passing glancing looks at the strange orange-haired girl.
About five years ago… Sauin village… just after Byleth left… drunk out of his mind… girl demanded to learn under him.
"Leona," Jeralt exclaimed.
"Leonie," the teenager corrected, pleased that he remembered her after all.
"Right, yes," Jeralt nodded. "It's coming back to me now. I was not expecting you to be here of all places."
The girl grinned. "Yeah, well. I'm not the little girl anymore you know. Gotta start my story somewhere."
She looked down at Morgan. "And I see you got a new apprentice as well. How has the old goat been treating you so far? Hopefully not too hard?"
"Grandpa Jeralt's been treating me fine," Morgan chirped.
Leonie went silent. "Grandpa Jeralt?"
She turned to look at her mentor, who nodded a confirmation. "Leonie, Morgan. My granddaughter."
"Hi!" Morgan said enthusiastically, receiving an affectionate head ruffle from her grandfather in response.
Leonie looked like a million thoughts were going through her mind.
"Blood or adopted?"
"Blood."
Leonie nodded, still processing the information.
Her mentor's granddaughter…
She grinned, unable to contain herself any longer; she ruffled up Morgan's hair with a laugh. "Nice to meet you, Morgan. I'm your grandpa's number one apprentice."
Morgan squawked, before peeking up at the older girl, wonder in her gaze. "Does that mean you're as good as mom?"
Wait… Captain Jeralt's granddaughter… that made Morgan the daughter of the Ashen Demon, didn't it?
"...Yes," Leonie said confidently.
"Woah," Morgan responded as she stared up at Leonie with starry-eyed admiration.
And already, Leonie knew she was gonna get along with this kid.
Byleth found her father and her daughter at the training grounds with an orange-haired teenager. Morgan seemed to be having the time of her life chatting with the girl, but Jeralt on the other hand seemed resigned..
"I'm not saying I can take on your mother, blindfolded, one arm behind my back, while drunk and sleep-deprived," Leonie announced proudly. "But I totally could."
"Woah," Morgan said breathlessly.
"Morgan," Byleth called out as she made her way towards the three of them.
Morgan beamed, running over to her mother who scooped her up into an embrace. "Mom, guess what? Did you know that Leonie is Grandpa's first apprentice?"
Byleth raised a curious eyebrow at her father, whose only response was a sigh and a shrug. Her gaze then fell upon Leonie who straightened, eyes daring Byleth to challenge her boast.
"I see," Byleth finally said slowly. "This is news to me. But I'll take your word for it."
It looked like Leonie wanted to say something in response to that, but Jeralt quickly changed the subject. "So… how was the meeting with Rhea?"
"Nothing major," Byleth replied, her mind already jumping to her next question. She hesitated and steeled herself before turning back to her father.
"Dad, by any chance, did Lady Rhea ever want to be romantically involved with you?"
Jeralt spluttered. Actually spluttered in disbelief. "What?!"
"Did Lady Rhea–"
He held up his hand.
"I heard you the first time. I mean… I meant where on Fodlan did you get such an idea from?" The veteran mercenary was confused, still fully processing the thought.
Byleth paused, startled by her father's reaction. She knew that Lady Rhea and her father left on questionable terms, but was it really that bad? Maybe she should think it through more…
"It's nothing," Byleth shook her head. "Lady Rhea did, however, ask me to introduce myself to the students."
"Right," her father said slowly. "In that case… Leonie, you said you were a student here, didn't you?"
The teenager blinked. "Yeah, I am. Golden Deer House."
"Good," Jeralt placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "She's all yours."
Byleth nodded, and Leonie spluttered. "Wha-"
"Leonie, wasn't it?" emotionless blue eyes peered at the teenager. A journal and a quill suddenly appeared in the swordswoman's hands. Where the hell did those come from?
"Yeah, what of it?" Leonie squared her shoulders, chin raised in defiance.
"What are your dreams and aspirations?"
Leonie stiffened slightly at the unexpected question, mouth agape. "Why are you asking me this?"
"I want to know what I'm dealing with," Byleth answered blankly, eyes flicking down to the journal in her hands. "I'm getting to know you. So, dreams and aspirations?"
As if gathering strength from deep within herself, Leonie lifted her voice just loud enough for the swordswoman to hear. "Fine. I want… no, I'm going to be a great mercenary. To follow in my mentor's footsteps, and to repay my village for everything they have done for me."
The swordswoman scribbled some notes in her book and then paused expectantly. "Favourite food?"
Leonie frowned but shrugged indifferently. "Don't have one. No to anything sweet though," the orange-haired girl shrugged.
"Any hobbies?"
Leonie paused. "Training?"
Once again, Byleth nodded and finished writing in her journal before patting the girl consolingly on the head and walking away.
"You've accepted the house professor position?" Dimitri asked, surprise evident in his voice. He spun his training lance, before bringing it to his side. "I must congratulate you on the position then, professor."
Byleth nodded, book and quill in hand. "Now, tell me more about yourself. Dreams and aspirations. Favourite foods. Hobbies."
"Yes, of course. As you are already aware, I am the heir to the throne of Faerghus, and thus I'll be ascending once I graduate from the academy. As for aspirations…"
The boy's eyes hardened, a faraway look in his eyes. Suddenly the handle of his training lance shattered in his hand, the pieces clattering on the ground. Byleth couldn't help but raise a single eyebrow at the boy. After a brief few seconds, Dimitri bowed his head.
"I apologise, I don't know what came over me," he gave a soft but sheepish smile. "It won't happen again."
Byleth simply nodded, writing into her journal. "It is fine. Now, favourite foods and hobbies?"
"I have none I can speak of," Edelgard stated, taking a sip of her tea. She let out a small sigh, before placing her cup onto the table. "I do however have a goal, that I will make into a reality. And I have a duty, to both my people and the betterment of Fodlan."
The silver-haired girl paused before a slight smirk appeared on her face. "Perhaps you might consider that my dream is to lead my people into a new age."
"Aw, teach, congrats on the position by the way, I'm hurt that you didn't come to see me sooner," Claude said with a beaming smile. "For dreams and aspirations, that's a trade secret. For foods, I don't do favourites, and you're probably better off not knowing my hobbies."
Byleth nodded, writing down in her journal before leaving the shady alleyway she had found the tanned boy in. Claude kept a plastered smile the whole way, before finally turning to the merchant he had been talking to.
"You still got those herbs?"
"It is my sworn duty to be my liege's shield," the large boy from Duscur said. Byleth had to crane her head upwards to meet Dedue's eyes. "I am fine with eating anything, but I admit am fond of seafood."
His eyes softened. "I do like to take the time to visit the greenhouse. I find gardening… relaxing, and a good way to pass the time."
The lanky black-haired boy chuckled, rubbing his chin in thought. His eyes were calculating as he looked Byleth up and down.
"Lady Edelgard tells me you are someone to watch out for. I can see that the church seems to think the same," he said, spine-tingling humour in his voice. "Hubert von Vestra. I have sworn my allegiance to Lady Edelgard, and I don't see how the other two questions are of any interest to you."
"Woah, you're so young!" the bubbly pink-haired girl exclaimed, moving closer as if Byleth were an exhibit at a museum. "I did hear that you would be, but not this young! The name's Hilda, and it's a pleasure to meet you, professor. I'm not the kind to have any lofty goals, I just want to live peacefully doing whatever I want. What about you professor? What are your dreams and aspirations?"
The pink-haired girl leaned in closer, a conspiratorial glint in her eye. Byleth was unsure of what to think of the overly bubbly girl.
"I must say professor, Dimitri undersold how beautiful you were," Sylvain laughed nervously, sweat pooling at his forehead. "Sylvain, and if I may, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance."
The red-haired boy gave a wink, waiting for Byleth to offer her hand for him to kiss. The swordswoman stared at him in confusion. "Dreams and aspirations?" she asked.
"Oh, haha," Sylvain retracted his hand, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Nothing much, graduate from the academy, succeed my father. Maybe get to know you better over a nice candlelit meal?"
Byleth's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm married."
"Oh, I should have known," the red-haired boy immediately backpedalled, laughing nervously. "I meant no offence, I promise."
Byleth nodded, before turning to the two girls that had paused their catfight on the ground to watch the conversation.
"You should go for the eyes and throat rather than hair," she informed. "Hair pulling might inflict pain, but it's better to cripple or kill your opponent as efficiently as possible."
The swordswoman then went back to writing in her journal.
Bernadetta had been having a decent day. No one had come looking for her, which already made it a good day by default. The young girl had begun to feel hungry, and she needed to eat soon.
Plus… she needed to do this. Bernadetta took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before letting it all out.
"You got this Bernie, you can do it. It's just a quick trip to the mess hall and then back."
Sneaking to her door, she unlocked the latch and opened it just a fraction, only for cold emotionless blue eyes to peer back at her from the other side.
"Bernadetta von Varley. Dreams and aspirations, favourite foods, and hobbies," the demon said.
The girl screamed at the top of her lungs, before foaming at the mouth and fainting.
"Oh, it's nice to meet you, professor," the bespeckled boy bowed politely, rubbing the back of his neck. Ignatz was his name. "I plan on taking over the family business once I graduate, and I'm not really a picky eater."
He blushed as he looked down at the ground bashfully. "I like to paint, but I admit I'm not the greatest at it."
"Yes, I am," Felix confirmed, eyes glaring at Byleth as if annoyed that she would dare interrupt his training. "And why do you care?"
"I'm a new professor," the swordswoman replied, writing in her journal.
On instinct, she caught the wooden training blade thrown at her. The boy scoffed, swinging the wooden training blade in hand before smoothly sliding into a readied stance.
"Make it worth my time, and maybe I'll consider answering your dumb questions."
"I am not sure of what you are asking of me?" the Brigid princess said, confusion written all over her face. "I dream of many things. I dream of Brigid, I dream of equalness with those of The Empire. What exactly am I to dream about?"
Byleth nodded in understanding. "Aspirations - what you want to do in the future."
Petra paused before replying. "I… would like to swim. Maybe hunt, or climb trees," she said wistfully. "But it is not allowed while I am here."
It wasn't quite the response Byleth had expected, but it was close enough.
"Your hair has blood in it?" Petra suddenly pointed at the swordswoman's locks. Blinking, Byleth grabbed a handful of her hair and frowned.
"Ah, and you must be the newest professor," the purple-haired boy exclaimed, tea in hand. "Lorenz von Gloucester, and must I say what a lovely day it is today. Would you care for some tea?"
Byleth nodded, sitting down across from the boy. "Is it four spices?"
The boy froze. "I– I beg your pardon. Four… spices? Four spices?!"
He looked offended, sniffing. "Who in their right mind enjoys four spice tea?! It is an insult to consider it a form of tea. Even if it's meant to respect the four saints, the concept of tea using spice goes against the traditional purpose of relaxation. Tell me, professor, if you want to relax and eat some dessert, do you then proceed to eat something hot, or perhaps if you're feeling…"
Byleth zoned out the rant, continuously nodding while writing down in her journal.
"And you must be the new professor," Dorothea smiled, the brunette placing a hand on her hip. "Professor Manuella was telling me all about you. Quite the conundrum so I hear. What do you need from little old me?"
"Dreams and aspirations, favourite foods, and hobbies."
The brunette blinked at the bluntness. "Oh, well, I'm currently still a student, but once I graduate…"
She trailed off, unsure how to respond. "I might return to singing, or maybe find a nice person to settle down with for the rest of my life."
The girl sighed dramatically.
"Singing?"
Dorothea lit up, a flirtatious smile on her face. "Mittelfrank Opera's Mysterious Singer, voice of the nightingale, the most fantastical song you will ever hear," Dorathea flourished elegantly, a cheeky smile on her face. "You haven't heard of me have you?"
"No," Byleth admitted.
Dorothea laughed. "That's okay, I never expected anyone to really. So, favourite foods and hobbies wasn't it?"
"You are the new professor everyone has been talking about?" one Ingrid Brandl Galatra asked. The blonde girl looks completely flustered. "I apologise, that was extremely rude of me."
"It is fine," Byleth waved off. "Now, dreams and aspirations, favourite food, and hobbies?"
Ingrid nodded, standing taller. "I aim to become a knight. As for foods, there's too many to–"
She coughed, interrupting herself. "I don't really care for food."
Byleth stared at the blonde girl. The blonde girl stared back, unflinching.
"Can I start that again, professor?"
Linhardt yawned loudly, stretching as he turned to face Byleth. "I dream of sleeping. My favourite foods are sleeping. And my hobbies are sleeping."
The boy nodded off, closing his eyes.
"None of those answers made sense," Byleth frowned, looking up from her journal.
Linhardt opened one eye. "If I answer honestly, would you leave my room and let me sleep?"
Byleth nodded, to which Linhardt could only sigh.
"Oh, so you are the newest professor," the blonde woman clapped her hands together. She seemed to be the oldest student Byleth has met so far, appearing to be around her age. "I'm Mercedes, and I hope the monastery has been to your liking so far?"
Byleth nodded as she leaned in close. "Dreams and aspirations, favourite foods, and hobbies?"
"Oh, you're asking me?" Mercedes looked flustered. "I'm sorry, I can't talk right now, I've been asked to see a friend who had a training accident."
"Is it Felix by any chance?"
"Uh… yes?"
"It won't be an issue then," Byleth nodded confidently. "He'll live."
The large blonde boy towered over her, laughing boisterously. "I'm going to be honest prof," Raphael scratched his chin. "I'm not really in it for myself. I got a little sis waiting for me back home, so I gotta be a knight to make sure she grows up safe ya know."
Byleth nodded slowly and smiled slightly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "I understand that feeling," she said. "What are your favourite foods?"
"Ah, well…" The big boy trailed off, thinking hard before answering. "How many answers are we allowed to give?"
"Caspar von Bergliez, second son of Count Bergliez," the blue-haired boy frowned. "And well… I have to make a name for myself don't I? And what better way than to become a knight?"
"I see," Byleth scribbled in her journal. "Favourite foods?"
The boy shrugged. "Meat."
"Cupcakes are the best, just be a little nice, then it'll start to rise," Annette swayed slightly as she started to pour mill into the bowl. Estimating that she had enough, the orange-haired girl started looking around the kitchen, only for Byleth to pass the spatula to her. "Thanks, professor. Do you mind mixing the dry ingredients for me?"
Byleth nodded, using her hands to stir. "What are your dreams and aspirations, favourite foods, and hobbies?"
"Oh, well," Anette paused to think, gazing up to the ceiling. "I never really thought that far, but I definitely want to improve my magic. I like sweets and Uh… cooking I guess."
The girl peered into Byleth's bowl, nodding in appreciation. "Yup, looks good professor. Is this your first time baking?"
Byleth shook her head, eyes never leaving her task. "I baked once. And burned an entire kitchen down in the process."
Annette blinked, mouth open for a moment before recovering herself. "Oh uh... You can put down the bowl now."
"My dreams?" Lysithea asked. The white-haired girl tilted her head to the side with closed eyes. An expression that Byleth had seen twice before. Byleth found the sight reminiscent of another white-haired mage and her child.
"I want my parents to live peacefully," the girl said in a soft voice, shuffling her feet nervously. Byleth couldn't help the small smile on her face as she bit into her cupcake, its sugary goodness flooding her taste buds.
"Also…" Lysithea piped up, interrupting Byleth's daydreaming. The girl's eyes locked onto the treat in the swordswoman's hand. "Are there any more cupcakes in the mess hall?"
"Truly a worthy feat to achieve such a position at such a young age. I, Ferdinand von Aegir, am in awe of your skill," the noble boy bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you," Byleth said, looking around the gazebo table. She sees the teapot. "Is that four–"
She stopped herself, to eye the boy's expression. A cheerful confusion radiates from the noble boy, then he notices her gaze. "Tea?"
"... Yes."
"Good good, now let us start introductions," the boy cleared his throat as Byleth sat down. "I, am Ferdinand von Aegir."
Byleth nodded, writing in her notebook, just a tad glad that she didn't even have to ask her questions.
"I want to be someone that can be proud to stand before Lord Lonato," fist clenched, Ashe looked at Byleth with an unflinching gaze and a warm smile. "He gave me and my siblings a home, and I… I want to be someone like him."
Marianne's blue hair gleamed in the light as she nervously avoided Byleth's gaze. "Thank you for coming out of your way to introduce yourself to me," the girl said, guiltily. "I apologise for the trouble."
Byleth tucked away her journal and softened her voice. "It wasn't an issue. What are your aspirations, favourite food, and hobbies?
"Oh, well…" Marianne trailed off. She bit her lip, unable to look into the swordwoman's eye. An awkward silence passed between the two.
Byleth's gaze lingered over the girl for a second. Hunched over into herself, shuffling feet, shadows under her eyes. She also notices the brush in the girl's hands, one typically used for horses or pegasi.
Byleth tucked away the journal and gave the girl a reassuring smile. "Why don't you tell me about the kinds of horses that the knights use?"
Byleth collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh, earning a giggle from her daughter. Jeralt chuckled softly and his deep blue eyes twinkled in amusement.
"That tired huh?" He said from the room door. "Should I be worried if just talking to your future students is enough to tire you out?"
Morgan squirmed off her grandfather's arms and leapt onto the bed next to Byleth, eliciting a groan from her mother.
"Morgan," Jeralt gently admonished. "Let your mother rest. You can bother her all you want tomorrow."
Morgan cheekily grinned, settling down next to Byleth once more. "No promises."
Jeralt shook his head fondly at the two before bidding them goodnight. Once the door had closed behind him, Morgan turned to her mother expectantly.
"Come," Byleth motioned for her daughter to come closer into the crook of her arm. "Time to sleep."
"No bedtime story?" Morgan pouted, but Byleth firmly shook her head as she rose up on an elbow and blew out the candles near the bedside table. The room was instantly filled with darkness, leaving only faint moonlight flowing through a crack in the curtains.
"Hey Mom," Morgan shifted hesitantly in her spot. "When are you going to tell me where Dad went?"
Byleth sighed and stroked Morgan's hair reassuringly. "Another night, Morgan. Now go to sleep."
"Promise?"
"Go to sleep."
"I'm taking that as a yes," Morgan smiled, nestling further into her mother's arms.
Moments later she had drifted off into the world of dreams, leaving Byleth wide awake to wonder what the future had in store for her.
A/N: Sorry for the wait, it took some time to go back and forth with the beta reader for this chapter and to hash out the overall skeleton of this story. Major thanks to Cinderlord for putting up with me XD.
Review Responses:
zombap: Yes, Morgan will be getting a crest.
Will S. LaVi: Yes, both sides of the story will be, but more of a focus will be in Fodlan for the time being.
Shade The Devil Hunter: Thank you for your kind words. For the time being yes, Robin's section will be more snippets.
Greymane: Definitely a lot to unpack here. But yes, for now, it will be more focused on Byleth with the odd snippet of Robin to show where it stands with the timeline. And the timeline for your theory was pure coincidence, sorry to disappoint.
Lucky7: A good thought. But it would be spoilers if I confirm it XD
Temporal King: Snarky Robin has always seemed funny to me, which I don't really know why. But glad to know I'm not the only one.
baka-to-monogatari: Greetings. It completely slipped my mind that concubines would be a thing in Fodlan. This, however, won't be a harem story. Byleth and Robin are strictly together, with maybe some others interested or close to them, but not romantically.
MoonMccloud: As fellow deer... we shall see... we shall see.
DarthFlores: Bylin maybe?
Louie Yang: For now, Robin's portions will be snippets of key events. The major portion of the story will be in Fodlan.
tl34lt12: No NTR will be in this fic.
Akosii: Thank you for your kind words. Robin sadly won't be in Fodlan for a while...
Dumat: Maybe not that serious then? XD