Great Tree Moon, Day 24, Imperial Year 1187

"I'm sorry. You want to do what?"

"Roleplay. I was asking Dorothea for advice-"

"Why?"

"-and she said that roleplay is a fun way to keep things fresh in a relationship."

"...I have heard that as well. And I suppose it isn't the worst idea. It... could even be fun. Did you have a specific idea in mind?"

"Not really," Byleth admitted. "But I thought you might. You were waging war with the Church and Kingdom for five years, so I figure you must have some scenarios you'd want to play out to let out your frustrations. Like, maybe I dress up as Rhea and you slap me around a bit-"

"Byleth. I don't quite think... that was what Dorothea had in mind."

"It wasn't?"

"I can almost guarantee it was not. She meant roleplay in a... how do I put this delicately? It's meant to titillate and arouse- Wait, you aren't... into that, are you?"

"Into what?"

"I... truly cannot tell if you're joking, or if you really are this socially oblivious."

"..."

"It's... It's about bringing excitement into a couple's sex life. For example, one partner might find a particular scenario thrilling-"

"Like the thrill of battle."

"No, not the thrill of battle! Sexually thrilling. For some, a sense of danger is a part of it, but for others, it can simply be a particular attire or personality type. A lady knight, for instance, or a disciplinarian."

"I don't really get it."

"Put simply, any activity can lose its appeal with repetition. Some couples enjoy trying new things to 'spice things up'. Simple lovemaking can lose its lustre for some, so they try a form of roleplay to add a spark back into their relationship. Does that make sense?"

"Hmm... I guess. I don't need to do any of that, though."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Who could ever get bored of being with you, El?"

"..."

"You're very red right now."

"Y-Yes, well... Anyway, a bit of roleplay might be fun. You don't strictly need to do it only when you're getting bored. In fact, it might work as a way of staving off said boredom. Don't go thinking I could ever tire of your presence, Byleth, or that I'll think you're growing tired of me just because you'd like to try it. Would you like to?"

"Would you?"

"I would, in fact."

"Then I would too."

"Very well. Now, is there any particular scenario you think you might like to try?"

"I don't really know what kinds of things couples like to do in roleplay."

"Hm. I sometimes feel like I am the professor and you are the student when it comes to matters of intimacy. Actually, that isn't a bad place to start."

"What isn't?"

"Role reversal. You as the student and myself as the professor."

"Professor Edelgard... Or, is that Professor Hresvelg?

"Either will do. Alright. You go to my wardrobe and get my old uniform. I will get your old mercenary get-up. That should help us get into our roles."

"This sounds fun."

"Hmhm. Indeed."


"I'm back, El."

"J-Just a moment!" Edelgard's voice came from her walk-in closet, whose door remained firmly shut.

"Are you okay?"

"Just fine!" Edelgard called back, sounding anything but fine.

"If it's a problem with the chest area, it's not a big deal, really."

"..."

"El?"

"How are you intuitive enough to immediately identify the problem, yet too dense to realise I don't want it said aloud?"

"Um..."

Edelgard sighed and opened the door. Indeed, the chest area of Byleth's old attire wasn't filled by Edelgard's smaller bust. Even with the tissues she'd been attempting to pad it with weren't enough to do so convincingly.

"But it's not a big deal," Byleth assured her wife. "There's some room, sure, but not that much."

"Byleth, there's-"

"You're exaggerating. You look good."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

Byleth shook her head emphatically. "Nope. You look great. Your legs look even more amazing than usual in my tights."

Edelgard blushed a deep crimson.

"And your chest may not be as big as mine, but that doesn't make you look any less amazing in this. If anything, it makes you more approachable."

"H-How?"

"Because you're not too proud to let your outfit highlight the fact that even you have room to grow."

Edelgard sighed. "Byleth, when people say 'room to grow', they mean in character, not in physicality. As people."

"Children grow into people, eventually."

"Wha-?"

"And they also grow in height, so I don't see why those things are different."

"...You truly are an enigma, Byleth."

"Thank you? Did that not make you feel better?"

"Not really, no."

"I see." Byleth inserted her hands into the gap beneath the collar and cupped her wife's breasts. "What if I say I like having more room to make you feel good?"

Edelgard blushed, gasped, moaned and giggled, all at once. "B-Byleth!" She pulled herself free of her wife's grasping hands and playfully slapped them. "There'll be time for that kind of thing later. Foreplay is important. But, thank you. As long as you appreciate them, that's good enough for me."

"I bet our baby would appreciate them too."

"B-Baby!? W-What!?"

"You don't want one?" Byleth pouted.

"Th-That isn't the issue here! You can't just allude to a baby out of nowhere like that. You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Oh. I'd like a baby. That would be cool."

"I... I see. I think we're getting a little off-topic here."

"Oh, right. The roleplay."

"Yes. How is the uniform?"

"A little tight in the... thighs?" Byleth prevented herself from making a horrible mistake as her wife glared at her. "I think my butt might be too big for this skirt too."

Said butt was swiftly struck by Edelgard's palm. "You are not to speak again until spoken to. Understand?" Despite her attempt to remain annoyed, Edelgard could swear she saw hearts in Byleth's eyes.


"Now then..." Professor Hresvelg cleared her throat and pushed her borrowed glasses slightly up her nose. "Let's begin the lesson. Please, take your seat, Ms. Eisner."

"Yes, My Teacher," Byleth replied with a bow that did little to hide her playful smile from view. Edelgard was more successful in hiding her blush as she turned to write on the blackboard they'd brought over from the war room.

The lecture was simple enough to give. Edelgard had always paid rapt attention to her classes to learn as much as she could in preparation for her war. Byleth's classes were a little harder to remain focused on, due to Edelgard's growing crush on her favourite teacher, and her mind's tendency to wander into fantasy of a war waged by her teacher's side.

"And that should just about do it. Are there any questions?"

Byleth raised her hand.

"Yes, Ms. Eisner?"

"Professor, if I asked you to start a war with the Church, what would you say?"

Edelgard stared, mouth agape, brain scarcely believing what her 'student' had just said.

"Prof- Ms. Eisner," Edelgard caught herself, finding herself slipping back into the classroom mentality a little too readily for her own liking. "Why would you ask me such a question?"

"The lecture part was boring me, so I wanted to get to the good stuff. Can you punish me for my heresy, please?"

Edelgard sighed. "Admittedly, I did get a little too into my own role. I may have lost sight of the point of this exercise... Very well." Edelgard sat on the edge of Byleth's desk and lifted her chin to force her 'student' to stare into her eyes. "As you know, this institution makes use of cruel and unusual punishment for insubordination such as yours."

"Yes, Ma'am," Byleth responded, her breath hitched.

"This is your first offense of the semester, so I will be lenient. Three slaps across each cheek should be enough. Now, bend over the... desk?" Before she could even finish her command, Byleth was draped over her desk, her chest dangling over the front in a way that felt unintentionally mocking. It took some of the fun out of it for Byleth to not at least pretend she was reluctant to obey, but Edelgard supposed that was just how her wife was. Concealing her smile behind her hand, Edelgard moved around to the back of the desk.

Six loud slaps rang out through the room. On the first, Edelgard worried such a ludicrously loud sound would be heard outside. By the third, she no longer cared.

"There," she said as her hand came away from her wife's flesh for the sixth time. "Have you learned your lesson Ms. Eisner?"

Byleth said nothing, simply turned her head to look at her 'teacher', a lustful expression on her face as drool leaked out of her mouth and onto the floor. Edelgard sighed playfully and gently ran a hand over the red-nylon-covered flesh.

"Had I known you were this easy, I'd have done this years ago."

Byleth smiled dopily.

"I'm surprised by how into this you are."

"I can feel the power in your hands," Byleth finally responded. "It reminds me how powerful my wife is. It's comforting."

"I... see?" She stood up straight and adjusted her glasses to switch back into teacher mode. "These hands are capable of much more than this. The next time you are insubordinate in my classroom, I will have your boots off and tickle you until you can't breathe."

A visible shiver ran through Byleth, and Edelgard couldn't tell if it was fear or desire that caused it.

"But I think that is enough for this session." Edelgard removed her glasses and her body relaxed. "How... How was it?"

"I'm in love."

Edelgard chuckled. "As you should be." She kissed her wife on the forehead, only to be pulled into a deep kiss. Edelgard was surprised to find herself being pulled over the desk and onto Byleth's lap back in her seat. Then, Byleth yelped into her mouth as her stinging behind hit the wooden chair beneath her. Edelgard gently pulled Byleth out of the chair so they could switch positions, resting her lover's thighs across her own so she could sit in relative comfort. By the time Byleth's kisses moved from her lips to her neck, Edelgard was too lost in lust to notice the knocking on the door.

"Hey, Edie," Dorothea said as she opened the door, looking down at the papers in her hand. "I think I'm just about done with the new manu...script..." She trailed off as she looked upon the Emperor's embrace with the two's former teacher, a wide cheshire grin spreading across her lips. "Oh, my, my, my, my!"

By now, the two had stopped their lustful make-out session and were staring at Dorothea, Edelgard mortified and Byleth mildly surprised.

"It looks like I'm not the only one looking to play Edelgard, hmm?"

Edelgard's cheeks turned as red as Byleth's.

"If you two need some privacy, you should consider getting some locks. But then, I don't think Hubie would agree to that... Anyway, I'll just come back later. Toodles!"

"D-Dorothea, wait!" Edelgard called out, dreading to think what might happen if Dorothea left without a proper explanation, but not quite being sure how to go about giving her one.

"Ohoho?" Dorothea turned back to face the pair with a very smug smile on her face. "Does the Emperor want me to join her and her missus for the fun? I wouldn't be opposed to being the mistress of such an incredible pair, if you agree to look after me financially." She didn't wink, but they could hear the wink in her voice.

"I'm game," Byleth said flatly, causing Dorothea to burst out laughing.

"Oh, Professor! You are a riot!"

"I am?"

"Absolutely. Well, I should leave you two alone. I'll show you the script later, Edie. Have fun, you two..."

Emperor and Empress sat in silence for a while, until Byleth shuffled uncomfortably atop Edelgard's knee and said, "My butt hurts."

Edelgard burst out laughing.


Great Tree Moon, Day 27, Imperial Year 1187

A few days later, while lying in bed together, Byleth commented, "That roleplay thing was fun."

"How is your behind, by the way?" Edelgard asked, looking up from her book.

"Ready for round two," the educator replied confidently.

"Just the two of us, or were you serious about involving Dorothea?" Edelgard asked, sure to keep any readable emotion out of her voice.

"Just us. Dorothea seems like she'd be too much for either of us to handle in bed. Both of us, even."

"You're probably right. Still, for clarity, I'm not entirely opposed to the idea. But only if both of us are up for it."

"That's very liberal of you."

"You expected something less?"

"I expected you to be honest. You don't have to force yourself to agree just because I'd be up for it. If you don't want to share me with anyone else, or to be shared, then I'm yours and yours alone, El." Byleth placed a hand on Edelgard's cheek, and the Emperor covered it with her own.

"Thank you. Perhaps, one day. But not right now."

"I understand. And since I'm officially yours alone, do you have anything you'd like to do with me tonight?" There was an unusual coyness in Byleth's tone. Edelgard liked it.

"I wouldn't mind giving the roleplay another try. But, with a new scenario this time."

"Like... me being the teacher and disciplining a student?"

"...Tempting, but I think something more contemporary might be best. Neither of us really fit in our old clothing last time."

"I bet I could fit in your imperial coat."

"Oh? Are you offering to be my Emperor now?"

Byleth nodded. "I like being in charge. I'm fine taking orders from you, but taking the lead is where I feel the most comfortable."

"You were a teacher and a military leader. It only makes sense you'd feel at home that way."

"Yeah. So? What do you think?"

"I think the hair ornaments would take a too much time."

"That's fine. As long as you look up to me, I should be able to pull it off."

"Is that a joke about my height, my love?" Edelgard teased.

"I would never," Byleth replied suddenly and with conviction. It caught Edel off-gard.

"Th-That is wise, love. But what is my role to be? What kind of subordinate shall I be in this fantasy of ours? Your prime minister? Your bodyguard?"

"How about a maid?"

"A maid? ...Why?"

"Because 'Maidelgard' is funny."

Despite her desire to groan at Alois' years-old joke, the adorable smile on Byleth's lips made Edelgard incapable of expressing any sort of negativity. "Very well. I will acquire a maid uniform. You change into my clothes."

"This is gonna be fun."

Edelgard chuckled at her wife's enthusiasm. "Go easy on me... My Emperor."

Edelgard wasn't able to leave for her uniform for a few minutes, thanks to Byleth latching onto her and showering her with lustful kisses.


After obtaining the uniform, Edelgard dropped it into a sack and covertly brought it back to their room. Byleth was still getting dressed in the walk-in closet by the time Edelgard returned. Changing into the maid uniform was surprisingly easy. Edelgard wondered for a moment why it came so naturally to her, then began to wonder concernedly if that old pun magic incident had had a deeper effect on her than she'd realised.

Edelgard looked herself over in the mirror and felt something was missing. The uniform was black and white - monochrome when combined with her pale skin and silver hair. It certainly had its own appeal, but she didn't care for it. She quickly switched out the black stockings for her old red ones from her academy days. Her legs, now more muscular from her five years of waging war, strained the fabric a little, but that just served to accentuate the contours of her musculature, which Byleth had expressed with many sugary words and passionate kisses aimed their way that she enjoyed very much.

But even with this splash of red, the look still felt incomplete. Her upper half's only colour came from her lilac eyes. This gave her an idea. She opened the locked drawer on her vanity, where she kept a number of keepsakes from her past. These contents had been kept locked away during the war to keep herself from spending too much time mourning the past. Hubert had been entrusted with the key until the war's end, but even after he returned it to her with a rare smile, she had felt no compulsion to open it until now.

Among her personal effects were a few gifts Byleth had given her during their academy days. Byleth had surprised her with a special gift on her birthday and had made it a habit of doing the same each birthday since. Edelgard, in turn, had taken to gifting Byleth birthday presents of similar value. Byleth still kept her Black Eagle pendant from their academy days hung up on her own mirror, taking it down to wear to important events, and the imperial coat of arms pen from the war still found regular use on documents today.

Edelgard felt a little guilty for not showing off her own gifts as flagrantly as her wife. She fished a few of them out and placed them on the vanity's shelf for later consideration. For now, she found her lilac ribbons and began putting them in her hair. For a moment, she worried that she might struggle to recall how, but it took little time for her fingers to move on their own, muscle memory seeing them through as she tied them as efficiently as if she had never stopped wearing them.

She looked herself over in the mirror, having barely enough time to nod in satisfaction before the door to the closet slammed open and Byleth walked out in full Emperor regalia. She'd even managed to get the ornamental horns in place with some ribbons and ingenuity.

"Make way for your Emperor!" Byleth declared pompously as Edelgard shot to her feet, her heart hammering away from the shock of the sudden entrance and the undeniable splendour of her regal wife. "You there. Maid."

"Y-Yes, Emperor?"

"Stand by the bed so I can get a better look at you."

"Right away, Emperor." Edelgard obeyed, standing before her wife and awaiting her assessment. She seemed lost in thought for a while, as if deciding how to put her thoughts into words.

"Hmm... Call me 'Mistress'."

"A-As you wish, Mistress." That wasn't quite what she hoped Byleth had been thinking about, but she could accept it. Some fine-tuning of the fantasy up front was perfectly acceptable.

"No, call me 'Master'."

"As you wish, Master."

"Now, back to 'Emperor'."

"Would you just pick one?"

"How cheeky. But fair. 'Emperor', please."

"Of course, Emperor. Is my attire to your liking?"

Edelgard curtseyed and Byleth looked her over, smiling warmly. "I'd almost forgotten what you looked like with your hair like this. It's nice." Her radiant smile was infectious. Edelgard found her reddening cheeks being pushed up by her own widening grin.

"Thank you, Emperor. Your humble maid is most grateful for you assessment."

Byleth suddenly clapped her hands, her expression now neutral. "Now then. Your Emperor has had a long day," Byleth insisted as she dropped down onto the bed. "First, give me a shoulder massage."

"Right away, Emperor," Edelgard responded, eager anticipation growing as they settled into their roles properly. Having to take off her laced boots again in such a short time was a little annoying, but she could deal with it. She was soon kneeling behind Byleth and rubbing her shoulders through the coat. Edelgard, were she the one receiving the massage, would have removed the coat, but she wasn't currently in a position to make this observation.

Instead, she focused on the image of Byleth, her form hidden by the large crimson coat she was loaning from her wife. Somehow, it felt a rather powerful image to Edelgard. She wondered if the real Emperor looked this powerful to others when seen from behind, or if it was the impossible combination of the title of Emperor and the incredibly powerful, reliable and kind woman beneath that made the image so striking.

Byleth snapped her fingers, snapping Edelgard out of her thoughts. "Emperor?"

"Take off my boots and rub my feet," Byleth commanded.

Edelgard felt a little put out by being given a new task so soon. Despite her many thoughts about the first one, she had only been rubbing her wife's shoulders for around a minute, less time than it would take for her to verbalise her many thoughts from that timespan. It almost felt as if Byleth had only started there to ease Edelgard into this second task. Still, she played her current role dutifully, hopping off the bed, kneeling at her wife's feet and getting started on removing her boots.

Edelgard's annoyance melted away as her wife moaned at the sensation of the massage. It wasn't all bad if she could make her beloved feel so good. She could deal with a little frustration for her wife's-

"Fetch me some tea," Byleth suddenly commanded, interrupting Edelgard's thoughts.

"R-Right now?"

"Did I give you a timeframe?"

"N-No?"

"Then, yes, now. Chop chop."

"But... going out there dressed like this..."

"Are you going to disobey your Emperor?" The look on Byleth's face was so uncharacteristic of her usually blank or soft expressions that Edelgard shuddered uncomfortably. She almost looked as if her body had been possessed by some wicked ruler's spirit. Or a spiteful goddess.

"I... I will not, Emperor..." Edelgard's head sagged as she stood and put her boots back on to leave.

"Edelgard, wait," Byleth said as Edelgard reached the door. "Get me some biscuits as well."

A vein popped on Edelgard's forehead. "Alright, listen, you."

"I'll have you executed for treason."

"E-Executed?"

"Secretly. I'll have Hubert poison your tea."

"Now, hold on a minute-"

"Or I could do it myself. Where is my axe?"

"Byleth, stop."

"Why, what's wrong?" The sudden switch back to Byleth's placid, soft tone almost gave Edelgard physical whiplash.

"What are you doing?" she demanded crossly.

"Roleplaying the Emperor," her wife replied simply.

Edelgard grew concerned. "...What exactly is it you think an Emperor does?"

"Boss people around?"

"What are you, a child?"

A very particular expression came over Byleth's face - one that made her look simultaneously sad and confused. It gave Edelgard the impression that she didn't quite understand what she had done wrong, but felt bad about it regardless. Almost like a puppy being scolded. It made Edelgard feel bad.

She crossed the room, back to their bed, and sat down beside her wife, then gently tugged Byleth's head down into her lap and began stroking her hair.

"Perhaps we should discuss boundaries before we begin in future, hm?"

"Okay."

"I'm not angry, love. I just don't want to leave the room in this attire. Any number of misunderstandings could arise from my being seen like this."

"I thought you were about to go when I told you to get me tea."

"I... I am willing to do a lot for you, Byleth. Sometimes, I let my emotions get the best of me and override my common sense."

"I get like that too. That's why I nearly died to Kostas. Would've been pretty embarrassing to die to him."

"Hmhm. Quite. But, as I said, preparations should be made before we do this in future. If a maid is to serve tea, tea should be prepared in advance so that the fantasy can stay locked in this room."

"That makes sense."

"Indeed." Edelgard leaned down and kissed her wife on the cheek. "I love you, Byleth. Let's consider this a learning experience for both of us and approach this the right way next time."

"Okay."

The two lay in silence for a while.

"This is nice," Byleth mumbled into Edelgard's thigh.

"Oh? Is my lap pillow to your liking, My Emperor?"

"Mm... I love your legs, El."

Edelgard chuckled lightly. "I know you do, love. Would you like to stay like this a while?"

Byleth nodded her head, then nuzzled into Edelgard's lap. "I could order you to."

"You could. And I would gladly obey such a wonderful order."

"It feels better when you want to do it."

"That's true. Aren't you lucky that I do?"

"Very."


Great Tree Moon, Day 29, Imperial Year 1187

Byleth hadn't seen Edelgard all day. Granted, both had had their own duties to see to, but Byleth's activates should have led her to cross paths with Edelgard at some point or another. But Edelgard's total absence from her day, since they rose from their bed, left Byleth wondering if her wife was still upset about how she had acted in their roleplay the other day. She had definitely let the power go to her head.

Since becoming Emperor, Edelgard had generally taken charge in Fódlan. From their first meeting, up until the war's end, Byleth had been the authority figure among the two; first as a teacher, then as a military commander. But since Rhea's defeat, Edelgard had firmly taken the reigns. Byleth could still guide Edelgard, who always made sure to listen to Byleth's advice and allowed herself a degree of submission in intimate situations.

But Edelgard was now generally the dominant one, leaving Byleth following Edelgard's decisions more often than not. She supposed that was the reason she had found the thought of roleplaying as the Emperor so appealing. Having power over her Emperor again was a tantalising idea. But she recognised that she had taken it too far, and Edelgard was likely too polite to allow her annoyance to show. She had always been an expert at masking her feelings, after all.

Byleth resolved to make amends. When Edelgard returned to their room, she would apologise and explain why she had gone so far off the rails, and then offer Edelgard anything she desired to make things right. Yes, that seemed like a good plan.

Byleth opened the door to their room and found that she was not the first one back, as she had expected. Edelgard was already waiting for her with her back to the door. Her muscles stiffened at the sound of the door opening, but she maintained her composure as she turned to face the intruder. It was only after seeing Edelgard's smile that Byleth noticed her attire.

"Good evening, Professor."

Edelgard was wearing her Officers Academy uniform, down to her hairstyle and adornments. She didn't look entirely the same as she had back then; five years of immense stress had added its fair share of small wrinkles to her face, and her body had certainly developed a more refined musculature. She looked less soft, less skinny, but she had otherwise gotten every single detail correct. It really felt as if Byleth had stepped back in time to their academy days.

"What do you think of my uniform?" Edelgard asked, giving her a little twirl to show off the back. There was strain on the tights, and especially on the skirt. Edelgard's body had filled out a lot since the war started and Byleth had never fully appreciated just how much of a difference that made until she wore the same outfit for direct comparison.

"Good. But why?"

"You said you enjoyed seeing me with my hair like this again. I thought you might like to see me in the full getup again... My Teacher."

"You look... amazing. Incredible. It really accentuates how much you've changed since your academy days - the raw power popping off of your bulging muscles, ready to tear their way out of your old self and take the new Fódlan in your strong arms to protect it from... Sorry..."

"You've spent the day with Ignatz, haven't you?"

"Only part of it..."

"I see. Well, I appreciate your... artistic analysis, but I would like something a little more... simple."

"You look sexy."

"Yes, thank you. It's not too much, is it? Me wearing my uniform to entice you, my former teacher."

"Well, you're not my student anymore, so it's okay now, I think. And it's hard to see you as a student with your body straining the material like that."

"Be mindful of your words, love."

"Is it because we've had too many sweets lately?"

"Be mindful!"

"No, I think you're just more muscular from all that axe-swinging. It reminds me of Caspar-"

"Need I produce a dictionary and show you exactly what the definition of 'mindful' is?"

"What's the occasion, anyway? This seems kinda random."

"'Random', she says... I simply thought we could try some roleplay not based in role reversals. Something nostalgic, instead."

"Nostalgic?"

"Yes. I've been feeling it a little since the other day. I thought it might be fun to revisit the past in a fantasy. Hence, me being a student again."

"But... student/teacher relationships..."

"It's purely fantasy, Byleth. There's no harm if we're just pretending."

"I guess..."

"Is this not something you are interested in?"

Byleth shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'm not into this, Edelgard."

"I see..." Edelgard sighed in disappointment. In doing so, a large tear formed right down the front of her top, catapulting a button like an arrow directly into Byleth's forehead, leaving a red mark. Edelgard's hands shot up to cover her mouth as she gasped in horror.

Byleth's hand slowly rose up from her side, stopping halfway to her forehead to produce a thumbs up. "I'm very into this, Edelgard."

If she wasn't worried about losing another button, Edelgard would have sighed again.


Dorothea's so fun to write when she's teasing.