At first, Byleth thought he'd awoken, but then he saw the glowing stone steps. He counted them. There were four steps ahead of him, one less than the time before. He was closer to the top.

And that's when he heard the high-pitched yawn.

It came from somewhere beyond the top of the stone steps. He couldn't see who it belonged to, but whoever, or whatever it was, it was close.

He dug his fingernails into his palms.

Monday 21st Great Tree Moon, 1180

Byleth sprung upward in his bed and brought on a wave of light headedness and tingling pain. He cradled his stomach, which felt as if someone were pulling the tip of a knife down the inside of it.

'One, two, three,' he breathed, 'Four, five… back two, three, four, five, six.'

After a few moments, the sensations finally faded. He wiped sweat from his brow. The pain was worse, and once again he'd had the strange dream.

'See a nurse,' he muttered. As he rose, he winced. The fact that he was still in pain meant one thing.

The healing magic still hadn't worked fully on him.

He reached the audience chamber at the same time as Hanneman and Manuela later that day. Rhea and Seteth waited for them inside.

'Welcome,' Seteth said.

Byleth didn't hear him. Lady Rhea watched him and his stomach churned. She smiled at him.

'How are you today, my child?'

'G-Good.'

'I'm glad,' she said, 'how are you enjoying your time at the academy thus far? I hope you have found our halls brimming with the vitality of well-intentioned students.'

Byleth thought of Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, Hubert and the girl who'd slapped him and nodded.

'It's time for you to take charge of one of our three houses,' Seteth said. 'I must note that I am personally against entrusting someone as lacking in trackable history as yourself with such a task, but it is as the archbishop desires. You have spoken to the students, I believe. Hanneman and Manuela have already expressed that they don't have a preference. Do you have a house that you would prefer?'

Byleth's mind went blank. He didn't want any of them. He opened his mouth but no words came out.

'Actually, I have some interesting news from the students,' Manuela said, 'it appears that they've already made the decision for us.'

'Oh?' Rhea said, raising an eyebrow.

'Yes,' Hanneman said. 'The house leaders came to my office last night and informed me of who they wish to have as their professors.'

'The Golden Deer House have asked for me to be their professor,' Manuela said. 'Claude said they all voted on it yesterday.'

'Dimitri acknowledged the Golden Deer House's decision and said that they wouldn't be against either me or the new professor taking charge,' Hanneman said. 'However, the Black Eagle House were certain on who they wanted as their professor.'

'Who?' Seteth asked.

Blue Lions, Byleth thought. I will be taking charge of the Blue Lio-

'Byleth,' Hanneman said.

BACKSTORY

24th, Guardian Moon 1170

'Is everything alright, Byleth?' Lilia asked, watching Byleth unfasten his combat armour.

She asked him that question every evening. She asked it as their fire crackled and glowed in the darkness, when Jeralt, Arthur and the others were busy drinking or cooking at spitfires out of earshot. Nowadays, it was the only time she had Byleth to herself.

It hadn't always been like that. Once upon a time, Byleth had spent much of his day staring at walls, frail and lifeless. Now he sat across the fire from her, having spent yet another day undergoing training with Jeralt, Alain and the other mercenaries. He looked up at her with bright purple eyes and nodded. He rolled his sleeves up to his shoulders, revealing two new yellow bruises and a long scratch.

'How did you get them?' Lilia asked. She wasn't sure why she'd asked. She knew the answer already.

'Combat training with Alain,' Byleth said.

The fire crackled and embers danced in the wind. The injuries, she knew, would mostly be gone in a day or so, but that wasn't what concerned her at that moment. She spoke again.

'Are you sure you're okay? The training is not too difficult for you?'

Byleth shook his head. 'The pain goes away quickly.'

Lilia nodded slowly, lowering her head. She exhaled and then looked up at Byleth again.

'You will tell me if it ever becomes too much for you… right?'

The boy nodded. Jeralt's booming laugh filled the air. That meant one thing.

Dinner is nearly ready, and my time alone with Byleth is almost done.

'And you will tell me if you ever feel… unhappy, right?' Lilia asked.

Byleth blinked.

He does not understand what I mean, she thought. She could hear Jeralt's footsteps, soon all the mercenaries would be sitting with them.

'If something ever feels wrong, tell me.'

Byleth blinked again.

'The food is good tonight!' Jeralt said, patting the boy on the back. 'Pieter and the others are just serving it now.'

'Great,' Lilia said, feeling her shoulders sink. She watched as Jeralt put a hand on Byleth's shoulder and guided him towards the other mercenaries.

She sighed.

Perhaps Arthur is right. Maybe I am overthinking this.

END OF BACKSTORY