BACKSTORY

22nd Guardian Moon 1171

Pieter groaned when he saw her approach the campsite.

'Good day?' he asked when the woman neared, continuing to snap the bundle of sticks in his lap.

Lilia sighed and slumped onto a nearby rock. The normally calm and pleasant woman's brow was furrowed. Her shoulders were drooped, and large bags hung under her eyes.

'No. I did not realise just how hard it would be to convince mages to join us. The amount of gold they demand is ludicrous!'

Pieter nodded. 'Yeah, there's a superiority thing involved with them sometimes. Most of the good ones are snapped up by nobles and the different factions and the remaining ones are very fussy about who they help… unless they're bandits of course. I don't think it matters too much to be honest. Our group has survived just fine without them up until now. We don't need them.'

'We do,' Lilia replied. 'Have you forgotten that Jeralt was nearly killed by one last month? They are not common amongst banding groups, but it only takes one to devastate us. We need someone who can counter them. (She sighed again.) It is just a shame so many of them are unwilling to join us.'

'Things will work out, I'm sure,' Pieter said, staring downward. 'Anyway, I'd get some rest if I were you, you've had a long day.'

Lilia nodded, staring at the ground. Then, from the corner of his eye, Pieter saw the woman raise her head. He cringed.

'Where is Byleth?' she asked.

Pieter sighed. 'He's… uh… still training with Alain.'

Lilia's tired eyes widened. 'What? He began his training as the sun rose this morning. It is sunset now. He cannot still be training; it is not possible.'

Pieter sighed and rubbed his eyes. 'He is.'

Lilia blinked. 'You are serious… why- why? Alain has never trained him for that long before. He is just a boy. He cannot be worked for that long. Has anyone checked up on him?'

Pieter felt his cheeks flush. He shook his head. 'You know what it's like with Alain… y'know… you don't bother him.'

Lilia shook her head and rose to her feet. 'They are training on top of the hill over there, correct?'

'Yeah, but Lilia, don't bother hi'-

Lilia stormed away.

'Get up,' Alain said.

Byleth anchored his elbows upward and pressed his hands down. He pushed. His arms trembled but his body didn't move.

'You're going to have a few broken bones soon,' Alain said.

Byleth pushed downward and jerked himself up onto all fours. His shoulders protested, his stomach burned, and his legs throbbed. Blood and sweat dripped from his face.

'Five,' Alain muttered. 'Four….'

The boy tensed. He leaned to one side and reached for his blade that'd fallen a few feet away. His knee sunk onto a sharp rock in the grass and he grimaced.

'Three.'

Byleth hauled the blade towards him. He lifted it with two trembling arms and dropped it down, using it as a crutch to rise into a kneeling position.

'Two.'

He pushed upward and his legs shook. He rose but his left leg gave way and he skid backward.

'One.'

Byleth hauled in air and jerked upward again and this time, he managed to rise to a standing position. A wave of nausea crashed over him and he swayed on his feet. He spat and then hauled himself forward. He lunged, jabbing and swiping at Alain.

The man sidestepped and ducked every strike. He spat and kicked Byleth back. The boy stumbled, fighting to stay on his feet.

'You fight rashly to hasten victory,' the man growled. 'That will kill you on the battlefield.'

He charged and swung his blade. Byleth jerked his sword upward. It connected with Alain's. A loud clanking sound rang in the air. His sword spun from his grip. Alain grabbed him and kicked him off his feet. He was in the air. Alain thrust his fist downward, smashing it into his stomach. He crashed to the ground and curled over, heaving in air.

He lay there, his vision black and his ears ringing. He heard a feint warbled sound in the distance. With each passing moment it became clearer until he understood what was being said.

'Byleth!'

He forced his eyes open and anchored his head up. Through the trees he saw Lilia emerge and rush towards him. Her eyes were wide with fear-

-and anger.

'Are you okay?' she asked, crouching down beside him and cradling him. Byleth gave a feint nod.

'Your training is done,' she said, avoiding Alain's gaze. Slowly, she helped him to his feet and walked him towards the trees in the direction of the camp below. Why she'd come, Byleth didn't understand, but he didn't have the energy to ask why.

Alain said nothing.

They reached the edge of the trees and that's when Lilia put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

'Will you be okay to walk down the hill on your own?' she asked. 'I will join you shortly.'

Byleth nodded and limped through the trees. Lilia watched him until he disappeared from sight and then let out a trembling exhale.

Behind her, she knew that Alain was staring at her.

In the six years she'd been a part of the mercenary group she'd never locked eyes with the man, had never spoken to him either. She hadn't wanted to, ever.

She exhaled again.

Why do I not just go down the hill with Byleth? Why am I about to turn and face the man I fear so much?

All she had to do was think of Byleth to reach her answer. A red haze filled her head.

If I do not confront to him now, I will never have the courage to do so again.

She turned and faced Alain in the clearing. The man was a giant. His blue eyes bore into her. His long, dreadlocked hair swayed in the breeze like lifeless arms. Dark ink dotted his grizzled and scar-torn face. It travelled down his chin and neck through to his chest and arms like veins. Red and purple scars lay carved into his thick, hairy arms. His right hand gripped a long, gleaming blade.

Lilia's heart thundered. She strode towards him. As she neared, a horrible chill crawled down her spine, much like in the way it'd done when Byleth had used to scare her. She understood why.

Alain's face was just as expressionless as Byleth's had been.

Just as soulless.

'His training wasn't done,' Alain said. His voice was low yet loud and grumbling, making Lilia's heartrate spike. She gritted her teeth and stared at him.

'You began his training as the sun was rising, and you are still going as the sun is fading. That is wrong, you pushed him too hard today.'

'He can take it,' he muttered. 'His body recovers quickly when he sleeps.'

Lilia shook her head. 'That does not matter. He is just a boy.'

'He's a lucky one,' Alain replied. 'He's being trained as hard as I was when I was a kid, as hard as Jeralt was when he was young. He'll be strong, capable of surviving this world thanks to what he's going through now.'

Lilia shook her head again. 'No child should have to train for that long, it is wrong.'

'Says who?' Alain replied. 'You? You come from a privileged background.'

Lilia felt her face flush. 'You do not know what my upbringing was like, and I have you know that I have been a part of this group for a long time no'-

'You've been protected by Jeralt the Blade Breaker, one of the strongest and most well-paid warriors in all Fódlan,' Alain said. 'You've been surrounded by men who have dedicated their entire lives to combat. You didn't sacrifice privilege joining us. You're in a bubble here, as is Byleth. But one day, be it tomorrow or in ten years it will burst and he will have to stand on his own two feet. (He jammed a thumb to his chest) I'm making sure he's ready for when that day comes. Jeralt understands this, which is why he asked for my help.'

There was moment's pause between the two of them. Lilia continued to breathe heavily.

'Fine,' she said after a moment, trying to ignore the trembling in her body. 'It is tough out there, I understand'-

'You don't,' Alain said.

'Hear me out,' Lilia said, her forehead pulsing. 'I understand your reasoning, it is important that Byleth trains hard, but be careful with him. He is not a normal child, you know that, he cannot fully express himself yet. And when you are giving him these horrible injuries day in day out you could be scarring him on the inside. So fine, train him, if it is really that necessary, but do not treat him like a slave, treat him with some humanity.'

'He's worked hard, nothing more, nothing less,' Alain replied, turning and picking up his weapons. 'Jeralt has watched Byleth train with me many times and has never objected. If you have a problem then go talk to him, but I'd remind you that the boy is his not yours.'

The man paused, crouching down to inspect one of his weapons. He stared at it for a moment and then looked up at Lilia.

'You know that Byleth's heart doesn't beat, right?'

Lilia blinked. 'W-What?'

Alain moved his hand to his chest and opened and closed it. 'His heart doesn't go "thump-thump". He might not even have one. I don't know why, or how… but it's true.'

Lilia shook her head. 'You are out of your mind.'

'A few years ago, Byleth fainted during our training,' Alain said. 'I put a hand on his chest to see if he was okay, and when I felt no heartbeat, I thought he'd died, but then he awoke a short time later. I put my hand on his chest again and I still couldn't feel anything. I later asked Jeralt about it and he confirmed my suspicion, the boy's heart doesn't beat. (He shrugged.) Just another strange thing about him.'

There was a long pause before Lilia spoke again.

'T-That… how… that cannot work'-

'It's true,' Alain replied. 'Go ask Jeralt. But have you ever wondered why Byleth is different? I think it's because of that, no heartbeat, and I think that's why he'll never be normal. Why is he so different? A freak of nature? (He shrugged) Is he cursed? We'll never know, but it's the way that he is.'

Lilia opened her mouth but no words came out. Alain rose to his feet.

'My point,' he continued, 'is that you worry about his feelings and emotions, but I don't think he has much of either. He's not normal, he'll never make friends or fall in love. He's an empty shell for the most part, lifeless. Your fears about him are irrelevant.'

Lilia gaped at him. 'H-How can you possibly believe such a thing? Have you not seen the change in him? In his face and in his actions? He'-

'He's hardly changed,' Alain replied. 'He's just a bit better at following instructions now. He's never cried or shown anger or any other form of emotion that would support your argument. His smile is forced. He does it because he thinks it's expected of him. It's not real. You're'-

'It is real!' Lilia spat. 'You're wrong!'

'You're demanding he get special treatment because of your misguided beliefs,' Alain continued, as if she hadn't spoken at all. 'You should be grateful he's alive at all, and that he's being shown how to fend for himself. But here you are, grasping for things in him that aren't there. You want him to be normal but he never will be. (He shook his head.) Instead, how about you appreciate him for what he is, not for who you want him to be, and enjoy the time you have with him. (He shrugged) For all we know, his lack of a heartbeat might mean he dies sooner than the rest of us.'

Byleth, who sat behind a nearby tree, paled.

Why had he returned? Had the fear and anger he'd seen in Lilia's eyes concerned him? Perhaps, but whatever the reason, he'd heard things he shouldn't have. He turned and limped through the trees towards the campsite, digging his fingernails into his gloved palms. He didn't speak again that day.

And that evening, he had another deep sleep. Once again, like the times before, he awoke the next morning with a fright.

END OF BACKSTORY