Five years later...
Byleth sat in a tavern drinking from his mug. He spared a moment to ponder on his recent mission in Remire Village and what his next steps would be. The second he heard about monsters suddenly appearing in the area he quickly set off to defend it. When he fought the monsters he found the cultists responsible for them and cut them down without mercy. They proclaimed that he'd be making an enemy of the Empire. That only made things worse for them. He kept the leader alive to extract information from them. He hoped that they would get it as quickly as possible.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" a haughty voice called out. Byleth looked up to the tavern's front door to see one of his companions standing proudly with an air of superiority. Her now long blonde curly hair with the blue underneath wet upon her head and shoulders from the downpour of rain outside in the evening. Long gone were the days of the grey dress and corset, now sporting a thick sweater-like dress and maroon-coloured chest plate, arm guards and claw-like thigh guards just above her knee-high heeled boots. Despite the changes over the years, she still kept her dark blue headband and ascot.
"Has the prisoner talked yet Constance?" Byleth asked before turning his attention back to his drink.
"That's all you have to say? Do you not see the abhorrent state that this fair noble lady is in after searching for the Ashen Demon in the rain?" Constance looked offended as she marched over to him with her nose in the air. She took a chair and sat down opposite him, crossing her arms and legs. "I came to see how you were doing. You were so berserk in the fight against the cultists Hapi thought she accidentally sighed and turned you into a monster."
"I'm fine," Byleth drank from his mug. He let out another sigh as he got lost in thought again. He couldn't stay in Remire Village for long. The last thing he wanted was to be recognised by the villagers or word of his location reaching Garreg Mach Monastery. It's why he ditched his 'Enlightened' regalia and his old black outfit he use to wear and switched to the old mercenary armour that his father's group wore.
"Byleth, your roots are showing again," Constance smirked with a tilt of her head. He unconsciously scratched the top of his head. One of the things Byleth did to keep himself from being recognised from a distance was to dye his hair black. The problem was that no matter how many times he'd dye it, the damn light green hair would start to come through. The dye he used was supposed to be permanent, and yet it's showing again after five days.
"You really should let me try some of my magic you know. I've worked hard to create and perfect new spells that'll one day bring House Nuvelle back into prominence within the magic circles! Why not allow the great Constance to have a go?" She uncrossed one arm and twirled her finger around, a yellow crest forming around it.
"The last time you tried to change hair colour you turned Balthus's hair pink," Byleth deadpanned.
"He was a guinea pig for the fine-tuning of the spell! This time it'll work," He couldn't be sure if it would this time or if he'd become another guinea pig for her experiments. Though it hadn't gotten anyone killed yet he didn't want to take the chance.
"I'll pass for now," he took another drink from his mug.
"Well is there anything else you want to talk about?" Constance asked innocently. He took a moment to think if there was anything. But before he could answer he felt a sensation under the table.
"Anything else you want to do?" The smirk grew across her lips like a cat eyeing a mouse, as she trailed the tip of her foot along Byleth's inner thigh.
"Constance... not here..." Byleth muttered quietly, his grip tightening on the mug as she started rubbing his crotch.
"Somewhere else then?" Constance kept an innocent tone as her foot did not do innocent things. Byleth bit his tongue to keep himself from answering. Despite himself, he did not move her foot away, keeping his eyes shut to ignore the arousing feeling she built up within him. Suddenly the foot had moved away. The sound of a chair dragging against the wood and heeled footsteps told Byleth that she was now behind him. Constance's arms wrapped around him from behind as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"You've been stressed. More so than usual, why don't you let me help you out with that?" Her hands slivered down his neck then under his shirt, feeling all the bumps of his muscles then slowly dragging her nails up them. Byleth bit his lip. She was pushing his buttons. And it was working. He reached behind and ran his hand up her thigh. She giggled and turned her head and started aggressively kissing his neck.
It started about a year ago. They were in the Kingdom and were given a mission to help protect a remote village in the frozen mountain range. But once they got there they found out it was a trap by the Church. A big and bloody fight broke out against them which ended in an avalanche, separating the gang and trapping Byleth and Constance in a small house buried under the snow. Constance was too weak after the fight to use her magic to melt her way through. So they were left trapped in the house for the night until she rested. But when they used their own body heat for warmth, one thing led to another and... that was Byleth's first night with a woman.
It was not the last.
Byleth turned and pulled Constance around him. She quickly hopped one leg over his lap and sat down. Their lips hungrily crashed into each other as their hands desperately rubbed on skin. Constance's hips gyrating continued where her boot left off. Her muffled giggle reverberated into Byleth's mouth as her hands quickly ran down his shirt to his belt.
"Hey! If you're gonna continue with that! Get a room!" the innkeeper suddenly broke them out of their hungered trance.
"How dare you interrupt a lady such as I! Do you not know who I am!" Constance turned her head to face the man who dared interrupt her in her flustered state. "We are the ones that protected your village this night! The common courtesy you could do is give us some privacy at once!"
The innkeeper wished to argue it more. But they were the only two in the tavern at this ungodly hour. They already had their rooms booked for the night and quite simply, he'd rather go to bed. So with a sigh, he took his cloth, whipped it over his shoulder and left through the kitchen door. Constance turned back around and latched her lips onto Byleth's once more.
"We should... go to... another ro-" Byleth tried to get a word in but her tongue had other plans. His hand rode up her thighs and clutched her bum cheeks as they thrust into his crotch, massaging his arousal more. They were alone now, and with how worked up Byleth was he was ready to just take Constance on the bar table there and then.
"BYLETH! CONSTANCE! YOU ABOUT?!" Balthus's voice boomed outside.
"UGH! Come on!" Constance growled in frustration and forced herself off Byleth. The two quickly adjusted all their clothes and hair before Balthus came through the tavern door. He was soaking wet and dripped a puddle at his feet from ragged beige coattails. His purple furs on his shoulders were drenched through.
"Ah, there you two are! How are things going?" He swept his wet long hair out of his face as he walked towards them.
"Fine. You may leave now!" Constance haughty said with a stamp of her foot and crossed arms.
"Woah what did I do?" Balthus asked in confusion at Constance's hostility. He looked to Byleth with his hands raised for help.
"What did the cultist tell you?" Byleth asked as he turned in his chair to face him.
"Nothing about where the rest of them are, unfortunately. Though they spoke plenty of the Empire and who's based in Garreg Mach right now. The Emperor is there herself," Balthus explained.
"Edelgard's there?" Constance exclaimed in surprise before taking a quick glance at Byleth. He did not seem to react at all to the news. She turned back to Balthus. "What of Abyss?"
"From what I got out of him the Empire has been using the tunnels to search for stuff left behind by the Church. Crest Stones for one. The people of Abyss seem to be holding up the same as before, but there's plenty of the Empire down there keeping watch of things now," He crossed his arms with a frown.
"Edelgard always boasted that in her world places like Abyss wouldn't need to exist. That those downtrodden by the nobility and crest system would be free to live as equals," Byleth pondered aloud. "So I don't think Abyss would be in any danger under the Empire's control. If anything I think they would be treated more better than they were under Rhea."
"That's what I hear," A new voice called out from the doorway. Two more people walked into the tavern standing at the side of Balthus. A purple-haired handsome man in a dark noble attire with grey leather gloves and thigh-high boots and a black cloak, with long red triangular cloth coming out from a black leather shoulder guard that reached around his back. Next to him was a dark-skinned red-haired girl. She wore a dark green cloak that reached just below her bum. A light green blouse underneath a black corset matched in colour with her thigh-high black boots.
"My contacts in Abyss say that conditions have improved. The tavern has better drinks, the people are treated with respect and life down there has gotten a bit easier. That said the Empire's keeping a really close eye on things. Making sure there are no secret messages being sent out to tip off their enemies. Fortunately, they don't know Abyss as well as I do so my contacts have their ways," Yuri explained with a smirk.
"Life became easier in Abyss when the Church isn't in control. Why am I not surprised?" Hapi commented with her hands folded in front of her.
"You couldn't get any information on the whereabouts of their leaders Balthus? No secret bases or other plots of assassination?" Byleth pressed with a frown.
"Sorry man. The only thing he said was that they were everywhere and he... Uhm... blew up before I could get any more," Balthus sighed, scratching the back of his head.
"He blew up?! How?" Constance exclaimed in shock.
"I dunno! Had some magic he built up inside him while I was questioning him," Balthus shrugged his shoulders. Byleth took his mug and took another drink from it.
"Back to square one. Well if the Empire is this close then I need to get far away from them. So I should be leaving in the morning," Byleth got to his feet. "If you wish to stay and return to Abyss-"
"You aren't getting rid of us that easily bud," Balthus grinned as he slammed his fist into his palm.
"I need you're battle prowess and magic to help me revive my noble household! So I can't let you go off on your own to get hurt," Constance tilted a hand to her chin and let out an aristocratic laugh.
"We do a good job together helping those hurt by the war, but especially protect those from the Church too. Not like I've got anything better to do squatting in Abyss. At least I can sigh when the Knight's of Seiros try to attack us," Hapi gave a nod with a smile.
"The Ashen Wolves and the Ashen Demon. I must say I wish to see how far this journey takes us," Yuri walked over to the mercenary with a grin. "And I already have a location planned out for us."
"Of course you do," Byleth crossed his arm and peered at Yuri with suspicion. "Where do you suggest we go then?"
"The Leicester Alliance. We've been making waves in Empire-controlled land that word of us attacking these cultists that lurk in the shadow would have gotten to the Emperor. Who'll by obligation send forces to smoke us out. So we'll leave before they get the chance. Obviously, with the Holy Kingdom tied to the hip with the Church of Seiros we cannot go to the Kingdom or risk multiple battles. Meanwhile, the Alliance is rendered neutral in this war due to the noble Houses bickering over which side of the war they should go to. Something their Sovereign Duke wishes to maintain," Yuri walked around Byleth and sat down on the mercenary's chair, kicking his feet up onto the table and crossing them. "We'll be able to blend in as mercenaries all the while I'll... use my silver tongue as Constance calls it, and gather more information about the state of the war from the Noble Houses."
"Always have everything figured out don't you?" Byleth remarked with a light frown.
"I have to when I have so many people looking to me for help and answers. Even if they may be a former professor," Yuri grinned back at Byleth. The latter sighed and turned to leave up the stairs. "Goodnight Professor."
Byleth gave a wave as he walked up the stairs. Heading to the Leicester Alliance was probably the best move to get information on both sides of the war. It was easier to stay on top of things from both sides that want him dead. While Rhea and the Church confronted him openly, Empire agents sent by a certain servant to the Emperor would try to end him from the shadows. It had been a while since assassins from House Vestra tried to kill him in the night. Whether Edelgard sent them herself or it was Hubert acting on his own volition he didn't know. But he hadn't seen an assassin since the last attempt a month ago. They came through the window into the bedroom of a tavern he stayed the night in. Then to their surprise their lives were cut short as they were struck by lightning from the woman who stayed the night with him.
Speaking off the woman. He could hear her heeled boots walking up the stairs, no doubt heading for her room. Byleth stood in front of his room door for a moment until he heard Constance walk by him. Then he grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him. When they kissed once more she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He pinned her to the wall as he grabbed onto the door handle and pushed it open. He carried the noblewoman into his room and kicked the door shut behind him. There was no love between them. At least, he did not love her. But it helped to forget the pain. To forget that the world wanted him dead or to use him for their own agendas. So he threw her down onto the bed. Her armour pieces and his spaulders were already tossed onto the floor. He looked down into her lustful blue eyes, her blonde curls with blue highlights spread across the white sheets. And as he lowered himself down upon her like he had done many times before. He felt the familiar pain in his heart. A flash of white hair spread on the white sheets, and violet eyes looking up at him.
Despite how angry and hurt he was, he wished right now, he was with someone else.
88888888
Ferdinand stood upon the bridge that lead to the Cathedral of Garreg Mach Monastery. Or rather the ruins of it. The morning sunlight shone down upon the fields and forests of the outskirts. He use to come here every morning eagerly waiting for the morning sermons to start. He'd warm up his voice to show how graceful his singing was. To have such a voice was to be expected of his status as a noble. It was one of the many things he was sure of when he was a student. But now the war has left him unsure of many things.
To stand with Edelgard was to accept having his father rot away in a dungeon for crimes against her and her family. Now Ferdinand stands as Prime Minister of Adrestia. Though it felt like it was in name only. Edelgard took no heed of his advice or any of his objections to what she had been doing during the war. It was bad at first but now Edelgard seemed even more detached from herself. Less caring about the lives lost in her conquest and consorting more with the likes of Lord Arundel. He found him to be far more devious than Hubert. As time went on Ferdinand was left questioning what he was doing here. And why he was still here.
"Ferdinand?" He blinked his eyes out of his thoughts and turned around. What was once a terrified meek girl that wouldn't leave her room now stood a very accomplished sniper and friend Bernadetta.
"Oh, Bernadetta! My apologies, I was miles away for a moment there," He gave a cheerful smile. It was an odd twist of fate that Bernadetta and he would meet and become friends at the academy. When many years ago there was a plan that the two would have had an arranged marriage without meeting.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," Bernadetta quickly apologised. She had improved quite a lot these past years. Back then she'd have run off before Ferdinand could get a word in.
"There's nothing to be sorry for. You did not disturb me. What can I do for you?" He placed a hand on his hip, and his now very long ginger hair blew in the wind.
"I'm sorry it's just... Edelgard wishes for a meeting with us and her generals," She kept her gaze low and twiddled her thumbs. She was well aware of the tension that weighed heavy when he and Edelgard were in the same room. Even more so if Hubert was also there who would purposefully push his buttons to antagonize him.
"I see... I guess we can't keep the Emperor waiting now can we?" Ferdinand forced a smile to try and comfort his friend. She smiled back with a nod but he could tell she was still apprehensive.
"No, we can't. We- Ah! Dorothea!" Bernadetta called out as she leant to the side looking behind Ferdinand and waved. He looked over his shoulder to see the songstress walking across the bridge from the Cathedral.
"Good morning Bernie... Ferdie," she bowed her head to the two, though sounded less cheerful when addressing Ferdinand.
"Good morning Dorothea. I am surprised to see you coming from the Cathedral. I did not think you were all that religious," Ferdinand smiled, trying to start some small talk with her.
"There's a lot you don't know Ferdie. But you're right. I'd hardly call myself devout. And how are you today Bernie?" She answered without hostility or a condescending tone before brushing him aside to address Bernadetta. This was an improvement from the academy days when she openly despised him. He still hadn't figured out the reason why or the meaning of the bee clue he was given. He hoped he'd get somewhere in figuring it out over the five years but was still stumped. He hoped one day he'd find the reason. It hurt him to know Dorothea thought little of him. But he held onto hope that one day they would become friends. After all, she ate all of the pastries he made her many years ago.
"I'm okay. My fingers are a little sore from yesterday's practice but I'll be fine. Uhm... Edelgard wants to see all of us and her generals now," Bernadetta smiled sheepishly to her friend.
"Does she? Well, let's not be late and see what Edie has in store for us... hopefully not another battle," Dorothea trailed off at the end as she started walking ahead, quickly followed by the remaining two on the bridge. The three of them did not know what was in store for them in this meeting. Dorothea hoped she wasn't going to fight and witness more bloodshed in this war. Bernadetta dreaded the meeting falling into another shouting match between her friends. Ferdinand felt like the meeting itself was going to be another battle for honour and nobility.
All three did not want to go. But thus it was decreed by the Adrestian Emperor.