Chapter 60: Matters of the Heart

3rd day of the Horsebow Moon 1181. Joint prayer space of Sothis and Hyperion

"Welcome to the premier dat-"

"Dear, don't confuse them too much."

"Spoilsport."

This was the sight that greeted Edelgard and Byleth. Sothis and my humble self greeting them with soft smiles and a healthy dose of bickering. Was there any better way to spend one's night?

Why, yes, there was. Spending time with one's significant other was miles better than even our amusing antics. Fortunately for everyone involved, we had called the two mortals here to facilitate just that.

"Why are we here?" asked Edelgard.

Sothis smiled and answered, "We heard that you two lovebirds were forced to separate before you could bond properly. We seek to rectify this situation."

"Basically, we called you here so you could have a private moment. Expect more of that in the days to come," I added.

"But you're here. This isn't private," countered Byleth.

I smirked and said, "That was then; this is now. Check this out."

I clapped my hands together, and suddenly a door appeared behind Sothis and me.

"We got this place decked out as soon as we came back. Sothis and I got some upgrades during that resurrection ritual," I said.

Sothis elaborated a bit, "The room behind this door is a bit small, but it should suit your needs."

The small grin she was trying to suppress probably clued the other two in that they were in for a bit of a surprise. Hopefully, they would come to appreciate it.

Byleth and Edelgard seemed a bit lost, so I said, "Go on, make use of the damn thing."

Shrugging slightly, Byleth strode towards the door. He waited for Edelgard to join him, which she did in short order.

He opened the door, and suddenly, the two were gone from the main room.

I looked at Sothis and said, "I wish we could see their faces right now."

"We could," said Sothis, "But we should not. Our imagination will have to suffice."

Inside the room.

"'It should suit your needs,' she said," muttered Byleth.

Beside him stood Edelgard. Her face was red from embarrassment and exasperation in equal parts. It was not much of either, but she was clearly a bit flustered.

"Their sense of humour is atrocious," commented Edelgard.

Byleth hummed and said, "They once mentioned that they suspected it was a side effect of divinity. Still, this is somewhat amusing."

The situation he was speaking of was the state of furnishings in the small room they had entered. Well, there was no problem with the furniture itself. The problem lay in the composition.

The only thing in the room was a bed. The implications were obvious.

"How is this amusing?" asked Edelgard.

He chuckled and answered, "I will never not find your embarrassment amusing."

She hit him on the arm. "Stop finding it amusing!"

His chuckles redoubled. "I'm sorry, but I can't. You're too cute like this."

Edelgard's blush deepened. Being called cute was a bit of a weakness of hers. Her heart raced and her legs grew weak when Byleth called her that. It was a balm for her insecurities; one that Byleth liked applying often. It sadly had the unfortunate side effect of making her flustered.

"I guess I can permit this when we're in private," she said.

"I'm glad to hear that," said Byleth in response.

She eyed him cautiously. "Why do I get the feeling that you'll overdo it?"

He answered, "Because I spent over a year with those two jokesters. Now let's make use of the bed."

Edelgard's blush, which had begun to recede, returned in full force. "Byleth! It's too soon for… for that!"

Only then did she hear him chuckle. "So your mind went there immediately, hm?"

She hit his army again in embarrassment. "How could I not? This whole situation is set up for such thoughts! And stop making fun of me."

Byleth raised his hands in defeat. "I'm just glad I'm not the only one."

That brought Edelgard up short. Although he had made a concerted effort to be more open about such things with her, he had not admitted to any raunchy thoughts of her before as far as she could remember. It made her feel a bit fuzzy on the inside.

"Is that so?" she managed to get out.

He nodded. "It's hard not to. But you're right. It's too early."

Part of her was disappointed, but rationale won out. It did not matter that this was not a physical space. It was far too soon to indulge in that kind of intimacy. Never mind that she was still apprehensive about entrusting her body to anyone.

It was not just her physical scars that ran deep. Even with the treatment that had erased most of the marks left on her body itself, the ones left on her psyche were big. Byleth and her friends she had made at the Officers Academy had done a lot to soothe her emotional pain, but they had not erased it. While Hyperion's brand of help had also contributed, it only worked up to a certain point. Surrendering herself to anyone, even to a person she trusted, was not something she was ready for.

The swimming lessons did not count in her mind. They had always done that in shallow water. Although she had felt safe in Byleth's arms.

To him, she simply said, "Yes."

Saying nothing in response, Byleth simply walked forward and sat down on the bed. After a few seconds, he lied down on it.

"Byleth, what are you doing?" asked Edelgard.

"Lying down. It's very comfortable," he answered.

He patted the spot beside him with his hand.

Edelgard sighed, but she complied and sat down on the other side of the bed before lying down. Then she blinked.

"You're right. This is very comfortable, almost supernaturally so," she said.

"It wouldn't surprise me," commented Byleth.

She considered the personalities of the two deities who had created this space, and she found herself agreeing. It was exactly something they would do. Now the question was whether they had done it to be nice or to be mischievous.

"It's relaxing at least," she said.

Byleth nodded in agreement. "It is."

He put an arm around her and pulled her closer to himself. The action caught Edelgard by surprise. She managed to suppress the small blush that threatened to appear on her cheeks despite this. She smiled instead and helped the movement along.

Suddenly, she laughed a little. "This is exactly the sort of thing I once considered an impossible fantasy. Lazing around with someone I love to hold me. And now I'm here in your arms once again. It's amazing to realise that this is not the first time."

She noticed her slip of tongue after a few seconds, but she said nothing further. She stood by her statement.

"And it won't be the last. I'm glad I can share this moment with you," he replied. "Even two years ago, I didn't know I could love, and now I do."

Her gaze snapped to his face at the admission. "Does that mean…"

"Yes. I love you. Even though we have not spent much time together, I can say that," he said.

Emboldened by those words, Edelgard moved up a big so her face was level with his. Then, she leaned forward slowly until their lips met.

It was not a heated kiss, but it was heavy with emotion. Relief, love and happiness pooled together in those few seconds. And when their lips parted again, both Edelgard and Byleth felt a lingering desire for more.

"In that case, we will have to spend a lot more time together. Now that I know you return my feelings, I cannot bear to be parted from you for long," she said.

"I feel the same," said Byleth.

She smiled at him. "I'm happy to hear that. It is good to know that I will have you by my side, sharing my throne and my life with you."

She was aware that such statements would normally be premature. Relationships often failed, after all. However, both she and he were people of commitment. Unless something monumental happened, neither of them could be shaken from a course they had decided upon. She had thus no fear that their relationship would fall apart.

"The throne will be tiring, but it's a challenge we can brave together," he said.

She smiled at him again. That smile faded quickly, however.

"It is indeed a challenge," she agreed, "And it brings complications with it. We talked about the before."

He nodded. "We did. Now that we're an item, we'll have to continue that discussion, won't we?"

"Yes," she said, "But let us talk about more pleasant things first."

4th day of the Horsebow Moon 1181, early morning. Imperial army camp in Daphnel territory.

Petra awoke with a pleased sigh on her lips. She felt warm and happy. The reason for that lay beside her in her bedding.

Bernadetta had continued to share her tent long after winter's passing. While the older girl was still skittish and a bit unsure, she had been shedding much of her anxiety over the last few months. She let herself be held by Petra without issue.

The Princess of Brigid knew that this was a big deal. The only other people around whom Bernadetta relaxed even slightly were Professor Byleth, Alois and Seteth, none of whom were present. To be part of this small group whom the Varley girl trusted implicitly was humbling.

Petra was also determined to do absolutely nothing to jeopardise that trust. No matter what her desires were, she had never done anything Bernadetta had not explicitly allowed her to do. It was frustrating at times, but she could deal with it until the other girl made her decision.

That frustration was alleviated in part due to the way Bernadetta decided to express her trust. Currently, she was hugging Petra like she was a big stuffed animal. It was honestly adorable to watch, and it made Petra happy.

Sadly, that moment would have to end. It would soon be time to break camp and leave. So, she nudged Bernadetta.

"Wake up, Bernie," she said gently. "We will take our leaving… leave soon."

Bernadetta, being a light sleeper, opened her eyes with no further prompting. Being a light sleeper did not prevent her from being groggy or grumpy, however.

"Do we have to? I want to stay inside," she said.

Petra laughed slightly. "We have to, yes, but you can hug me still. There are a few minutes left."

"Huh? Oh"

Bernadetta blinked, only now registering that she was clinging to Petra. That was quite normal for them by now. It still startled her from time to time, however. Nevertheless, she did not let go of the comfortable warmth the other girl provided.

Sadly, this could not remain the case. After a minute or two, she was forced to let go of Petra so they could both get dressed. Such were the demands of the life they lived.

That said, being together in the camp and on the field instilled closeness. That was one side effect of the mess that was this war which they were happy about. Being closer to each other was always nice.

Taking a bit of initiative, Petra hugged Bernadetta again once they were both dressed.

"We can stay like this for more time," said the Princess.

She was correct with that assumption. While it was nearly time for it, the call for breakfast had not yet gone out. That meant that there was still a bit of private time remaining.

"It's kind of weird, but I like it," admitted Bernadetta. She was silent for a moment before she continued, "But I'm still not sure if we should ever go beyond this, you know? I'm sorry I'm making you waste your time on me when I can't even say yes or no to you."

Petra smiled at her. It was true that she was frustrated at times. She was very much in the clear about her feelings, and Bernadetta's indecisiveness could grate. However, this was a big thing for the older girl, who had admitted that she was not really attracted to other women. That Bernadetta was even considering it was worthy of patience. That, and it was only natural to respect the decisions of people one loved.

"If you are not having certainty now, I will wait longer," said Petra. "You are not a waste of time."

Bernadetta blushed bright red at that statement. "Thank you," she said.

She hesitated a bit, but then she gathered her courage. She moved her face closer to Petra's and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It was close to the mouth but definitely not on it.

"I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to do more than that right now," she said.

Petra was beaming, however. "It is more than enough. My heart has fullness."

At that moment, the call for breakfast went out. Much to both their chagrin, the two young women separated and exited the tent. Time would be tight from now on.

They moved at a quick but unhurried pace towards the nearest camp kitchen. It was not far away, but there were a few dozen tents they had to pass by. It was usually best to arrive before the usual breakfast traffic jam set in.

"Where is everyone's discipline?" complained Bernadetta. "I don't like being in a rush of people."

They eventually made their way to the kitchen. They managed to get there before the big rush, fortunately. They got their food and had time to relax and eat comfortably in each other's presence.

Some of the other Black Eagles were already present as well. Linhardt, Dorothea and Edelgard were oddly absent, however. Linhardt was easy to guess, as he was not even with the amy, but the absence of the others was puzzling.

None of them showed up by the time the kitchen shut down. So, on their way back to their tent, Petra and Bernadetta were on the look-out for their missing comrades. Something was going on there.

It was through this attention that they eventually noticed the sound of sniffles from Dorothea's tent. While Bernadetta was not good with comforting people, she followed Petra as she made to discover the issue. They moved towards the tent and stopped before the entrance.

"Dorotha, are we permitting… permitted to enter?" asked Petra.

The sniffles stopped. "Petra, is that you?"

"Yes, and Bernie," answered Petra.

"… Come in," came Dorothea's voice from the tent.

The two purple-haired women entered.

In the tent, on the bedding, sat Dorothea, knees drawn up to her chest. There were tear tracks running down her cheeks. She had clearly been crying.

Petra scooted closer to her, and Bernadetta followed. The former put a comforting hand on Dorothea's shoulder.

"What is wrong?" she asked.

Dorothea hesitated at first, but she talked eventually. "Edie called me over to her tent. She said she wanted to discuss something important with me. I… I didn't like what she said. I was upset and angry. I yelled at her and said things I shouldn't have."

"That doesn't sound like you," commented Bernadetta.

"I was very angry," said Dorothea. "How could she propose something like that!"

The two others were puzzled. "Propose what?" asked Petra.

Dorothea looked at them, gauging whether their ability to help. She bit her lip and played with her hair, a gesture she used when she was stressed, and assessed the situation. Petra was royalty, just like Edelgard. And going by the very clear and unsubtle interest she had in Bernadetta, she would be plagued by a similar issue as the Emperor eventually. This was the factor that made Dorothea decide to spill the beans.

"Okay. I'll tell you why I'm upset. You might be able to give me advice."

5th day of the Horsebow Moon. Prayer Space of Sothis and Hyperion

"I suck at segues to awkward conversations, so I'll ask right away. Are you still unhappy with my continued presence in your mother's life?" I asked Seiros.

She slowly shook her head and answered, "Not anymore. I have had some time to think in your absence, and I have come to the conclusion that stress and fears have led me to premature conclusions about you. That said, I still consider some of your mannerisms to be highly irritating."

"I don't mind that. Most of the people who like me think I'm irritating too," I replied.

She stared at me flatly and said, "I am not surprised."

"Quit being so grumpy, dear daughter," interjected Sothis. "But I'm very glad that you've let go of you grudge for good. I was getting tired of repeating this conversation."

It surprised me sometimes how Sothis could still put her foot in her mouth from time to time despite being such a wise and long-lived Goddess. It looked like Seiros did not appreciate her choice of words. Personally, I did not mind, though. That occasional irreverence of hers was one of the many things I loved about her.

Still, I interfered to squash the admittedly small chance of an argument ensuing over this. "Right. With that in the past, I think we can focus a bit more on the future."

Seiros perked up. "This is a topic I have been wanting to broach for some time now," she said. "Mother, you should know that I only ever sought to be a steward until you could return to Fodlan to rule it yourself again. I will gladly relinquish the reins to you fully."

Sothis worse a sad smile as she shook her head and said, "That was a lost cause from the beginning. I never desired to rule over humans who did not join my people. You did good in keeping the peace, certainly, but I have no plans of direct rulership."

"Then it was all for nothing?" asked Seiros.

"Of course not," I answered her, "It simply means an alteration of your plans. Sothis said she had no plans for direct rulership."

"Indeed," said Sothis with a nod. "The type of rulership the Nabatean people once exerted over Fodlan paved the path for Nemesis' ascension. Humanity must feel free and be free for peace to last. For that reason, we have made plans that would grant Hyperion and me a role that is far closer to oversight than rulership."

"The actual ruling and governing will be left to the people themselves," I explained.

Seiros stared at the two of us. "But the education level necessary for that would be immense," she said. "Such a development might take centuries."

"We thought about that too. If we went with such a radical plan right away, it would fall apart. Never mind that all the self-important nobles would start bitching about it as if there were no tomorrow," I said.

Sothis nodded. "We're still hashing out the details of it, but we plan to integrate the current governments of Fodlan into a bigger entity that would allow the nobles and the individual realms to retain their autonomy while creating a central authority they will have to answer to. We would merely act as supervisors of that entity to prevent corruption from infesting it."

"But how is such a thing possible? It sounds outlandish," said Seiros.

"It's difficult, but doable. I admit, we cheated a bit by copying the homework of my homeland. It took us almost 600 years of bashing each other's skulls in, but we became a unified league of nations which then melded into a single country. So, going by the example of my homeland, Sothis and I came up with the idea of founding a confederation," I explained.

That was the crux of bringing different states together in a larger whole. Conquest opened the door for unrest and instability. For cooperation and unity to be achieved, everyone had to feel like they were losing very little and gaining a lot in turn. Autonomy made the old governmental structures feel respected, even if they were subordinate to a newer entity. All that was needed on top of it was a unifying cause.

"The three rulers of the major powers of Fodlan seek social reform. With the founding of this confederation, those reforms can be achieved without the appearance that they are 'directly responsible' for them, which should get the whiners to shut up," I elaborated further.

Sothis nodded and added, "This way we can ensure that not only the Empire, the Kingdom and the Alliance harmonise, but it also opens the possibility of more states joining. That includes the Church state you have made, the Nabatean state founded by those tribes who have come south, and even the new Nation of Agartha. I can think of no better way to ensure peace."

Seiros looked absolutely flummoxed. "You want our enemies to join this confederation?"

I shook my head and said, "No, we want the Agarthan people to join it. Our enemies are the government they are in the process of deposing. The Agarthans must feel respected and honoured if they are to abandon their grudge with all surface-dwellers. On top of it, we are allied with what will turn out to be their new government. It's only natural to welcome them as equals."

Sothis' youngest daughter thought this statement over. It was kind of funny to see her face change expressions so often. She was probably in a battle with her own convictions, though, so I made sure to not let my amusement show.

"Tell me, then," she eventually said, "How will you get these people to unify? The aftermath of the war leaves us in a spirt of cooperation, but that will not last overlong without something to keep them together."

Sothis inclined her head and said, "That is one of the parts where we are still hashing out the details. We do already have a few ideas, however. A significant part of the Agarthan people regard Hyperion as their patron God, while I am the patron Goddess of the other people of Fodlan. Our upcoming wedding on All Hallow's Eve should serve as a starting point for unification."

"Additionally," I said, "A legal reform of inheritance laws together with a new religious and legal practice I've been thinking of should benefit this. You see, I'm not a big fan of arranged marriages, but that stuff is extremely important to not just the nobles but many other families as well. I've been looking for a replacement system, and I think I've found one: Godparents."

Seiros scrunched up her delicate eyebrows. "I have heard of this, but it must have been long ago. I do not recall what it entails."

I was only too happy to explain. "Where I'm from, it's not a legally binding practice but a religious one, hence the God part of godparents. In essence, the godparents vow to watch over a child. They are selected by the actual parents; two men and one woman for boys; two women and one man for girls. It is their solemn duty to help provide for the child and, if necessary, take in the child in the event that the parents and relatives are dead or otherwise incapable of raising the child properly.

"The plan behind my idea is to make the vow truly binding. The power of my crown could easily ensure this. So, instead of selling off their sons and daughters into loveless marriages between noble houses or between the royal houses of different states, it should in the future be possible to seal trade deals and treaties by providing the children of the other party with godparents."

Sothis chimed in as well. "A reform of inheritance laws would complement this. Our plans include the ability to make a godchild a legal heir."

"The idea has merit," said Seiros, "But why that last part?"

"Seiros," said Sothis, "I know you like men and women. So, there are times when two women or two men who are like that are in a committed relationship. Not to mention that we both know that there are men who only like men, and women who only like women. Especially for the latter two examples, it's imperative to find a solution that does not involve forcing them to sleep with someone they have no feelings or preference for just to get an heir. We eliminate this disgusting 'necessity' by introducing the concept of godparents."

"Oh," said Seiros.

She was well aware of the lengths nobility in particular went to in order to secure their legacy. While Nabatean society as she remembered it had not been centred around monogamy, most of her people had only ever had one partner at a time, which sometimes meant one of the same sex. But even those who had had multiple partners would have been utterly revolted by the idea of being forced to copulate with someone not in their relationship. Seiros had thus more than enough inclination to think of it as distasteful.

Sothis and I both nodded at her comprehension.

"I think we all know at least one case where this reform of inheritance law would prevent heartbreak," I concluded.

8th day of the Horsebow Moon 1181. Oghma mountain range, pass.

Marianne was in good spirits, all things considered. The war put a dampener on it, certainly, but if it was left out of the consideration, she was happy. A large portion of that happiness was derived from Hilda, who spent most of her free time with her. It was hard to be unhappy when one was constantly tended to by a loved one.

This included both physical and emotional intimacy. They had already had a number of tumbles in the bedding of their shared tent, which honestly surprised Marianne in hindsight. Pleasant memories aside, she found the emotional aspects to be far more impactful. The bond she shared with Hilda was incredibly special to her. Even her adoptive father saw that, which was why he had given his approval quite some time ago.

It was because of said approval that she even seriously considered the succession of House Edmund. His consideration deserved hers in turn. It was still an issue that caused problems, seeing as an heir could not be produced between her and Hilda, for obvious reasons. As such, other methods had to be found. One, the one she liked the least, was to find a man both she and Hilda could trust for reproductive purposes. She primarily liked men, yes, but she abhorred the thought of sleeping with anyone else but Hilda so long as she was in a relationship with the pink-haired woman. She loved her deeply, after all. The second option was adoption, but it brought with it the issue of lineage and legitimacy. The only reason her own adoption had gone through was because she had a Crest. The third possible way to secure the succession was new and not yet official, but the Goddess and her lover had informed her of their plans to establish it during her morning prayer.

"Hilda?" she asked the young woman walking beside her.

They were on the march. They had broken camp many hours ago, right after breakfast. Since then, they had only stopped once to have a quick bite and then marched on. It was nearly dusk now, but the combined Alliance and Kingdom Army was still some distance away from the designated waypoint. The reason for this may have been the slightly slower pace they had been marching at so far. The ever-increasing steepness of the pass probably necessitated this.

"What is it?" asked Hilda. "And can it wait until we've made camp?"

Marianne shook her head and answered, "You'll be too tired by then. I've also been wanting to talk to you about this all day, but I haven't been able to catch up until now."

Hilda complained, "Aw, but talking on the march is exhausting, and everyone can listen in."

The blue-haired woman sighed and said, "Fine. You know I can't resist those puppy eyes. But you'll have to listen to what I have to say! No excuses."

Hilda grinned in satisfaction. "I like it when you boss me around like that," she said.

Marianne blushed deeply and said in a small voice, "I also like it when you do it to me." Then she caught herself. Shaking her head, she continued, "But this isn't about fun. It's about our future. It's serious."

Initially, Hilda was happy to see that Marianne's occasional meekness was now a healthy and cute thing instead of the deeply worrying problem it had once been. However, that feeling faded when she took note of what her girlfriend had said after that.

"Okay," she said with a nod. "I'll pay attention."

Marianne kept her eyes locked with Hilda's for a moment before nodding back. She smiled softly and then turned he head to focus on the path they were marching on. The conversation was on hold for now.

The march continued for a while longer. True to Hilda's assessment, it was quickly becoming too exhausting to hold a conversation and simultaneously continue the march. The incline of the pass was growing ever steeper. Fortunately, there was an end in sight.

Roughly one and a half hours after the aborted conversation, the army reached a plateau. Its size was sufficient to hold a large camp. It had also clearly been in use for this purpose not too long ago. Nemesis' army was therefore not too far ahead of them. Continuing the pursuit in the darkness of the night and with the exhaustion plaguing the soldiers was folly, however. Fortunately, the plateau was their designated waypoint, where the arriving soldiers quickly busied themselves with preparing the camp.

Putting up the tents and the temporary facilities such as the kitchens took another hour. Without the organisational skills Claude, Dimitri and the Golden Deer as well as the Blue Lions had imparted on their soldiers, it would have taken much longer. So, everyone was glad that their leaders had shown the foresight to take the necessary measures to ensure a steady work pace. It was thus not a great pain to erect the veritable city of tents that now filled about half the plateau.

Now that the camp was built and the kitchen staff was cooking dinner, there was time to relax. The vast majority of the soldiers took advantage of this by taking a nap. Some took to playing games, while others enjoyed a multitude of other activities. For Hilda and Marianne, however, this meant that it was time to continue their discussion.

They were now sitting in their shared tent, facing each other. Hilda's face was serious despite her exhaustion, which Marianne appreciated. There would be time for relaxation and… fun after dinner, but now it was time for a serious topic that affected their future as a couple.

"I've been looking for solutions," began Marianne, confusing Hilda in the process.

"Solutions to what?" asked the pink-haired woman.

Marianne realised that she had not explained the situation and made to rectify this, "I mean the issue of succession. You're Holst's little sister, so House Goneril doesn't depend on you, but Margrave Edmund has no living family members. I'm his heir, so I need to find a way to continue the House. But I also refuse to give you up, so I've been looking for ways to fix the problem."

Hilda acknowledged that. "I'm aware. I've thought about it too, you know? We could try go for a th-"

She cut herself off. Just like Marianne, she actually preferred men over women, to the singular exclusion of her girlfriend. However, unlike Marianne, she was not as repulsed by the notion of sharing a bed with someone else as long as Marianne was in on it as well. She had had dreams to that effect. That said, Hilda would never do anything like that without Marianne's enthusiastic consent, which she would not get. She had fortunately reminded herself just in time that her lover had a very strong dislike for that sort of scenario.

"Go for what?" asked Marianne.

"Nothing! It wouldn't work, in hindsight," said Hilda, trying to evade the topic.

It looked like she succeeded since Marianne did not ask further. Instead, the latter said, "I considered adoption, but that comes with its own problems.

Hilda agreed. "Yeah, we'd have to find a kid of noble birth with no parents and with a head of House who'd hand them over."

Marianne nodded and said, "That's the problem. I couldn't find another solution I'm willing to use, so I asked the Goddess for advice. I think the method she and Hyperion told me about could work. Let me explain…"

She recounted to her girlfriend the basics of the godparent system the divine pair were thinking of implementing. It definitely had its advantages, and it appeared very convenient for cases just like theirs. Hilda found herself liking it.

"It sounds good. If they manage to implement it, we should go for it," said Hilda.

"I thought so too," said Marianne.

Hilda then asked, "But won't the nobles get prickly over Crests? I can't imagine some of the prissy nobles would let their lineage fall into the hands of another House so easily."

Marianne answered, "They thought of that too. They said that Crests would soon lose a lot of their relevance. Something about handing out blessings."

At the same time. Sylvain's tent.

"Uh… Why exactly are you here so soon?" asked Sylvain.

Ingrid had taken to sleeping in the same tent as him since that day in Aillel. They were in separate beddings, however, and they usually did not meet up before it was time to sleep. Much of it had to do with Sylvain's awkwardness and his unwillingness to talk about what had happened back then. So, despite their sleeping arrangements, it was unusual for her to be in his tent so early.

Ingrid stared at him. "To discuss our relationship, of course," she said.

Being the more devout of the two, she had prayed recently, and found out about the Dragon Signs and their upcoming distribution. She was unsure if Sylvain was aware of that as well. If he was, she was sure he had already considered what it would mean for their engagement. Margrave Gautier was obsessed with Crests, after all. That was why he was willing to pay a generous sum for her engagement to Sylvain. However, with the upcoming distribution of Dragon Signs, the value of her hand would plummet.

So, while the contract had already been signed, there was a degree of uncertainty involved. She was thus sure that Sylvain would have certain thoughts about the engagement too. One of the reasons she was here, then, was to make a few things clear.

"I knew this was coming," said Sylvain with a groan.

She stared at him. "Really? So you know about the Dragon Signs?"

He nodded in response. "I'm not exactly pious, but I like being up to date with the news. A quick prayer is usually the shortest way to an answer."

Unmentioned was that prayer also doubled as therapy.

Ingrid sighed. "Figures. You also know that this will have consequences for our engagement, don't you?"

Sylvain grimaced. "Not really. My father's tendency to secure what he wants got the better of him. The wording of the betrothal contract doesn't allow a dissolution except through extremely dishonourable conduct. I'll give you the copy my father sent me so you can check. If you want to cancel it, I'll find a way."

"I don't want to cancel it," responded Ingrid.

"Listen, if this is about last time we talked about that, leave it be," said Sylvain. "You're under no obligation to return my feelings."

She shook her head and said, "But I want to. You need someone to keep you on the straight and narrow, and I can't leave it to anyone else. Besides, I told you last time that I've made my decision. I only came to talk to you because Dragon Signs are going to have an impact on the value of Crests and that might have changed things for your father's willingness to pay the bride price."

"You won't have to worry in our case. But hopefully, it'll prevent messes like ours in the future," said Sylvain.

Ingrid nodded. "Dragon Signs may be weaker than Crests from what I've been told, but they're a much clearer indicator of the Goddess' favour."

"I thought so too. She hands them out personally, after all. A few of my soldiers already got theirs. I checked this morning," commented the redhead.

"Interesting. I'll have to check on my soldiers too," said Ingrid.

Sylvain nodded. "Good, now if that's all-"

"Hold it!" she interrupted, "We're not finished until we've talked about what happened in Aillel."

"Ugh…"

Ingrid gave him a stern look. "I'm tired of you avoiding me. You needed some time to think, and I gave you that, but I have my limits."

A grimace came over the young man's face. "Can we please not discuss the most humiliating moment of my life?"

The stern look on her did not waver in the least. "I'd call it more enlightening than humiliating. Nobody else will know of it, you have my word, but we have to talk."

Sylvain deflated and said, "Fine. I just don't know what to say. I already told you everything back then."

Ingrid came closer until she sat right in front of him. She stared him in the eyes and spoke, "I didn't have much of an opportunity to respond with some proper thought behind it. So, listen to me now."

He gulped and said, "Okay."

"You said that being with me was your dream, didn't you? But you're unsatisfied because I don't love you," she said.

"More like pained," he interjected. "It's like waiting for your favourite cut of meat, but when you bite into it, it's raw."

"Uh-huh. So I'm a piece of meat to you? Good to know," said Ingrid drily. She did not mean it too seriously.

"I'm serious!" he said.

"You're usually the one with the jokes, but sure," she replied. "To go with your analogy, if the meat is raw, cook it for longer. I don't love you now, but that can change."

"But will it? I concede the point, but you can't cook love into existence," argued Sylvain.

Having had enough of the argument, Ingrid grabbed his head and pulled it towards her. She smashed her lips on his, giving him a short but powerful kiss. Then she let go of his head and leaned back.

"Watch me cook it," she said.

Sylvain was currently incapable of responding coherently. "Uh…. What?" he asked.

"Sylvain, I like you well enough as it is," said Ingrid. "If we allow it to, that will grow. If love couldn't develop over time, the nobility would have even more problems than it does now. My father didn't love my mother when they married either, but they fell for each other hard over time. I see no reason why it can't be the same for us."

The young man sighed. "Fine. I shouldn't resist if you really want it. It's just… I don't know how to deal with it. Commitment is new to me. Not that I have anything against it, but I have no experience with it."

Ingrid made a displeased face. "We're together now. Like I told you last time, there will be no philandering."

"Of course there won't be. That was not what I was saying. I'd be insane to go look for other women when I have you here. There's no one I'd rather have," protested Sylvain.

She looked at him scrutinisingly. "That's alright. You already promised last time, and I believe you. I said it more to hammer the lesson home than anything else."

Sylvain nodded. "Message received loud and clearly. Still doesn't change that I don't know how to deal with this. Being together with you, I mean."

"You could kiss me, for one," said Ingrid.

Seeing that as the demand it was, he leaned forward hesitatingly. She was not a random one-night stand, so he had no idea how far he was supposed to go. He took the cautious approach and made sure to be slow.

When their lips touched again, Sylvain was still a bit lost. He had experience in kissing, but not with a woman he actually wanted to have a meaningful bond with. That was why he hesitated.

Ingrid noticed this and drew back. She looked him in the eyes and said, "I thought you were experienced. Show me."

It grew heated from there. A tight embrace and tongues soon became involved. This culminated in Ingrid grabbing Sylvain's wrist and putting his hand on her chest.

Surprised, he broke the kiss and drew back. "Ingrid?" he asked.

"I'm your betrothed. If you want to touch me, touch me. Within reason, of course. And mind the time and place. My point is, a relationship needs dedication, but that dedication comes with its rewards. It may surprise you, but I want those just as much as you do," said the blonde.

For the first but certainly not the last time, Sylvain wondered if he was the only one with this unique band of relationship problems. This odd mesh of eagerness and hesitation was honestly very confusing and even a bit vexing. He was getting what he had always wanted, but it was not quite in the form he had imagined. He was not complaining anymore, but it made him feel a bit conflicted.

All that said, Ingrid was a beautiful young woman, and he had permission. He said, "Well then, let me take you up on that offer."

9th day of the Horsebow Moon 1181. Prayer space of Sothis and Hyperion.

"I'm sorry, but we can't accept that proposal," I said.

"But why?" asked Kronya.

"Because, my dear Kronya, your idea is not feasible," answered Sothis

I added drily, "While you indubitably rock that outfit, a see-through robe isn't a suitable official uniform for the office of High Priestess."

"But I like showing off," protested the Agarthan, posing with purposeful exaggeration.

I laughed. "I know, and we both appreciate it. That said, your attempt to seduce us is not successful. The official vestments of a High Priestess should be more dignified."

Kronya fake gasped, switching tracks to joking immediately, "Are you saying I have no dignity?"

"Dignity fits you about as well as a pair of breeches fits a fish," said Sothis in a jesting manner.

"You wound me!" said Kronya.

This was a fairly usual occurrence by now. Kronya had been ecstatic upon our return and had wasted little time in trying to get at us, despite our previous insistence that it would have to wait for a few years. Fortunately, her attempts so far had been more amusing than annoying, and she knew her limits. She was testing the waters rather than going full-throttle. The resulting bickering between the three of us was thus not all that heated.

"Let's leave the fun by the wayside," I said, interrupting the argument. "We've got a few serious things on our plate before we can go back to the finer pursuits of life."

Sothis raised an eyebrow and asked, "Since when are you the spoilsport in this relationship?"

I snorted and answered, "Since you've let yourself be pulled into light flirting with the skimpily dressed woman who's got a crush on us both. Now back to the issue at hand. We have more time for fun and games later."

She sighed in defeat. "Well, you're right. Kronya, your report?"

Letting go of the levity she had borne on her features, she reported seriously, "We'll begin our assault soon. Chilon is getting desperate, and we've noticed him pulling people off the defences in preparation for an attack. We want to surprise him before he can launch his offensive."

"Good. That means that the Sages are almost finished," said Sothis with satisfaction.

I nodded in acknowledgement as well and asked, "How is it on the political front? Have the people already come to a consensus on the rough outline of the future government'"

Kronya shook her hand in a so-so-gesture and answered, "At this point, they're only sure what they don't want it to be. There have been a few ideas with potential, but it's too soon to do anything with those for now."

"That was to be expected," I said.

It was. A change in government was not quick and easy, especially not when the government type changed. There was a reason why such things typically failed, as many conflicts in the near and middle east had proved. Changes like that would have to be accepted by the people, which was easier said than done.

"Have you begun to give feedback to their ideas?" I asked.

She shook her head and answered, "Not yet. We have our hands full with organising daily necessities and preparing for the next battle. I advised the people to ask you as well, but I don't think many have taken you up on that offer."

I nodded and said, "Yes. Only a few dozen have contacted me about this matter. A lot more people call me for different reasons."

It was astounding what sort of prayers I received, actually. Some people needed soul-soothing. Others wanted to vent. Again others asked for other forms of help, such as sending messages to loved ones in the afterlife. There were those who wanted to wield sunlight, to whom I replied that it was a privilege I reserved for Kronya as the head of my clergy. And, much to my satisfaction, some contacted me to help them develop new technologies. All my domains were in high demand.

"I have received a few prayers from your fellow Agarthans as well," said Sothis to Kronya. "Barely a handful, but that is a clear sign of progress. They seemed apprehensive of me, which I cannot fault them for. I hope I left a good impression on them."

The mischievous smirk on her face spoke of a surprise she left for these people to discover. I made my guess.

"Did you give them Dragon Signs?" I asked.

She laughed. "You know me too well, my love. Yes. It should be a momentous occasion." She turned her attention away from me towards Kronya. "You should know that I have given you and your team Dragon Signs as well. I gave each of you two different ones as a sign of my favour."

"You're sneaky, my Lady," replied Kronya.

Sothis laughed again. "Why, thank you for the compliment. I have always liked mischief, and ever since Hyperion entered my life, I have had ample opportunity to engage in it again. Beware, for you are a most tempting target."

Kronya smirked and said, "You can always target me with anything, my Lady. You too, my Lord. Aim at me as much as you like."

The wiggle in her eyebrows made it clear that it was a joke, but her voice and the slight stiffness in her stance spoke of a sincerity she was trying to hide.

"Very tempting," I said, "But once again, too soon."

"Indeed," said Sothis, "You'll have to wait until he's taken a few shots at me."

The innuendo with both of them was quite heavy, and I could not help but add my own contribution. "You're right, of course. I'll make sure to cover as much surface as I can with my fire."

"Oh my," said Sothis with a lewd smile.

Kronya wore a similar smile, but her gaze was unfocused. Perhaps she was already in lala-land. Her giggling reinforced that impression. She stayed that way for a solid minute.

"Right then," I changed the topic, "Now that we're all rendered incapable of thoughts that don't go straight to the gutter, let's call it a night."

That snapped the Agarthan woman out of her trance. "Already?" she asked.

"He is right," said Sothis with a sigh. "You have a lot on your plate, so we should not distract you over long."

"Fine," said Kronya in defeat. "I'll go to sleep. But you better leave time for me when this whole mess is over."

"Of course," I said. "There's going to be plenty of time to trade barbs and innuendo when this war is dealt with. Prepare to have your time occupied with us."

With a smile on her face, Kronya then bowed and left.

"She's a handful," I said.

"I would say she is more than a handful. Have you seen that chest?" remarked Sothis.

I snorted loudly. "So are you, my beloved."

Sothis smiled. "I'm not sure. Why don't you check?"

With that happy conclusion, my day ended.

AN: Greetings, dear readers! Welcome back to another chapter of Headmates.

Action was notably absent this time. Instead, I made a bit of room for romantic developments in this chapter. While relationships have advanced, that's not everything that happened. The armies are still on the move, and Sothis is now playing her cards. Things are also in motion on the political front. I hope everything was to your enjoyment.

Once again, I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who followed, favourited and reviewed.

I bid you farewell now. Until next time. Stay healthy and happy, everyone!