War. It truly was a horrible thing. That was no less true than at the battle of Gronder Field. On that foggy day, three different factions from three rivaling nations charged that massive field, their respective leaders fighting for their own beliefs. But in the end, it was the regular soldiers that died on their behalf. It was one thing to face off and kill an enemy soldier you didn't know. But what would happen if you were forced to face someone you love?
Byleth continued to cut his way through the Alliance and Adrestian troops that got in his way, the fog obscuring his vision. These were his least preferable battlefields. In this type of environment, you couldn't see anything unless it was directly in front of you, and carrying a torch or conjuring up a magic flame was considered suicide. That was asking to get shot by a stray enemy projectile. Still, despite having to deal with the overwhelming forces of the Adrestian Empire and now the Leicester Alliance — the latter which turned out to be an unfortunate confrontation due to a misunderstanding — the soldiers of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus were beginning to prevail on both fronts. Mostly because Byleth and Prince Dimitri were basically one-man armies in their own rights.
But that came at a terrible cost.
Bernadetta... Lysithea... Raphael... Ignatz and so many others. All of them lie dead upon that muddy field. The sight of it tore at Byleth's heart. These were people who he knew from back at the Officer's Academy in Garreg Mach. Students he had taught whenever he would hold seminars on Sunday, or would spend tea parties with. People he sparred with at the training grounds, planted flowers with, shared meals with. And just like that, in the blink of an eye, they were no more, most of them killed by the mad prince himself. Their bodies mutilated in such ways that they were almost unrecognizable. Even Byleth himself wasn't innocent of it. Moments ago, he was forced to put down Leonie, despite his repeated efforts in trying to convince her that he wasn't her enemy.
Would his father, Jeralt, hate him for this? Would he resent him? Or would he understand, with him being a former mercenary and all?
Byleth shook his head. He supposed it didn't matter at this point. Jeralt was long gone, and Leonie was soon to join with her fallen teacher. He had sworn to Sothis that he would cut his own path, regardless of how much it hurt. He was only glad that path didn't entail him fighting—
Sensing immediate danger behind him, Byleth spun around and brought his sword to block an incoming attack from an enemy's axe. The next thing he knew, he was met with a pair of shocked and hurt pink eyes. Belonging to the one person he had wished to see the least of in this battle. Byleth gasped. "Hilda?"
"Hello, By— Professor. It's been a while."
Hilda swallowed hard, refusing to address him by his name.
"You know, I thought you had died five years ago. Where have you been?"
"Hilda, I— It's complicated."
She nodded grimly. "I understand. I guess that means there's only one thing left for us to do, then..."
Byleth shook his head. "Hilda, please don't do this."
"I'm sorry, Professor, but I won't allow you or anyone else to hurt Claude."
Without another word, Hilda took a quick swipe at his throat.
And so their duel began.
During the fierce battle, Byleth observed how fast and strong she had become. Gone was the girl who would always find an excuse to skip training and lectures. No longer was she the delicate flower, too weak to fight or protect herself, like she so strongly believed. Now, she was a young woman. A woman and a warrior. A warrior who had come close to killing him several times, now. Though he may not have shown it on the outside, with every blow he would have to intercept from her, Byleth had to bite back a hiss as they sent a painful jolt through his shoulders all the way down to the fingers holding his sword. One wrong move, one slight mishap, and he would lose his head for sure. He had to end this thing fast!
Nothing else mattered in that moment.
Not the soldiers screaming and dying all around him, nor the cries of the wounded. Even Dimitri and his inner demons, Byleth blotted them from his mind. The only thing that mattered, was the single opponent standing in front of him. But could he really bring himself to kill her?
The one he had once considered as a student, a close friend, and most of all... his...
•••
He remembered that final night five years ago, before the battle for the monastery started. The battle that would set all of Fódlan in the flames of war. They were sharing tea in Hilda's room to calm their nerves, but as Byleth was about to return to his own quarters to turn in for the night, Hilda jumped out of her chair and caught him by the arm, startling him. Then, with frightened eyes, she had asked him to spend the night with her. And so, to help take her mind off the looming war, at least for a while, Byleth yielded to her request. One thing led to another, and soon after, Hilda stopped calling him just Professor.
Right before the exhaustion from their shared moment of love and intimacy claimed her, he recalled Hilda's last words to him:
"No matter what happens in this crazy world, I know I'll be safe if I stay by your side."
•••
Hilda hit the ground with a pained gasp as Byleth finally managed to disarm her of her Hero's Relic, just before he tackled her. She struggled to free herself from his grasp, but he had her pinned down good. With the Sword of the Creator at her throat, Hilda could only close her eyes, as she waited for Byleth to deliver the killing blow. But...
It never came.
She spared a glance, to see that his sword hand was shaking, and there were unshed tears beginning to take form in his eyes.
"Why?" Hilda said, her voice barely audible with all the chaos taking place around her.
Byleth shook his head. "I can't," he answered with a strained voice. "I can't kill you... not after I promised to keep you safe that night."
"Byleth..." Hilda stared at him with wondrous eyes, when something tore her gaze from him. A short distance away from where they were, an Imperial archer had his bow and arrow trained on Byleth's back. Her eyes widened with alarm, as she remembered the time he had asked for her help with the mission with Lord Lonato. During which, he had taken a lance to the ribs to protect her. Not this time!
"Look out! Argh!" She pushed him out of the way, just as the arrow pierced her left shoulder.
"No!" Byleth cried.
Biting back the pain with gritted teeth, Hilda reached towards her back and pulled out a tomahawk. Then, mustering whatever strength she had left, she hurled it towards the archer. He collapsed shortly after, with the tomahawk buried right between his widened eyes.
"I'm okay," Hilda said with a sharp gasp, as Byleth helped her to her feet and began inspecting her wound.
"You're hurt," he protested with a headshake, before he placed his palm on her shoulder and applied healing magic.
Hilda let out a relieved sigh.
"Hilda, it's too dangerous for you to stay here. You need to leave!"
"I can't," she argued, "not with Claude still in the battle."
Byleth gestured with his head.
"Look, your troops are already retreating, and Claude is too injured to keep pressing his attack."
Hilda followed his gaze, and sure enough, her friend and the current Duke of Leceister Alliance was fleeing the scene with heavily sustained injuries.
"Claude needs you, Hilda. Don't break your friend's heart by throwing your life away here... nor mine."
She hesitated. "But, what about you?"
Byleth shot her a disarming smile.
"Don't worry about me. As soon as we win this war, I'll come find you. You have my word."
Hilda nodded dubiously, and made to leave, but something stopped her. There was one last matter that was left unresolved. One thing she had been withholding from him for five years, and that she needed to let him know now, before they went their separate ways. Hilda threw caution to the wind. "Ah, damn it all!" Before Byleth knew what to expect, she turned around and pulled him in for a brief, yet no less passionate kiss before breaking it off.
"I love you, Byleth," she said with sadness in her eyes, before taking off, leaving him stunned to silence.
•••
Two months had passed since they saw each other that fateful day. By then, the Kingdom soldiers, under the leadership of the rehabilitated Prince Dimitri, have just reclaimed their capital of Fhirdiad. They were home. At least, those affiliated with the Holy Kingdom were... But Byleth didn't feel at home. Though he may have traveled throughout Fódlan as a mercenary, he never really had a place to call his own. Not until the monestary, at least.
As he stood upon the rooftop of the Kingdom palace, gazing at the stars spread out and shimmering across the deep blue sky, Byleth's thoughts drifted to Hilda. He wondered if she and Claude were doing well, if they were safe. If she was safe. Despite healing her wounded shoulder, she still would've had to give it time to rest and properly mend before she could be in fighting shape again. He could only hope that she didn't have to take part in any other battles until then, that the war would've spared a moment of respite for her. And the Alliance for that matter. While all three nations had suffered heavy losses during that dreadful battle, the Alliance had gotten it the worst. They couldn't keep fighting the way they used to, not if they wished to survive this bitter and seemingly endless conflict. And so, Byleth made a vow to end this war as quickly as possible, to keep his promise to Hilda...
"It may be spring, but the nights are quite chilly here in Fhirdiad," a voice said from behind him, dragging him out of his thoughts. Byleth turned to see Dimitri approaching him, a kind and amicable smile now on his face. "Still, our celebratory feast shows no sign of stopping any time soon. Are you weary of the festivities?"
"I could ask you the same thing," he shot back with a smirk.
"It's not that I have grown weary," the prince answered him bashfully. "But more that I find it difficult to be with the others right now. I've just come back from visiting the graves of my loved ones. It had been a long time since I left flowers for them. I was always terribly afraid of going near there... But I knew I could not stay away forever. You have taught me something important, Professor."
Byleth raised a brow, confused as to what he was referring to. "Humor?"
Dimitri snorted. "You never let up, do you? No, what I am referring to is far more valuable." He pinched his chin in thought. "How should I put this... Perhaps it would be most accurate to say that... you taught me how to live. If you and I had not reunited on that fateful day, I am certain I would have died a fruitless death in battle. I would have foolishly challenged a horde of enemies, and in doing so, needlessly sacrificed myself along with my friends... But now, I have returned to my rightful place, and that is all thanks to you. You saved me from the darkness, and guided me back to the light." With watery eyes, Dimitri pulled Byleth into a gentle hug, startling him. "Thank you, my friend. With all that I am, thank you."
As he calmed down from his shock, Byleth leaned in to the hug as well, closing his eyes and smiling as he gave the taller man — his old pupil, who eventually became his closest of friends — a pat on the back. "It's good to have you back, Dimitri..."
•••
"Do you still crave revenge against the Empire? Against Edelgard?" he asked.
"Revenge was never something that I wished for," Dimitri responded after a long pause... "It was an obligation I felt I had inherited from those who died. I believed my life belonged to those who lost their own in Duscur. But what I now seek is something else entirely... But I digress..." He shook his head. "For tonight, our only focus should be to celebrate our victory—"
"Your Highness!" A Kingdom soldier interrupted their conversation as he ran up to them panting. "I found you at last!"
"Ah, I am sorry for slipping away," he said. "Has something happened?"
"An express messenger just arrived from the leader of the Alliance. The Empire... they're attacking Derdriu!"
The color drained from Byleth's face, his body quivering with terror, as his thoughts immediately returned to—
Hilda! Claude!
•••
"The citizens have been evacuated, and are now at sea!" Hilda reported. "Are you sure about this, Claude? If Deirdru falls, those ships don't have enough resources for—"
"Deirdru won't fall. Have some faith in me, will you?" Claude interrupted her, giving her an assuring smile.
Hilda remained dubious about it, but didn't bother to argue with him...
An Alliance soldier ran up to them in a panic. "They've broken through our line of defense! The Imperial army is at our doorstep!"
Claude acknowledged the message with a nod. "Understood. Go join up with the troops in the city. We need to keep the enemy occupied for as long as we can."
"Yes, sir!"
"Hilda... Judith... are you ready?" he asked as he turned his attention to them, his expression getting stern.
Hilda sighed, as she lazily threw her Hero's Relic over her shoulder — the axe of House Goneril, Freikugel. "As ready as I'll ever be," she muttered.
Beside her, the older woman known as Judith, the Hero of Daphnel, gave a resolute nod. "It's been years since I last battled in the city streets..."
"Yeah? Well, don't start messing up because your vision has weakened with age," Claude teased. "Take the defensive for now—"
Judith waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I get it."
"The same to you, Hilda. Your injury from Gronder still hasn't healed yet, so don't go doing anything reckless. Understood?"
"Like you're one to talk, Claude," she retorted.
"True enough," he conceded. "But it's not like I can sit this one out either. I still have to make my daring escape, after all..."
"Hm, I wonder if our little ray of hope will show up... We fought each other at Gronder, didn't we?" Judith asked.
"They'll come. You can count on it. If anyone can bring Dimitri back to his senses, it'll be Teach." Claude turned a knowing look toward Hilda. "Teach will talk, and he'll listen..." He was no fool. Though he may not have been privy to the details back during their academy days, he now understood just want kind of bond she had with Teach. It was a special kind of bond, a potent one, that develops between two people who held deep affection for one another. And Claude couldn't have been more happy for them. He was a good match for her, and she for him— "But more than anything, I've seen their skill and abilities. I believe in them. You should, too."
Hilda's mouth fell open in shock, as she realized he was speaking to her directly in that moment. He knew?!
Another Alliance soldier ran up to them, this one with an eager look about them. "Sir! Reinforcements are coming from the west! Their banner is that of the Kingdom!"
"!"
Upon hearing this, Hilda's thoughts immediately went to—
Byleth!
Claude grinned. "What did I tell you? They're here. And just in time..."
•••
Hilda struggled to keep the surprise and joy from her face as she rushed to get into position for the battle. He came. He actually came for her, just like he promised he would. Her eyes began to leak with tears, which she immediately wiped off as her brows furrowed with determination. Byleth had come this far just for her, which meant it was her job to stay alive in the upcoming battle. Until she was reunited with Byleth again, nothing stands in her way. This, she swore.
Dozens of dead Imperial soldiers lay at her feet, with more swarming her with each minute that passed. For over an hour, they had fought back the invaders, but now the Alliance was down to less than a hundred soldiers, with Judith being one of the casualties. And with the shore of the Whitehorn Sea at their rear, and the enemy in front, they were effectively cut off. This was it for her. This was where she met her end. "I'm sorry, Byleth, but it looks like we won't be seeing each other again, after all," she said as she was panting, a bitter smile on her face.
"Hilda, get out of there! Hilda!"
Realizing that she wasn't listening to him, Claude swooped down from his Wyvern to save her before the line of mages could bombard her with their spells...
But he was already too late.
"Fire!"
"No!"
"Sublime Heaven!"
Hilda gasped. She recognized that voice! Just then, a wave of scarlet energy crackled out of thin air and tore the enemy soldiers to pieces, reducing them to red mist. Shortly after, the whip-like sword retracted back to its base form. And standing in the midst of where the Adrestian soldiers had once been— "Byleth!" Upon hearing his name called, he turned to see her sprinting toward him. He went to meet her half way, and then she threw herself into his arms and kissed him. "You actually came!" she said as she broke away from him, her pink eyes full of love and relief before assuming a tone full of ridicule. "You're a little early, don't you think? The war isn't even close to being over yet, silly. What? Did you really miss me that much?"
She meant to poke fun at him...
But—
"Every day."
Byleth rendered her speechless with those two words. Those simple, but powerful words, and the conviction that came with them.
It was then that Claude spoke up.
"Sorry for interrupting this touching moment, but it's not over yet. We've got more Imperial soldiers heading our way." Just as he said this, they heard rushing footsteps, before a battalion of armored troops came charging at them. "We could really use that sword of yours in this fight, Teach. Do you think you can lend us a hand?"
Byleth nodded firmly. "Of course." As he and Hilda stood side-by-side with their weapons raised, they spared a glance at each other.
"Shall we?" she said with a coy grin.
Byleth nodded. "Yes, we shall..."
They charged ahead.
•••
With the Kingdom troops advancing on the Imperials from the west and southwest flanks, and the Alliance keeping them at bay from the east flank, they had caught their shared enemy in a pincer attack. By sunset, the battle had ended. They had won. The celebrations had been cut short, however, when Claude made known his intention to step down from his position as head of House Riegan. And by extension, the leader of the Alliance. With no one else to take his role, the country of Leicester was officially dissolved, and its lands were to be placed under Kingdom control. With all that settled, there was only one last thing to do...
•••
Hilda and Byleth strolled through the beach with hands interlinked, gazing at the pink and orange horizon over the ocean. A single boat lay in wait at the shore, ready to depart on the long journey to the east. Away from the war, and away from Fódlan. "Are you sure you want to leave?" Byleth asked, a somber expression on his face.
"I am. I can't keep going on like this. I'm tired of fighting, Byleth."
"I understand."
"... So, I guess this is goodbye, then?"
Byleth shook his head. "Not quite."
"What do you mean?" she said with a raised brow, as he pulled her to a sudden stop.
"I have something for you. I've been meaning to give it to you for a while now, but I could never find the right time." Hilda threw her free hand to her mouth with a gasp, as he bent down and pulled out a shimmering, silver ring from his cloak. A single, amethyst jewel rested on its base. "Before he died, Jeralt had planned on passing this ring down to me as an inheritance. He wished for me to give it to someone that I love. Well, that someone is you, Hilda. I would like for you to be my wife. I wish to love and treasure you, as my father did with my mother. Will you accept my proposal?"
Tears welled up in her eyes. "Byleth, I... Is this for real? You're asking me to marry you?"
"Please," was all he said in reply, his voice full of desperation and plea as he waited for her answer.
Her gaze darted between Byleth and the ring he carried, before letting out a deep breath. She made her choice. "I... can't." Shock and pure hurt were threatening to overtake Byleth, when he noticed her lips turning upward in a smile. "Not until we win this damn war." Dropping to her knees as well, Hilda placed her hands over Byleth's and curled them over the ring before pushing it back to him. "Once that is out of the way, I want you to ask me that again, using those same words you said just now."
"W-We?"
Hilda nodded eagerly. "I'm coming with you. No matter how tired I am, it wouldn't be right for me to leave the man I love behind to do all the fighting. Besides, I have a score to settle with Edelgard. I still need to give her a good slap in the face for making me wait this long to receive your proposal," she joked. Though it wasn't exactly a lie either. Because of her, she and Byleth had missed out on five years together. All for some stupid war she started for who-knows-what. To her, it didn't matter what her reasons were, or how good they might be. She had lost close friends in this war, both from the Golden Deer and from the other houses, too. She wasn't about to let that go so easily.
"Hilda... Thank you!"
•••
In the distance, Claude looked on in amusement as the couple shared a tearful and happy embrace. "Heh, I figured she couldn't part ways with him. They really are a couple of sad love birds," he said, folding his arms over his chest with a resigned shake of his head. As he ordered the ship's captain to prepare for departure, he spared them a sad smile. "Goodbye, you two. I pray that the next time we meet, it will be at the dawn of a new world. A peaceful and happy world."