Month of Wyvern Moon - Battle of the Eagle and Lion

Chapter 35

For once I slept late into the morning. Much later than I actually ever meant to. So late was the hour that someone had to come roost me out of bed.

Unfortunately, that certain someone must have thought it was funny, because when I woke up it wasn't to the normal sounds of a bustling camp on the morning of battle, but rather to an overly cheerful red head who had managed to nonchalantly waltz his way into my tent and shamelessly kneel down next to my cot.

My incoherent state of mind registered someone nearby, but reality didn't set in until I felt the weight shift on my cot. My eyes shot open to see Sylvain's face hovering just above mine and I felt an unprecedented scream rip from the confines of my throat.

Panic kicked in a second later as my brain flipped into fight or flight mode, and in my barely awake state, I forcefully shoved the redhead away from me while simultaneously pushing myself off my cot and onto the floor for extra distance.

"Ahhh! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" I shrieked as the blue lion knight started to chuckle.

"Haha, I don't think I have ever heard you scream like that Lil. What's with all the fuss? I was told you had been expecting me."

I grasp my chest as my heart hammered against my ribcage. It had been a long time since someone snuck up on me like that.

Something outside of my panic called me stupid in several different languages and snarkily informed me that I was lucky it was just Sylvain sneaking into my tent and not someone with a more malicious intent.

Still thoroughly pissed beyond belief, I began to untangle myself from my blankets swearing in just about every language I knew. The blankets knotted and continued to confine me until I stopped wiggling and took a deep breath. Exhaling slowly I took a second to cool down and analyze my situation. I ran my fingers restlessly through my hair as it became apparent that I was hopelessly tangled up in my blankets and confined to the floor until I calmed down and sorted this mess out.

I exhaled slowly and muttered under my breath as I searched for the edge of the covers. "Tsk, no I was not expecting you. I was sleeping."

The knight nodded as he leaned over my cot and offered me a hand up. "Clearly, if your scream was anything to judge by. Still, I couldn't resist giving you a good morning kiss."

I floundered for words.

"I - cannot - even…" I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. "So are you just in the habit of sneaking into a woman's tent and having your way with them? What would have happened if I had just decided to start firing off spells or grabbed my axe?"

"Well you didn't, so that's a plus for me." Sylvain flashed me a completely unashamed smile as he held out his hand in good faith.

I glared at the knight's hand just as I grabbed my pillow and heaved it at him. The fluffy projectile hit the knight in the chest as I snarled. "Get out you idiot!"

The redhead backed up and shielded himself, backpedaling as I continued to search around in the sheets. "Hey wait, couldn't we just…"

I finally found my dagger and brought it up into the throwing position threateningly.

"Whoo, hold on! I'm going! I'm going!" The lanky redhead beat a swift retreat out of my tent as the laughs erupted from out in front of my tent.

My fellow classmates obviously enjoyed my wakeup call much more than I did. I let out a groan and curled back up into my blankets on the floor.

Something told me today just wasn't going to be my day.


Noon and the appointed hour edged closer and closer.

After extracting myself from my slumbers and tidying up my tent I grabbed my axe and travel bag and forced myself into the breakfast line. I stubbornly forced myself to eat, though what I ate was completely outside my comprehension. It might as well be tree bark for all I tasted.

I ate my meal in stoic silence despite being followed across camp by snickering shadows. I washed my bowl out in the stream and stopped into the Golden Deer's command tent and was given some last minute order changes by my haggard looking house leader. I ignored the sleepless circles under Claude's faded emerald eyes as I focused on his new orders and ironed out a few of his more confusing requests. A little back and forth and I was off to the wyvern pasture.

I tried not to think about what might happen over the course of the next few hours as I saddled Zu and donned my armor. Tugging the last strap tight, I climbed up into my wyvern's saddle, the metallic scratching of my half plate armor set my teeth on edge.

Unable to contain a growing unease, I picked nervously at my new green and black tunic as Zu stood stock still. The wyvern knew something was up. He flat refused to eat a chicken when it was offered to him and snapped at the handler when they went to offer the snack a second time. Instead the beast's keen green eyes watched everyone coming and going from the fields with an imposing, lethal, air I had yet to see in him before. As the handlers cleared the areas, the nearby pastures around my wyvern started to become a beehive of activity. Rather than snap or cause trouble like he normally did during training, my temperamental wyvern just continued to watch the handlers run back and forth as cavalry and flight units all mounted up one by one. The only thing that moved was the tips of his wings and tail as they curled and uncurled with restless anticipation.

I sat Zu's back, sharing my wyvern's anxiety as we both waited for the command signal. I attempted not to not think as sweat accumulated on the nape of my neck and ran down my back. I adjusted the grip on my axe shaft with a dry mouth unable to stop shaking.

The wait was awful. Rhea and Seteth proclaimed grand announcements that didn't register in my ears as the trumpets were raised towards the sky. Heroic brass sounded out across the fields signaling the start of battle. My heart caught in my throat as Claude gave the signal to start as the blue and red figures across the clearing also gave the signal to charge.

There was no more time to plan or think and I signaled my wyvern to action. Zu leapt high up into the air with a thrust of his powerful hind legs and we were in battle. My first course of action was to make for the river crossing nearest to the hilltop as the rest of my house raced down off the hill and scattered amongst the tree line.

It was Claude's plan to use the hilltop and the surrounding forest as cover, since most of our House favored ranged attacks. The yellow banners of my house fluttered on top of the hilltop alongside Lorenz and Hilda. The pink haired tank twirled her axe in full plate armor with ease as Lorenz held his spear loosely in hand alongside his white mare.

The wind raced down across the open plains as the three houses charged into battle.


As I flew I watched a couple of the Blue Lion's units detach from the main force and make for the bridge I was after, however not being hindered by anything other then the air beneath my mount, I was able to make it to my location just as the Blue Lion's enforcements got across the bridge.

As I got closer to the moving figures the first thing I noticed was the bows and arrows. I let out an exasperated internal groan. "An archer already? It has to be Ashe…"

My wyvern adjusted his wings to circle back around and I took the opportunity to check if there was anyone else nearby guarding the archer units. As luck would have it, skirting the tree line I caught sight of a cavalry unit. The shock brilliant red hair riding an imposing black charger told me just who I was dealing with.

I realized that Byleth's strategy had changed at the very last minute as well and I unleashed another exasperated groan. "Great, now I have to deal with Sylvain as well…I just can't catch a break today."

I nudged my wyvern lower in order to use some of the trees for cover as I worked out new a plan of attack. The encroaching cavalry posed a major threat to our archers in the tree line but I was running out of time. I needed to buy time to get our flank unit's in place and then find Byleth.

I clicked my tongue, thinking quickly and scanned my surroundings a second time to confirm that the more intensive fighting was just getting started out on the plains. Sylvain and Ashe were definitely meant to be back up support for those heavy frontline fighters.

I had to buy time.

My eyes focused on the blue force that was fanning out to take over the plains. Red figures responded to the changing blue formation with ease, but it was almost impossible from this location to see who was who. The only thing I could make out was that it seemed like it was an even pitch between blue and red for the time being.

Claude's plan to let them fight it out on the plains and then move in to attack the two weakened forces seemed like it might work in our favor.

Wheeling Zu around in a tight circle along the tree line I decided on my priority target. The unit that posed the greatest threat to me on the battlefield were the rangers. I had to deal with any and all of them quickly before I became a special landing zone for arrowheads.

I muttered darkly to myself as I worked out a quick tactic. "The easiest way to deal with archers is to just attack them at point blank range. They cant attack in close quarters, however…."

I looked over at the cavalry unit that circled back to protect the more vulnerable slow moving archer. "Sylvain must be there to back him up. Oh goddess, this is going to mess everything up if I get caught."

I weighed the risks over my odds of winning and decided it was worth taking a chance. If things didn't work out I would retreat back to the tree line and let Claude know about the impending threat coming up on our flank. With that plan in mind, I directed Zu to keep low and to follow the tree line around the side to wait for both units to advance.

To my utter surprise, my ambush plan of attack actually worked.

Unsure of what was happening, I caught both units by surprise as they came around the tree line. I caught Ashe completely off guard as I raised my axe over my head to attack. The gentle archer trembled visibly as his pale jade eyes locked with mine. I caught sight of the fear in his eyes as Zu unleashed an ear splitting battle cry and charged.

My huge wyvern juggernauted towards my both opponents with his horns down. I tightened the grip on my axe, bracing for impact as I guided Zu with my knees towards Sylvain. My wyvern raised his massive head snarling and snapped at Sylvain's horse as I refocused on Ashe. I hacked down towards the archer's bow as the pale, freckle faced teen struggled to knock an arrow in his bow.

My axe chopped down as Ashe unleashed his arrow at the last second. I narrowly avoided the projectile, feeling a hot graze across my cheek as the arrow went wide. Zu folded his wings as he slammed into Sylvain's horse and I felt my axe smash through the archers' defenses.

Hot red blood splattered my axe and the side of my wyvern as Zu snapped once more at Sylvain's charger and launched back up into the sky. As my wyvern climbed higher into the air I risked evaluating the damage. A glance at Zu's side revealed a shallow looking spear wound. It looked like one of Sylvain's attacks had grazed the wyvern's other side. Biting my lip at the damage I took a breath and turned my gaze down to the ground level.

Down towards Ashe.

My gut clenched as I spotted the archer. Crimson red splattered the ground under him as he knelt on his knees. The archer desperately attempted to draw his bow back as a giant gash in his arm dripped crimson blood slowly onto the ground.

I fought the bile growing in the back of my throat.

This game of war for sport sickened me. A test of skill that could so easily become murder. I gritted my teeth and led Zu into an emergency barrel roll to the side as a javelin arced up towards us with a startling amount of ferocity and accuracy. I barely managed to avoid the first one as a second javelin followed shortly after. Zu rolled a second time and I came out of the maneuvers clutching my saddle horn for dear life as we lost altitude.

The sky and ground rolled and swayed as my wyvern struggled with his internal flight senses. My sense of distance was severely disoriented after the second roll, but the drop in height was a bigger problem.

My wyvern gave up on trying to keep position and chose to furl his wings back in and attack the threat directly. I struggled to regain my senses as we descended towards Sylvain. I urged my wyvern on, yelling encouragement over the roar of blood and wind as we landed on the ground with a shutter that rattled my bones inside my armor.

The fight was quick and dirty.

Sylvain's spear broke under my wyvern's snapping jaws while I hacked away at my opponent. I tried not to see the shock in Sylvain's face as I moved my mount's position to line up with him. The knight was weaponless as I swung my axe once again. The knight's armor rattled as I slammed the flat of my axe into his chest hard enough to completely knock him off his horse.

Satisfied I had delayed the pair long enough for my back up to get into place, I beat a swift retreat towards the main battle. As I sailed over the open sky I took a chance to take a quick drink from my water skin. Adrenaline hammered in my veins making it difficult to get the cap off, but my shaking hands eventually managed to unscrew the cap.

The battle was just starting to pick up, it didn't feel like it had been that long, but the creeping of the sun's position told me we had been in battle for longer than it appeared.

I drained half the water skin without a second thought, my mind preoccupied with my classmates faces as I attacked them. The warm water washed the back of my throat and settled uncomfortably in my stomach. I took my time screwing the cap back on and put the water skin away as I turned my attention back to the battlefield. I scanned the entire plains trying to pick out where my next target was.

It took me a few minutes of looking but I eventually located the professor. I spotted Byleth fighting out on a platform in the middle of the plains. The magic ruins on the platform glowed and pulsed with a strong light to the point even I could see them activating from my location by the river.

I adjusted my grip on my axe and began to consider how I was going to get the professor off that pedestal and away from the magical guards. I licked my lips thinking. The wind instantly dried the moisture making the gesture pointless.

The minor changes to my tasks right before battle was to have me patrol our flank until we could get our archers hidden in the tree line. After that it was up to Raphael and Ignatz to protect our flank while Claude focused most of our attack power on the threat near the plains. Byleth was definitely public enemy number one, but he wasn't taking any risks with Dimitri and Edelguard on the field either.

The Golden Deer's plan was to bank on the feud between the Black Eagles and Blue Lions to eliminate and weaken our opponent's key players before taking on the survivors himself.

As Zu carried me closer to battle I felt the knot in my stomach tightening. It looked like the Black Eagles ever slowly retreating back into their stronghold. The red fighters started using the ruin's crumbling walls and barriers to provide cover and ambushes.

The Blue Lions did not shy away from the challenge however, and advanced onto the conceded ground victoriously, flanking Byleth on both sides as she waited on the edge of her magic tile.

I wondered if she was waiting to regroup but noticed Mercedes and Annette following a different figure in blue. Squinting my eyes I realized both of the Blue Lion's mages had positioned themselves just behind Dimitri. The small attack group was steadily advancing towards a triangle consisting of Petra, Cereza, and Ferdinand near where I suspected we had dug out pit falls the night prior.

Each wingbeat brought me closer to the tile, to the professor. Each steady beat echoed in my heart as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, preparing myself for the battle ahead. The grip on my axe flexed as I shook out the tension that was filling my body as I urged Zu up higher into the sky. We were preparing to dive as the smallest glint of silver from above me caused me to panic and pull out of my dive.

My wyvern, seeing the danger a wingbeat later, was forced towards the ground as I fought my wyvern for control, pulling on the reins in order to guide him out of the danger zone and back into combat. The offending Pegasus crashed into us from above, spear first.

There was no time to think. I hacked away with my axe at the long pole. The impact of metal on metal was met with a resounding clang that caused my hand to go numb on impact.

I gritted my teeth as the Pegasus flapped its wings away from us, disengaging. Rounding about with increased maneuverability in order to charge again.

Thinking frantically I angled towards the nearest trees. The only thought I could think of was to bait my attacker into archer range. I prayed my house mates would provide me with backup.

Ingrid followed me into the trap, her steed flying circles around my wyvern as Zu's wings came within a hair's breadth from the treetops. The time between my wyvern's wing beats seemed to take forever and I began to lose hope. I started to believe had picked the wrong set of trees.

Another long wing beat later was I looking down the shaft of Ingrid's spear for a second time. I prepared myself for a second engagement my heart hammering as my grip changed on my axe. Bringing my weapon up into position I heard the high pitched screams from her Pegasus as arrows shot out of the tree line from below. I had not been mistaken. My classmates had caught sight of my plight and came to my aid. The archers below unleashed another volley of arrows at the airborne threat.

I watched the arrows arch out of the tree tops and caught sight of Leonie and Ignatz. I threw them an adrenaline-flued salute as Zu pulled free of the tree tops.

Stabilizing in midair I turned in my saddle to survey the damage. Zu's flank had definitely seen better days but he was still flying steady. A blessing I sighed and then turned to myself. I realized that in the heat of battle I had failed to notice that my opponents had successfully landed several hits on me. I was going to need to fly back to Marianne for some medical assistance.

An arrow shaft with blue fletching had implanted itself in the upper part of my unprotected thigh and I noticed with a uneasy jolt of surprise that Ashe had actually managed to shoot me before I disengaged. If the arrow wound wasn't grim enough, Ingrid had apparently made the wound worse by somehow managing to stab my same leg with her spear.

Realizing that I was in no shape to continue, I steeled my nerves and flew back towards the base of the Golden Deer's hill. I set down on an open grassy field next to the tree line for cover and slid down out of my saddle shaking. I had already engaged in three battles before I even got to Byleth. My heart was pounding even thinking of my odds of success.

The worry that I would let my team down also started to get to me.

I gritted my teeth as I leaned up against my wyvern who lay down for a brief break as I tried to control my breathing. My hand slipped in the blood as I struggled to get a grip on Ashe's arrow. My vision swam as I pulled on it. The arrow shifted as I sucked in air, struggling not to scream as it started to pull free. My vision turned hazy and white as the barbed head came out with a sickening squelch. I examined the bits of flesh stuck to the point before tossing it away from me.

Leaning behind me I grabbed the disinfectant from my saddle bags and hissed as the liquid poured over the open wounds on my thigh. Tears pricked the edges of my vision as my legs shook with the effort to remain standing.

How was I supposed to fight Byleth like this? I looked down at my ruined leg and contemplated using healing magic on it. I doubted anyone would blame me if I retreated now, but images came to mind of the bonfire last night. The hopeful faces of my teammates, the glow of trust in their eyes and I groaned anew.

As I weighed my options, a soft, warm, healing light enveloped me.

My eyes flickered closed as the healing magic flickered all around me. My mind screamed that I needed to get the health potion out of my bag, and to bind my leg in some kind of field compress, but my body refused to obey me. My stomach rolled as the faces of my hopeful classmates faded to the faces of Ashe and Sylvain flecked with blood and glaring up at me in defiance. My resolve to continue fighting waivered. My instinct to run and avoid this senseless conflict fought with my responsibilities and expectations.

I opened my eyes to stare up at the sky.

When had it gotten so late?

I wondered as I turned to rifle through my saddle packs for a bandage.

As I searched in my bags for a bandage, Marianne ran out of the woods towards me. I did not realize she was there as I struggled to figure out how to proceed, gritting my teeth in pain.

"Here, allow me."

I looked over in exhaustion as the healer leaned down and managed to bandage the disgusting mess that made up my upper thigh with shaking hands. She then passed me a vulnerary as I pulled myself back into the saddle warily, refusing to meet my eyes.

"I appreciate the assistance." I thanked the shy healer as I rubbed my uninjured thigh.

The sad brown eyes on the healer seemed to sink as she turned away and approached my brooding wyvern's injured flank. "It's no trouble."

I watched as she seemed to speak softly to Zu, and to my surprise, he sulked for a second and then unfurled his wing up into the air so the healer could examine his injured flank better. Curiously, I pulled a jerky stick out from my bag and started to chew it.

The timid healer started to tend to Zu's wounds, her healing magic working on my wyvern as efficiently as it worked on me. I took the unexpected opportunity to rehydrate more and finished off the jerky. I sipped my healing potion as the healer's bright white light faded and she rubbed my temperamental wyvern's snout.

"He wants to go back into battle, so I have done what I can to heal him, but please be mindful of his injuries. You should also know your riding heavy on the right side and he would appreciate it if you could work on redistributing the pack weight."

I drank a little more of my health vulnerary and raised an eyebrow. "Well thank you for the tip. Is there anything else I need to know?"

Marianne shook her head. "Not that I can think of. Oh wait - Claude said Lorenz has left his post along with Raphael. They are now working towards the front lines."

I nodded to her as I set about undoing one of my saddlebags and spare weapon. I resituated the short axe on the opposite side from where it normally sat and relocated the bag to the opposite side as well.

"A-Alright if you don't need anything else?" The timid blue haired healer looked towards the tree line as I reached out to pat my wyvern's neck.

"Nope I think we are both good to go." I admitted reluctantly as I checked over Zu's side. The bleeding had already stopped and the wounds were already looking much better. I felt a small coil of worry release as I managed a half smile to the healer. "Goddess, you're a lifesaver Marianne. Alright Zu, are you ready to go?"

My wyvern huffed as Marianne took a step back from us. Zu fanned his wings experimentally and gave a low fluted thrill as he launched up into the sky. We did one pass around the sad eyed healer as she clasped her hands together, as if she was in prayer. I waved as Zu reached his normal altitude and angled him off towards the battle field once more.


Once I was back in the air it was becoming extremely apparent that the battle was going poorly. Lorenz and Raphael were nowhere to be seen. To make matters worse it appeared that most of the Black Eagle students had also disappeared from the plains.

I observed our condition swearing. Claude and the other ranged attackers had dropped back into the inner tree line, and were just barely able to fight off the Blue Lion's advance.

"I'm too late…" I muttered as a pit dropped in my gut. I realized the professor had carved a grizzly scene while I had been tending to my wounds. A path of fallen soldiers lay in her wake, the sword of the creator held victoriously in her grasp as my classmates attempted to chip off damage from a distance. From their hidden vantage points the Golden Deer class kept firing arrows at the professor while she steadily advanced. The sword of the creator flashed like a deadly flail in her hands, working to keep the projectiles at bay while she took step after step forward.

I hefted my axe, deep down knowing I was going to be nothing more than a brief distraction on this path of carnage. With a deep breath to steel my nerves and accept my fate. I directed Zu to put me down just behind the professor.

As my wyvern set down on the grassy hill behind her, Byleth looked over her shoulder and nodded approvingly at the danger appearing behind her. I dismounted from my wyvern with quivering legs and stepped away from my mount. I did not want him to be caught up in the heat of a battle I did not expect to win. I gave the signal for Zu to fly away and waited for him to leave.

My wyvern snorted and fanned his wings as I turned to face the professor yelling. "Fear the Deer!"

I readied my axe into battle position and started to charge. I ran forward and as a brilliant green eye met mine with an ear splitting roar a second later. Seeing Zu ignoring my command I frantically issued another hand signal for him to leave. My injured leg trembled as the wyvern shrieked a second time and came to stand alongside me.. Realizing it was hopeless to force a creature weighing several thousand kilograms to do anything, I resigned myself to my fate and partner, as I turned to focus on the approaching threat.

I was running out of time.

As I fixed my eyes on the danger in front of me, the shining image of the professor embedded itself into my brain and the pain in my leg was soon forgotten in light of the immediate danger I was in.

Heart hammering with adrenaline I started to move forward once again. The sword of the creator whipped out me, a lethal chain that was bent on destruction. My destruction. Time seemed to stand still as I snapped my legs up in the nick of time. The murderous chain snapped harmlessly under me as I came back down to land.

My landing was the start of my demise as one foot hit grass and slipped while the other kept going for a thunderous second later. My foot sank into one of the many rabbit holes out on the open plain. As I landed, I heard, more than felt the snap as my ankle rolled to distribute my weight.

Another fresh wave of pain shot through me causing me gasp as Blyeth's chain snaked back around. With no time to think, I flung myself back down onto the ground. The razor sharp chain sung as it flashed just inches above my prone body. I started attempting to push myself back up. I managed to get onto one knee using my axe handle as support as the other shook under me.

One tentative step later I quickly learned my injured leg would no longer even tolerate the idea of holding my weight as Byleth changed tactics and attacked my wyvern. Zu snapped at her, ignoring the Sword of the Creator as it ripped open his flank anew while he stepped in between us.

I screamed for my wyvern to disengage and to fly away. As my screams rent the battlefield I looked around for anything that could help me. The only thing I had at my disposal was my axe.

Half crawling on the ground, dragging my now useless leg behind me I stubbornly dug the bottom of my axe shaft into the ground and pulled myself towards my valiant mount. Zu stood his ground long enough for me to grab onto the stirrups and pull myself up against his side. The wyvern felt my weight on his neck and launched up into the air as soon as he could.

I was left dangling, holding onto the saddle sides for dear life as my Wyvern accented into the air. I was forced to drop my battle axe to the ground as Zu leaned heavily to one side with me dangling under him.

Blood pounded in my ears as the ground and sky became one as I clung to my mount for dear life. Somehow, I managed to find the strength to pull myself up into the saddle. With me stabilizing my position by sheer panic and determination Zu's erratic flight leveled out. It took everything I had in my fight or flight instinct to pull myself back into the saddle, hissing in pain and regret as my one leg hung uselessly to the side. Zu flew in a circle waiting for orders as I worked to tie myself into the saddle.

Pain and adrenaline caused a strange mixture of clarity and regret as I watched Claude's gold cape fluttering in the late afternoon sun. The last stand signal to charge was given and my hand brushed the short axe attached to my pack next to me.

I toyed with the strings securing the weapon as Byleth turned on my classmates. Lysithea went down as Leonie set down her bow and picked up her spear. Claude knocked another arrow into his bow as I found a renewed strength to continue. My classmates needed me, even if it was a hopelessly outmatched battle.

I nudged Zu back down into combat with a yell.


Author's Note:

Hello again! I return with another chapter - a few days late but I am trying to release these with more frequency now. Especially after those last few chapters? I couldn't leave you hanging on, waiting for what happened in the Battle of the Eagle and Lion for too long right? I mean I am a cruel author but even I am not quite that heartless.

That being said we finally got to see what Lili's role in the battle was - Claude used her as a kind of shield and highly maneuverable damage dealer to try to offset Byleth's plans. Of course Dimitri had for go off after Edelgard, taking Annette and Merci with him while Felix and Dedue followed Byleth towards the plains. On the other side Sylvain and Ashe went up the right side of the map over the second bridge, basically splitting her force three ways because she never expected everyone to battle on the plains to begin with.

So it was a three way push for the Blue Lions. Ingrid was a swing unit stationed to look after Byleth as well, for of course the prince entrusts his most trusty retainers to look over his beloved professor (And because when we fight Dimitri he is normally flanked by the healer and range unit - so little of A little of B)

Claude on the other hand made most of his units ranged - Lorenz was a valiant knight who was used to draw opponents off the plains and into the tree line for the archers while Raphael was set to protect the upper flank where Felix broke off from Byleth. He also was the one who finished off Sylvain and Ash before running back to the trees. Hilda was left a perfect princess duty of guarding the hilltop and flag.

The Black Eagles on the other hand used wave tactics - sending Ferdy, Petra and Cereza out in a balanced pronged attacks, who fought with Leonie, Dimitri and Lorenz out on the plains. Hubert and Edelgard planned and used the ruins to their advantage for the rest of the mages, providing cover as Dimitri progressed through the blockades. Bernie backed up Lind and Caspar in the third wave, while Hubert and Dorthea kept close to their house leader at the main base.

And you got next to none of this from Lili's point of view because she experienced the fight first hand. Meaning she kept, mostly, to her assigned tasks - stopping only to tend to her wounds….which she really did not realize happened right away because she was focusing way too much on other things. (Like swatting Sylvain off his horse and the panicked look in Ashe's eyes brought forth other memories and feelings.)

Overall, it is a very, very busy day for Lilianna for sure. A very important day that even though she is terrified and disgusted with the proceedings she still gave it an honest effort - even if she didn't finish Ashe or Sylvain off - or anyone really. She mostly caused distractions and allowed for others to get into position. That is in part because she doesn't like the idea of combat with people that are her classmates or the whole combat for sport, the other half is because that was her role as a wyvern rider in battle.

No wonder she has been so short with everyone. She had a lot of responsibility riding on this battle and not a lot of advantages - Claude basically used her as bait and a sacrificial pawn to help the rest of his units to succeed. Still - that silver tongued golden deer, and maybe more than a little concern for her classmates, had Lili going back into combat time and time again.

I think my favorite part of the chapter is her wake up call though. Sylvain walking into her tent and her waking up out of a dead sleep to see him hovering over her - honestly I think he's very lucky she didn't wake up and tackle him to the ground. I could see someone sneaking up on her and her having zero mercy on him.

And - if you have managed to read this far - I do apologize for the delay on this chapter - I meant to have this out about 10 days ago but I have had family events going on for the past week and I have just not been able to release it. So Please forgive me and bare with me - and I will strongly recommend you hit that follow button to know when I release a new chapter - and if you are enjoying the work please consider favoriting/giving it a Kudo - seeing people enjoying the story really helps motivate me and for those of you who take the time to comment and let me know what you think or what your enjoying - thank you from the bottom on my heart. Its so lovely to see those comments and I feel so happy - it really helps encourage me seeing people like the story and taking time out of your day to say something nice - its so heartwarming. *bows* You have my sincere gratitude!

Thank you very much for stopping in and I hope to see you soon!