Interlude I, Edelgard Von Hresvelg

Father had told a story once, though I should say that it was one that I was probably not supposed to hear. Overhearing him recount what sounded like an old tale to Greta, he had forgiven our curiosity back then. I think that was mainly due to Henm taking the brunt of father's ire off of the rest of us.

He was a good brother in those odd little ways, you'd think that he was some ordinary royal brat just like Luke and Lukas. You'd miss it if you blinked, the barely noticeable small favors he'd do for people that made life easier. I'd heard the maids whisper behind his back, but he didn't deserve to die like he did.

It just wasn't fair, there had been no sense to it.

"[Fuck me sideways," My savior reminded me of Henm, helped me remember all of my brother's little ticks, and strange quirks. The sounds of distant footsteps racing after us kept my mind sharp despite the exhaustion that had held me in a prison of my own body. For someone of such a differing complexion the man gently dragging me along shouldn't have been possible, "[Why couldn't things be simple for once]? [God damnit, why'd it have to be me]?"

The near constant swearing under his breath would've been hilarious once, pairing that with the permanent grungy expression painted quite the visage. It was almost like I was looking at Henm's long lost twin, but as if age had taken away some of the brightness that had made my brother so special.

Was this some sick joke made by the Goddess? To take so much for me, and abandon in my darkest hour. Just to pull me out one I had practically given up, or had this all been a coincidence. Lucky that a mere man willing to defy the fate that she had designed for me, someone by all right's shouldn't have cared for his oppressors' royalty. My own subjects didn't seem to, and the ones that had had all been executed by now.

"[Why couldn't these bastards have invested more into city planning instead of inane ethnic cleansing," Henm had always been caught up in his own head, a constant dreamer who always had a new theory. Just as eager to share new ideas with me, as I was to listen to his ramblings, even if I didn't always get it at the time. Though he was never one to mutter to himself as the foreign mage taking me through the backstreets, "[Nothing worth doing is ever easy, isn't that what people say]?"

I hadn't imagined ever being free again, not in my wildest delusions between scaring away the rats from my cells. The overambitious creatures always waited just beyond the range of where I could swing my leg, hoping that I'd just tire myself out. Wretched beasts.

They had scampered out as the foreign born mage approached my cell, brimming with mana that burned the air. He seemed brighter than anything else in that dungeon, more alive than even my tormentors, but even being there was taxing. Little things made that clear as day, half lidded eyes with a piercing gaze that mirrored the ones that the hounds at his heels.

Part of me thought that this had to be some sort of feverish dream, my dying mind finally reaching its last legs. But above all, it was the haunted expression that his face bore. It was salvation, but a messy one at that.

"[Fucking finally]!" I'd been ready to accept my death, that I mistook his fire as some cruel form of mercy being delivered by an agent of Sothis. Such that the shattering of steel caught me off guard, I must've looked pitiful, numb as his hands glowed and felt a healing spell flow through my broken body. Wondering all the while if this is what Adela had meant when she said that she could feel the 'goddess's presence', "[Knew someone would still be here, thank God for scalpers.]"

For the first time in a long time we broke in the cold air, a blast of freezing wind instantly sent my teeth chattering. My legs locked up, I wanted to curse my own traitorous body for the ache I held for the cell that I had left behind. I wanted to believe that freedom was worth the pain, so desperately for it to be true that I squeezed the older man's hand tighter. At this, another wave of heat flowed through me, starting at that very same spot all the way down to my feet.

Without it my toes probably would've already frozen by now, but the pain was a necessary part if I didn't want to freeze to death out here. It was wrong, in the state that I knew Benedikta to be in my selfishness could very well be her death if I had my way. She had been in his arms back in that hell, I'd seen her briefly but she had been in a deep slumber, and as much as I wished that I could confirm her continued breathing. Remaining within the safety and warmth of his cloak superseded any silly desire of mine.

I didn't want to lose another sister.

"What the hell is wrong with you [Alcides, this is far too soon! You're lucky that I-," The air shimmered, our savior brought us into the presence of a ginger woman with her face buried deep with a pile of dusty old books. A merchant by all outward appearances as she stood up despite how magical her sudden appearance suggested, "You look like hell, what in the world happened?"

She was clearly familiar with the man that had saved us, but the name she addressed him with wasn't one that I couldn't quite pin down the origin of. Blinking, she was suddenly right in front of us. Pushing the man in a plush chair while digging Benedikta out of his arms as he collapsed into the piece of furniture.

All of all the things that I expected, the amount of sweat across his brow stood out to me. The constant usage of magic had clearly strained him greatly, "Here dear, I'd love to get some meat on those bones but I fear we may not have that luxury."

Pulling out a sliding curtain out of nowhere she offered me a wide section of clothes that rivaled what I had access to before being sealed underground. Everything I picked to replace my torn rags seemed to fit perfectly without needing to go through and check them beforehand. The mysterious merchant had such an air about herself that I wasn't sure whether I could've attributed this uncanny ability to her power, or years of experience.

When I came out there was a cup of tea resting at eye level for me to pick up the very moment that I was done. I saw what he had in the merchant. Finding her offer far more generous and earnest than most salesmen I had experienced with in the past, "Have a cookie for the journey ahead, and give Adolf some tea for me will you Princess?"

The pair of his hounds almost toppled me over as the merchant transferred the plate over to me, whining as they tried to jump atop me to get at the heavenly smelling cookies. The woman's glare was enough to cow them, sending them running behind her desk while she clicked her tongue in exasperation. Beckoning onward as she turned back to Benedikta's sleeping form wrapped up in a blanket.

"He- hello," I didn't have any words, what were even supposed to say to such a man that had just appeared like some spector to break me out of that hellish place. My mouth was too dry, and my voice too raw for it to be nearly good enough. Regardless. I just fell back on the suggestion that the saleswoman had given me to break the awkward ice between the two of us, "You should have something to drink."

God, Annelise would've had a field day with the state of my etiquette after all the effort she had put in. What I would've given to hear her chastise me again.

"Hi," From all appearances he had zoned out once, his breathing evening out once he had the opportunity to take a break. Massaging his own forehead in what seemed to be a severe headache that had developed from mana burn. Searching for the right words in the standard imperial tongue, "How are you?"

"-better. . . Better," And I was, my shaky voice repeated it to feel true, as much as one could be having burning feet now shielded against the chilling snow. My eyes flickered between all the individuals along the gravel patch that this tent had been set up on, hoping to ignore the embarrassment. Proper footwear along with the rest of my clothing felt foreign after so long, but I wasn't anywhere uncomfortable enough to even consider taking it off. My grip on the silverware was shaky as I held out the plate I had been given to take his piercing gaze off of me, "Have some tea!"

"Ah, [what fever dream even is this]?" The mysterious mage rambled to himself, his gaze flickering between the tea up in his hands and a spot somewhere along my scalp. Raising my head after I felt the weight of the plate lessened, he huffed before rubbing at the bridge of his nose, "[You'd be better off resting than offering me anything, whatever]. Ah, uh. Got it, you eat as well."

It was a mostly comfortable silence, one where I was able to have my first proper look at my savior as I had been too focused on keeping up with the pace he had set. My gaze was drawn to his face, subtly trying to carve the details into my mind so that it would stick. So I wouldn't forget his warm olive skin, of my siblings that he reminded me of. Everything had been such a blur while I had been sealed within my family's own dungeons. Forcing down the flurry of emotions that came with it 'being for our own benefit'.

Whatever they had done to my siblings and I seemed to be more to their benefit than mine after all. The flickering coming from the tent's wall caused my breath to hitch, fading in and out of existence in a steady rhythm. Feeling like a frog had leapt into my mouth, the sudden dryness was disorientating the longer I tried to stare into the outside world.

"[Finally setting in for you]? Anna [is certainly an odd lass," He chuckled at my reaction behind the intricate magic at play, taking small sips between sentences. I took the other tea cup on the porcelain plate into my hands to drink heavily from, anything to take my mind off things. His voice trailed off as a perplexed expression grew across his face once he finished the drink, "[But she is]. . . good from what I've seen. . ."

"You are- luckly. Quite lucky in fact- us too. For you to have such a friend to stand by your side," There was something sweet yet tangy in the drink that kept me from replying immediately as my taste buds adjusted to the explosion of flavor. It was more than I was used to, and highly amusing if the twinkle in the mages eye was anything to go by. Releasing a huff I finished my drink now that I was prepared for what to expect, "Hmph!"

10 2 CHA 12

"Did you enjoy the tea," Anna popped back into existence right between us, my heart raced at the sight of Benedikta swaddled in a red blanket. Was everything that she owned a shade of red or green? It would certainly explain my own outfit. With a flawless air about her Benedikta was swapped out of her grasp for the mages empty cup, "I tried my best with what I had on hand, not to mention on such short notice."

"It is excellent. I have not had such a thing in a long time," The merchant mouthed an 'anytime' to the praise I'd given her, wiggling underneath her as he combed a hand through my hair. Anna bore a sad smile on her lips as my shaky voice remained even after finishing my drink, "Your hospitality is-, it is greatly appreciated."

"What the hell is this? [Do you not recall what we talked about," The mage suddenly stood up, prompting her to take a step back and straighten her back at his approach. I heard something about 'extenuating circumstances' that only managed to make the man more agitated, "Anna-!"

"While I've always enjoyed a good challenge. . . Do give me prior warning next time," Everything from the tent's torches flickering, to the tent's very contents briefly became transparent when a guard brushed against one of the cloth walls. Bringing a hand up to her face she released a yawn that seemed more for our benefit than her own, "I will take no argument when it comes to my boons, now make haste. We both know that you never would've made it this far without me."

CRACK!

For a moment I had thought that he had struck her, flinching at the sound yet not aware of where it had come from. The sweat growing on the merchant's brow suddenly became evidently apparent, though I was uncertain whether I had simply missed it or failed to make note of it. Anna's table had received a severe dent in the expensive mahogany, but not even a splinter was left in the mage's hand. Fortunately, that seemed to be the end of it, as he turned on his heel completely ignoring her as he prepared to leave.

"Do come back to me Adolf," On our way out, I managed to make out a last remark that Anna made to the mage's back while the tent was flickering between this reality and the next. From his expression I don't think he heard it amongst the snow crunching under his boots, "We have unsettled business to attend to."

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

Firm hands wrapped themselves around my waist, supporting until my feet touched back down on the ground again.

"Up and Adam you go. [Don't think that really translates perfectly but you get the point," My eyes fluttered open after I managed to hop the fence, being helped across by Adolf after he noticed me starting to fall behind. Groaning from effort he lifted Benedikta back into his arms while mumbling under his breath, "[We should be fine to take it a bit slower now]. [Howthefuckdoyousay]- Uh, stay by my side."

We had been forced to march through a farmer's field in order to avoid detection, luckily barren and far easier to traverse in the dead of winter. All the farm animals had long since retreated inside due to the storm raging above us. In that I had gained a deeper appreciation for Ms. Anna in providing me with a pair of perfectly fitted shoes. Adolf wouldn't be the only one repaying her if I had any say in the matter.

I tried my hardest not to look toward the sky after I had briefly spared a glance into the heavens once we left Embarr's central marketplace. Something deeply wrong had occurred, and feared it as much as I did being thrown back into that damn cell again.

My strength was waning as I pushed my body to trudge through the knee high snow, too ashamed to ask for help from Adolf. Yet grateful that he had chosen to slow down for my sake.

Seeking out his hand again, a wave of heat swept through my body once our skin came into contact. I wasn't sure what spell he was exactly employing, feeling like it would be too intrusive of me to question my savior.

"Heh," Adolf released a puff of steam that coated his own face, and I felt a giggle slip past my lips that I quickly covered with a mitten covered hand. Instead of getting getting angry with me like I had feared he merely huff in his native tongue, "[The fuckers turned out to be right after all]."

"[What have I gotten myself into," I didn't think that Adolf was capable of making noise until he stepped on a branch. Cursing out one of the wolf cubs when one of them released a growl that startled me, "[God fucking damnit, cut the back talk you little shit]."

SNAP!

"[Keep it up," A loud pop rang out from the man's left hand that had slipped out of my grasp, the sound sent the pup scurrying back with a whine. With the canine properly chastised, returning to the mage's shadow with its sibling, his hand made its way back into mine. I could only assume that the next thing out of his mouth were a litany of curses from his homeland from his sharp tone, "[And I'll fucking put you into a Chinese dish!]"

"Goddess! Why are they- how are they even quieter than you?" The jitters in my voice were still apparent, but my curiosity proved to be greater than any of my apprehensions. His magic sputtered in place before the tempo of his mana returned to normal, "And, how do you even manage to get such creatures to listen to you in the first place?"

"It is a long talk," His gaze softened when it landed on me, lightly tugging on my hand to prompt me to continue walking with him. I wasn't sure how much older the mage was to me, even if my best guess would've been to compare him to the same range Leon or Greta had been. But now he reminded me of how Father tended to look after having to deal with the nobility, "Tale, more like."

The image was a haunting one, dragging me back to the helplessness that I had grown so accustomed to. Hanging my head low with the hope that he would not take any offence to what I said, or that the memories I had brought up hadn't incurred his wrath.

"I have not many the word for it all, your talk is new to me, but you know this. So I will talk of what you do not," Adolf broke the silence with his musings as he clarified his origins, "This land is new to me, many a wolf were a boon so that I may be free. Odd time to find the both of you, down in that dark pit."

"So. . . Then all of this was simply a chance encounter," My vision swam, blurring despite the cold air that buffeted against my cloak. I wanted to crawl up into a ball, to go home to even though my very core knew that setting such a course would be the death of me. While I knew it was rather petulant of me to expect the Goddess herself to care about us. I yearned for that to have been the case to excuse why my recuse had come so late, "No- not even the opportunistic ambitions of thine own monarch?"

"You mean like a king?"

sniff.

"Hah, eg- exactly so. Yes," Collecting myself I confirmed the man's suspicions, adjusting my grip on our entwined hands so that I could stay composed. Swallowing the lump that formed in my throat I elaborated on my previous assumption, "Like a king, I had suspected yours would've been quite pleased to know of your success in the land of the enemy."

"I have not met the man, nor have I- uh, how do you say- set an oath so that you may lay dead. None know I am here," It was a surprise to learn, though it made sense in retrospect now that I had time to breathe. Quickly correcting himself the mage added a caveat to his earlier assertion, "Well, one does, but Anna is sure to tell no soul. That is my hope."

Father had spoken a lot about the various merchant guilds, and while I could only recall pieces of those conversations the vast majority were negative. Anna broke the mold though, and if Adolf trusted her despite being so at odds with the woman, then I suppose she couldn't be so bad. If either of them were anything to go by, the possibility that the Magicals of old simply going into hiding like the stories had suggested seemed all that much more likely.

"She seemed nice for a faerie," The storm was weaker now, the shivering in my bones had faded even if I was stepping through knee deep snow. Briefly glimpsing the twinkling visage of Embarr's lights through the thick white, "I know that this inquiry is beyond my station, but I have to know. Are you too, one of the Goddess' fair folk?"

"uggghhh," The magically warmth thrumming through my body slowed as the man racked his brain for an answer to give me. One of the wolves up ahead of us barked in our direction and brought him back into the present, "I can not say as to what I am, with so lost of a grip on the real or fake-"

The mage sucked in a breath after placing Benedikta on top of a steep incline that we needed to overcome in order to keep traveling. Scooping me up into his arms so I could make the vault, and join us without having to worry about any passengers. My eyes snapping the ground behind him as the sound of the pack resting on his back crunched the snow below, the older man released a euphoric groan at the sudden dip in weight.

"I say not that I have a real plan. . ."

His tone should've put me at ease, but I don't think it nearly had the sort of effect that he intended it to. I had already been hovering over Benedikta's sleeping form, slipping my fingers into hers so that she stop shivering since Adolf was busy. The sack flying over my head a moment actually did succeed in keeping my dark thoughts from spiraling where Adolf's poor attempt at humor failed. One of the wolves sniffed at where the bag landed amongst the snow, stiffing and retreating from trying to rip into its contents as Adolf yelled out some curse attracting the foul animal's attention.

"A good one that is- [Don't even think about it]!"

Thump!

"[Ack! God damnit," Adolf let out a cough while clambering up the short cliff face, sending a bunch of dirty snow flying. I quickly composed myself before he finished hauling myself up, and took in an even breath to wipe the distress off my face. He flipped me a thumbs up at what must've been the look of concern strung across my face, "[I'm fine~, just give me a moment to catch my breath]."

The series of giggling that spread through the night sounded foreign to my ears, so much so that I felt the need to glance down and check on my sister. Only to laugh at myself once the realization clicked inside of my head. Adolf's amused huff only made the whole situation seem all that more absurd, "You were saying?"

He released a dry chuckle at that, and brushed off the snow from his cloak before taking us further uphill. Whistling a slow tune now that the wind was buffeting against his face, I tried to echo it with light success. The man's previously labored breathing had leveled out as we slipped out of the snowstorm's reach. Settling by the base of a pine with the moon but a few inches above the horizon now, goddess I can't recall the last time my feet had ever been this sore.

"Evil will have to pry you from grip of the cold and dead," Adolf declared as he stuffed me beneath a blanket that smelled like wet fur, and reeked of sticky smoke. He had a broken hand, and I could see the magic thumb through the exposed veins. I tried my best not to stare with him being so close. Instead locking my gaze on the metal box in that same limb causing clicks with as he fidgeted with it, "You will not see the end of that damn even so long as I can hold fire."

After a few tries it seemed like it had been successful, the steel box sprouting a small flame independent of the man's magic. It was no sunrise, but a beautiful thing in its own way, simply mesmerizing to my exhausted body. Giving me more questions that I'd only be able to hope of answering in the land of dreams.

Edelgard and Alcides/Adolf's bond has been raised to D!

Both bonded individuals will now benefit from 1 to their might during combat when close to one another, and 3 to their Crit/Dodge bonus.

Interlude 1 Note: (Jan 21th)

-Winter finals took priority, but I'm back now, and I don't intend for Christmas to slow down my uploads.

-In hindsight, I've made some major mistakes with this story. While I debated how the main protagonist's name could be injected into the story for the benefit of the reader I had ignored an obvious solution. Just start the fucking chapter/story with the POV characters name. I was re-reading my first interlude I had written for this story wondering while it worked surprisingly well. Personally I think the Heroes of Olympus saga did a cool way of conveying multiple characters by using names in the title card for perspective shifts. TLDR: I'm a moron, and I need to practice my editorial skills further before I start any new projects.

-I really don't like tracking relationships or the bond ranks, whatever you want to call it. Just one of those Gamer system details that just rub me the wrong way, but with that said. I will be including a variation of the basic letter system that FE3H

Choices (optional to participate in)

1) No Time Limit.

- Once in a lifetime opportunity, a character's canon rewrite. Be warned! I have many terrible things in store for multiple characters, plus you already know what happens in canon, so you are only getting this once. You can comment complex conditions under which this will activate as in saving it for later to keep certain characters alive longer, like if you'd keep a character alive even if they should've died. No retcons. This is not comparable to Sothis's time reversals, most character death will just be downgraded to mortal wounds etc.

] [Rewrite] Write in.

2) Available until Chapter 10.

- Pick one deficiency and proficiency for Alcides to adopt, alongside the proficiencies and deficiencies he already possesses. If they coincide or contradict what is already present then a proficiency will be negated or a deficiency will be converted into a weakness.

] [Proficiency/Deficiency] Write in.

3) No Time Limit or if a Good Idea Comes To Me.

Wolf pup names! WooooooW, you guys get to name the dogs. That or I'll just spin a randomizer for names that I think would be funny. (You can still suggest names for the 2 that are alive.)

] [wolfNames] Write in.

4) Available until Chapter 8. (New!)

- Choices made here will impact the direction that the story goes in, taking the form of influencing Alcides' traits to dictate what 'route' will be followed, and what it will consist of. Assuming no one votes, or it's a tie. The choice will default back to me.

] [Status Quo] Good Solution, Now; Alcides' apathy will diminish, but his impulsiveness will persist. Alcides become a slave once more, and TWSITD may take an interest in Alcides. His various relationships with Edelgard, Mercedes, and Jeralt will improve due to this new course of action. Factions: Alcides' reputation with the Populists will reach Patron, Nobility reaches Ally, and the Traditionalists reach Collaborator. However, the Revisionists will remain of Mixed opinion. The Adrestrian Merchant Company will reach Monster, but the faction will weaken.

] [Status Quo] Perfect Solution, Later; Alcides' impulsivity will be replaced by patience, but his apathy will persist. Alcides will remain a freeman. His various relationships with Bernadetta, Emile, and Hubert will improve due to this new course of action. Factions: Alcides' reputation with the Adrestrian Merchant Company will decrease to Scoundrel, but the faction will strengthen. Monarchists will reach Collaborator.