'The Blue Lions… they're rushing towards Claude. We must hasten our movement towards the woods,' Ferdinand said.

'H-hiding in the woods sounds like a nice idea!' Bernadetta said.

'Not yet,' Byleth muttered. He pointed. 'Bernadetta, do you think you can hit that tree with the circular indent from here?'

Bernadetta gazed north. 'I-I... maybe... I think so... but why?'

'Good, do it on my count. Ferdinand, get ready to charge towards it with me.'

'Why?' Ferdinand asked. 'Do you see someo'-

'Talk any louder and they will hear you,' Byleth said. He whispered in the man's ear and then turned to Bernadetta. Ready?'

Bernadetta was now on one knee, her arrow lined up on her bowstring. For as much trembling as she'd done during the battle, her arms were now suddenly steady. Her eyes met his and he nodded. She cocked her elbow back.

'Now.'

The arrow made a "whooshing" sound. Byleth sprung to his feet and lunged forward. Ferdinand raced after him. The fresh wind smacked his face. The arrow hit true and a purple ball of light flashed in the area. He'd only been expecting to hear the rustling of shrubbery, but to his surprise a shriek erupted. Suddenly a large tangle of ridiculously pink hair emerged and he saw a girl spring up from the greenery and flee deeper into the woods.

That didn't bother Byleth too much. What did was that only one had fled.

Marianne is still lying there.

He was an open target, but he was committed. He charged forward, hoping he could get to her before she attacked him with a magic spell.

No spell came, however. He reached the first tree and used it to swing himself into the thick area of shrubbery where Marianne waited. He pressed his hands down on her shoulders.

And then he took them away.

Something felt… wrong. Slowly, the girl craned her head up. Her sunken, bleary-looking eyes met his but at the same time… they were looking beyond him. Her face was paler than Bernadetta's. When he'd first met the girl (back in the Golden Deer classroom), he'd thought she'd looked ready to vomit. Now, he realised, she had the look of someone who'd cried but had run out of tears. He'd seen many desperate people in his life, Fódlan was no stranger to suffering, but the look Marianne gave him was… uncomfortable.

Not even Bernadetta looked as bad as her.

'Take my sash,' she said, sounding as if she hadn't drunk anything in days.

'Professor?'

'Keep an eye on Hilda, Ferdinand,' Byleth said, 'and watch out for Claude.'

Ferdinand nodded and started moving deeper into the woods. Byleth reached down for Marianne's sash. It pulled easily, too easily, and when he brought it up, he saw a large tear in it. He looked back down at Marianne.

'You need to leave the battlefield.'

'Okay,' the feeble voice said. Slowly, she raised herself to her feet, but kept her head down. Everything about her seemed fragile.

'Walk out into the grassland, and a winged horse will pick you up,' he said.

'Okay, thank you,' she muttered. With her hands knitted to her stomach, her shoulders hunched and her head bent, she shuffled through the overgrowth and out into the open.

Byleth watched her go, remembering that in the coming months, she'd be expected to partake in real combat assignments.

He blinked and remembered he didn't have long in the mock battle left.