Chapter Three
"I thought I told you both to stay in the village."
Edelgard flinched at the older woman's reprimand. The emotionless gaze sent a small shiver down her spine, properly cowling her.
"I apologise," Edelgard bit her lip like she ate something sour, looking away. "I felt obligated to help as this was a mess that I partially created."
"As did I," Dimitri said, nervously staring at the ground. "I had both the will and ability to help, so I must."
Byleth, as they later learnt the name of, didn't look impressed. She eyed them both silently for a few seconds before sighing heavily. She pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I suppose I cannot fault that you both ignored my orders with good intentions nor the fact that I am a stranger to you both and thus have no right to order any of you."
The swordswoman eyed them both, quickly scanning them once over for any visible injuries. Satisfied upon seeing none, she nodded, marching past the two students. "Come, we'll reconvene at the village. I suppose we'll be looking after you until we can contact your teachers."
"Teachers? Do you mean our professors?"
"Yes," Byleth nodded, pausing mid-step, swivelling her head around. "You did state that you were students, did you not?"
"Well yes that is true," Dimitri answered. "I just assumed you would contact the knights escorting us."
Byleth frowned. "Why would there be knights escorting you?"
"Why did it have to be him?" Jeralt mumbled, hand covering his eyes exasperatedly. Truly, fate seemed to be doing its best to screw him over. The legion of knights swarmed the area, helping to dispose of what remained of the leftover bandits.
"Captain Jeralt!? Why, it is you!" boomed the source of irritation; a large boisterous knight with a hearty grin. "Goodness, it's been ages since I last saw you."
"And you haven't changed a bit Alois," Jeralt deadpanned, turning around to walk back towards the village as quickly as possible. "Just as loud as I remember. And drop that 'Captain' nonsense, I'm not your captain anymore."
Alois laughed boisterously, jogging after the retreating mercenary. "But truly, this is fortunate news! It must have been 20 years ago that you went missing without a trace! I always knew that you were still alive and kicking!"
"Yes. Very fortunate," Jeralt replied dryly, doing his very best to ignore the loud knight following him. He came to a sudden stop seeing a particular sight at the front of the village gates.
A cooking pot simmered over a fire, his granddaughter and one of the Garreg Mach students surrounded the fire.
"Oh, you're back," Morgan piped up, taking a bite out of some stewed meat.
"I thought your mother told you to retreat with the other villagers," Jeralt reminded, hand on hip. "Where are the other two students?"
"We wanted to be in prime position to help out in case you needed assistance," the tanned boy said with a straight face, ripping a portion of stew-dipped bread hand with his teeth. "And the other two ran towards the battle."
Jeralt silently groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of course they did. Anyway, Alois, I'm assuming he's one of your charges."
"Why yes actually! Claude von Riegan, thank goodness you are safe and sound!"
"Alois, you are a sight for sore eyes," Claude grinned, pointing to the simmering stew. "Here, help yourself to some stew."
"Don't mind if I do actually. I haven't had breakfast yet."
"Hold on," Jeralt interrupted. "Did you say von Riegan?"
"He did," the familiar voice of his daughter called out as she marched towards the village gates, the other two students followed closely behind, feet shuffling across the ground. "Apparently we've been unwitting hosts of royalty."
"That explains why the bandits were so desperate," Jeralt muttered, shaking his head. "So… Edelgard von Hresvelg and Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd then?"
"Yes," Dimitri bowed his head towards the veteran mercenary. "A pleasure to meet your acquaintance Sir Jeralt."
"Likewise," Edelgard nodded. "Though heirs of our respective nations, we are students for the time being. There isn't a need to conform to our needs."
"You say that as if we wouldn't have our heads on the block for offending you," Jeralt replied.
Alois laughed. "Well, in that case, I'm certainly thankful you'll stick out your neck for our students."
Edelgard and Jeralt groaned, much to the confusion of Dimitri and Morgan.
"Didn't Grandpa Jeralt just–"
Byleth placed a hand over her daughter's mouth. "Don't think too hard about it."
"I'm sorry," Alois piped up, turning to face Morgan. "Did you refer to Captain Jeralt as your grandfather?"
Jeralt sighed. "Alois, Morgan. My granddaughter. Morgan, Alois. Someone I never wanted to see again."
The knight in question let out a full belly laugh, clutching his sides as he keeled over. "Captain Jeralt, your sense of humour is truly unparalleled! It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, young Morgan! I can see the family resemblance!"
"I wasn't joking," Jeralt mumbled under his breath as Alois turned to face Byleth, hands offered in a handshake.
"And you! Judging from your appearance I take it that you are Captain Jeralts–"
"I'm a bandit," Byleth interrupted with a straight face.
That comment was met with silence. Jeralt stared incredulously at his daughter. Edelgard raised a single eyebrow. Claude stifled a chuckle. Dimitri stared at the conversation in confusion. Morgan watched on, bringing her wooden bowl to her lips. Meanwhile Alois…
He roared with laughter. "A bandit!? My, your other granddaughter has a sense of humour that rivals your own Captain Jeralt."
Claude choked on his stew, and the other two Lords turned to stare at him in confusion.
"Wait no," Alois mumbled, stroking his chin. "That can't be right… the time frame doesn't make sense…"
Claude's face started to go blue from the food stuck in his throat. Dimitri bent down to slap his back.
"Well, we best be on our way," Jeralt sauntered towards Morgan, lifting her into his arms. He indicated to Byleth towards the horses. "We got a long journey ahead of us."
"Right yes, of course," Alois mumbled, still lost in thought. "Wait a minute, this isn't over! Captain Jeralt, I insist that you come with us to the monastery."
In the background, Edelgard tapped Dimitri's back, taking his spot behind Claude. Wrapping her arms around the tanned boy's waist, she started to squeeze.
Jeralt sighed. He sent a worrying glance towards Byleth out of the corner of his eye, then down at Morgan in his arms. "Garreg Mach Monastorey… I suppose this was inevitable."
Dimitri tapped Edelgards arm, mumbling something inaudible as she then relinquished her spot to him. The silver-haired empress-to-be mimed a squeezing motion with her arms, before pointing to Claude's purple face. Nodding, Dimitri proceeded to suplex the choking boy.
They marched past noon, following the rough gravel road through rows of thick forest.
"How's your neck feeling?" Byleth asked Claude as she finished casting another heal to soothe the tanned boy.
"Ah," Claude turned to look sideways, before swiveling back around. "Yeah, much better."
"I cannot apologise enough Claude," Dimitri bowed his head in shame for the umpteenth time.
"Eh it's fine," the Alliance heir waved his apology off. "A little pain goes a long way to building everlasting friendships."
"I'm impressed that you're able to cast both faith and reason magic, as well as being a master swordsman," Edelgard stated, eyes peering at Byleth out of the corner of her eye. "It's very rare indeed to meet an individual well versed in as many disciplines as you."
Byleth shook her head. "You're mistaken. I can cast a basic fire and thunder at most. As for faith casting, I have it on good authority that I have some natural affinity for the art, though I am far from being a master… Morgan, stop touching Edelgard's hair."
Morgan pouted, letting go of the silver hair, and turning around in her mother's arms. Edelgard couldn't help the bare hint of a smile gracing her lips.
"I do not mind," the Aldrestian heir said. "Children tend to be inquisitive. I believe Morgan stated that I have similar features to your husband?"
Byleth moved closer to the girl, eyes gazing over her features for what seemed like eons. This earnt a slight blush from the girl. "Not exactly. Robin's hair was more white than silver. Nor would he put in this much effort to get it as glossy as yours."
"Nor as floofy," Morgan mumbled. She reached out again to grab Edelgard's hair.
"Morgan."
She dropped it again.
"Moving back to the previous topic, I must say that you truly are very skilled," Dimitri remarked. "For one so young I'm impressed by your sword technique alone. Watching you fight, I feel as if I still have much to learn."
"Truly," Edelgard nodded. "In fact, I was wondering if once you have finished your current contract, if you were willing to offer your services to The Empire."
"Halt Edelgard, please let me finish my proposition first," The future king cleared his throat. "As I was saying, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus is in desperate need of talented individuals such as yourself and I would kindly ask that you consider returning to the Kingdom with me."
"Woah now you two. I was at least going to take the time to build a long-lasting friendship first, before begging for favours. Speaking of, are you allergic to anything?"
"Peas," Morgan answered. "And tomato peels."
"No, she's not. And to my knowledge, I'm not allergic to anything."
"See?" Claude winked at the other two Lords. "Getting to know people. Friendship. Then favours."
Edelgard rolled her eyes. "So where does your allegiance lie then, Sir Eisner."
The three Lords all turned to look at Byleth expectingly, stopping their march. The woman in question came to a halt, staring back at them.
"Nowhere," she deadpanned. "I don't know any of you."
"I'm saying that if plants are living beings and we're living beings, burying your head in fertilized dirt and watering it regularly will help people grow bigger."
"Morgan, I'm sorry to inform you," Dimitri said awkwardly. "But that's not how it works."
"Why?"
"Pardon?"
"Why is that not how it works?"
"Well… we're not plants for one."
"Then why are you so tall?"
"Ah…" Dimitri paused, trying to think of an answer. Morgan waited patiently for an answer, while Claude chuckled, trying to stifle his laughter.
"Because he ate his vegetables," Claude answered. "Particularly peas and tomato flesh."
"Peels," Edelgard corrected, a small smirk on her face.
"Tomato peels," Claude amended.
Morgan's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you lying?"
"No, none of them are," Byleth said nonchalantly. "I ate them all the time as a child. In fact, I can wager that they all did as well."
Byleth eyed the three Lords, who all nodded in tandem. Morgan's head peeked over her mother's shoulder. "Grandpa Jeralt?"
"I did too," he coughed loudly, a grin hidden behind his fist. "That's why I'm so tall."
Morgan looked at Alois. "Uh... Lewis?"
The knight didn't respond, whistling loudly. Jeralt elbowed him harder than necessary.
"What is it? What did I miss?" asked a bewildered Alois.
"Does eating peas and tomato peels make you tall?"
The knight blinked. Then he laughed. "My dear girl, I believe you'll find that it is in fact meat–"
Jeralt elbowed him again, before glaring daggers. A silent conversation passed between the two of them.
Alois looked at Morgan. "Yes, it does."
"Hmm, interesting," Morgan tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"You'll have plenty of time later to think about it," Claude leaned over to whisper. "We're here."
The battalion of knights and mercenaries passed the treeline, revealing Garreg Mach Monastery. It stood proudly, its historic stone walls towering into the endless blue sky. People littered the streets underneath, a bustling city of activity and trade.
"Wow," Morgan's eyes were wide in awe at the sight.
Byleth was of a similar mind. Though that was soon forgotten as she felt a gaze looking at her from high above.
"I wonder. Did the flow of time bring you here?"
Rhea's gaze lingered on Byleth's face, taking in every detail. She could feel hope swell into her chest, an excited smile on her face. Her legs nearly sprinted as she hurried along the long stone corridors, dress cascading behind her.
Rhea entered her chambers, patting down her dress and fingers neatening her hair. Once she felt comfortable, she let out a nervous breath, her back towards the doors.
"Rhea?" Seteth looked confused at her sudden appearance. "Is something the matter?"
She shook her head, almost feeling giddy. "No Seteth. Everything is perfect."
"Your holiness?" A guard called from outside the chamber, confusion in his voice. "You have… a guest?"
"You may send them in," Rhea called out, Seteth still looking confused. Well, she couldn't blame him. This was a momentous day after all.
The doors opened, and the Archbishop found herself taking in a deep breath. She turned around, lost eyes full of hope, daring to see… a small child walked into the room. Shoulder-length curly teal hair, hazel eyes peering up at her green ones, and dressed in purple robes.
Rhea blinked.
The hair colour was right. Did Sitri's child… perhaps get smaller on the way to her chambers… or was it that she misjudged their size from a distance?
Rhea closed her eyes, and counted a few seconds before opening them again… nope, there still was a small child in her chambers.
"Are you lost little one?" Seteth asked.
"Nope," the child chirped.
From the corridor, multiple pairs of footsteps could be heard sprinting down the corridor. A few cats screeched, and metal clanged loudly. The guards turned their heads towards the ruckus.
"MORGAN!"
A/N: Another chapter down. Man, I'm surprisingly on a roll XD. Uh, not much else to say for this one? I thought it would make sense for Robin to have at least taught Byleth a few tricks when it comes to magic, only to ultimately find out that she's more suited to faith magic. The reason why I chose fire and thunder is specifically because Byleth learns those at D and D+ reason magic in-game.
Claude was a pleasure to write, as usual, I felt like I might have potentially accidentally written Dimitri too dumb to keep the tone light-hearted. So sorry if that came across like that.
Review Responses:
baka-to-monogatari: Yes both storylines will be. I'm planning on introducing Robin's side of the story soon, hopefully, the next chapter.
TheSagMaster: you have no idea how relieved I am. I find characterisation really tricky at times, especially for more nuanced characters with complicated backstories like Claude.
Guest: Yes sorry, Morgan's hair is indeed the same colour as Byleth. I'm, not the most proficient in description in general and kinda left it up to the reader's interpretation.
Temporal King: I admit, I'm very biased towards Golden Deer myself. But I'm not too sure if I want to take that path for this story specifically. I'm currently leaning more towards the Blue Lions actually.
Hashirama: Sorry for the confusion. No, Awakening hasn't happened. Byleth and Robin met pre-awakening, and I'll be covering Robin's side soon.
DarthFlores: Glad you liked it so far. As for that, we'll have to see XD.
Thank you to the rest of you that reviewed. If I don't specifically address your review, it's not because I'm ignoring you. It's literally because I have no idea what to say... so uhh, yeah.
Once again, if you have any criticisms or feedback, please let me know.