The moon shone brightly across the small courtyard. Edelgard bathed in its light as she sat on the bench across from the Black Eagles homeroom.

These late night outings were becoming all too common as of late. She noticed the frequency of her nightmares had been increasing with each new moon.

Just an hour ago, she found herself trapped in a dream of herself holding an axe wet with fresh blood. At her feet, Mercedes's body laid motionless, her glazed-over eyes stared at her accusingly.

At first, she attributed it to the last moon's battle. The similarities to the bandit she had slain and her nightmare were hard to dismiss. Surely, her subconscious had summoned that memory while she slept, in addition to her guilt over not feeling remorse for her kill.

Why lie to myself?

Edelgard released a deep, sorrowful sigh.

Mercedes was a kind, gentle soul. Though Edelgard felt shame for not having more time to get more acquainted with the young woman, she could easily tell that Mercedes was the type of person who would work her fingers to the bone if it meant she could alleviate anyone's burdens.

But she was also devout.

Edelgard had overheard more than once that she wished to dedicate her life to the church if her father would allow it. The same church that gripped the land of Fodlan and all of its people. Those without crests were much more susceptible to feel its suffocating squeeze.

Deep in the back of her mind, she knew that her most recent nightmare might soon become a reality. A pious servant of the church, such as Mercedes, would never allow Edelgard to dismantle everything she believed in and simply step aside.

And what of her classmates? They originated from Adrestia and most likely held loyalty to the emperor. But what if they disapproved? What if they stood against her?

Then she would have to slay them, too.

Edelgard's stomach burned as she struggled to swallow the lump that formed in her throat.

"Am I interrupting?"

Her head jolted toward the voice.

Byleth stood in the grass, several meters from where she sat.

"M-my teacher," Edelgard stumbled over her words, "of course you aren't."

She felt as if her words echoed throughout the silent monastery. Edelgard could hear the grass crinkle beneath his feet as he approached the bench and wondered why she hadn't noticed before he caused her to nearly jump out of her skin.

Byleth lowered himself on the opposite end of the bench. "A little late, isn't it?"

"I…" she searched for her next words, "needed some fresh air."

"Rough night?" Edelgard noticed he kept his gaze forward as he spoke, not once turning to face her.

She nodded, unsure if he could even see her affirmation, "and you?"

"The same," he simply replied.

Several elongated moments of silence passed. Edelgard contemplated what a mercenary might dream about, but quickly decided against it lest he ask her the same question.

"Why didn't you join us?" Byleth sliced the still air with his question.

She scrunched her brow. "Pardon?"

"When Leonie and I were training," he explained, "You were just outside for quite some time, clearly curious. Why did you not join us?"

Edelgard could immediately feel the heat in her cheeks and her eyes widened, struck by the bluntness of his question. No. It wasn't the question. It was the fact that she was certain that she had been stealthy enough that they would not notice her presence.

What must he think of her? Staring at her professor as he trained from the shadows.

"I would have gladly taught you as well," Byleth stated.

She let out a forced and false chuckle. "I will be sure to keep that in mind next time." More than anything, Edelgard was relieved she might have gotten away with not having to explain her actions.

It was at this moment she realized she had little interaction with her teacher… alone.

"Listen," Edelgard began. Byleth tilted his head slightly but still did not bring his blue eyes to meet her gaze. "I wanted to formally apologize to you."

"Apologize?" Byleth seemed genuinely confused.

"Yes," she continued, "When we dispatched those bandits, I had no right to chastise you as if you were a child. You are clearly more capable than I have given you credit for."

"It's fine," He replied, his tone was flat.

Edelgard curled the corner of her mouth. She had rehearsed that apology for a few days now and his answer somehow did not satisfy the guilt she felt. "Must you always offer only one or two words to our conversation?"

Byleth visibly recoiled, as if her words pierced his skin.

"I'm…" His voice softened, as if he were being lectured, "sorry."

She sighed, it seemed as if she had not yet pierced whatever armor Byleth protected himself with. Not yet.

"I just haven't…" He continued, his words carefully planned. "Had much experience in conversation. Mercenaries never spoke much to a child."

Edelgard blinked in surprise. Byleth could have easily left it with his child-like apology, but instead offered a vague explanation.

The first glance into who he is.

She felt a rise of excitement at the thought. "No, I suppose they wouldn't. But surely, throughout your travels from village to village, you must have met some children your own age?"

It felt like an intimate question, and Edelgard immediately wished she could snatch her words out of the air before they reached his ears.

No, she didn't. Deep inside, she truly wished to know more of her teacher.

Byleth shook his head. His mouth parted to speak, but decided against it. This happened several times before he finally forced his voice to sound, "They were afraid."

Afraid? Edelgard lowered her brows. For a moment, she imagined what his life might have been like, as if she marched beside him. Each village would sing their praises to the mercenaries that saved their lives, and most of all to the prodigal son who risked his life above all else.

But apparently that wasn't the case. Edelgard ran through her mind, picturing the inhabitants of the villages they saved, searching for a reason they would fear a little boy.

She could no longer take the burn of her question upon her tongue, "Why would they-"

Byleth lifted his hand. She had seen him do this before, when they were approaching the bandit's encampment.

He turned his site to their south, past the covered walkway and toward the hedge garden.

"There's someone else." Byleth lowered his voice to a whisper.

Edelgard's heart sank. Was someone watching them?

Her thoughts immediately turned to Solon… or worse. Perhaps her uncle would make a rare appearance.

"Maybe we should return to our quarters." Edelgard's thoughts darted through her mind frantically. If she could be alone, then whatever Those Who Slither In the Dark had to say to her could remain secret.

Byleth didn't answer. Instead, he rose from the bench and carefully put one foot in front of the other. This time, Edelgard could not hear the grass beneath his feet. It was as if he had an internal switch, one that allowed him to move as a predator would.

Her heart raced as he moved toward the hedge garden.

If he were to discover Solon or any of the others…

Edelgard jumped from her seat to follow him, "this matter might be better handled by the knights?"

It was a weak excuse, but more than anything, she wished to keep him from Those Who Slither In the Dark. She knew their clash would be inevitable, but if she could keep her teacher away from them for a while longer…

Byleth shook his head as they passed the covered walkway and passed the hedges that lined the gazebo. "They're heading toward the cafeteria. One person. Light footsteps. Must not be wearing heavy armor."

Edelgard was taken back. He was sharing his thought process out loud. It was impressive how much he was able to deduce when she herself could not hear a thing.

Edelgard continued to follow him, her worry growing with every step. She could leave. She could feign fear and excuse herself.

However, Edelgard could not bring herself to leave his side as they neared the entrance to the cafeteria. The double doors were unlatched.

Byleth rested his hand on the door handle, but did not open it just yet. Instead, he circled the small opening, his eyes searching inside.

"Mmm," a light moan came from inside, "You're going to be mighty tasty!"

It was the first sound Edelgard heard that indicated they were not alone. Her fears subsided as the voice did not appear to be malevolent, unless Those Who Slither In The Dark had recently resorted to cannibalism.

Byleth visibility relaxed his shoulders as he opened the door, "Ingrid."

Edelgard sighed heavily, as if it were her first breath in a long while.

"Wh-what?" Ingrid called out as Byleth and Edelgard entered the dimmed and empty cafeteria, "I wasn't-"

Ingrid did not finish her sentence. She stood before a stove, her eyes wide with shock at being caught. Clearly, she was trying to hide something.

"Professor," Ingrid tried to compose herself, "Lady Edelgard. I did not expect anyone out this late!"

"Are you cooking?" Byleth asked as he sniffed the air, "Mint leaves, garlic."

Edelgard couldn't help but smile. The situation was humorous to her. Ingrid was attempting to hide her actions, but it seems nothing could slip past her teacher.

"No!" Ingrid blurted. Her reply echoed through the empty walls of the cafeteria. "I mean… what I meant to say was, not yet."

Her tone deflated as she was forced to admit her intentions.

"Bear meat, or poultry?" Byleth's question surprised Edelgard. He seemed genuinely interested in her extra-curricular activity. "Not a dessert. Garlic would overwhelm any sweetness."

"Bear meat," Ingrid lowered her head, "I had a terrible craving, I must admit."

His eyes scanned the counters and found a sizeable chunk of red meat resting on a cutting board, "By the looks of it, your craving couldn't have been too bad. A brisket that size would take six, maybe seven hours to cook."

Edelgard was very much enjoying this exchange. It was the first time he could speak of anything but fighting or tactics.

Ingrid lowered her head and intertwined her fingers, "The culinary arts are a little… difficult for me to grasp."

Byleth gave her a swift nod and approached the counter. Edelgard thoughtlessly followed in tow, eager to see what he would do next.

"We can cut this into strips and make steaks instead," She noticed that he avoided Ingrid's eyes as he spoke, instead keeping his gaze to the chunk of meat.

Ingrid's face brightened at the word 'steak,' "Rare would suit me well!"

Byleth grinned softly as he searched the cabinets, his demeanor suddenly more upbeat.

"What are you searching for?" Edelgard interjected, surprised by her own interest in helping Ingrid.

"The spices," He answered. "Mint and garlic alone are fine seasons, but together, would not make for a good steak. Thyme, or rosemary would pair much better."

"That does sound delicious!" Ingrid beamed with excitement. Edelgard could almost envision the drool beginning to form.

"My teacher," Edelgard smiled, "I was unaware of your culinary abilities. Do you cook often?"

He shook his head as he cut the meat into thick, one-inch strips, "Not since I came to the monastery."

Somehow, he continued to impress her. He wasn't much for conversation, but his wide range of abilities and interests were not something she would have guessed he possessed.

"Professor," Ingrid began, "I do hope you'll join me. After all, it wouldn't be right for you to cook for me and not indulge yourself! You as well, Lady Edelgard."

He gave her a swift nod. "Start heating the pan and cut the garlic."

Ingrid enthusiastically complied.

"Oh, I don't know if I can eat so late," Edelgard shook her head.

"Do you like fishing?" Byleth didn't turn to face her.

Her eyes widened. His question was so off-topic that it caught her off guard. "I.. can't say that I've fished before. It wouldn't be right to draw a conclusion without having tried it first."

"Would you join me on our next free day?"

Edelgard's cheek felt flush. Though he did not raise his head to face her, she somehow knew that he would be able to detect it.

"Jeralt and Alois invited me to a pond not far from here," He continued. Ingrid handed him a handful of minced garlic and he expertly rubbed it into the meat.

"Oh, I don't know," Edelgard hesitated, "I wouldn't want to impose."

"You wouldn't be imposing, I'm inviting you."

"Whatever you catch, we can cook!" Ingrid's excitement never wavered.

Edelgard felt as if she were under a spotlight. She feared such an activity would take away time from all the things that must be done.

Lady Edelgard, I must object. Hubert's voice rang in her head. A pointless activity such as… fishing serves no greater purpose.

"I notice you tend to be on edge," Byleth interrupted her thoughts. "Sometimes staring into the open water can help simmer the anxiety."

He must have been referring to her hesitance to investigate the noises they heard.

"Hubert would never allow-"

"He can come as well," Byleth interrupted. "Consider it a lesson in clearing your mind. Crucial on the battlefield."

It was almost as if he could read Edelgard's mind, and had already thought of an excuse to give Hubert to spare her the lecture.

"If it is a lesson, my teacher," Edelgard hesitated, "then how can I possibly refuse?"

She tried to keep her tone as cool as possible. In truth, her heart raced at the thought of bathing in the sun next to a calm body of water. She could picture watching Byleth holding his rod as he stared into the open water. Perhaps he could look back at her and offer her a coveted smile-

Wait, what?

Edelgard frantically tried to clear her mind. His smile offered no practical lesson. It was completely and totally absurd.

It was the freedom of leisurely spending an afternoon, focusing on nothing but the sound of the wind through the trees that enticed her.

Then why was it she longed to finally meet his gaze?

The night receded, and daylight bathed the monastery in a dim, orange glow.

Edelgard sat at her desk in her quarters. She could not sleep after returning from the cafeteria.

Thoughts plagued every corner of her mind. Everything they taught hert told her that these thoughts were pointless, stupid, even dangerous. But her chest told her otherwise.

It felt… good?

Edelgard balked at such a weak description. Her chest felt tight, her stomach flipped. How could those feelings possibly feel good?

With a sigh, she scanned her room and her eyes rested on her axe that leaned against the wall near her bed. She desired nothing more than to clear her mind.

Edelgard retrieved it, and swiftly swung it a few times across her body, feeling the weight of it in her hands. She pictured an invisible enemy in front of her as she began to put more force behind her swings.

She lifted the axe and brought it down, imagining her foe falling to the ground. With a grin, she told herself she was not losing her focus.

Edelgard would see many enemies fall before her, each easier than the last.

Mercedes' lifeless, accusing eyes stared up at her.

Edelgard gulped hard. Her nightmare returned to haunt her. Her chest was suddenly tight from guilt.

When Byleth first became her teacher, she knew he possessed a wealth of knowledge that she could use to achieve her goals. But somehow, it now felt like a betrayal of his kindness.

Each of his actions was carefully planned, each interaction he had with the students was a lesson. A lesson to survive.

And Edelgard intended to abuse those lessons in order to take lives, perhaps even the lives of those he taught.

With another deep breath, she tried to focus on another invisible enemy in front of her as she raised her weapon in front of her. Her hands tightened on the haft of her axe, preparing herself to strike.

Edelgard's ethereal opponent began to take on features. His hair turned a deep blue, as did his eyes. A long black coat hung from his shoulders.

Her heart skipped a beat as her grip loosened and her axe lowered.

The imaginary opponent grinned ever so softly as he lifted a wooden sword over his head and brought it down in slow motion.

Edelgard instinctively sidestepped his strike, letting it slice through the empty air. He took a step forward and swung his blade upward across his body. Edelgard pivoted on her heel and spun her body to avoid his blade, and found herself behind him.

His back was exposed and her fingers twitched on the haft of her axe. But she did not strike her foe. Instead, she only wished for this waltz to continue as her imaginary opponent deftly spun to face her, his eyes meeting hers.

The Dance of Water.

He swung his blade across his body as Edelgard dropped to her knees, leaning as far right as she could. She imagined the whistle above her as his steel sword passed by her head. She had seen the real Byleth perform such a move, and for a moment, she took pride in knowing that she would be a more graceful waltzing partner than Leonie.

In that lesson, he taught Leonie that, when the opening came, to take the strike. But Edelgard would not, not tonight. She dropped her axe to the floor as she used her hand to spin her body and lift herself back firmly on her feet.

Her invisible opponent gave her an approving smile, as if he were proud of her.

Edelgard felt her chest tighten once more as she took a few steps forward, desiring to be closer to his face.

What a sight that must have been. If she had been anywhere else, her peers may have thought her crazy. But in her mind, Byleth stood in front of her, his deep blue eyes pierced her soul.

There was no stopping time. The day would come when they would no longer exchange mock strikes but instead splatter one another's blood with real steel.

But tonight, she saw no harm in indulging in the thought that perhaps they would never cross blades. That he would stand beside her, her sword and shield.

Her invisible teacher faded away from her mind, and once again, she was alone in her room. But the tightness in her chest remained. Her heart fluttered, as if it had been replaced with a butterfly.

There was no harm in indulging in a fantasy. Even if that fantasy may never come true…. right?