Important note: Given the unmanageable amount of bots prowling around the reviews and the general mismanagement of the site, this chapter will be the final thing I post to . If you'd like to see me continue this story, please hop over to Archive of Our Own, and look for my account there of the same name. Hope you enjoy.
"New?" Edelgard repeated, her lips parted. "I… don't understand. What's 'new'?"
"You are, obviously," the girl said, rolling her eyes as though Edelgard had said something foolish. "I never get any visitors to talk to in this place. Other than the funny one, of course. But come now! I asked you a question, didn't I? It is not polite to keep people waiting."
Edelgard's eyes narrowed. "I think you should answer some of my questions first. Where are we right now? Who are you?"
The girl waved her hand flippantly. "Oh, there will be plenty of time for all that later. I want to hear your name first. So? Go on."
Her lips curled. She didn't think she liked this girl much. Even still, she saw no reason to act confrontational, so she stood tall and gave her polite answer, "I am Edelgard von Hresvelg, of the Adrestian Empire."
The girl raised a brow and smirked. "Is that right?"
"I should think I know my own name."
"There's no need to act offended! I just think it's amusing. Edelgard…" she said softly, as if putting the name to memory, "von Heselfel… no, Hrez… pardon me, what was it again?"
"von Hresvelg," Edelgard said with a furrowed brow. Had this odd girl truly never heard of the empire's crown family?
"Hresvelg," the girl sounded out each letter, like she was carefully considering the position of her tongue. As soon as she said it in full, she laughed aloud and shook her head. "My goodness… Human names get sillier and sillier with every new one I learn. How you people come up with them is beyond me."
"'Human' names? So you aren't human?"
"Well, obviously not," she said, chortling as she touched one of her pointed ears.
"What are you then?"
"Ohh…" she sighed, leaning back on her throne like she was pondering on the state of the weather, "it's such a simple question, isn't it? Unfortunately, the answer eludes me no matter where I turn. There are many things about myself that I struggle to remember."
Edelgard raised a brow, unsure how to respond.
"Hmm, I'm curious… Tell me: Under what-" the girl began, but Edelgard cut her off.
"Wait. You said you would answer my questions."
"Hmph, how impatient. I told you those would come later, did I not? I have a great many questions for you too, you know." She let out a weary sigh, and rested her head in her hand. "But, if you insist. Perhaps we can take turns? One question each. Yes, that will do."
Edelgard frowned, but decided to play along. "Very well. Who are you exactly?"
"Did I say you could take the first turn? Oh, but there's little point in arguing I suppose…" She lifted her head from her hand to sit up straight. "My name is Sothis. I have been called other things in the past, I think, but that is the name I prefer."
Edelgard could not hold back a smirk, and she cocked her head and put a fist on her hip. "Hmph, how brave of you. Surely you know the church considers it blasphemy to take the name of the goddess in vain?"
"Church? Goddess? What are you blabbering about? That name is mine, and mine alone. Whatever meaning it holds to the people in your world matters not to me. Blasphemy... Hmph!"
"You're… not familiar with the Church of Seiros? Where do you come from?"
The girl, Sothis evidently, shook her head. "Now now. I thought we agreed we would take turns? I answered one of your questions, now you answer one of mine."
"But…" she paused as Sothis glared down at her, and sighed in defeat. "Oh, very well…"
"Good. Tell me, how did you come to be here? You are the first new person I've had the pleasure of talking to face-to-face. I'm curious as to how that is possible."
"I…" she paused in thought for a moment, "I am not entirely sure myself. What feels to me like mere moments ago, I was fighting for my life alongside some companions. I was injured, likely lost too much blood, and… now I'm here," a concerning thought occurred to her. "I am… not dead, am I?"
"Well, clearly not! Were you dead, I would not be here speaking to you now. Shouldn't that be obvious?"
Edelgard's brow was furrowed as she rubbed the arm that had recently been bleeding profusely, but now felt to be perfectly whole, sleeve and all. The sensation of that soft touch was muted, and difficult to hold on to unless she focused on it. It was as if her entire being teetered somewhere between reality and a wandering hallucination.
"This is… all real, isn't it? I thought it to be a dream at first, but it's all too…" She couldn't find a fitting word.
"A dream?" Sothis giggled. "That would imply I'm nothing more than a figment of your imagination. A fleeting thought, doomed to fade from existence as your finite mind decays into naught. No, I assure you; I am as real as you are, Edelgard. Perhaps more so."
"But… what is this place then? I don't understand why I'm here."
"Ah ah, don't be hasty now. I believe it was my turn for a question. Although…" The grin on the girl's face faded, and her green eyes tore away from Edelgard and gazed about as if she had just noticed their surroundings. "That is… a very astute question. Where is here?"
She stood, the tall throne behind her highlighting her minute height, and began to look all around, as if she had lost something amidst the confusing maze that surrounded them.
"What is it?" Edelgard asked.
"This place… It is all different. Everything. These walls, closing us in. Distant darkness, down empty halls. And the air is so heavy…" She turned to Edelgard, deep concern evident on her face. "The funny one. Where is she?"
"The…" Edelgard raised a brow and shook her head. "I don't know who you're referring to."
"You know! The funny one! Mind like a rubber trap! Jokes and japes slide off her like water off a duck!"
"That hardly helps to-"
"Byleth! That silly woman with a gaze as deep and strange as the sea. Surely you know of who I speak?"
"I…" Edelgard's skin went cold and her lips thin as she was reminded of Byleth's bloody fate. "You know her?"
"Of course I know her!" Sothis huffed. "She is the only one I have ever been able to speak to! Until yourself, at least. Now, answer me please. Where is she?"
Edelgard hesitated, eyes downcast. "You were friends with her?"
"'Were?' Do not scare me like that, girl! You speak as if… as if she…"
"I'm sorry…" Edelgard said softly, that hot guilt returning to fill her chest. "We fought side-by-side and… she sacrificed her life to save mine."
"No…" Sothis gasped, collapsing back into her throne while clutching her hand over her heart. "That cannot… that cannot be. I would have… oh, but I was asleep, wasn't I? If only I had… Oh, you stupid girl! You stupid, stupid girl! You promised me you wouldn't…"
Edelgard saw tears welling in the girl's eyes, which Sothis quickly hid behind her hands to wipe away. A part of her wanted to provide words of comfort, but she knew anything she said would ring hollow. Instead, all she did was cross her arms and look away in shame, allowing the girl to mourn without distraction.
"But…" Sothis sniffed and hiccupped after a moment or two of soft sobs, "this cannot be. She can't be dead…"
"I saw it with my own eyes," Edelgard said softly. "She's gone."
"No! You don't understand! She can't be dead, because if she is… then should I not be too…? I always thought we were… And yet, I am still here. Here…"
Understanding dawned in the girl's vibrant eyes, and her gaze swept across the walled maze around them before settling down onto Edelgard. Edelgard, finding it difficult not to shuffle uncomfortably beneath those green orbs, put a hand on her hip and hardened her stance and her face.
"What? What is it?"
"Of course…" Sothis mumbled, wiping her eyes clean. "You are here. Or, rather, I am here. And… yes. Indeed. You carry the flames within, just as she did."
"W-what?"
Surely she can't be referring to the Crest of Flames? How could she know about it?
Sothis ignored her, instead sitting tall in her throne and glaring down at Edelgard with a stern, motherly expression on her young face.
"Listen close," she said, her childish voice taking on a tone that was impossible not to heed, "unless I am mistaken, we two have become intrinsically connected one with another; our very souls intertwined to share a common destiny. How and why this has happened, I know not. But nevertheless, from this moment onward, we now walk the same path; I bound to you, and you bound to me. We are now as one, Edelgard von Herlsfelg… err…" a hint of a smile touched her stern lips, "Hresvelg. Yes, that is it."
"Connected? A common destiny? I don't understand."
"Nor do I. There's much to learn, much to discover. Too much. It is as if…" she smiled, her eyes sweeping over the many walls that surrounded them, "we are stuck in a great maze of perplexing questions, seeking for the answers hidden deep within. There are many halls to explore, many twists to lose our way in, and great walls of ignorance stubbornly block our sight. But if we stay the course, walking side-by-side, I know we will find the answers we seek. I look forward to that day."
She smiled at Edelgard, who was at a complete loss for words. She was trying to find the right questions to get the girl to clarify her cryptic words, but before she could, Sothis let out a sigh and settled back into her throne.
"But I think that is enough for now. I'm growing tired, and I need some time to think and… and to mourn." Her face fell, and she bit her lip as if she were trying to prevent tears from creeping into her eyes.
"Wait!" Edelgard said, clenching her fists and stepping forward onto the first step. "Not yet. You haven't given me any worthwhile answers. I want explanations, not flowery riddles."
"Riddles? Phooey!" she scoffed with a dismissive wave of her hand. "If you cannot grasp my words, that hardly seems like my fault. But… don't fret. I am sure things will become more clear in time, and you will have many opportunities to ask questions in the future. For now…" she propped her head on her hand, giving Edelgard a piercing gaze and a knowing smile, "farewell, Edelgard. We will speak again soon, I'm sure."
"No, hold on…" Edelgard began, but her voice failed her as a creeping darkness began to take hold of her vision. Deeper and darker it became, until the last image of that strange girl on her throne, blinking slowly as if she were about to take a nap, faded into nothingness.
And with Sothis' disappearance, her unconscious mind crafted a dream far more familiar to her. Darkness. Cold and damp stone. Heavy chains clanking and echoing in the air. The squee of filthy rats skittering across bloody ground. Knives and needles, cutting and probing her flesh. Glass vials filled to the brim with her own blood. Anguished screams and pleas for help that would go forever unanswered, no matter how much she begged her to save them. All so familiar.
When she awoke, she was met with rays of harsh sunlight shining into her eyes. Grumbling softly, she closed her eyes again and began to roll over to escape the light, but the moment she tried to move, her body was wracked by such a flurry of sensations that she was left breathless. Aches and fatigue in every joint. A headache that was pounding her skull like a hammer to a shield. And the moment she tried to roll onto her arm, it assaulted her with such a burning pain that she could not hold back a hoarse gasp.
Suffice to say, she learned very quickly that trying to move was a bad idea, bright light in her eyes notwithstanding.
"Lady Edelgard!"
A voice pierced the bubbles around her ears, and she cracked her eyes open, squinting to block the light and focus her blurry eyes. From what she could tell, she was in a cloth tent, laying atop a stiff cot and beneath a scratchy blanket. And as her eyes traveled the tent's interior, they soon settled upon the man she had been hoping most to see, in the process of rising from a short, wooden stool in the corner.
"Good morning, Hubert…" she murmured, coughing and closing her eyes again as she heard him shuffle to her side. "Or rather… it is morning I assume?"
Hubert fell to one knee beside her cot, his visible eye betraying the relief that his cold face did not show. "You are correct, my lady. By my estimation, I believe it is roughly ten o'clock on the twenty second day of the Great Tree Moon."
"The twenty…" Her lips parted. "I have been unconscious for more than a day then?"
"That is correct. We are currently camped just a few leagues away from Remire Village, where you and the mercenaries engaged those ruffians. Professor Manuela gave us her assurances that you would make a full recovery, but suffice to say, your peers have expressed great concern for your wellbeing. So much so that some have attempted to sneak their way into the tent to pay you a visit. I turned them away, naturally."
She shifted her weight to get more comfortable, gazing down at herself to note the rough medical tunic she was clad in, and the clean bandages wrapped tightly around her injured arm. "You didn't have to do that. I don't mind getting visitors, even if I'm not awake to see them."
"It was for your safety, my lady. It's important to minimize the risk of contaminants, as well as potential assassins."
She smirked and rolled her eyes. "Oh, Hubert. There's no need to be paranoid. None of our classmates are going to try to assassinate me."
"One can never be too careful."
"Of that, I disagree."
She turned her gaze towards the front of the tent, only to hiss through her teeth as sunlight streamed into her eyes again, causing a jolt of pain to shoot down her neck.
"Can you please close that?" she asked, blocking the rays with her good hand. "The sun is aggravating my headache…"
"Ah, right away, my lady. I should have realized that it would cause irritation."
"Not at all," she said, a smile growing on her face as her faithful servant marched to the tent flaps and tugged them closed. "I imagine you've been laboring tirelessly to see that I am comfortable."
"I have done all I can with what limited supplies we have. Nothing more."
She hummed as she sank a bit deeper into her pillow. "Where would I be without you?"
"I imagine in very much the same place. My services are minor in the grand scheme of things. I could be easily replaced, should you so need."
"Once again, I couldn't disagree more."
Hubert suppressed the proud look on his face with a soft cough. "There… is another reason I turned your visitors away. You were… well, somewhat restless in your sleep. I did not want to cause you undue embarrassment."
Edelgard's heart dropped, and her eyes fell away. "Ah… yes, I understand."
"I take it you were experiencing night terrors?"
Her lips thinned as she nodded. "The same ones as always. I… was not speaking aloud again, was I?"
"Nothing intelligible," was his answer, making her sigh and avert her eyes in embarrassment. "My deepest apologies, my lady. You know that if I had a solution to rid you of those dark dreams, I would do so in a heartbeat."
"They are not your responsibility, Hubert. Besides… terrible as they are, they serve me well as a constant reminder. And a powerful motivator…"
Hubert hummed, looking as though he were biting his tongue. Edelgard knew the stern look he was giving her: It was a silent reminder to choose her words carefully, lest she say something that could arouse suspicion. She understood where he was coming from. They were still in a public location, and one never knew who could be eavesdropping.
"Well, regardless, I appreciate your concern. Believe me when I say those dreams have become familiar to me at this point. I rarely dream of anything…"
She trailed off as a memory returned to her. A memory of that odd girl sitting on a stone throne amidst an endless maze.
"Actually… Hubert, there's something else."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"After I passed out in the forest, I… experienced something strange…" She paused as she heard approaching footsteps outside. "This isn't the time or place. We will speak of this later."
Hubert barely had time to nod before the tent flaps flew open and sunlight streamed inside. Edelgard gasped and shut her eyes to block that harsh glare, even as another wave of pain shot from her cranium and down her neck. She wasn't able to catch a glimpse of their visitor, but she knew who it was the moment that mature, melodic voice entered her ears.
"Oh, praise the goddess! I thought that was your voice I heard out there. How are you feeling, dear? Comfortable? Tired?"
"Good morning, Professor Manuela," Edelgard murmured, barely able to see the songstress for the sunlight in her eyes.
Squinting and raising a hand to block the light, she saw the blurry silhouette of her professor sauntering into the tent with an elegant flair, leaving the entrance wide open behind her. Hubert made a dissatisfied noise, marching to the tent flaps and yanking them closed again while giving Manuela an evil eye.
"Yes, yes, it's a very good morning, isn't it, dear?" the woman hummed, a warm smile on her pretty face as she stopped beside her cot. "The others will be so pleased to hear you're awake! But first, please tell me if anything feels wrong. Anything at all. Aches? Pain anywhere? Nausea, fog or dizziness?"
As she listed off a score of symptoms, not giving Edelgard a chance to reply, the woman began to absentmindedly fuss with her unwilling patient; propping up one of her eyelids to gaze into her eye, feeling her forehead to check for fever, pulling the sleeve of her tunic up to note the condition of her bandages, and so on.
"I'm…" Edelgard flinched as Manuela pressed her fingers against her neck, checking her pulse for whatever reason. "I'm okay, Professor. Really. I feel perfectly whole and perfectly alert."
"That's so good to hear, dear. Even still, as your physician, I have a duty to make sure you have a clean bill of health. Could you please hand me that… Oh, never mind. I'll get it."
"Profess-"
Before she knew what was happening, Manuela had leaned over her to grab a squat bottle on the table on the other side of the bed, and Edelgard's vision was suddenly filled by the professor's ample bust, hanging nearly free a mere inch away. Face flushing dark, she shut her eyes tight and averted her gaze, trying her best to sink deep into her cot to escape that unwelcome near-contact.
"Here we go," Manuela hummed, grabbing the bottle and standing straight after what felt to Edelgard like an eternity. "You'll only need to take a quick sip of this every few hours, and… Oh dear, what's the matter, Edelgard? You're not feeling feverish, are you?"
"Not at all…" she murmured, face red as a beet.
"Professor," Hubert cut in, pulling the woman away with a firm hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps your… flamboyant presence is causing the princess more stimulation than is healthy for a recovering patient. It may be best for us all if you perform your examinations quickly and then promptly leave us."
"Oh, Hubert," Manuela hummed, patting his hand with a coy glimmer in her eyes, "you shrewd devil. I'd bet you're quite popular with all the young ladies at the academy, hmm? Teenagers love the brooding types."
Despite her flirty tone, Hubert wasn't phased in the slightest. "That hardly seems appropriate or relevant, Professor. And my point yet stands. Lady Edelgard needs rest and time to heal above all else, and if this tent finds itself occupied by boisterous individuals impeding that rest, I will have no choice but to-"
"Hey! Princess Edelgard is better!"
The three of them jumped at the loud voice filling the air, and Edelgard's gaze turned to the tent's entrance to see a boy poking his head inside. She quickly recognized him as the second son of Count Bergliez, Caspar she believed his name was. Before anyone could question him, he pulled his head back and disappeared, leaving behind the sound of rapid footfalls and his booming voice ringing in the air.
"Hey, everyone! The princess is awake! Come see!"
"It seems like we'll be welcoming some visitors soon, whether we like it or not," Edelgard said with a small grin on her lips.
"How annoying," Hubert sighed. "If you are not feeling up to it, my lady, I will make sure they are made aware of the dire consequences that come with intruding on your privacy."
"That won't be necessary, Hubert. I wouldn't mind seeing a few friendly faces, at least for a little while."
"Well, I'll finish up here before the party arrives," Manuela said with a chuckle. "You shouldn't be surprised they're excited. You and your other house leaders have been all the camp has been able to talk about. Everyone is quite impressed with how well the three of you held your own against all those vile brigands. And standing side-by-side with the Blade Breaker and his band? From the way some people are talking about it, you'd think it was a story from a fairy tale."
A memory of Jeralt's enraged face and Byleth's blood-soaked body flashed across Edelgard's mind, causing her heart to drop and her lips to thin. "What happened to Jeralt? I assume he's taken his band and gone his own way?"
"Oh, not even close," Manuela said with a chuckle. "As it happens, he and some of the knights are previous acquaintances, or something like that. I've heard whispers that they've invited him and his band to join our journey back to the monastery. I imagine Lady Rhea will also want to reward him for helping to defend you students."
Edelgard's heart skipped a beat and her mouth went dry. The Blade Breaker is coming to the monastery with us…
She supposed she should have expected as much. From what she understood, he had once been a renowned Knight of Seiros himself; he had served as their captain as a matter of fact. His strength and feats were so legendary, it only made sense that the knights recognized him, even if some of them had never met him.
Hubert let out a small chuckle. "No doubt the archbishop will be threatening his silence about this little incident. Can't let word get out that the Knights of Seiros were outdone by a band of common mercenaries."
"That's no way to talk about the archbishop, Hubert," Manuela huffed. "You make her sound so monstrous."
"Just a little joke, Professor," he drawled, a grin on his lips. "I have no doubt that Mr. Eisner will get the reward that is coming to him. He did save Lady Edelgard from a dire fate, after all."
"And what of his daughter? Byleth," Edelgard asked softly.
"Ah, yes. I heard about that. Poor man, losing his only child like that…" she sighed and shook her head. "I believe I heard someone say they were carting her body up to the monastery with everyone else. I assume that means her funeral will be held once we get there. Don't ask me why. I'm as curious as you are."
She'll be buried at Garreg Mach? Interesting…
"And how did the rest of the students fare in the attack? Was anyone hurt, or…"
Manuela made a noise and shook her head. "Thank the goddess, no. A few bumps and scrapes, and perhaps one or two bruised egos, but the knights were able to stop those fiends from hurting anyone too badly. Your injury was probably the worst out of anyone, which is very impressive considering the odds you were up against."
"Yes, I suppose so…"
None of the students had died. Which meant that her plan had been, in every way possible, a complete and embarrassing failure. Yet, she couldn't pretend she was disappointed to hear it. If anything, that churning pit in her gut had finally begun to settle at the news.
Manuela hummed, turning Edelgard's injured arm forward and back to examine her bandages. "And you know, I must say, I'm a teensy bit surprised myself. You recovered from the battle much faster than I would have expected, especially considering these abysmal conditions. Well, that's just the magic of Crests for you, hmm? Though, I've never heard any tales of the Crest of Seiros blessing its bearer with enhanced healing…"
Edelgard's lips thinned, and she cast a glance at Hubert who was giving Manuela a venomous glare from behind her back. Silently, she tried to tell him to let it go as she responded, "who can say? Crests are mysterious by nature."
"But of course, dear," Manuela continued, oblivious to the tension. "It's not like I'm an expert on the subject in any case. All that rubbish is Professor Hanneman's field."
Edelgard tried her best to make her soft chuckle seem genuine. "Well, I'd prefer it if you didn't mention it to him. The professor has asked me for a sample of my blood on more than one occasion now. 'Just enough to fill a tiny vial,' were his exact words."
"That certainly sounds like him. Crazy, old coot…"
"Best finish up quickly, Professor," Hubert said, glancing out the front of the tent. "Unless I am mistaken, the riff-raff will be arriving soon."
Edelgard could hear them; approaching footsteps and scattered voices. Taking a deep breath, she mentally prepared for the swarm of well-wishes and expressions of sympathy that were no doubt to follow. She did appreciate the concern of her peers, but she also knew how tiring it could be when such concern was thrust upon her in excess. Especially when it was forced or fabricated.
The tent flaps flew open, but instead of glaring sunlight, all she saw were the shadows of a large group of her fellow Black Eagles. Many more than she had expected to visit. They could have probably all fit in the tent comfortably, but for Hubert who strode forward and planted himself between them and Edelgard with a cold expression, silently warning everyone not to get too close. As a result, they couldn't all fit inside the small tent and some had to stand awkwardly outside the entrance.
As her eyes passed over each face, Edelgard saw some that she recognized, many that she didn't, and a few that she was only barely familiar with. And naturally, the one proudly leading the assembly at their head, was-
"Ah, good day, Edelgard!" Ferdinand said, strutting into the tent with a flamboyant sweep of his hair. "It's a delight to see you awake and alert."
"Good day, Ferdinand," Edelgard said, trying to keep her voice pleasant though unable to force a smile. "I'm pleased to see you as well. Thank you for visiting."
It was difficult for her not to feel a twinge of anger looking at Ferdinand's handsome face. She knew it was unfair, since that anger was really directed towards his viper of a father. As far as she could tell, Ferdinand thankfully didn't take after him much, so she could stand his presence well enough. Just so long as he didn't start-
"I think you'll be pleased to know that I successfully assisted the knights in defending myself and the rest of the students from those vile ruffians. Nary a scratch on me, I might add."
Edelgard's lips thinned into a line as she noticed him glance at her arm. "Yes. Well, from what I hear, your group was not engaged with the greatest number of the brigands as we were. Considering the lopsided odds, I would say I performed as well as could be expected."
"Indeed you did. It was certainly an impressive showing of battle-prowess you and the other house leaders displayed. Let us just hope that you all learn from my example to avoid injury in the future."
"I will be sure to note that down. So too would I be glad to see how you fared against the same numbers of combatants I had to face last night. Just so I can witness how competent you truly are, of course."
Ferdinand's face shone with pride, despite Edelgard's flat tone and a soft snicker from one of the girls near the back of the tent. "Indeed. Come the next conflict, I will be sure to slay just as many adversaries as you do, if not more."
"You can say that again!" Caspar said with a pump of his fist. "I hope there are twice as many bad guys next time! I barely even got to fight anyone with all the knights in the way."
"The knights were there to protect us, Caspar," said the tired-eyed son of Count Hevring, Lindhart she believed his name was. "And frankly, considering you lost a rather dire scuffle with an angry tree branch, it was probably for the best you didn't encounter any genuine danger."
"Hey, it was dark! I just didn't see it in time," he grumbled, rubbing a small bandage above his brow.
"You're lucky you didn't take your eye out!" Manuela huffed. "Really, Capsar, if you insist on darting into danger and getting yourself injured every time we leave the monastery, I may just have to tie your arms behind your back. Perhaps that will motivate you to take greater precautions for yourself."
"Not a good idea, Professor," Lindhart said with a shake of his head. "Do that, and he'll just be liable to charge in like a bull seeing red, headbutting everyone and everything he sees."
"Hey, come on, guys…"
Edelgard chuckled as Caspar shuffled in embarrassment. However, her polite smile became heavy on her lips as more students took their chance to step up and give her their sympathies. Most of them were noble children who just wanted to be seen paying respects to their princess, and she could tell that every word they said had been rehearsed verbatim. Thankfully, those dispassionate ones were the minority, and they didn't linger too long. After just a few minutes, there were enough people remaining in the tent that seemed genuinely happy to see her awake that her real smile slowly returned.
"I was relieved to hear that no one was hurt too badly in the fighting," she said after a short while. "I feared the worst when I was separated from the group."
"Your fearing was unnecessary, Princess Edelgard," said Petra, princess of Brigid and glorified political prisoner. "The Knights of Seiros were a great defense for us. They are warriors without friends."
"Warriors without what?" Edelgard asked with a raised brow.
"I think you mean to say 'warriors without peer,' Petra," said a brunette girl standing near the back of the tent. "It means they're on a level that no one else can match."
"Yes, that is what I was intending to mean. My apologies."
"You know, if you're going to be living in Fòdlan," said a square-faced girl that Edelgard didn't know, the daughter of some minor lord on the edge of the empire, "then you really should take the time to learn how we speak. It's not that hard."
Edelgard shot a venomous glare at the girl that went unnoticed. That arrogant mindset was one of the many things she couldn't stand about the nobility. She wanted to say something sharp enough that would knock that girl off of her lofty pedestal, but Petra politely responded with a bow before she could.
"You speak correct. I am steadily learning the language, but it is taking me a great and frustrating number of… no, um… a frustrating amount of time and difficulty. I ask you to give me patience as I attempt to improve."
"You're doing just fine, Petra," said the brunette girl. "And there's no need to ask for patience from those who don't have any to spare. Best to just ignore them, really."
"Hmph!" the noble girl scoffed, shooting the brunette an evil eye. "If anyone in this class deserves to be ignored, it's a blowhard commoner like yourself. You think you're special because you've sung on stage a couple of times?"
"Did you hear something?"
"Ladies, please," Ferdinand said, turning and raising a calming hand. "Now is not the time to fight, especially not in front of our future empress."
"Yes well, get better soon, my lady," the noble girl with a curt nod in Edelgard's direction. And with that, she spun around and briskly marched out of the tent.
"How unpleasant…" the brunette muttered with a scoff.
"No need to get frustrated, dear," Manuela said. "Much better to live and let live, I say."
"Of course, Professor Manuela."
Edelgard's brow furrowed. This girl. Edelgard knew of her, though they had not yet been formally introduced. She was one of the few commoners in the Black Eagles that year, and boasted a bit of fame to her name for performing opera at the Mittelfrank Opera Company in Enbarr. And that wasn't mentioning her pretty face and voluptuous figure that easily attracted many a gaze. Her name though… it was on the tip of Edelgard's tongue…
"It's Dorothea, isn't it?"
The girl's lips parted, and she glanced around the tent as if there might be another Dorothea that Edelgard was speaking to instead. "Do you mean me, Your Highness?"
"I do," she said with a nod. "I'm grateful that you took the time to visit as well."
Dorothea gave her a small, but very unsure smile. She clearly hadn't expected to be addressed directly. "Oh, well, I suppose it seemed prudent to… come and pay my respects to my future empress."
"That's one way to look at it. But if I may, considering you had no obligation to do so, I think I'd rather call it a gesture of kindness from a fellow classmate."
The insecurity on Dorothea's face was quickly melting away, and she let out a slight giggle. "It was nothing. Or rather, it was my pleasure, Your Highness."
Edelgard shook her head. "Please, none of that. While we study together, I'd prefer if everyone just called me Edelgard."
"Oh, I don't know about that," Dorothea hummed with a wink. "It's a tad long, isn't it? Perhaps I'll just call you 'Edie' from now on, if you're okay with that?"
Edelgard balked for a moment, raising her brow and sharing a glance with Hubert who was clearly holding back a smirk. She hadn't expected to be burdened with a nickname out of nowhere. She was about to kindly refuse it, but something about the coy grin on Dorothea's face drew a different response from her lips. "Oh, well… If you wish, I suppose that would be acceptable."
"Would you be liking me to name you 'Edie' as well?" Petra asked.
"No, no. It's okay," she said, quickly shaking her head. "I fear it may start to get old if too many people start calling me that."
"Looks like I get special privileges then, isn't that right, Edie?" Dorothea said with another wink.
"I didn't say-" she began, but a new voice stopped her.
"Well well, looks like our favorite princess has come back from the brink of death. I'd say it was a miracle, if I believed in that kind of thing."
The crowd of Black Eagles parted, and with a sinking heart and a silent prayer that he hadn't heard anyone call her 'Edie,' Edelgard watched Claude enter the tent to give her an easy wink and that damnable smirk. Following closely behind him was Dimitri, whose face lit up with relief as he saw Edelgard sitting up in her cot.
"Ah, thank the goddess…" he said, giving her a deep bow. "I heard from the others that you were awake, but I wanted to see for myself. I'm so pleased to see you recovering."
"Yes, thank you. I've already heard that a few times today," she said, trying to keep that twinge of irritability out of her voice.
Claude chuckled. "Getting tired of the pleasantries already, huh? I did try to tell you that it's no fun to be the center of attention."
"I didn't make a conscious effort to get myself hurt," Edelgard said flatly. "And besides, as our nations' future leaders, we will always be held beneath the population's eye, whether we like it or not."
"Ahh, such a shame to say you're right. Wouldn't it be nice if we could rule from the shadows, sitting safe in our rooms without ever having to actually interact with anyone?"
"You sound like you've been talking to Bernadetta," Lindhart said.
"Who?"
"Precisely."
"Alright everyone, time's almost up," Manuela said, stepping forward and beginning to shoo the assembled students away. "Start saying your farewells, please. The princess appreciates your visit, but it's time for her rest. The sooner she recovers, the sooner we can get back to Garreg Mach."
"Aw, but I just got here," Claude said with a grin. "Surely you won't tear the princess' favorite Leicester nobleman away from her so soon?"
"On a list of my favorite Leicester nobles, you're not even among the ten at the top. Nor the top twenty," Edelgard said.
"Ouch, harsh. Well in that case, I guess I will take my leave then. Come on, you lot. Let's see if we can bother the knights instead."
"Farewell, Edelgard," Ferdinand said with a respectful bow of his head. "To our next battle."
"Yeah, get better soon!" Caspar said with a pump of his fist. "You're the best fighter we got, so we need you up and raring to go!"
"My professional recommendation is to get as much sleep as you can," Lindhart said, yawning and scratching at his face. "Sleep fixes everything."
"Be well quickly, Princess Edelgard. Have pleasing dreams," Petra said with a bow.
"Bye bye, Edie," Dorothea said with a smile and a wave. "I look forward to getting to know one another this year. I'll see you soon."
"What was that you just called her?" Claude asked, amusement in his voice that made Edelgard bristle.
"None of your business," Dorothea said with a polite smile.
I like her, was the thought that flashed through Edelgard's mind as Claude looked a little taken aback.
"Come on, everyone. Keep moving," Manuela said, gesturing out the door with a hand. "You'll have plenty of time to chat later. Out, quickly."
One-by-one, the Black Eagles obliged and filtered out of the tent, leaving it feeling far less crowded and claustrophobic than before. The last to leave were Claude and Dimitri, and though the latter stood awkwardly rooted, as if there was something still on his mind, the former made a motion to trail through the exit behind the rest. But before Claude stepped out, he stopped in place and cast a glance at Edelgard over his shoulder.
"Hey, Princess. One more thing."
"Yes, Claude?" she said with a sigh.
"Just wanted to say I'm sorry we weren't faster. If the prince and I had been there to help, you probably wouldn't have gotten hurt, and we might have even been able to stop what happened to our mercenary friend."
Edelgard's lips parted. That was… surprisingly genuine, especially coming from Claude. She wasn't sure how to respond at first.
"I echo Claude's sentiment," Dimitri said, his face downcast. "We… I should have been there to lend support. Things may have worked out differently if it were so. I swear to you, I won't fail you in such a manner again."
"There was no failure, on either of your parts," Edelgard said, shaking her head. "What happened happened, and there's no reason to dwell on it."
"Heh, that's fair enough," Claude said. "I'd say to get well soon, but I'm sure you've heard that too many times today. Plus, not like you could do anything about that anyway. So I'll just say, 'till next time."
"Until next time," she said with a nod.
One more wink, and Claude turned and stepped out, leaving just Edelgard, Hubert, Manuela, and a very awkwardly lingering Dimitri. Glancing at Edelgard again, he looked like he wanted to say something, but Manuela, busily gathering the last of her things from off of Edelgard's nightstand, moved to shoo him away as well.
"Go on, young master Blaiddyd. You too. I think the princess would prefer to be alone right now."
Though he looked as though some part of him was telling to oblige, Dimitri shuffled and cleared his throat. "Before I go, Professor, may I… return it?"
"Hmm? Ah yes, I remember. That's okay. Just make it quick, alright?"
Dimitri bowed his head in gratitude as Manuela turned and stepped outside, leaving the three of them alone. Turning to Edelgard, he gave her a warm smile, though she noticed that his eyes refused to make contact with her own. After softly asking Hubert for permission (which he didn't look pleased to grant) and shuffling forward to her side, Dimitri pulled something out from behind his back and coughed to clear his throat.
"You dropped this, back in the forest. I, well… just wanted to make sure it was returned to you."
Edelgard's eyes widened as he held out his hands to reveal her dagger. She hadn't spared a thought for the weapon since the battle, despite the fact that it had almost certainly saved her life. Even still, she was surprised Dimitri would go through the trouble of finding it and keeping it safe long enough to give it back to her. In fact, based on the shimmer of its steel and the lack of dried blood, it seemed as though he'd even taken the time to clean and polish it first.
"Thank you, Dimitri," she said, picking it up with a grateful nod before setting it aside on her nightstand. "But you really didn't have to go through the trouble. A little knife like that can easily be replaced."
In a flash, the warm smile on Dimitri's face tightened into a strained, almost pained expression. "Ah… yes, well… That is, um… that is true, I suppose."
Edelgard raised a brow, wondering what it was she had said to bring about such a reaction. Perhaps he had expected a bit more gratitude. "But, even still, I do really appreciate the gesture, Dimitri. I… I have carried that dagger for a long time, and I would have hated to lose it."
Her brow furrowed, realizing that those words were the truth. The thought of losing that tiny blade brought with it a surprising sense of melancholy.
"I am… I am glad to hear it, Edelgard. Or, rather, I am…" he coughed and cleared his throat. "It was the least I could do. Really."
As Edelgard was unable to find a response that seemed suitable, a long, droning silence stretched between them. In that time, Dimitri stood without a word, shuffling as if he wanted to wiggle out of his skin, and still refusing to make direct eye-contact with her. Holding back an irritated sigh, she forced a small smile on her lips and tried to make her voice sound pleasant, but fatigued at the same time.
"Well, I appreciate the visit, Dimitri. Really. But… if you would be so kind, I'm still rather tired, and I think I would like-"
"Oh! Oh yes, of course," he bowed deeply, his face flushed red. "My apologies, Edelgard. I did not mean to bother. I will take my leave as you wish."
"Thank you. And… and thank you for the dagger as well."
A smile flashed across his face and his eyes twinkled. But, just as quickly as it came, he coughed it away and gave her another respectful bow. "It was my utmost pleasure. Farewell for now, Edelgard. I do hope you recover your full strength soon."
"Farewell, and thank you," she said, nodding once as he turned and slipped through the tent's entrance. As she heard his footsteps fade away, she let out a sigh and settled back into her pillow.
That boy was a real headache. Yes, he was awkward and naive, which often made holding an intelligent conversation with him a bit difficult. But he was also frustratingly kind and pleasant to be around which, unlike Claude, made it difficult for Edelgard to dislike him entirely.
And in the coming days, considering his position in Faerghus, she knew that would only make things that much more difficult.
She sighed and tried to put it out of her mind. That was a problem to be faced in the future. For now, all she had to do was rest and recover, and as soon as they returned to Garreg Mach, then she could begin work on the next-
"You have a great number of people who care for you deeply. I must say, you are quite a fortunate soul."
It was all Edelgard could do to stop herself from screaming, though she could not stop herself from letting out a gasp and sitting up. That voice… sounding from nowhere, yet filling her mind as clear as daylight. Young and childish, and terribly familiar…
But that was impossible. It had been nothing but a dream. Had it not?
To her horror, it came again: "Haha… so surprised to hear my voice. You remind me of her… Well, regardless, I already told you that I am as real as you are, Edelgard, and so too did I tell you that we now walk the same path. It will not do for you to act so shocked when I speak."
"But…"
"My lady?"
Edelgard jumped, remembering that Hubert was still in the tent with her. Still reeling from the ethereal voice in her head, it took a moment for her to formulate a response. "Uh… M-my apologies. Did you need something?"
Hubert gave her a long, scrutinizing look, but shrugged off whatever he had been thinking. "You mentioned there was something you wished to discuss with me. Something about a strange occurrence after the battle. Is this a good time to do so?"
"Is it a…?" she trailed off, gazing past Hubert into space with parted lips.
For a moment, she thought she saw something. Almost like… someone had just been standing in the corner behind him. Standing in midair…
"My lady?"
She returned to her body with a start, blinking to recenter herself and trying to recall his question. "I am… I'm sorry, it's only… It was nothing. Nothing of consequence, I should say. Please, don't concern yourself with it."
He didn't look close to convinced, and she had a bad feeling that the subject was going to return again sometime in the future. But, for the moment, all he did was give her a respectful nod.
"As you wish, my lady. I will stay close by while you rest. Should you require me in any capacity, please send word immediately."
"I will. Thank you, Hubert."
She gave him one last smile as he bowed and turned to exit the tent, but that smile fell into a grave expression as soon as she was alone.
"No…" she whispered, letting her head fall into her hands to rub her eyes and run her fingernails through her hair, "no, no, no… This cannot be happening… Why now? Why, after all this time, do I start to lose my mind now?"
"You say that as if you expected to lose your mind."
The spaceless voice filling her mind again made Edelgard grimace like she'd been slapped. Breathing hard, she shut her eyes tight and grit her teeth, focusing intently. If she exerted enough willpower, she knew she could silence the intruding voice. It was just a hallucination; a lingering, rogue dream brought on by injury and blood loss. Or perhaps a sprout of madness that had been cultivating for some time now. Whatever it was, she had control of her own psyche. She could make the voice go away. She was Edelgard von Hresvelg, and she had the power to-
"I hope you know that you look ridiculous right now."