(A/N: This chapter is a bit long, but it's also important character-wise. I'm also very proud of how this one turned out, so I hope you guys enjoy!)
Edelgard asked them to meet in the Black Eagle's classroom the day after they returned to Garreg Mach; there wasn't any word that Count Bergliez was having trouble, so Byleth assumed Edelgard just wanted to get the rest of it settled. Soon, there wouldn't be much places left to fight in.
The group was smaller; just Jeralt, Byleth, Hubert, Claude, and one pink-haired girl that came with him. Edelgard nodded and began when everyone was settled.
"Not much is changing," she announced. "Count Bergliez is fighting well against houses Fraldarius and Gautier, but could do with some reinforcements to speed up the process. A small army of both Imperial and Alliance soldiers will be sent shortly."
"The great lords agreed on my group joining with the Imperial army after taking care of the underground city," Claude mused. "I can send half of them out, then half of them can stay? And I'll come, too."
"That's about as much as I would have asked for," Edelgard replied. "I'll be coming along initially, but myself and a small group will be branching off; in the underground city, there was enough information gathered to pursue another one of the more important mages. Considering she's in Kingdom territory, we can consider this a confirmation of loyalties as well. She's alone, so I'm not taking a large group; Hubert, Monica, and some guards. Dimitri will be coming with me."
The idea brought back a single memory from two whole years prior. Jeralt noticed Byleth's change in expression—he gave her a concerned look but she dismissed it by shaking her head. He didn't look convinced; Sothis seemed ready to comment, but must have decided against it.
Edelgard continued to explain the plans, and discuss preferences with Claude on which of his people were likely to leave or stay—mercenaries were asked to stay, with the reason of emergency backup to either group if necessary. When she finished, they were dismissed.
Byleth waited while the rest left; even Hubert had something else he needed to do, apparently. Edelgard noticed, but didn't comment until they were the only ones left.
"Do you have concerns?" Edelgard asked. "You don't tend to stay after these. If it's about the mage, it will be fine—if we can't find her or she does have helpers, we'll be returning as soon as we can."
"…I'm more worried about you going with Dimitri than you fighting one of those mages," Byleth admitted.
"Hubert and Monica will be enough to watch him," Edelgard said to try to assure her. The memory of what initially happened in the Holy Tomb didn't quite let Byleth accept it. "If anyone needs to see that woman dead, it's Dimitri—he won't trust my word if I just say I killed her, so he needs to see it for himself. Further negotiations would depend on it, and I don't need all of the mercenaries to fight Cornelia."
"…Right."
Edelgard went to her usual spot, taking out some papers. Byleth, as a result, got up from her place and started towards the door. Edelgard looked up again as she passed her.
"What about Dimitri worries you?" Edelgard asked.
"She's willing and wants to understand," Sothis mused. "This would be one of the better chances to explain what happened that day."
Byleth still wasn't sure if she could explain it, but she had a feeling Sothis wouldn't let her just walk away from it. She voiced her concerns—Sothis seemed to think Byleth should explain them.
She knew from experience that Edelgard probably wouldn't prompt her—she'd have done so already, if she would, instead of waiting for her. Byleth sighed.
"…I can explain, you just need to give me a minute. It's complicated."
"A reason without context would be fine," Edelgard replied. "I'm simply curious."
"There…isn't much reason without context—or not as strong of a reason, at any rate. Can I close the door?"
"Go ahead."
Byleth went to shut the door, then walked to the desk across from Edelgard. The emperor shifted her position so she fully faced the mercenary.
She started by looking at Edelgard, then trying to observe anything in the room but the emperor's face, only glancing back once or twice.
"…Back at the Holy Tomb. Do you still remembered what happened?"
Claude had asked the question earlier, before he joined them. Byleth wanted to confirm.
"Dimitri, Claude, Hubert, Monica, and a few students came from one side," Edelgard recalled patiently. She seemed aware that Byleth couldn't easily describe it. "A mage came to give his report and came up behind me; you ran up after pausing and attacked him. You saved my life."
At least she understood that, but Byleth still needed to explain more.
"Now think of a…different scenario. I'm with the students; you're at the entrance, alone. A mage comes up and talks to you but doesn't leave. The students and I go up to where you are—you turn to face me and say a few words, but you're cut off by the mage attacking you from behind. The Flame Emperor falls and her mask shattered."
She saw enough of Edelgard's expression through the corner of her eye to know it gradually changed as she followed along with the story. Byleth carried on before she asked questions.
"Hubert killed the mage, stood close to you to avoid letting the others see. You were alive—breathing, at least, just unconscious—but Dimitri came up and noticed what face was behind that mask. The spell the mage used created a gap in your armor; Dimitri—"
Dammit. She took a breath and turned, trying to hide her face. She felt the tears and she wasn't fond of it.
"You're doing well," Sothis assured her. "The story doesn't have much left."
Byleth found the words again after a moment, but still didn't look to see how Edelgard's expression might have changed.
"…So you were dead, because he stabbed you. Hubert and Monica left; the battle ended. Rhea just wanted to send your body back to Enbarr—appoint someone else to lead the Empire. She wouldn't linger on it any longer than that." She mustered the strength to actually look at Edelgard again, who was watching her carefully. Still, she seemed to understand. "That's how I remember the Holy Tomb—what originally happened. I was able to go back and change it."
Edelgard fell silent for a few moments, then nodded mostly to herself.
"That answers some questions," she reasoned. "Although it brings up a few more."
"You actually believe it?" Byleth asked, somewhat surprised.
"It feels…right," Edelgard admitted. She stood up and closed the distance between them, stopping in front of Byleth. After a second's hesitation, she brushed away the single tear that fell; her hand lingered where the tear had been. Quieter, she added, "And besides, a person like you wouldn't cry over a lie."
Byleth managed a smile, and they stood there for a few moments just…silently watching the other. She acknowledged, in the back of her mind, how close they were.
After almost a full minute, Edelgard gently rest her hand on Byleth's shoulder. She leaned in just enough to offer a light kiss. Byleth returned it without thinking.
Someone knocked on the door and they pulled away in that next instant. It took a second for Byleth to realize what happened, aided by Sothis's surprised laughter.
It took another second for her to remember she really didn't have a reason to stand so close to Edelgard, but it barely took her a moment to realize she wasn't quite willing to walk away to make it seem less conspicuous.
Edelgard seemed to need all that time to recover, turning towards the door. "More work?"
"My intend was to let you rest, but some does require Your Majesty's attention." Monica. She tended to avoid Byleth, so maybe she wouldn't notice both women were blushing now.
"Just a minute," Edelgard called. She looked back at Byleth, started to say something, then paused and actually spoke. "Thank you—for telling me about what happened in the Holy Tomb. I only have one thing left to ask, and the rest can wait until later."
Byleth nodded, and Edelgard actually seemed to debate between different questions. After a moment, she spoke.
"Based on…" She hesitated, then tried again more firmly. "After my father died, when you asked me about the death of loved ones, you mentioned someone close to you; you couldn't understand how they could be killed. Was that..?"
"The Holy Tomb," Byleth confirmed. "…You."
Sothis chuckled. "It feels rather obvious now to think on it, doesn't it? You've finally realized it."
Byleth tried not to respond too much. It was just a kiss; it…could mean nothing. It could be simple reassurance, or a response to standing so close—not necessarily a result of anything else.
Yet Byleth knew she was still blushing and Edelgard was the same. Sothis seemed to find the display amusing, at least; the three-year long opera finally gave her something interesting to watch.
"Thank you," Edelgard maintained. She walked a bit closer to the door. "If you want and Jeralt doesn't mind, you can come with us; it shouldn't take long. Just…promise you'll stay careful, so we can talk about this later."
Byleth nodded her understanding, and Edelgard accepted it. Monica entered when the door was opened, initially smiling at Edelgard before noticing Byleth.
She paused, glanced between them, then gained Edelgard's attention with the papers she brought. Byleth left so she wouldn't interrupt.
Sothis barely hesitated a second before teasing.
