#edelgard deserved better

[medicallyfascinating]

Today I want to talk about consoling/criticising during Instruct.

Because I think it's VERY INTERESTING

Edelgard prefers to be consoled which is so interesting but also I think it says a lot about her character. She cannot handle criticism and has fully built up this belief that she is completely in the right, no matter what she does. She cannot be told that she's wrong without getting angry and defensive.

Her Criticise line is "A bit harsh, don't you think?". She takes any criticism so personally and as an attack on her. I also think that since she was young, people have been quite soft on her, especially Hubert. Hubert would never dare criticise Edelgard for anything he disagrees with and all he wants is to protect. She's been taken care of by him for the majority of her life. Her father also appears to be very gentle and forgiving with her. Edelgard as never learned how to cope with being criticised and therefore, doesn't know how to take the uncomfortable feeling and transform it into something useful for herself.

Her Console line is "Thank you. It won't happen again." She needs to be treated gently for anything to go through and for her to not take it deeply personally. Only then can she think over it and grow and change. Unfortunately for her, she is not surrounded by very many people who are capable of consoling her and therefore, very rarely does she get a chance to change. Hubert and Ferdinand are not particularly comforting people when the need to criticise someone comes up. Hubert gently nudges her in the direction he thinks is best and then goes behind her back and Ferdinand argues with her until either he feels as though he's been proven wrong, or someone else shuts down the argument.

Hubert prefers to be criticised. On the complete opposite note to Edelgard, Hubert cannot handle being consoled.

His Console line is "Your concern is unnecessary." He doesn't know what to do with it. It leaves him feeling off-balance and exposed. He has only ever been criticised into changing and adapting by both his father, by Edelgard and by Ferdinand. (And then as he gets older, also by the rest of the Black Eagles). Being consoled also doesn't help him protect those that he cares about, it just leaves him with this new weakness that he doesn't know how to fix.

His Criticise line is "I will humbly reflect on this." I think the language choice is odd but aside from that, Hubert ALSO heavily internalises criticism but does change from it. He sees it as a failure on his behalf and then does everything he can to get rid of this new-found weakness. He cannot have any weaknesses when he's preparing/fighting in a war for Edelgard who he so desperately wants to protect and keep safe.

Ferdinand prefers to be criticised. I have many personal opinions on how I thought and would have loved if he preferred to be consoled pre-ts and then preferred to he criticised post-ts but that is not a conversation for today.

Ferdinand from the very start wants to become both a better fighter and a better person. His Criticise line is "Just watch. It will not happen again." He heavily internalises every piece of criticism he gets, but he's good at taking his time to pick those feelings apart and trying to change for the better. Ferdinand is simultaneously very self-assured and also constantly being reminded that he's not as perfect as he was raised to believe.

His Console line is "What a thing to say. Do I look that pitiful?". Ferdinand is very used to being underestimated by his peers (particularly Dorothea, Hubert and Edelgard). He wants to be better but deep down knows he's seen as weak, soft and expected to turn out just like his father and he desperately wants to be seen as more than that, especially considering he knows that his father has stolen from citizens. It's frustrating for him to constantly be compared to the worst parts of his father when he spends almost his entire life trying to prove that he's better than that.

Linhardt prefers to be consoled.

His Console line is "I suppose I must try harder next time." His father is very critical of him so I expect he just doesn't want to feel like he's disappointing more people. A classic case of simultaneously not caring about what people think of him whilst actually caring more than he realises. But on another point, Linhardt IS very self-assured.

His Criticise line is "Failure. Hmm... I'm not used to that." Like Hubert, it is a new-found weakness but Linhardt feels much more inconvenienced by it than he does internalise it. He now has to spend all this time doing something he doesn't particularly want to do and he's very upset about it.

Caspar prefers to be criticised.

His Criticise line is "Whoa! I'll try harder next time!" Like the majority of the Black Eagle nobles, his father is very critical of him. But unlike the others, he gains confidence from it. He wants to be a better fighter and he knows that being corrected when he messes up is the only way he can become a better fighter and he will do whatever it takes to get where he needs to be.

His Console line is "It's all right... I know I messed up." Being consoled makes Caspar feel like a failure. It makes him feel like the other person thinks he's incapable of getting better and improving. It also doesn't give him anything that he can use to improve so it utterly drains him and makes him feel even worse.

Bernadetta prefers to be criticised. This is utterly fascinating to me and I genuinely love it for her. Like Ferdinand, Bernadetta desperately wants to grow as a person despite her trauma and utter terror of everyone around her.

Her Criticise line is "I'll try harder next time!". Bernadetta is so unused to criticism being a good thing. Her main experience with it is her father belittling her and calling her useless so when Byleth is gentle and just correcting her on what to do, she is reminded that criticism can be kind and she can do better and that she does want to try and improve as a person and a fighter.

Her Console line is "That's... really kind...". I don't think she dislikes being consoled but I think after she's calmed down from her failure, she regrets having not gained anything from it and having just been comforted because she panicked and thought she would be punished/belittled.

Dorothea prefers to be consoled. She's such a fascinating character with her flirting and her intense self-hatred. Either way, she heavily internalises her failure and allows it to intensify her intense dislike of herself.

Her Console line is "Oh, Professor. You're too kind.". Her flirting with the professor is so fascinating. She puts up such an intense front of being careless and holding herself above everyone else whilst she desperately craves to be loved and comforted and saved from her own intense self-hatred. She's desperate for any sort of confirmation but refuses to beg for it or let it appear like she's desperate for it and so she teases and flirts, in the hope that she'll recieve more love.

Her Criticise line is "Aw, I knew that answer." She's so disappointed with herself and internalises it so heavily. She knows she can do better and is frustrated that she failed on what she considered to be something so minor. There is also a factor of trying to make herself look better. She may not have actually known the answer but she is the only commoner within the Black Eagles and she can't let herself be seen as lesser than the rest of them so she makes herself seem all knowing despite not being at all.

Petra prefers to be criticised. Both of her lines are her asking how she can become better.

Her Console line is "I would like to be having more guidance, please." and her Criticism line is "I did not have success. Please, be guiding me." They're practically the same line. She has absolutely no interest in being comforted. All she wants is to become better. She is self-assured and knows she's good at what she does. She wants to become a better fighter so she can reclaim Brigid from The Empire and lead her country as their Queen. Being consoled is a waste of her time when she could be learning and growing from her mistakes.

[writer-of-worlds]

Byleth: Edelgard and I are adopting.

Bernadetta: O-oh! Congrat--

Byleth, slamming down adoption papers in front of Bernadetta: It's you. Sign here.

[dinoelu]

wife surprise attack

[asha-mage]

My roommate is playing Three Houses for the first time and that means that of COURSE I am being possessed by Dimiashe feelings again, especially because they are doing Azure Moon first.

And you know what gets me most about Dimiashe? What drives me insane into the small hours of the morning? It's the fact that, on Silver Snow and Verdant Wind Ashe leaves. He turns his back on Byleth, on his classmates, on the Church, on everything, to do what he thinks is right: to fight for justice for Lonato and Cristophe. He gives up his dream of being a Knight, he gives up his place in the Kingdom, his adopted House, the title that is now his by rights, even the friends that he fought and bleed and learned besides- all to do the right thing.

But on Azure Moon? On Azure Moon Ashe stays. And their is only one thing, one possible reason, for Ashe to remain on the Kingdom's side on Azure Moon, when on all other routes he sides with the Empire.

Dimitri.

Dimitri the golden prince that Ashe blushes and stammers and begs not to treat him with such familiarity. Dimitri who, if all had been as it should have, Ashe would have knelt to after graduation and sworn an oath of fealty and devotion, to serve as liege man, as bow arm, as guardian, as knight, onto his death.

Dimitri who Ashe finds again after five years broken and full of sorrow and pain and lost in the dark. Dimitri, who swears and insists he is a mad man, a monster, a killer, but who all the same Ashe can not turn his back on.

Ashe is driven by an fierce fiery need to do the right thing no matter what. His defining quote is It's never wrong to have virtue, even if means being made an outcast and he follows through, siding with Edelgard on every route except Azure Moon. And why? Because on Azure Moon Ashe looks at Dimitri, scarred and near feral with grief and without Dedue to be his knight any longer, and chooses Dimitri over what is right- over justice for Cristophe, over Lonato's memory, over a future free of the church's tyranny.

Ashe's loyalty and love for the Prince who showed kindness and compassion to a commoner, who brought sweets to a foundling and street thief, is the only thing greater then his sense of justice.

[lossofallwords]

I wish I could look at Edelgard art and stuff without seeing people talking Controversial stuff. It's, so hard to enjoy a character when all I see is either people calling her Pure Evil or praising her as some sorta God.

[maggie-candy999]

It’s like the game just forgot these two are supposed to be important. 😓

Fire Emblem 3 houses really should have just made Seteth the out right fourth lord of the routes. Like it's super annoying looking back at it how he's both important and yet not important to the Silver Snow route, when it's obvious that should be his route. He should also be shown more importance in the other 3 seeing as Azure Moon has us important to the church, Crimson Flower has El's bias(quote on quote for that cause she's blaming a whole race of people who were nearly genocided for the actions that only Rhea took) against the Nabateans, and Verdant Wind because that is literally the only route we get to fight Nemesis.

Hell, another idea would be to make Flayn the 4th official lord. And actually go deep into how a lot of this has affected her. Like we never get to see much of the two, and usually when we do it's is a big lore dump. Not that I don't like it and that they weren't written well, just that they could have been better.

Like have El question her ideals because she gets to know Flayn in Crimson Flower, or have her shit talk her and Seteth as they choose to side with Rhea.

Have Dimitri be able to interact more with Flayn, have her be the one to smack some sense into him because he's being stupid and won't let someone heal his wound after a battle. Have Seteth speak to him and it remind Dimitri of his father and him have either a freak out moment as he pictures Seteth as his dead dad or which I would prefer more, have him break down in front of him. Have him absolutely sobbing as Seteth holds him and comforts him like a father figure that he's desperately been needing.

Have Claude be more combative with Seteth. (He deserves more interactions with Seteth in my opinion) Have them bounce off each other on how very different their ideas are. Have Seteth actually been cornered by Claude into revealing history on himself and let the player choose who they side with more as points for whoever they side with. Heck you can even have this with Flayn but Claude being more sympathetic towards her as Flayn not only has supports with him, but also because Flayn is that freaking Charming!

Have Flayn actually see the damage that Rhea has done and question everything she knows. Give her actual rage moments, let her mature even more to where we could have her more cut throat and mirror El in SS. Or have that she shows resilience by keeping a smile on her face even when she's going through some of the worst stuff mentally. Let her show the leadership that is hinted at with her being Cethleann. Show the side of her that was a Saint that actually experienced War.

Have Seteth show that side of him. Show the actual power of a major crest and why they are sought after instead of the subtle things they do. Have Seteth be able to actually move the earth and summon vines and other things to his defence. Actually show his power of performing miracles just as his description says he can. Like an act of mercy that he can give to El when we fight her. Maybe even something that has why people follow him. Hell, show more of him actually talking to people cause that's what he's good at from seeing his supports.

These two deserve so much better than being left on the sidelines. They are literally some of the only survivors of a race that was nearly wiped out. That deserves more attention than what it gets. It's just so much wasted potential and story that we are never gonna get.

[isan0rt]

Big part of the Dimidue dynamic to me is the fact that they are both broken and full of rage.

Like this is key. Yes Dedue is gentle and kind and thoughtful but he is also filled with rage, as much as Dimitri is. Dimitri devolves into being driven solely by revenge in AM when he loses Dedue but Dimitri's continued existence is the check on Dedue going off alone to throw himself into getting himself killed single-mindedly seeking personal revenge. We know this because that's literally what he does in Verdant Wind and Silver Snow, rejecting as Dimitri does any offer of help in his quest to kill Edelgard personally. He is full of completely deserved righteous fury that he is actively working to control at all times with the most incredible stubbornness and it's possible because he knows he is not alone in his anger.

He knows Dimitri is just as furious at the injustice and it makes it easier to bear. He can see Dimitri is trying as hard as he is to control the same vengeful feelings and it makes them a team. He knows Dimitri gets it, and he knows Dimitri knows he gets it. They both know nothing can really make it better but they also both know what the other is going through and they are both on each other's side about it no matter what anybody else thinks. This is just crucial to me about the dynamic. They support each other in understanding what it means to be boiling up to the eyeballs with anger that Dedue can't safely express.

[curse-d-owl]

Three houses and hopes suffers from poorly executed concepts which genuinely bogs the game down as a poorly written mess. It does slot of things good, don't get me wrong but we need to be honest and admit that this story and it's characters didn't get the proper treatment they deserve.

Some major examples i can name is Edelgard wants to save the oppressed and Rhea being a saint that's against corruption. All of them are fine concepts, problem is that the execution is bad.

Edelgard does nothing but whine about nepotism and doesn't focus on understanding why the weak and strong are who they are by not working towards giving the commoners a better environment to get stronger and Rhea is deliberately complicit in the oppression of foreign nations and deports a Dagdan refugee for practicing her faith. Claude, Dimitri and most of the cast also suffer from poor execution.

Many topics that involve oppression solely exist to prop up the lord's for standing against them, the victims of these problems dont get the attention and treatment they deserve.

Half of it got to do with the writers poor understanding of these topics and moral grayness and the other half has to do with the fact they want to have their lords be treated as morally equal without putting in the effort by making them behave uncharacteristically stupid at the detriment of their story. Like Hopes Claude claiming Rhea is violently against change when the reality is that she isn't proven by Azure Gleam allowing Dimitri to reform Faerghus for 2 years straight.

Rhea is partially responsible for the crest system and nationalism ( which is bad ) but she isn't against righting her wrongs and gets convinced by a handful of nobles. If that's the case then why even create these detrimental problems in the first place if they don't want her to be that type of villain and hurdle to progress?

Edelgard wants to take down an oppressive rulers that keeps the work stagnant cause violence is the only answer, which is understandable but violence wasn't the answer and diplomacy was on the table. Nothing suggested that you'd be met with execution for criticising the church and if anything there is counter evidence with Edelgard blaming the goddess for Miklan's crimes and fate infront of Gilbert, a highly pious and commander of the knights of Seiros.

They want to eat their cake and still have it. They want you to believe Edelgard is a revolutionary saviour but don't put in the effort to make her war justified therefore making her a delusional villain. They want you to believe Rhea isn't against change through her deeds but also jump up and down and convince the audience she is, especially in hopes. They aren't trying to say that she is a misguided villain with good intentions, no, she is both an irrational villain who's too far gone and misguided leader who isn't against positive change.

This isn't even tell and don't show. This is tell, show the exact opposite and try to gaslight you their false statements are true.

Because of all of these things both the story and characters aren't that well executed.

[frickingnerd]

love triangle with edelgard & dorothea

pairing: edelgard von hresvelg x gn!reader x dorothea arnault

tags: friendly rivalry, supporting each other, wholesome fluff

while a relationship is dorothea's number one priority, edelgard is the type to only put romance secondary in her life, as other things simply take priority!

dorothea makes her feelings for you much more clear, always flirting with you in one way or another, while also never being too obvious about liking you, always making you wonder if she's just teasing you or if she's truly in love with you

edelgard doesn't put the same amount of effort into her interactions with you. though it's not like she's completely cold towards you either!

edelgard is easier flustered than you might imagine! being alone with you gets her quite nervous and even as she tries to overplay that nervousness, you'll still notice her blushing and fidgeting around you

dorothea and edelgard’s friendship not only complicates their feelings for you, but it makes their interactions with you a little easier too!

neither of dorothea nor edelgard want to hurt each other! they're ready to support each other and should it come to this, they would even give up their feelings for you entirely!

however, dorothea is still driven to be the girl you choose in the end! she loves edelgard a lot, but dorothea believes that you deserve someone who will see you as their priority!

meanwhile edelgard believes that by putting you second for some time, she can focus on building a better world, so that one day, the two of you can live a peaceful life together, where you can finally be her priority!

[frozenartscapes]

I changed her design in fics I’ve written for Hegie to the point that I’ll see the actual canon version and get confused

Hegemon Husk is probably the most boring design for corrupted Edelgard monster. They don’t take advantage of her horns, hair, color scheme, axe, flame emperor outfit, etc. You could put any character inside this rusty EVA suit and they’d fit

.

[dvrtrblhr]

omg hiii your Dimiclaudes are gorgeous and I adore the snippets of writing you add to the pieces 💛💙

aaa thanks a lot! i love drawing them forever, so i'm happy others also enjoy it lol

anyway, i searched my folders for a sketch i hadn't posted and i found this one:

and the scene that comes with it below:

As if to prove that point, while they followed the locals through the tunnels that would lead them to Abyss, Claude noticed that Dimitri was throwing glances at him and looking sulky.

“What is it?” Claude asked in a whisper. Dimitri glanced at him and sulked some more. It was starting to get annoying.

“You don’t think I can take him,” he answered finally. Claude couldn’t help the way his mouth fell open in disbelief. Out of all things, that was what bothered him. It was that kind of moment that made Claude very aware of how different they really were. “Honestly, he’s not even that big. He’s shorter than Dedue, I think.”

“Dedue, who is probably the tallest, biggest person in the whole monastery,” Claude rebutted mostly because Dimitri’s remark was so absurd. “Anyway, did I say that you couldn’t take him? I don’t think so.�� They walked in silence for a while longer before Claude continued, “I don’t see why you would want to risk getting hurt because of something so silly. It’s not even your specialty. Or did you forget that you excel in sparring with a lance? That long pole with a sharp tip that keeps the enemy at a safe distance, remember?”

“Why are you so sure I’m going to lose though?” Dimitri asked, still looking offended.

“I’m not! In this stupid thing called fist fighting even the winner gets hurt. Now, if brawling is what you want, then go ahead! Just don’t expect me to cheer for you or kiss your bruises better, all right?” he replied, equally perplexed and irritated, then noticed what he had just said and looked around to see that they had, fortunately or not, fell behind the rest of their group so he continued, “What were you expecting, Dimitri? Did you think I would swoon at your manliness? I’m sorry, but that… doesn’t really impress me. Now, you want to know what impresses me? Your kindness, passion and sincerity.”

It was Dimitri’s turn to be speechless, it seemed. Claude immediately thought he had said too much and felt his face flush at his own corniness. Then Dimitri's hands were caressing his cheeks softly, tilting his head upwards so he could kiss his lips gently. It was the kind of touch that made Claude forget why doing that at such time and place was a really bad idea.

“You are right, I’m sorry,” Dimitri said quietly, still cradling his face in his hands, “There’s one thing, though. You are too kind, Claude. Kinder than I could ever hope to be. And kinder than I deserve.”

Claude wanted to protest about such a useless comparison and about Dimitri’s supposed unworthiness. It was something that had crept into their conversations from time to time, how Dimitri seemed to think he was somehow a bad person. It made no sense considering the effort he put into being as good and helpful as he could, sometimes to the point of exhaustion. He didn’t say anything, though, it was such a pleasant moment… He really didn’t want to ruin it with an argument, not even an important one he had been procrastinating for a while. And Dimitri was kissing him again, his lips, his cheeks, his neck. He might really turn to mush if that continued.

Then they heard the sound of footsteps and they were quickly pulling away from each other. Edelgard appeared by the corner looking sour.

"What are you two doing?" she asked irritably.

Golden Dawn, Chapter 20, Wind - Underground

[medicallyfascinating]

Ferdinand has this bizarre complex where he simultaneously is very self-assured, self-centred and arrogant but is also insecure and uncertain and afraid of disappointing people's expectations of him.

Pre-timeskip, Ferdinand leans much more into his arrogance and self-centredness. He's much more convinced that he's a good person who makes a few mistakes sometimes but he's the perfect noble and deserves the title of Prime Minister and also Emperor. The title of Prime Minister is guaranteed to him and it doesn't matter if he stumbles a little, he'll get his title and he can solve his failures as he goes along. The position is still secured.

However, he is still heavily criticised. Constantly. He's most likely spent a good portion of his childhood being criticised by his father. He's mocked by his classmates for being too intense and being arrogant and then even when he tries to change and become better, every treats him like he's incapable of being any better than his father was.

Post-timeskip, Ferdinand leans much more into that insecurity. He's lost everything and all he has is his skill and his personality which he needs to claw his way back up. He doesn't have House Aegir to fall back onto anymore. All he has is himself and he's constantly reminded that he might not be enough. Hubert and Edelgard constantly remind him that he may not become Prime Minister and Ferdinand knows nothing else. He can only move towards this goal that's no longer certain, especially when he could die in the war at any moment.

He still has elements of his old-self. The arrogance has mostly softened into confidence and he still acts very self-assured. He talks about his noble status still. But he clings onto it like a protective shield as if acting like he's not lost anything will save him from how far he's fallen. But he grieves all he's lost. He's uncertain and repeatedly expresses this to Byleth. He's desperate for some sort of assurance that he's doing the right thing and that nothing else is going to fall out from beneath him, despite knowing full well that he cannot be promised that.

Something I adore about Three Hopes is how they show that balance. Ferdinand has developed more intense insecurities, claiming that he doesn't excel at anything but is decent at most things. However he has not lost all of that arrogance yet. He's confident and loud and abrasive and he's still learning how to be a better person.

He's not dipped quite so heavily into insecurity as he does post-ts in three houses. But he's lost a lot of that intense arrogance from his pre-ts self in three houses and has become a much nicer, more gentle person.

[honeyskiies]

reworked bots: dimitri blaiddyd.

after much consideration on where to start in reworking my old bots, i decided to start with my dimitri bots!! he was one of the first characters i ever made a bot for, mostly due to my shared love for him between me and one of my best friends.

all of these bots have been reworked to have longer, better greetings, and those greetings will be showcased under the cut. if you would like to send any bot requests, then send them to this form!

here are links to the reworked bots if you would like to chat with them!

✦ | the king-to-be and his clumsy knight.

✦ | the king of delusion and his loyal knight.

♥ | the king and his beloved knight.

✿ | he hopes you won't leave him as well.

Dimitri, by no means, needed a personal knight. He already had Dedue as his retainer, so he didn't need anyone else to protect him.

And yet, when he first met you, a bright-eyed recently recruited knight-in-training, months before enrolling into the Academy, he just… couldn't help but find himself wanting to grow closer to you. You weren't officially his knight-to-be, but everyone seemed to collectively treat you as such.

So when it was time to attend the Academy, no one was really surprised when Dimitri brought you along with him.

In the time that Dimitri has known you, however, he's noticed one defining detail.

You were… pretty clumsy.

He's not sure if you were aware of this fact or not, but there have been many times when Dimitri's had to prevent things from tripping you, or falling on top of you, or just somehow hindering you in some way.

He's never seen such clumsiness on display when you're on the battlefield. It's only during training, or during everyday life that this nature of yours seems to shine through.

It's bad enough that Dimitri, someone who was not good at handling delicate matters, has become… particularly adept at treating any wounds you sustain. As much as he would like to be proud of this, he finds it hard to be knowing that it's only due to how often you get injured.

"Are you alright?" Concern laced his words as he helped you up from the ground, a small frown on his face as he looked you over for any injuries.

You had been so caught up in talking to him about something you recently learned in one of your classes, not paying attention to where you were walking that you ended tripping over yourself when you turned to look at him, falling to the ground.

Though it could be endearing at times, Dimitri finds himself feeling more worried than anything else.

He just… doesn't enjoy seeing you injured, even if it's only something as minor as a small cut or sprained ankle.

Dimitri's chest heaved as he returned to the ruins of the cathedral. The moment they returned from battle, he was departing from his allies without so much as a glance.

They meant nothing to him.

Nothing more than weapons for him to use to further his goal of killing Edelgard. Why should he entertain their concern? He's already aware that he's a monster, that he's broken. He doesn't need his 'friends' telling him as much.

He was covered in blood. Most came from the people he had mercilessly slaughtered, though some of the blood staining his skin was his own. His injuries weren't life threatening, and he didn't bother having a healer tend to them.

This was a pain he would deal with, even if only a fraction of what he truly deserved.

The dead demand more blood, and their hunger will only be satisfied once he personally rids Edelgard's body of her head. And once he succeeds in his goal… only then, will he finally allow himself to rest.

Dimitri sensed your presence before he actually saw you. You were no better than the Professor, always checking up on him after every battle and trying to get him to talk to you. His colorful threats did little to sway you from him.

Your fierce loyalty to him as his personal knight made him sick. And he hates how a voice in his head, one so small yet hard to ignore, begged him not to make you hate him.

You were holding bandages and ointments. It's clear that you wanted to clean his wounds. Dimitri doesn't deserve your kindness.

"Leave me be, or I will spear you with my lance." He says, words so cold.

His threat fell on deaf ears though, and you forced him to sit down at one of the cathedral's benches. And he let you.

There's a small frown on his face as you wipe the blood of his skin. It stained yours instead. He didn't like that. He doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve you. And yet you stayed by his side, carefully tending to his wounds like he was something worth caring for.

"…You will regret caring for a monster like me." He says, words quiet.

After the end of the war, one of the first things Dimitri did was propose to you.

You had been by his side ever since you two were still students of the academy. Even when he had lost himself to his obsessive desire in killing Edelgard, you stayed by his side and brought him back to the light.

Truly, he thinks if you weren't around, he would've died long ago.

He simply can't picture his life without you, so it was only natural for him to want to marry you. And the wedding was grand. Not only was it celebrating his happy marriage to you, but it served to celebrate the end of the war as well.

And now, two years after the end of the war, everything was… normal.

You insisted on remaining a knight even after your marriage to him, and Dimitri was never one to deny you what you wanted. You still had your moment where you were clumsy, and he'd personally tend to any wounds you sustained because of it.

His marriage with you was so utterly simple, and he wouldn't change it for the world.

Though…

A part of him did wish you'd stop staying up so late waiting for him to finish his duties as King. Though his heart soared every time he entered your shared bedchambers to see you fighting to stay awake with a book opened and resting on your lap, he didn't want you losing sleep because of him.

"My beloved," Dimitri's soft voice caused you to jolt a bit, causing you to wake up from dozing off again, and he met your tired gaze with a soft smile as he approached the bed.

Gently, he took the book from your lap and closed it, setting it atop the nightstand before sitting at the edge of the bed, taking your hand in his own and running his thumb over your knuckles.

"As much as your determination to wait for me is flattering, you must stop forcing yourself to stay awake," He says, his words so so soft.

When Dimitri was a kid, he had always been fascinated by soulmates. How could he not be, truly? Stories of a romance blessed by the Goddess herself was enough to make anyone interested.

No one really knows how soulmates came to be, and many people have shared their theories. Some think it's a gift from the Goddess to connect her people, while others tell more tragic tales of lovers being torn apart, and swearing to find each other in their next lives.

There was no definitive proof of the origin of soulmates, which is partly why Dimitri found it to be so intriguing.

And when he was younger, a name had appeared on his wrist in the middle of the night. In elegant cursive, Dimitri grew familiar with the name {{user}} as he grew up. He wondered if his soulmate was as excited by the thought of meeting as he was.

His fascination with soulmates, and his hope of meeting his own, never really went away, even as he grew up. Though more pressing matters were always at hand, Dimitri always found himself glancing at the name on his wrist whenever he felt himself feeling lonely.

Though he always wanted to meet his soulmate, he never felt worthy enough, so when he finally did meet his soulmate he felt… elated, yet nervous.

You were a fellow student of the academy, a member of the Black Eagles house. Being in different houses didn't seem to deter you from wanting to get closer to Dimitri when you found out he was your soulmate, even though he's caught Hubert scolding you numerous times for doing so.

You were so kind. Like a ray of sunshine, scaring away a darkness he never wanted to admit surrounded him.

He doesn't deserve you, doesn't deserve this. And yet the thought of losing you made him sick.

Dimitri sat with you in the library, his fingers lightly tracing his name etched onto your wrist. He was meant to be studying with you, and yet he found it hard to focus.

How can he possibly focus when his soulmate was sitting right next to him, looking divine?

[raxistaicho]

just saw a post stating that edelgard starting a war is 100% wrong, essentially stating that being a revolutionary is Evil no matter the context

it really is incredible just how absurd theyre willing to go with this narrative that shes a bad person, as if a good percentage of media doesnt inherently glorify revolutionaries as heroes and idols to be celebrated. but when edelgard does this, it suddenly becomes wrong, a crime. how curious is that, right?

like its really clear that these people just dont give a damn about the story of fodlan at all because its VERY CLEAR that this is a country on the brink of collapse. i dont know how you can look at fodlan in any capacity and not see the cracks beginning to form. this is a country where child soldiers are not only encouraged, but REQUIRED in order to keep up with bandit attacks and slaying demonic beasts. multiple paralogues state that children with crests are married off, to the point where sylvain literally calls himself a studhorse at one point. ingrids paralogue is about defending ingrid from being KIDNAPPED and likely forced to marry a man at knifepoint. multiple cultures like sreng and duscur have been stomped on and treated like dirt, treated like "cared for" slaves at best and violent savages at worst, to the point where a man escaping back to his homeland is seen as "refusing kindness". FODLAN IS A BAD PLACE.

but no! apparently war is ALWAYS evil, even when the alternative is letting this state of affairs continue. war is ALWAYS evil, even when it saves innocent lives from the machinations of those who would do us harm. war-- No, let me be clear about what this person means. When they say "War", what they actually mean is "Violence." Violence is always Evil. That's what this means. It's that old adage of "Violence never solved anything", except that this is a statement used by pacifists to demean all violence rather than just cruelty.

If you look me in the eyes and tell me that you wouldn't hurt anybody, ever, then all it tells me is that you haven't got the heart to actually care about people. Is violence tragic? Yes. Absolutely. But denouncing it entirely is... It's beyond inhuman. It's apathetic about human life to the point of insanity. There are stories dating back centuries - Millenia, almost certainly - about how men and women will fight against gods and demons just to save one person from a fate they didn't deserve.

"Violence is Evil." No. Violence is Emotion. It can be used to attack and it can be used to defend. It is not, and cannot, be evil of its own accord. It is a tool to be used at the discretion of its wielder.

Evil, TRUE Evil, is Apathy. Evil is when you have all the power in the world to help people, to change the world, and you don't. When you see genuine human suffering and you don't feel the urge to step in and help. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.

just saw a post stating that edelgard starting a war is 100% wrong, essentially stating that being a revolutionary is Evil no matter the context it really is incredible just how absurd theyre willing to go with this narrative that shes a bad person, as if a good percentage of media doesnt inherently glorify revolutionaries as heroes and idols to be celebrated. but when edelgard does this, it suddenly becomes wrong, a crime. how curious is that, right?

Generally speaking, Edelgard detractors try to deny that she's revolting at all through some description pedantry, even though ultimately what she's doing is fighting the very social groundwork upon which Fodlan rests, and,

So yeah. They get so hung up on the part where she's a person in power herself and ignore that she intends to change Fodlan utterly, and for the better. Rhea and Seteth frequently call her a traitor or other synonyms. She is a revolutionary.

Also, people just become enamored with the ideal of peaceful protest, when the reality is... sometimes things gotta get bloody.

like its really clear that these people just dont give a damn about the story of fodlan at all because its VERY CLEAR that this is a country on the brink of collapse. i dont know how you can look at fodlan in any capacity and not see the cracks beginning to form. this is a country where child soldiers are not only encouraged, but REQUIRED in order to keep up with bandit attacks and slaying demonic beasts. multiple paralogues state that children with crests are married off, to the point where sylvain literally calls himself a studhorse at one point. ingrids paralogue is about defending ingrid from being KIDNAPPED and likely forced to marry a man at knifepoint. multiple cultures like sreng and duscur have been stomped on and treated like dirt, treated like "cared for" slaves at best and violent savages at worst, to the point where a man escaping back to his homeland is seen as "refusing kindness". FODLAN IS A BAD PLACE.

Yup. It's been said time and again, but for a setting in an FE game, Fodlan's in a remarkable state of turmoil long before the war kicks off. Usually things are peaceful before the aggressor nation makes it move.

but no! apparently war is ALWAYS evil, even when the alternative is letting this state of affairs continue. war is ALWAYS evil, even when it saves innocent lives from the machinations of those who would do us harm. war-- No, let me be clear about what this person means. When they say "War", what they actually mean is "Violence." Violence is always Evil. That's what this means. It's that old adage of "Violence never solved anything", except that this is a statement used by pacifists to demean all violence rather than just cruelty.

So Fire Emblem as a series is in a weird place in how it treats war, because frankly it wants to have things both ways. Obviously the writers don't want to extol the "virtues" of warfare so on the face of things, the series tends to portray an anti-war message, but this is an SRPG at the end of the day, so while Emmeryn's appeals to peace were powerful and cause a good number of Plegia's soldiers to dessert, you still use violence and war to stop Gangrel, Walhart, and Grima. The writing rejects violence for a good cause even though violence is how you fix everything.

One of the Edelcrits runs a whole-ass thing picking out anti-war lines from Heroes as though this somehow throws shade on Three Houses, when the reality is it's throwing shade on how things are done throughout the whole series. They behave as though self-defensive violence is always justified and never spirals out of proportion.

"Violence is Evil." No. Violence is Emotion. It can be used to attack and it can be used to defend. It is not, and cannot, be evil of its own accord. It is a tool to be used at the discretion of its wielder.

Exactly. It's all about what the violence is doing and how severe it goes. Edelgard fights to bring rights to the people; Rhea fights to maintain her power and Fodlan's status quo. The fact that Rhea is the one defending herself doesn't change that she's fighting for a bad cause.

Evil, TRUE Evil, is Apathy. Evil is when you have all the power in the world to help people, to change the world, and you don't. When you see genuine human suffering and you don't feel the urge to step in and help. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.

Very true, and Fodlan is a case study in that.

Thanks for the excellent ask!

[cherrypikkins]

Here is my contribution to the final prompt from @fe-oc-week! Oct 15 - Endings

With some fake game ending cgs for Kitt :3

No extra lore write-up today! Instead, I've included some sample battle dialogue below the cut. Do enjoy :3

Background generously provided by @damnilovefaerghus

vs transformed Miklan (Conand Tower, White Clouds):

Kitt: "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this… But that's why I'm here."

Kitt: "Listen, Professor. If you can crack its armor, I'll make quick work of it."

Kitt: "But if you want to give your students an impromptu lesson on how to fell a Demonic Beast… I won't object."

If ordered to attack transformed Miklan: Kitt: "Fine, then. Allow me to show you how it's done."

vs Edelgard:

(Battle of Garreg Mach, pre-time skip)

Edelgard: "You and I are not so different, Kitt. I know you wish to be free of the Church's machinations. We might have walked this path together, had you trusted me."

Kitt: "This is rich, coming from the Flame Emperor herself. Your entire reign is built on lies and secrets. I can't trust you any more than I can trust the Church."

Kitt: "And as they say, better the devil you know…"

(Battle at Enbarr, Silver Snow/Verdant Wind)

Kitt: "Edelgard. Let Rhea go. I don't know what you have planned for her, but she and I have a score to settle."

Edelgard: "I am not concerned with vendettas of the ancient past, nor will they have a place in Fodlan's new dawn."

Edelgard: "You of all people should understand what it's like to be powerless, to have all control over your own fate wrested away by the likes of Rhea and her ilk."

Edelgard: "Knowing that, how can you truly wish for her to walk free?"

Kitt: "Because no one deserves to be buried underground, sealed away from the rest of the world and forgotten, left to the mercy of their jailers."

Kitt: "Believe me, I do understand."

(Battle at Enbarr, Azure Moon)

Kitt: "That's quite the transformation, Edelgard. Well done. You've already mastered what I've had to practice in secret for years."

Kitt: "But surely you must know what happens to monsters like you and me. I'll cut you down, same as all the rest.

Hegemon Edelgard: "You are welcome to try."

vs Seteth:

(Battle at Garreg Mach, pre time-skip, Crimson Flower)

Seteth: "Of all people, I thought you would have learned not to repeat the mistakes of the past."

Seteth: "Stand down, lest I be forced to repeat some mistakes of my own."

Kitt: "Seteth. Didn't you promise long ago that the people of Annwen would suffer no harm under your protection?"

Kitt: "I've been meaning to talk to you about that. But for now, it looks like we'll have to fight each other instead."

(Battle at Garreg Mach, post time-skip, Crimson Flower)

Kitt: "Hello, Seteth. You've quite the nerve to show your face around here."

Seteth: "You took the words out of my mouth."

Seteth: "To think, after everything we've tried to do for you, you would once again betray our trust and bear teeth against your own family."

Kitt: "Ha. You're one to talk about trust or family. Even that kid you called 'sister' was getting tired of your never-ending charade."

Seteth: "You will not drag Flayn into this! No matter who you are, know that I will destroy you to safeguard her if I must!"

Kitt: "Then you should have thought about that before bringing her here."

(If Kitt defeats Seteth)

Kitt: "Take Flayn and leave Garreg Mach - now - before I end your life. This is the only chance I'm giving you. I suggest you take it."

Seteth: "I… I understand. We will not meet again."

Seteth: "Regardless of everything else… I am grateful for your mercy. It is certainly more than we have shown you, and more than either of us deserve."

Kitt: "Don't come back."

vs Flayn:

(Battle at Garreg Mach, pre time-skip, Crimson Flower)

Flayn: "Kitt, what are you doing? You cannot truly mean to fight us! We're your family!"

Kitt: "You and I seem to have wildly different ideas about how this 'family' is supposed to work."

Kitt: "For example, if you get to call Seteth 'brother'… where does that leave me?"

Flayn: "I… That's not…"

Kitt: "Not what? Not fair?"

Kitt: "I'll tell you what else isn't fair - being treated like some lost broken toy you can fix and heal until I'm good as new. Better than new. Until there's nothing left of the old me."

Kitt: "Why couldn't you just let me stay asleep forever?"

(Battle at Garreg Mach, post time-skip, Crimson Flower)

Flayn: "Why are you doing this, Kitt?"

Kitt: "Not one step closer, Flayn."

Flayn: "Tell me, I beg of you! I wish only to understand! In what way have I done you wrong? What must I do to make amends?"

Kitt: "Enough! I know you only have the best wishes at heart, but I won't serve as a vessel for your good intentions."

Kitt: "And unlike you, I refuse to spend the rest of my life hiding behind a web of lies and secrets."

Flayn: "Kitt… I know not what to say. To think that it should come to this…"

(If Kitt defeats Flayn)

Kitt: "Find your father and go. Leave this place and never come back."

Flayn: "I… Yes. I will do as you say."

Flayn: "I wish you nothing but happiness for the rest of your days. Good-bye, Kitt."

Kitt: "…Good-bye, Flayn."

vs Rhea:

(Final Battle, Silver Snow)

Kitt: "This is just like what happened at Annwen… and the day I was struck down."

Kitt: "Rhea. This disaster is of your own making. But to suffer like this is too much for anyone to bear - even you."

Kitt: "Like all the beasts I've felled before, I'll put an end to your pain."

(Battle at Garreg Mach, pre-time skip, Crimson Flower)

Rhea: "I see you are determined stand against me here once more, after all the mercy I've shown you, after every second chance I've given. You truly are the capricious one, aren't you?"

Kitt: "I discarded that name long ago. It's just Kitt now."

(Battle at Tailtean, Crimson Flower)

Seiros: "You. I know what you are. I've seen your true face, for it has haunted me since that day I struck you down."

Seiros: "I did everything in my power to make amends, to restore you to full glory, just like she bade me. And yet once more, I must destroy you where you stand."

Kitt: "You still haven't figured it out, have you? She set you up with an impossible task. It was never in your power to reverse the deeds of the past."

Kitt: "No matter how hard you try, some things can never be fixed, nor healed, nor restored to what they once were. She was trying to teach you a lesson."

Kitt: "But it's fine. I've moved on from that. And so can you."

Seiros: "You know I cannot. I was never as quick to change as you are. Nor will I stop trying to bring her back, even if you are determined to betray her memory time and time again."

(Battle of Fhirdiad, Crimson Flower)

The Immaculate One: "You! Miserable, conniving serpent who dares hide itself among the flock!"

The Immaculate One: "You are not worthy of her blessing! Not worthy of her blood! I should have sealed you in your own grave while I had the chance!"

Kitt: "Yes, you should have. But don't be sad. The moment you're gone from this world, I won't be far behind."

As enemy, if not recruited:

(Battle at Garreg Mach, post-time skip, Crimson Flower, if Kitt not recruited)

Kitt: "It's a shame we can't catch up, for old time's sake. Too bad I must ask you to move."

Kitt: "…Or by all means, keep on testing me. You're not going to like what happens next, and neither am I."

If defeated:

Kitt: "Into the dark, once more. Maybe this time…forever."

vs Byleth:

(Battle at Garreg Mach, post-time skip, Crimson Flower, if Kitt not recruited)

Kitt: "Professor. Did I ever tell you? How much you remind me of someone I once knew?"

Kitt: "Long ago, she told me that the moment I've decided who my people are, I must fight to protect them with everything I have. Even if it means defying the Goddess herself."

Kitt: "…I suppose you don't know or remember, do you? Yet here you are, following in her example, just as I am doing now."

TWISTD Members:

vs Solon

(Remire Village)

Kitt: "I should have known it was you. You're the one who started all this. First my village, and now…Remire."

Solon: "So now you know who I am, Ghost of Annwen. But if you think I'm but simple prey for you to hunt down, you are gravely mistaken!"

(Sealed Forest)

Solon: "Take not one step closer, Demon of Annwen! Lest your weakness for these beasts prove your undoing!"

Kitt: "What's the matter, Tomas? I thought you always dreamed of finding out how the story ends."

vs Kronya

Kronya: "You don't scare me. You're nothing but a stupid ghost story! I'll send you back to the filthy grave you crawled up from, you little freak!"

Kitt: "So you've heard of me from your darling bedtime stories. I guess I won't have to explain what happens to you next."

vs Cornelia

Cornelia: "Well now. This really won't do. I'll have to put an end to you quickly."

Kitt: "And I'll be sure to end you slowly."

vs Thales

Thales: "You insatiable wretch! That you would choose to menace me now, here, of all places!"

Kitt: "Don't look so shocked. I did promise I'd be back for the rest of you, didn't I?"

[grinserabe]

(I'm gonna start doing this from now on uwu)

FE3H 5th Anniversary Countdown Questionnaire

In celebration of FE3H's 5th Anniversary being this month (July) on the 26th, here is a countdown questionnaire for each day until 26th!

When did you hear of FE3H?

When they announced it!

2. What got you interested in FE3H?

I have been a fan of FE for years, so I was already excited before I knew anything about it. When I saw the trailer I had mixed feelings about it, but I still wanted to play it

3. Which was your first House?

Golden Deer. Claude looked the most interesting to me, and he's still my fav of the lords (though not by much). He didn't seem like your typical FE lord, and I was right

4. What is your favourite House and why?

The Black Eagles, because it has Hubert, Edelgard, Linhardt, Petra and Dorothea. I also do like their aesthetic and dynamic. There's something New Wave-y about them

5. What is your favourite story and why?

Crimson Flower for sure, though I like Verdant Wind and Azure Moon too!

I just like how unique CF is. And despite its flaws, I think the ending is the most satisfying for me. Also, the more we see of Hubert, the better

6. Who is your favourite character and why?

Hubert. Because he has not one boring moment. Even when playing Verdant Wind (so my first route) I couldn't wait to look what he has to say during Explore. He just never misses

I love how he talks, his voice acting (both actors did a great job), his sense of humour, his design, and his sadistic streak. I like that it isn't always clear what he's actually thinking, I love what he has to say about nobility and knights, and I appreciate how strategic you have to be with him as a unit

7. Who is a character you think deserves more love and why?

Cyril. I get that he isn't the easiest character to love, but I like his wit, how direct he is, and I'm just a sucker for characters who seem loyal to an unhealthy degree (yes, I love Dedue as well)

Also, he's just a kid, and it's annoying that other characters are more easily forgiven for the same flaws