#our comes the right hand of Edelgard]

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

Hey, a while back you did a bunch of Genshingirls walking in on their S/O with a body pillow of them. Why don’t we flip the script this time? S/O walks in to see the girls (or guys!) with a body pillow of *them*!

One character I do ask for is Bernadetta.

(Genshin Impact/FE3H) Furina, Ayaka, Yae, Shenhe, Kokomi, Bernadetta, Edelgard, and Marianne with a body pillow of their S/O

The implications of someone making a body pillow of yourself is both hilarious and terrifying.

Furina's eyes go wide once the door opens, leading her to rush something underneath the blanket seeing her S/O.

(S/O) "Hey, I'm ba-...Furina?"

She has her usual smug expression as she dramatically blew a kiss to them.

(Furina) "Ah, welcome back dear! I must say you are home far earlier than I expected!"

(S/O) "Is everything alright? You're sweating a lot."

(Furina) "Ah? This? I just summoned one of my little friends to cool me off is all!"

(S/O) "On our bed?"

...

S/O walked over to them and immediately put their hand on her forehead, stunning her for a moment.

(S/O) "Your face is burning hot! Jeez, no wonder you needed them. Let's get you a change of clothes-"

(Furina) "W-WAIT!"

S/O ripped off the blanket and saw themselves on a pillow, forcing them to make sure they weren't going insane.

Furina for her part was doing her best impression of a tomato, with her two fingers awkwardly tapping the blanket and doing everything in her power to not look them in the eyes.

(S/O) "Why do you...H-How...?!"

(Furina) "L-LISTEN! YOU WEREN'T HOME AND..."

Furina began pouting as she put the blanket up to her face, probably about to explode from embarassment.

S/O was flattered at least, but...who even gave this to her?

(S/O) "Where have you been hiding this whenever I have been home?"

(Furina) "...Closet."

Her muffled voice responded.

Ayaka felt that having a body pillow of her S/O felt so...strange.

It was so weird, who even has this kind of thing of their significant other?!

But...it was not too dissimilar from keeping a picture of them, so maybe....?

Ayaka hides the pillow from everyone, and not a single soul besides her knows about it.

Whenever she was missing them, Ayaka would hold onto the pillow, counting the days until S/O could return.

...Until her door slid open.

(S/O) "Surprise! I'm here early-"

Ayaka's absolutely mortified expression speaks for itself as its inches away from a picture of S/O, pasted onto the pillow.

The two said nothing as they kept unblinking eye contact.

(Ayaka) "...Please don't tell anyone about this."

Yae commissioned an artist that she knows to put S/O onto a pillow.

There was something similar going on with Ei, which gave her this idea to begin with.

Yae put the pillow right smack in the middle of the bedroom and waited for S/O's arrival that night.

She could already imagine their reaction, but why imagine it when you can just see it?

Finally, Yae could hear the door creak open, and her smirk increased tenfold.

(S/O) "Yae, I'm home. Hm, what's that on-"

Yae bursts out laughing when S/O pauses and their face scrunches up upon seeing themselves.

Wiping away a tear from her eye, she greets S/O.

(Yae) "Is something the matter, I thought you'd appreciate me always thinking of you."

(S/O) "Why is it so well drawn?"

(Yae) "I paid someone a substantial amount of Mora to get your likeliness down well, little one.~"

She starts laughing again seeing their exasperated sighing.

Shenhe was gifted a body pillow of S/O, strangely enough by Cloud Retainer.

(Cloud Retainer) "One believes that you would appreciate a reminder of your loved one in physical form. At least, that is what the Traveler has spoken."

And Shenhe not really knowing how ANY human interaction works, took it at face value as well.

After all, Shenhe does feel that strange longing in her heart for S/O, there was at least this nice picture of them to keep her satisfied until now.

S/O eventually comes home to find Shenhe hugging the pillow of themselves in the living room, making them do a double take.

(S/O) "...Shenhe?"

(Shenhe) "S/O. It's good to see you again."

Her eyes slightly narrow.

(Shenhe) "Is something wrong? Your expression is changed."

(S/O) "Is...that a pillow of myself?"

(Shenhe) "Yes. It was a gift from master."

S/O noticed how tightly Shenhe was holding onto the pillow, before they came in, and she proceeded to hug them just as tight.

(Shenhe) "It brings...some comfort when you are not here."

S/O sighed, but gave her a smile.

(S/O) "That's touching...in a weird way."

(Shenhe) "How is a pillow of you weird?"

(S/O) "Hoo boy..."

Kokomi's body pillow of S/O: +1000 Energy

It embarrasses her to no end that the pillow actually boosts her energy.

But if she couldn't cuddle with her S/O, then there was the next best thing!

At least, that was the plan until the real one walked into her hideaway.

(S/O) "Kokomi, I brought some sna-"

She was so tired that she didn't even notice them.

Kokomi has a soft smile, hugging the pillow of them tightly as her shoulders relaxed.

S/O walked up to Kokomi, unsure to call her name again or tap her in the shoulder.

Both would equally startle her, considering.

They would have to do neither, as Kokomi opened her eyes and saw them standing in front of her.

(Kokomi) "AAAGH?! S-S/O?!"

She quickly tried to hide the body pillow behind her before giving up and sighing.

(Kokomi) "I'm...s-sorry."

S/O gave her a smile before hugging her, letting her relax into their embrace.

All the while, respectfully not looking at themselves.

(S/O) "...How long have you had that pillow, Kokomi?"

(Kokomi) "Please don't tease me about that, dear."

Okay, even Bernadetta could admit that having a pillow of her boyfriend/girlfriend was weird.

But...it brought her comfort, and no one really entered her room anyway, so who cares?

It's not like anyone was gonna see it.

She holds onto the pillow like a lifeline, sighing in content.

(Bernadetta) "Oh, Pillow S/O, thank you for bringing me comfort in my times of need..."

(S/O) "...I don't do that?"

(Bernadetta) "Of course you do! Like nothing el-"

She realized that it spoke up, and slowly turned behind her.

(S/O) "...H-Hi."

Bernadetta was completely frozen in place, eyes widened in absolute terror.

(S/O) "Please tell me you didn't get Ignatz to draw that for you-"

(Bernadetta) "I-IT WAS A GIFT, I SWEAR!"

(S/O) "I'm...not sure that's any better, sweetie..."

It was absolutely disgraceful to Edelgard to have a pillow of her S/O!

The Emperor of Adrestia needs to have more tact than...whatever the hell this was.

But at the same time...she didn't have the heart to throw it away.

She instead keeps it, but WELL out of sight of anyone that could find it.

Honestly, Edelgard would rather a thief find her gold than this pillow.

Unfortunately for her, someone worse found it.

(S/O) "Edelgard, is my clothes in the closet? I can't seem to find my jacket."

(Edelgard) "Hm? Oh yes, it should be-"

Her eyes shoot wide open as she quickly spins around, and rushes to the closet door.

She slammed it shut, giving S/O a panicked look.

(S/O) "WOAH! W-What's gotten int-"

(Edelgard) "B-BY THE EMPEROR'S DECREE, I FORBID YOU FROM OPENING THAT DOOR!"

As if on cue, the door instead fell over to the side from Edelgard's strength, and out flopped the body pillow of S/O onto the ground.

(S/O) "..."

(Edelgard) "..."

Marianne truthfully didn't even want this body pillow.

It was gifted to her by Raphael, and she couldn't say no.

The picture portraying S/O was tasteful and quite well drawn, but who keeps a picture of someone they love on a pillow?

It just felt extremely awkward, and Marianne did not want to deal with it.

She was in her room with Hilda, not sure what to do.

(Hilda) "Wow, okay that's kinda creepy. But sweet too, in a weird way!"

(Marianne) "I suppose, but it seems rude to throw it away if it's so well crafted."

(Hilda) "Iunno. Maybe hang it on a wall? It is a picture after all!"

The door to her bedroom opened, and both of them saw S/O enter.

(S/O) "Hey Mari-...Oh, Hilda! What are you doing in here?"

(Hilda) "Heya. Just trying to figure out what to do with this gift."

(S/O) "What gi-....Oh."

All three of them stared at the picture, unsure what to do.

(S/O) "Um...did you?-"

(Marianne) "I did not make this..."

(S/O) "O-Okay good..."

(Hilda) "Well whatever you guys decide to do, just don't let Claude se it!"

Marianne and S/O gave each other an awkward glance, putting it gently into their closet and deciding it'd be best to figure that out later.

They forgot about it, and Marianne gets jumpscared by the pillow of S/O sometimes.

A/N: OH MY GOOOOD IT'S SO NOSTALGIC WRITING FOR 3H AGAIN

[crimsonretainer]

HUBERT, DESPITE APPEARANCES, understands the value of having opinions other than his own when it came to investigating whoever had decided to jump the arrow with an attempt on the life of the Count. He hadn't heard whispers of this particular job from the myriad sellers of black market information that filtered through the Monastery, an almost clear sign that whoever had organised this had not done so through the usual shady channels that crossed the continent, how utterly interesting.

HE doesn't smile at the way the Professor flinches, not when the motive of the would be assassin eludes him. Is it a ploy, perhaps? An attempt to lure his attention away from the monastery and the silent vigilance he held for the large number of Crest bearers that resides within its walls has been playing in his nightmares of late, when he's waking to a knife clutched in his hands and paths stalked along at midnight without care for whoever may reprimand him for the growing bags.

There's a slip in her expression after the flinch, like the flicker of a persona setting back into place after a short rest that occurs almost in the blink of an eye, were it not for training himself, perhaps he might've missed the seriousness that flickers into a mask of humour, a grin that looks just a touch too large to be natural. Lady Edelgard considers her a confident, perhaps it's only natural he doesn't remark on the expression before the count, following the shorter woman from the room without comment.

Hubert would be lying if he said he didn't find her parting remark to the count funny, yet his steely visage remains until they're out of sight of the count and his guards. The breath from his lips is sighlike, a loud exhalation as the doors slam behind them. "How intriguing..." a moment to collect his thoughts, eyes trailing the hatched roofs with interest in hopes of finding any trace of their would-be assailant.

The disrespect in dropping the honorifics can be rectified later, for now he hopes to deal with mysteries at their feet instead. "Does it strike you as odd, Yunaka, that none of his servants saw this supposed assailant on the grounds?" A question posed, the mask of the humble student slipping from him to reveal the analytical mind he used it to hide from sight. "Almost as if the attacker had help... or worse, was meant to serve as a distraction."

A murder (mystery) so foul

Varley assassination plot w/ @dcggersedge

[frickingnerd]

what the heart wants, but can't have

pairing: hubert von vestra x gn!reader

summary: hubert and you sneak out into the gardens at night, away from all prying eyes that disapprove of your relationship

tags: proposal/talk of marriage, mentions of edelgard, secret relationship, mostly wholesome fluff, reader is with the church

“what do you think edelgard would say if she knew you were with me right now?”

hubert and you had snuck out into the gardens of the monastery late at night, at a time where nobody else would spot you. it was a full moon night and brighter than usual at this hour of the night. hubert could clearly make out the amused smile on your lips, as you asked him that question.

“do you have a death wish, my love?”

he huffed amused, before falling into silence. he knew that edelgard wouldn't approve of this relationship. you were the enemy after all. or rather, you were with the enemy.

“i suppose lady edelgard would behead me if she knew i was spending my nights with you, roaming around the garden. or perhaps, she'd banish me, sending me into exile. either way, i do not wish to test my theory. it is best that we do not lose a word about us to her, until the war is over”

perhaps, under the right circumstances, things wouldn't end that poorly for the two of you. but as things were now, edelgard wasn't ready to change her view on anyone within the church. and that included you. even if you were nothing like those nabatean monsters…

“i just wish that she and i could've met under different circumstances… perhaps if she got to know me, like you do, we wouldn't have to hide…”

absently, you let your hands wander through a bush of flowers, taking in the view, as a few of the petals fell to the ground. the beautiful colors were barely visible in the moonlight. if only you could admire all that the garden had to offer during the day, with hubert by your side. but for now, this was all that you had. stealing away during the night, to spend time with the man you loved.

“i promise you, my love, that things won't always be like this…”

hubert reached out his hand, gently tracing his fingers over your hand, until your palms were pressed against each other and your finger interlinked.

“one day, we won't have to hide our love anymore. we'll be able to enjoy this view in broad daylight, without fearing what people think of us”

you smiled softly, tracing your thumb over hubert's hand, as he slowly closed the distance between the two of you.

“no matter how long it'll take, this is the future i fight for. one where i can spend every day by your side, without fear or shame. a future, where there's no war and the two of us can live in peace”

hubert gently lifted your chin, smiling down at you. for a moment, he lingered close to you, before closing his eyes and slowly leaning in. your lips met and a smile quickly spread over both of them. you remained like this for a moment, hubert's hands wandering to your waist and pulling you closer.

when you pulled away after a minute or so, hubert still lingered close to you, his forehead leaning against yours. there was a soft smile on his lips, as he said words so special, that you'd remember them for the rest of your life.

“when that day finally comes, where we won't have to hide anymore… will you marry me?”

[hresvelged]

A HURRIED MOVEMENT THROUGH THE BUNKER, passing by the myriad students of different allegiances with a single point of concern. The golems were too familiar, and the weapon that screamed overhead too horrifying to be anything but suspicions in his mind. He can see her in the students' uniform still, brow furrowed in concern at the white marred with red.

"My Lady..." A tone of concern, hand reaching aglow in purple light as it trails the wounds mirrored on his own body. He hopes the glow is enough for people to not have looked as closely to them as he leans in. "It would seem THEY have decided to move without us, and the status of Enbarr is... uncertain." The words are treasonous to His Majesty, and yet it was him who had charged him with this task all those years ago.

"I implore you, Milady, Ascend to the throne before they can." A plea of hubris, of one who has overstepped his position as he continues to heal the last of the wounds the golem had inflicted. "To attack us and the monastery so brazenly... it is little more than a declaration of war on Adrestia by the fools lurking in the shadows." Words that have made his task clear, if those unseen forces wished so badly for War, then they would be forced to meet them head on, casting aside all pretense in declaration of an unwillingness to be their pawns any longer.

How she has longed to stamp them out— To rid them of any agency they deign to have and flush away their presence from the continent entirely. To eradicate the monastery is a bold move; perhaps strengthened only by the fact that herself and her fellow Black Eagles were not at the building itself upon their attack. She seethes internally, quelling it only as her retainer's words reach her ears.

"How despicable," she says with a sigh. Edelgard's right hand gravitates towards her chin as her gloved fingers tap. Once, twice, three times. If she leaves now, that will only make Yunaka truly believe that she is involved. The last thing she desires is to be lumped with them. It is painful enough to have them infiltrate her life more than she cares to say. "My father is there. As are many others.. The throne as well, which you speak." Edelgard breaks the eye contact she has established with Hubert, lowering her hand to tug on her crimson cape. "I intend on it— On becoming Emperor, that is. Even so.. I hesitate to do so right now."

When she looks around the space, there are so many faces she has come to consider friends. She can't abandon them; not when they lurk and she has the means of assisting. "I trust your judgment, yet.. I made a promise. I said I would aid my allies at the monastery so long as they stood by my side. I can't abandon them here."

Their war torn faces; their injuries and frowns plastered on their faces. She is hardened to it by now, but their words stick with her all the same. "Use other means to get eyes and soldiers on Enbarr for now. We may well be able to use this play to our benefit, if we act carefully."

[fantasyinvader]

I think calling Byleth's personal class “the Enlightened One” was a mistake. Being “enlightened” means that Byleth's outlook is rational, modern and well-informed regardless of which route Byleth picks. In a way, it makes every route sound more equal. And if we think about this from the Western perspective of the Enlightenment era, it would carry implications of being more individualistic, reasonable, and breaking away from tradition which would lean more into supporting Flower. The spiritual awakening aspect is a lot further from people's minds.

Byleth can side with Edelgard, which results in them no longer being enlightened at the end of the route, but the path there still would come across as Byleth having chosen that because of the aforementioned outlook.

Nirvana, on the other hand, reflects Byleth's spiritual state, and the overall messages of the game. It means overcoming attachment, not letting your positive feelings toward something or someone prevent you from doing the right thing. The opposite is true as well, you don't let your own personal aversions or hatreds get in your way as well. It means that when you're presented with information that contradicts your beliefs or even disproves them, you adapt your way of looking at the world in response. Focusing on the self, the more individualistic outlook, can trap people in a cycle of suffering for these reasons. Eastern philosophy focuses more on the good of the group rather than the individual as a result, in addition to knowing your place within society. You are expected to be benevolent to those who you hold power, influence or authority over, while also being dutiful to those above you.

Honestly, how Rhea and Edelgard are presented makes sense on a thematic level. The game tries to make the player adverse to Rhea early on, but she ends up being revealed the good guy with legit reasons for doing what she does. We are supposed to let go of our earlier perception of her as we learn more about the world, and the game puts that at the feet of the player to do so. Edelgard is the opposite, the game tries to make us like her, become attached to her, only to drop info that contradicts her claims in addition to her being the bad guy. And if we let our attachment to her get in the way of making the right choice, we prove that we are unworthy of bearing the title of Nirvana.

But divorcing the game from those themes, like the Western translation does, ultimately screws up the message.

And, you know, I read the translation notes for The Three Body Program, where Ken Liu talks about how translators need to get the point across regardless of cultural barriers. That it's not just about translating the story, but also the mindset of the creators. That the best translation don't make the work sound like it was originally written in English, but rather allow the reader access to the thinking patterns of it's native culture. By trying to make Houses more Western in it's messages, the translators failed their duties.

[malsfefanfics]

Edelgard and Constance?

Okay, we're doing this~!

The candlelight flickered softly as they looked over the papers of research left behind in 'Cornelia's' labs. Page upon page of blood experiments. Anatomical diagrams showing every detail of the human body. Explanations and observations of how bones shifted or organs failed due to certain mixtures of medicines. Every detail shook her to her core. Every description made it harder and harder to stomach.

And yet, somehow, Edelgard managed. Perhaps it was because they were closer to finding answers to her and Lysithea's conditions. Or perhaps it was because now that they had done away with Thales and his cohorts, she didn't need to worry about more people falling victim to such torture.

Or perhaps, maybe, it was because it was Constance standing beside her, leafing through pamphlets and parchment with poise and precision.

"This is certainly detailed," Constance mused. "And incredibly difficult to decipher. There is very little we will be able to do when only working with the theoreticals."

"So you're saying it might be impossible?"

She glared at the Emperor. “Have you not a wit of trust in me? I am Constance von Nuvelle! I am the greatest mage in your Majesty's entire Empire. My family has mastered magics thought lost to history! By the Goddess, we even mastered the art of masking our Crest! Ye of little faith. How dare you!“

"I-" Edelgard sighed. "No. No, you're right. My apologies, Constance."

"...Come on." She pulled Edelgard away from the table and made her sit beside the window, handing over a flask. "Here. Drink. You need to keep up your strength."

"I'm-"

"Do not dare say you are fine, Edelgard."

Edelgard stared at her, before slowly taking the flask from her. She took a sip, and let out a hum of surprise. "Is that...strawberry?"

Constance smirked. "The berries of Nuvelle are second to none. Surely, you will find no better nectar this side of the continent. Now..." She went back over to the table and returned to her studies. "You rest. I will continue this myself until you finish the drink. And drink it slowly."

"I appreciate the gesture, Constnace," she said. "But I-"

"Edelgard, please. Allow us to care for you. On my family name, you will not die before I have had a chance to solve this issue."

There would be no fighting her on this. Edelgard knew it too well. So she leaned back, and took another sip, enjoying the sweetness of the juice her friend had procured.

"...Very well, Constance. I will leave it in your capable hands."

"Good," said Constance. "Once you've finished, please make sure to ask for coffee to be procured. I will need plenty if I am to complete this task."

"I will. Just don't work yourself too hard, okay?"

"I will work as hard as we are both able."

Edelgard rolled her eyes. "You're incorrigible."

"You love me when I am incorrigible," she teased.

"...that I do, Constance. That I do."

[cielenruine]

"Looks like I picked a bad time to hop outta the Lions." She tries her best to keep things light, because that's what they need right now. There's no time to focus on injuries and failures, as much as the sinking in her stomach wants to drag her down. They need to keep rolling. She needs to be okay.

It's hard though.

"Eagles got swarmed on their way back in." She reports, frown on her face. "Like someone either knew were coming back, or wanted to stop you all from getting out..."

She knows what she knows about Edelgard, and there's still a seething rage in her bones, but...she fixes her eyes on Matthias.

"So. What's going on in Fodlan that someone would attack the church like that? And why was it kept so hush hush from us exchange members until now?"

"I suppose that arrow in the shoulder at the opera was preparation." He offers a gentle chuckle. "But it was for the best..." "I thought that might have been the case, it would've been better had you retreated even if that was what the enemy wanted. The Empire certainly would've had the means to employ reinforcements for us." At least one split party and yet...he understood their haste to make it back to the academy. He knows he would have done the same. And then his heart stops for but a moment and confusion washes across his face. "...nothing that I'm aware of?" There was no harm in telling her the circumstances. She knew not of Fodlan, not of Faerghus...but to say that someone might want to attack the church? "In Faerghus we've certainly had our fair share of occurrences, thats to say nothing of Leicester and Adrestia...but nothing that the Central Church has had anything to do with." A hand raised to his chin and with a tense sigh he looked at her. "You've reason to believe that someone has been planning this?" It certainly wasn't an attack born of haste. They had been fully surrounded, cut off and struck by weaponry that seemed impossible to imagine. "...I can speak for no one but myself and the Faerghans I know, but we're just as out of the loop as those from elsewhere." His stance changed and his arms fell to his side, eyes searching hers. "But you know things I don't and I know things you don't. I'd like to know who it was that's desecrated the peace we've so thinly maintained." He couldn't force her to tell him, nor would he press her to. No...this was already enough to have him question what exactly it was he did know.

[raxistaicho]

"White Clouds spends the whole section making you suspicious of the Church and Rhea only to turn around and tell you it's a red herring and actually it's the student you should have been suspicious of; which the writers confirmed in interviews"

Interviews a majority of the fandom probably have not, and never will, actually sit down to interact with, leaving their only source to be the original text. If your need interviews from the developers to support your argument that a character is good or bad or morally gray, then your argument is not strong enough to rely on the main text.

I shouldn't have to do homework and dig for interviews from five years ago to be able to play a game an analyze its themes and nuances and decide whose side I think is worth fighting for or which characters I want Byleth to end up with at the end.

"but this fandom has either the reading comprehension of wet paper or projects their Western centric views so hard onto a eastern style game that follows the path of enlightenment with Byleth to a t"

Okay, so where exactly does the whole "no acts of violence" part come in because that's kind of an important early step and it technically doesn't happen until the very end of the game, and even then, in multiple endings Byleth is shown to still have to use harmful/violent means to suppress smaller attempts at insurrection across the continent for years to come. Also, the path of enlightenment also involves not being involved in trades that would hurt people, like weapons trade or animal slaughter or being involved with people who are owning/trading slaves (looking at you House Goneril). There's a lot of other steps in the path that Byleth skips over, but these two are particularly glaring. If Byleth really were "following the path of enlightenment to a t", then we wouldn't be playing a Fire Emblem game, because Byleth wouldn't have agreed to fight in the war to begin with.

"they ignore the text and thus we still have discourse over the church being bad. It's very tiring and why I refuse to talk about 3H because so many have turned it into something it's not."

The biggest issue with this is that this is the entire point of the game!

The game is asking you to analyze it. To dissect it. To talk about it. To make your choices and replay different paths to find the answers you seek. To show it's not black and white and to understand why it isn't black and white. That things are complicated. And no one in this war is free from blood on their hands. No side is 100% right or wrong. It's up to the player to use their critical thinking skills to determine which they believe is the best path forward for Fódlan.

In order for us to fully interact with the text, we sadly have to face some harsh truths, just like Byleth does. Among them being that the church IS bad. Even if most of its intentions aren't and it still does some good, the fact is that it is bad, and it's a major reason why this war started in the first place. To deny that is to deny the text as it is presented to us, and to deny the actual point in the game.

Edelgard is more than just an attempted conqueror. Rhea is more than a seemingly benevolent religious leader. Dimitri is more than a charming prince. Claude is more than a seemingly suspicious stranger. Yuri is more than just a gang leader. Sylvain is more than a playboy. Dorothea is more than a sexy opera star. Lorenz is more than a pompous noble. Hubert, Dedue, and Hilda are more than just retainers to their lords. Seteth and Flayn are more than just members of the church. Alois is more than just Captain of the Knights. Hanneman and Manuela are more than just fellow professors. Sothis is more than a voice in our head.

And it's only through accepting this one truth, that the characters and institutions are not black and white cut outs, that we can get the most full picture of what exactly the true conflict is.

You cannot interact with the text of Three Houses by denying the nuance that makes the story happen in the first place.

The writing is messy, and complicated, and not always well done. But it's also simple, straight forward, and brilliant. It's a contradiction and compliment of themes. It's so very human. And that's what makes it so engaging.

(Apologies for the long rant but that anon sparked something in me and I had to put my two-cents in.)

Nah, don't apologize, this was great, thank you very much for sending it! :D

[kumeko]

A/N: My pinch hit for the Our Town Zine! Much love to the writer mod for the zine, my first attempt at this fic left much to be desired but the second round worked out so much better. Thanks for helping me figure out the right way to go about it. I have much to learn about the realm of cute and fluff.

…

…

…

…

Hubert was acting suspiciously.

Ferdinand frowned as he studied his paramour of several years. As usual, the meticulous Hubert was dressed flawlessly, from his black woolen double-breasted overcoat trimmed with fox fur, to the matching top hat and velvet gloves. Not a hair was out of place. As Dorothea liked to put it, he was packaged perfection.

Even with his work as Edelgard’s campaign manager, Hubert used the same degree of care and attention. She had only announced she was running for mayor a few weeks ago and already Hubert had set up her campaign office, organized volunteers, and created her official slogan. There was a thick binder in his study with a plan for the next year, marked clearly for each month, week, and day.

It was something Ferdinand had come to love about Hubert. It had put him off at first; Hubert was sometimes so organized that he came off as cold, but over time Ferdinand had come to see that these acts of service were how he showed affection.

Which was why Ferdinand knew that Hubert was acting suspicious today. It was late November, with half a year left before the election cycle properly began. While everyone knew that Claude would be running as well, he hadn’t yet formally announced his campaign. In their small town, the event venues were few but their usages were fewer still.

It was far too early to look into booking.

No matter how detail-oriented Hubert was, this didn’t make sense.

Ferdinand’s frown deepened as his lover stood in the middle of the rose garden, his arms crossed as he gazed out at the rows of tables. Hubert appeared to seriously be considering how to best use the space.

“I did not expect the garden to look good now,” Hubert said. He wasn’t one for idle flattery, so anything he said always had an honest ring about it.

“It is the last bloom of the year. We also spent the summer replacing the old roses with new ones.” Ferdinand smiled proudly, gesturing at the still blooming roses. This late in the year, most of the plants had died off or lost their leaves, preparing for the hard winter ahead. The roses, however, managed to keep their flowers. They probably would keep them until the winter properly set in, the snow burying the plants until they spent all their energy just surviving.

“You did good work,” Hubert replied, as though he hadn’t witnessed Ferdinand’s efforts all summer, as though he hadn’t heard Ferdinand stress over importing new varieties and where to place them.

It was suspicious. Ferdinand fought down his smile now. This wasn’t the time to get distracted. “Why are we looking at this venue again?”

“Edelgard is hoping to have a small, intimate affair with her top supporters,” Hubert explained, approaching Ferdinand. His dark eyes revealed no secrets, his impassive expression as readable as a blank sheet. “This seems like the ideal venue for it. You said you can guarantee privacy.”

And this was also strange. Hubert was talking as though he had never been here before. Ferdinand raised a brow. “As you should well know. We have had multiple dates here.”

The hedges surrounding this courtyard separated it from other, similar courtyards. The rose garden was carefully maintained so that there could be multiple private parties without different groups accidentally meeting one another. Ferdinand pointed at a hedge to their left, “Our first date was right over there, in fact.”

“I remember you asked me here.” Hubert’s lips lifted slightly, his eyes softening. He reached down and clasped Ferdinand’s hand, an oddly mollifying move that removed most of his ire.

He was not supposed to be such a simple man.

Hubert’s grip was gentle and Ferdinand sighed internally. Just this once, he’d let him get away with it. As the bigger man. Clearing his throat, he replied, “Well, one of us had to make the first move, and you moved at the pace of a turtle.”

“I did not realize you were so eager,” Hubert replied with a teasing lilt.

Yes. “Not at all,” Ferdinand retorted, scrunching his nose in disdain. “If anything, you were too hesitant and clearly needed a hand.”

“A helping hand that involves a place that only serves tea?” Hubert questioned, raising a brow. It was terribly charming. “How were you hoping this date would fare?”

That had been an accident. Ferdinand had realized the second they’d both looked at the daily tea offerings that this was perhaps the worst place for a date with a coffee fanatic. It was a miracle Hubert hadn’t taken it the wrong way.

“Despite your complaints, you had two cups,” Ferdinand pointed out, smirking as he leaned forward, his hair falling off his shoulders as he looked up at Hubert playfully. “Are you certain I was the eager one?”

In response, Hubert raised their clasped hands and pressed a kiss on Ferdinand’s knuckles. “Desperate, perhaps.” He smiled against Ferdinand’s skin. “Though I am not the one who is personally stocking coffee here.”

Ferdinand flushed. “How did you—when did you find out?”

“I’m the only one provided coffee,” Hubert replied smugly, pulling back but keeping their hands joined. “And almost immediately.”

-x-

Love was quite the drug, Ferdinand reflected as the pair stood now in front of the town square. Holding hands with Hubert and reminiscing on their first date had given him an almost euphoric high. And now it was all crashing down as they stood in the empty field. A cold wind blew, reminding them of exactly why everyone else was snuggly indoors instead of visiting the town’s scenic highlights.

“What are we doing here?” Ferdinand asked, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He kept his back ramrod straight, refusing to hunch over no matter how much his body wanted to curl up for warmth.

“Edelgard’s election opening,” Hubert replied bluntly, not responding to the slight hostility. He took off his muffler, carefully wrapping it around Ferdinand’s neck. “Better?”

He touched the woolen scarf and pulled it up. “A bit.”

“You get cold too easily,” Hubert stated matter-of-factly before returning to the matter at hand. “How many people did you say this space could hold?”

“Fifty, seated with high dining,” Ferdinand replied automatically. He wasn’t the town’s event planner for nothing; he knew the capacities, costs, and offerings for each of the town’s venues, no matter how large or small. “The election is next year.”

“Indeed it is,” Hubert agreed, strolling toward the gazebo. “It does not hurt to prepare beforehand.”

“It is at least four months too early for that, if not more,” Ferdinand argued, trailing after him reluctantly. It was strange coming here in November. The place looked forlorn and desolate, a far cry from the summer where families and couples swarmed the grass. “You cannot even book this early.”

“I still need to be prepared. Claude is a sly opponent,” Hubert explained as he climbed the creaky stairs into the gazebo proper. “Surely you haven’t forgotten our school days?”

“Of course not.” Ferdinand scowled, shuddering in distaste as he remembered Claude’s pranks during their high school years. “I swear, not a week went by without some scheme or the other.” He rested a hand on his hip as he stayed firmly on the ground. “Yet, that doesn’t explain this at all.”

“Oh?” Hubert asked, leaning against the wooden railings, his hands clasped as he peered down at Ferdinand.

“Even Claude would not be able to set anything up this early. He wouldn’t be able to book, wouldn’t be able to make arrangements, and most importantly…” Ferdinand tapped his chest. “Have you forgotten who the town’s event planner is? He hasn’t once approached my front door.”

“That only means he hasn’t started yet.” Hubert rebutted half-heartedly. There was something lazy about his demeanor, as though he was just arguing for the sake of arguing. It reminded Ferdinand of their coffee and tea arguments, a weekly debate that was at this point just tradition.

“What are you up to?” Ferdinand repeated, squinting as he studied his paramour. This couldn’t be about Edelgard’s election, not really.

“Work. Which is what you are doing right now, too.” Hubert gestured at him to come up and join him. “A band can fit up here, correct?”

At least one thing hadn’t changed over the years: Hubert was a terrible liar. However, he was also exceptional at keeping secrets. There would be no prying this out of him until he wanted to give the ghost up. It was better to just play along and see the end of this charade.

Ferdinand sighed before joining his partner. “A quartet, a quintet at most.”

“This place seems a little small for five musicians,” Hubert replied, tapping his chin as he considered it. “There was a quartet at the harvest festival.”

“A string one.”

Hubert glanced at him from the corner of his eye, as though assessing the situation. And he called Claude a sly one—the scheme was clear in his eyes, even if Ferdinand still had no idea what it was. “You were rather busy during the party.”

“Between the storm destroying all the decorations and the catering problems, I had my hands full.” Ferdinand retorted, grimacing at the memory. It had only been two months and he still had nightmares about everything that had gone wrong that day. “You’re lucky we even had a festival.”

“I wasn’t lucky,” Hubert disagreed, pushing off the column. “I didn’t see you once.”

“I was busy,” he repeated, rubbing his forehead. Ferdinand could feel a ghost of the headache of that night. It had taken a week to recover from the fatigue. He almost swore off event planning entirely. “You said you understood.”

“I did, however…” he held out a hand. “You still owe me a dance.”

Caught off guard, Ferdinand could only stare at the offered palm. He wet his lips, following the arm up to Hubert’s face. “That’s oddly romantic of you.”

“Sometimes, even I feel romantic,” he replied sincerely, his hand still outstretched. “Or do you think nothing’s changed since our first date?”

Ferdinand softened, accepting the dance. He slipped his hand in Hubert’s, letting his partner draw him in close. “Old age must be getting to you. I found a white hair the other day.”

“Premature greying,” Hubert said blithely. A hand settled on Ferdinand’s waist, his grip firm. “I’m surprised I haven’t found any on you yet. I find your job more stressful.”

“And yet, I still look as young as ever.” Ferdinand grinned as Hubert started to waltz. “You are aware there’s no music, right?”

“Is that enough to stop you?” Hubert challenged.

“No,” Ferdinand chuckled, matching his lover’s steps. “I suppose not.”

-x-

Perhaps he was also getting soft with old age. It was the only explanation Ferdinand had for how he allowed Hubert to con him into going to not one, not two, but three outdoor venues in the chilly late fall weather.

Three.

Maybe he should see a doctor about this. Ferdinand crossed his arms and glowered as he stared at the farm in front of him. ‘Old Gilbert’s farm’ was what most people called it, even though Gilbert hadn’t lived in it for years and the place had once been all but abandoned. It had a derelict barn with holes in the roof and broken doors. The tiny house that accompanied it had seen far better days.

At least, that was before Lorenz and Ferdinand had gotten their hands on it.

Hubert stood beside him, an arm wrapped around Ferdinand’s shoulders as though he wasn’t aware of just how much his partner was glaring at him. He nodded approvingly as he studied the barn. “I must admit, I did not think it would look like this.”

“It took three years,” Ferdinand bit out, trying and failing to keep the pride from his voice. “I thought Lorenz was crazy when he proposed turning it into a great hall, but he was right.”

“He is occasionally and that is what makes him insufferable.” Hubert crinkled his nose. It was more than a little funny how much Hubert disliked Lorenz. Ferdinand had a suspicion there was a little jealousy behind it, especially about how close Lorenz and Ferdinand were.

“He’s not that bad,” said Ferdinand, defending his friend. “He can be fun when you get to know him. We’re actually quite similar.”

 “I doubt it,” Hubert scoffed. Changing the subject, he pointed at the barn’s wall. “New paint job?”

“After all the repairs, it needed one. You should see the inside. You wouldn’t even think this was once a barn.” Ferdinand kept his posture stiff, resisting the urge to lean against Hubert. In the cold, it was especially tempting, but it was time his paramour realized that this game couldn’t go on any longer.

There was absolutely no way in hell he was going to go to a fourth place.

Clearing his throat, Ferdinand asked, “So, why are we here?”

“As I said—”

“The truth.” Ferdinand glared at Hubert, removing his arm from his shoulder and pulling away. “Even if this really was for Edelgard’s election, you have already been to all of these places. You already know their capacities, menus, and more from other events Edelgard has held. You even know it from the times I’ve asked you to help out.”

“You haven’t held any event here,” Hubert said, his hands in his pockets now.

He scowled. “We did just last month—Byleth’s wedding. You were there.”

“True.” Hubert half-smiled. “I doubt you’ll buy that I just wanted to spend more time with you?”

“No.” Ferdinand deepened his frown, his hands fisting. “You’re a meticulous, practical man. You don’t like wasting time.”

“I don’t, but it’s not a waste with you,” Hubert corrected. “Though you are right. I did have something else in mind.”

“I knew it, you are a terrible li—”

Anything else Ferdinand was about to say flew out of his mind as Hubert swiftly kneeled in front of him. In his hand was a small velvet case, an orange sapphire ring glittering in the light. Time stopped, everything fading away except for this one moment, this one scene.

A ring.

A proposal.

That’s what all of this was about. Ferdinand swallowed, stepping back slightly, his throat thick with emotions. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe, could only watch as Hubert reached forward and took one of his hands.

“Like I said, none of this was a waste of time,” Hubert said slowly, interlacing their fingers. His eyes were impossibly soft. “Though, that depends on your answer.”

Ferdinand blinked rapidly, trying and failing not to tear up. He let out a watery chuckle as he squeezed Hubert’s hand. “You didn’t even ask a question.”

Hubert’s lips quirked, but he obliged. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes, a thousand times yes!”

Even before Ferdinand answered, Hubert was already pulling him into his arms. Their teeth bumped as they eagerly kissed, Hubert’s top-hat falling forgotten to the ground. Ferdinand roughly tugged his short, black hair, earning a groan as the kiss deepened. Despite the chill, he was hot, his skin burning as he tried to pull his lover closer and closer.

No, not his lover.

His fiancé.

Sothis, he could get used to that.

Finally, they broke apart. Panting slightly, Hubert didn’t loosen his grip on Ferdinand’s waist. “What do you think of holding the wedding here?”

Ferdinand blinked. Their first date at the rose garden, their most recent one at the gazebo, and now a wedding at the barn. A play by play of their relationship. He broke into laughter.

Hubert certainly was a meticulous man.

“How long did you have this planned?” he asked, pressing his forehead against Hubert’s chest.

“Months.” A quick, succinct reply.

He laughed again. “And our wedding?”

“Years.” Even quicker this time.

Of course he had. There was probably a binder out there with their relationship in it. Other people thought Hubert wasn’t a romantic, but that was clearly because they didn’t know how he spelled love. Ferdinand pulled back slightly. “As long as its in the summer. I refuse to come out here past September again.”

Hubert chuckled wryly. “Noted.”

[mousegard]

the curtain rises for act two, featuring more angst, more action, and a fancy new logo!

Episode 1: Words Without a Rhyme

The Black Eagles discover penguins. Byleth begins to remember her past lives. Cagliostro meets Heidrun and instantly becomes t4t.

“I don’t want to kill Edelgard.” He said it softly, quietly, so the army of the Church of Seiros wouldn’t hear it. But to his ears, it felt as though his voice rang out and echoed throughout the foyer of Enbarr Palace. His students heard it, though. Some looked somber. Linhardt. Dorothea. They were trying hard not to think the same thing. Ferdinand looked almost too confident as her words reached his ears. But Caspar, Cyril, and Flayn, of course, were unmoved. Seteth placed a hand upon his back. “She is one of your students,” he assured him. “I understand your desire for a path to peace.” Byleth knew what he would say next. “But she will never bend to our will.” He nodded. It was all he could do to keep his head clear. “You do understand that, do you not? We have no choice but to kill her.” He nodded again. He had no choice but to kill Edelgard. “We have already killed Hubert,” Ferdinand said. Too confident. Too decisive in his words. Byleth had overheard him criticizing Hubert once, back at the academy, for only doing whatever Edelgard said and never thinking for himself. But lately, it seemed Ferdinand let Byleth and Seteth do more and more of the thinking for him. (‘It does not matter what I think,’ he’d said to Hubert just outside the palace before striking him down in battle. ‘Those are my orders.’) “She has it coming!” Caspar shouted. “After all, she started this war!” He was right. She had started this war. Because she would never bend to the Church’s will. And Byleth knew what happened to people who didn’t bend. They all knew. They had seen it on Magdred Way, seen it when Catherine’s mighty Thunderbrand had shattered Lord Lonato’s skull and spilled out all his rage and grief on the grass. The Church broke them. That was what he and Seteth were here to do.

[the-herdier]

Meanwhile, in the choir hall of Garreg Mach:

Edelgard: "It's... all about trickery to you? Wherever have you come from?"

Claude: "No... No... I detest trickery. But if we ourselves are to suffer deception... Our hands are no longer tied."

Claude: "Where are we?"

Dimitri: "Well, the muscular contraction is there... Means we're already inside of him."

Dimitri: "This must be one of the ventricles, right here."

Claude: "What a silly place! It's stuffed."

Claude: "So it's not real for now? I don't think it has started yet."

Edelgard: "Does it matter what it's made of? It's definitely struggling."

Edelgard: "We need to perform sectio transversalis. Cut the wall. There's no other way out."

Edelgard: "What else is there to do?"

Claude: "I know what to do."

Claude: "Those who favor hard logic and direct action are bound to be misguided. Only a miracle can set us free without us having to destroy something."

Claude: "And I can do miracles. Just let me."

Edelgard: "Will you please be quiet? You're a liar and a thief. Who is going to believe you when you keep lying to yourself?"

Edelgard: "The truth is my shepherd. Whatever happens, I will find answers. And justice will be restored."

Edelgard: "I will perform the operation. Medicum morbo adhibere."

Dimitri: "Don't you go all bossy on me, clever cloaks. You will act justly, but your justice will blind you and become his demise. This calls for the gentle hand of a surgeon."

Dimitri: "Step aside, both of you."

Claude: "Your gentle hands are used to killing, not giving life. You will inevitably do harm."

Claude: "As for brainy... She has no regard for casualties at all. Neither of you knows compassion."

Edelgard: "Yes, it seems unlikely that we'll get along well. But there's only one truth."

Dimitri: "Any choice is right, as long as it's willed. That's the truth of the matter."

Claude: "Only the heart will show you the right choice. Stop thinking about yourselves. Think of the sick!"

Claude: "He's in pain. I can't see it yet, but I can feel it."

Edelgard: "It's not even a trap... It's a grave. Sub ipsum fumis sumis."

Edelgard: "Can't say I hold a soft spot for it."

Dimitri: "I can see that."

Dimitri: "You're full of hate. Stuffed or not, it's breathing."

Dimitri: "I can heal it. It can be healed, rather than killed."

Claude: "You mean you won't become a killer?"

Claude: "But you will! Mark my word, that's exactly what will happen! But I can avoid it."

Edelgard: "No... We won't ever get along. I suggest we be on our way. The sooner, the better."

Claude: "Off we go, then?"

Dimitri: "Let's go. The clock is ticking."

[linilou-von-hevring]

Mind and Heart - Heart

First | AO3

Please, Sothis, let this be the right choice.

Calloused fingers curl over the tactician’s hand.

Please, Sothis, let this not be a mistake.

Silence engulfs the conference room as Byleth walks out of it alongside Claude. There is no plausible scenario where she chooses both leaders, no matter how much she wishes she could have. No matter how much she wishes she could have continued watching Claude and Edelgard grow, watch them take their places as the respective leaders of the Alliance and of the Empire, watch them come together over a shared goal, she knows such a fantasy is impossible. They don’t share a goal. At least, not anymore, not in the fine print of their desires. Until now, everything had worked in their favor. Until now, the war had opposed them to a common enemy. This had been a two-sided war. Now, it splits into three camps.

The walk through the monastery halls is eerily quiet. Neither Claude nor Byleth dare say a word; there is no reason to test the monastery ghosts. There is no reason to draw attention to them as they thread the shadows, avoiding the gaze of every passing soldier. A single sound, a single out-of-place movement, that could be enough to send them both tumbling, the floor caving in under their heavy steps.

Please, Sothis, let this not be the end.

“Teach?”

The voice startles Byleth, but the squeeze of her hand brings her back to her senses. Claude is there, right by her side, his fingers still tangled with hers. He’s looking at her with his green eyes, eyes that remind Byleth of pastures and the few idyl days she had had in her youth. She didn’t enjoy them enough; she realizes this too late. She didn’t enjoy the peaceful days until they were taken from her. She didn’t enjoy them enough until she was plunged into the midst of a war with no winner, even once it would finally come to an end. Everything had been ripped from her hands before she could enjoy them, but not this time. She won’t let this bit of joy and comfort be taken from her as well.

The sun shines brightly outside the north court. It blinds her, but Byleth won’t let a little sunshine stop her. She marches forth, marches with conviction, refusing to give in to the gloom that had started to build in the back of her mind. She marches forth to her chambers, her fingers tightening around Claude’s as he follows without questions.

“We need to gather our things and leave before Edelgard sends someone after us.”

Claude gives her a curt nod, but he makes no move to free himself from her grip. He makes no attempt to leave her side, to rush to his own room to gather his stuff. He doesn’t change anything, nothing but his speed as he falls into step with Byleth. He simply follows, follows her lead as he always has. And for this, Byleth is grateful. She isn’t sure what she would have done had she been left to her own devices.

The professor’s room is tidy, as always. The bed looks untouched; the shelves are lined with books and papers. The only place that seems lived in is the desk, a mess of papers covering the wooden surface, notebooks and quills left lying around. It stands out in the small room, as if it belonged in some place else. The mess, Byleth realizes, it’s the only thing that shows that she has spent any time in this room. The rest, it’s as neat as the first time she had stepped into the small room that would soon become her home. Become her hell.

Byleth makes her way to her desk, rummaging through the papers. She doesn’t need the multitude of battle plans – she’d need an army to execute them. She doesn’t need the scribbled notes on everyone’s strengths and weaknesses – she’d memorized what she really needs, anyway. All she needs are a few memories. All she needs are a few things to keep her from forgetting the past. All she needs are the few remains of happy days, days without doom looming overhead.

Letters collect between the professor’s fingers. They come from everyone that has impacted Byleth’s life in some way or another – supply lists from her father, flirtations from Sylvain, invitations to tea from Ferdinand, idle monastery gossip from Hilda. Innocence plagues the letters, an innocence that pangs against Byleth’s chest. Those days, those school days with all the students, those days spent roaming the monastery in ignorant bliss of the future, they seem so far away now. It feels like a lifetime separates her from those days she wishes she had enjoyed just a little more.

A notebook rests against the tactician’s palm, a notebook that once belonged to her father. It’s one of the few things that remains of him. Even the memories feel like they’re fading away. But this notebook, it contains so many memories that haunt Byleth’s dreams. She can still perfectly picture the scene, the way Jeralt would be hunched over the little table in the rooms they would rent, scribbling away in his journal. She remembers the way he would hold his quill, the way he would use his pinky to guide the ink rather than his index. She remembers all the times he had caught her sneaking out of bed, hoping to get a few more minutes to look out the window and up at the stars, counting them until she’d fall asleep on the windowsill. She even remembers the strength of his hands as he would scoop her up, whispering his adoration for his child before gently placing her back into her bed. Now, those memories are all Byleth has left of her family. It’s all she has left of her own innocence.

A ring. It glistens as it rolls across the desk. A ring. The silver against the dark wood of the desk. A ring. Jeralt’s ring. A ring he had gifted Byleth’s mother. A ring he had gifted her. A ring she’s supposed to gift back to the person she loves. 

It’s only ever happened once, the world suddenly going blurry. Byleth can feel the dampness of her cheeks, but she doesn’t dare touch her face. The confirmation of such a reaction is too much for her to bear. Jeralt had been the only person for whom she had ever shed a tear. He is once again the reason she feels the tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Teach?”

Byleth turns as Claude slowly rises from her bed. He must have made himself comfortable there, waiting for her to finish packing what she deemed important for their adventure into the unknown. But now, his usual mischievous grin doesn’t shine across his face. Worry stains every trait of his, from the look in his eyes to the way his hand extends towards her. And under the touch of his fingers to her arm, Byleth crashes. She crashes against his chest as arms wrap around her shoulders, holding her upright. Tears: The Ashen Demon’s greatest weakness.

 Byleth can’t think of a single time she’s ever sobbed like this, clinging onto Claude’s cravat. She can’t remember the last time she’s ever felt so many things at once; perhaps she never has. Legends say that goddesses don’t feel human emotions, that they’re heartless creatures that gaze from above. The world of mortals is their painting, filled with splatters of cries and rage and tenderness, everything a goddess wishes she could feel but has done nothing but create in the other. Goddesses are numb until they become human with a beating heart. They are devoid of all until they’re overflowing with feelings, feelings they’ve never experienced before.

Byleth feels it all: fear, desperation, grief. All those feelings she had watched pain the faces of others, she suddenly feels them surge within her core. She feels the emotions crashing against her chest, beating against her ribs, trying desperately to break through. She feels everything. Everything feels lost. Everything but Claude, Claude who holds her tightly, his nose buried in her hair as he hushes her.

The moment is quiet, peaceful even, if it weren’t for the looming threat outside the chamber door. It could have been so good had it not been for the war raging on outside the window.

“I’m scared.”

It’s barely a whisper, muffled by the many folds and layers of Claude’s attire. The words barely leave Byleth’s lips, but Claude hears them. He hears her silent cry. He hears her; he always does. He hears her and holds her tighter, the only comfort he knows. It’s not the first time Byleth has found solace against Claude’s chest.

“It’ll be okay, Teach. We’ll make it okay.”

There’s no promise, but Byleth believes him. How could he promise everything will turn out the way they dream of? Such a promise is setting oneself up for failure. So he doesn’t promise, but he does promise that he will try. He doesn’t say it, but the kiss at the top of Byleth’s head is enough of a promise for her to believe in their strength. It’s enough to keep her there, pressed against him, searching for a fleeting moment to add to her collection of memories. It’s enough for her to trust his every word, trust his affection, trust that they are strong enough as long as they’re together. He isn’t a liar, or so Byleth hopes.

Claude’s touch lingers, the weight of his nose against Byleth’s hair. His breathing is steady, as are his hands. This, this could have been their every day had it not been for the wretched war. He could have been more than just a general of an army. He could have been more than just one of her most trusted allies. He could have been more than just her Little Fawn, a boy turned a man before her eyes. Her Little Fawn…

Please, Sothis, let this not be the last time.

“Claude?”

Green meets green for the first time in what feels like forever. Green is drawn to green as naturally as deer are drawn to meadows; it’s instinctive. Green finds green, a treasure one searches for their whole life. Green finds green, just as it should.

“What is it, Te—?”

“Don’t.”

Byleth turns away from Claude, making her way back to her desk. This isn’t the time to be sentimental, but she can’t help it. She can’t help the pang in her chest, but this time it’s different. It’s not the feeling of loss that fills her with dread; it’s something completely different. It’s the way he says Teach, a nickname that started a lifetime ago. It’s a name she normally likes, but right now, she can’t bear hearing it. It’s not the name she wants. It’s not the name she wants to hear.

She knows his eyes are still on her, probably trying to figure out her next move. She knows that his green eyes are following her every move, following the curve of her arm as she pushes the papers aside. She knows he’s watching as she curls her fingers around her prize. She knows he’s watching, but when she turns back to him, puzzlement coats the green of his eyes. He hasn’t figured her out, not yet. And yet, he still complies as she outstretches her empty hand towards him. He complies just as she had back in the conference room, placing his hand in hers. They’re alone in this; they only have each other to trust.

Claude doesn’t say a word as Byleth curls his fingers over themselves. He doesn’t say anything, but his eyes have always been the window to his soul. He stares at his closed hand, at the smaller hands enveloping his. And when she pulls her hands back, confusion pulls at every one of Claude’s beautiful traits. Confusion, then something new. Something she’s never seen on him. Confusion followed by the unknown as he opens his hand.

“For when the war is over.”

Emotions play all over Claude’s face: surprise, confusion, and a cast of expressions Byleth is unfamiliar with. Emotions pull at every one of his features, leaving a trail of beauty for Byleth to memorize. This, this is how she wants their future to be. She wants to see every expression cross Claude’s face, and she wants to know them all. She wants to know the names of every little thing he’s feeling. She wants to know everything that makes him, him. She wants that window to his soul to be as clear as day to her, not foggy with lies and schemes.

“Byleth…”

There’s a softness in Claude’s green eyes, a softness Byleth’s never seen before. There’s a softness in his voice, a softness that Byleth’s never heard before. There’s a softness in the moment that envelops them, a softness Byleth wants to cling to. And when Claude takes her hand in his, a pang echoes in her chest once more.

“Byleth, I can’t possibly accept this. Not now.”

“Claude, I—”

“But please,” his eyes find hers once more, eyes filled with beauty and adoration, “please allow me to hold on to it until the end of this war. Allow me to hold on to it until I can ask for your hand in marriage during a time for peace. Allow me to love you in silence until our futures are ensured, one where we can lead a world of tranquillity. Let me love you in silence until I can proudly say that I’m the reigning king of Almyra, when I’ll have proven myself worthy of being remembered as a man of myths. Let me love you then, when all our fears will not coat our proposals. So Byleth, my friend, my love, let me love you in silence until then.”

Silence. Silence had always been one of Byleth’s sharpest skills. Silence, until now, had it not been one of her greatest flaws as well? Had Claude not tried to coax more words out of her over the years, always searching for more information about her? Silence, it had always been one of the Ashen Demon’s deadliest skills, be it for better or for worse. Silence; Byleth could deal with that for now.

Please, Sothis, let this war soon come to an end.

Warmth spreads through Byleth as she lifts herself up just enough to lay a kiss on Claude’s lips. Warmth spreads through her, right through where she must have had a heart. Warmth spreads through her as he returns the kiss, pulling her closer. Warmth spreads through her, leaving a trail of sparks under her skin, under every fleeting touch of Claude’s.

Silence. This would be their silent love. Stolen kisses in the dark as they remain on the run, escaping from Imperial Soldiers. Stolen glances as they fight for a brighter tomorrow. Their love would be silent, but still, the yearning stays. The yearning for peace and for each other. The yearning for sunny days. They yearned for the day when war won’t rage on outside their windows, and they know that day will come. Together, they will end this thing. A new dawn is coming for Fódlan.

“Let’s end this war then, Little Hart.”

“Whenever you’re ready, Teach.”

[kyogre-blue]

OK, onto SS choice and the timeskip!

Due to when they let you save, I've actually played into the very start of the war phase, so I'll just say it here. I was kind of disappointed by how limp-wristed the whole Edelgard situation is? I expected some more "join me and we shall rule Fodlan" kind of thing, but Edelgard is very neutral and almost disinterested about it. Oh, you're not joining her? Oh well.

The Byleth relationship with Claude is rather detached because he has so little stakes in Fodlan and keeps hiding his actual background and motives for so long, but like the tradeoff is that they have no actual beef or conflict and just cooperate well. I kind of thought Edelgard would be more emotionally charged in some way and she... isn't really? Post timeskip, they go through the motions of starting a sword fight, but then just kinda... stop and... part ways... Not sure if Edelgard's rather under-played delivery is part of the issue. I'm not saying her voice actress is bad, but she doesn't really sell the character imo.

Anyway, I am as ever unimpressed by Edelgard.

Live blogging notes:

Edelgard going to Enbarr to be crowned is a secret.

Man, her dad looks very ill. The implication of her dialogue is that it's because of the "burden of the throne" but eeeeeh

Normally, the archbishop should act as a witness to the ceremony, though iirc the original JP script just had "bishop"...?

"By the covenant between the red blood and the white sword"

Man... Both Hubert in their support and Ionius IX here frame it as Edelgard being "stolen away to the Kingdom" but like, no, her mom took her there? And from what I understand, Edelgard was perfectly fine there. The real issue was when Thales posing as Arundel brought her back. But it seems that Edelgard doesn't actually remember that stuff, so are they purposefully lying to her?

It seems like Ionius IX saw his children experimented on. Edelgard mentions seeing him clench his fists until they bled.

Edelgard's first act: putting Duke Aegir in his place and basically imprisoning him in the palace (?)

Ionius IX and Edelgard both keep referring to how the fate of Fodlan is in her hands now, which is kind of lol given that she's technically only taking over one of three countries in Fodlan.

Oh, interesting. In GD (and I believe BL), you fight the Flame Emperor in the Tomb and then break their mask, revealing Edelgard. But here, Edelgard walks in as herself from the beginning and willingly reveals her identity.

Her wehehe evil henchguy states clearly that they're here to take the Crest Stones, and also the bones. Oh boy!

It's interesting that Edelgard can't just order her classmates to stand down. She's their Emperor, so by disobeying her, they're functionally all traitors. In general, I'm surprised we do battle with her initially and only choose whether to side with her after being ordered to kill her directly.

Despite what I kind of expected, Edelgard never really tries to recruit you and isn't at all surprised that you stand against her. Ngl, I expected a "join me and we can rule the galaxy together" pitch. Kinda disappointed...

Yeah, all the BE kids are like "so what if she's the Emperor, we're just gonna do our own thing" but without actually confronting what they're doing. (Update: Hubert at least obliquely threatens Ferdinand if you attack him, with "you have people you care about in the empire, right? think about what'll happen to them if you stand with the Church")

Edelgard's big speech is like "Church wants to rule Fodlan!" and "Church split up the empire to make kingdom and alliance, all to set us against each other" which, I cannot emphasize enough, doesn't really come across as an issue when there's no major history of conflict between the nations. The only actual post-independence conflict was the Hrym-Ordelia business which barely gets mentioned and is also the Empire's own fault... The gold and extravagance thing is just nonsense too.

Oh, lmao. Seteth says that Edelgard "demanded her own father relinquish the throne" but like... I was at her coronation. They either got lazy copy-pasting dialogue from other routes or assumed you'd totes side with her if you saw that scene.

The tone Rhea and Seteth take in regard to the "progenitor god" is a bit weird because Rhea in particular fluctuates between clearly considering Sothis her mother and her loss as a very personal one, and speaking of Sothis as her goddess and a much more detached authority figure.

Ferdinand says that half of the six big noble families declared support for Edelgard. Hubert's dad was assassinated, Bernie's dad is under house arrest and his wife is siding with Edelgard in his stead, and Ferdie's dad his been stripped of his PM position, his rank, and his lands.

Huh, a bunch of the church units auto-recruited.

You can recruit Hilda here, though I don't have enough of... probably axe ranks.

Dimitri has mysteriously come to the conclusion that Edelgard is responsible for Duscur. The month before, his explore dialogue was about how he hasn't been sleeping.

Anyway, time to kill off some children. I want no one coming to the promise day.

It is unexpectedly hard. Normal mode is so easy you have to be trying to lose on purpose, and even then it's hard to do.

The battle starts with the enemy already within the walls (Outer Wall on the map location). The Church is holding out for reinforcements that come in through the left and right entrances, but they are first taken by Imperial forces (Death Knight on the left, Hubert on the right), which have to be cleared out.

There are "Onagers" (basically catapults) that archers can use to fire in the town and "Fire Orbs" that mages can use next to the monastery inner walls.

There are two Winged Demonic Beasts with the Imperial forces. They have creepy masks and hold "Pointy Art(ificial) Crest Stones" which are "artificial Crest Stones with a distorted shape, produced in the Empire." They have enormous wings that are even a barrier ability (lol) and are noted as being very swift.

Rhea's class is Archbishop, she's using the Sword of Seiros (which is also mentioned in the class description lol) and Seiros Shield (interesting point: halves monster damage). She's got A in sword, reason, faith, and leadership, B in fists, but nothing in axes or bows, and only a D in lances. Her abilities include Sacred Power (gives boost to allies and lowers damage taken) and Charm. Walking buff point, I see.

After we repel them, Edelgard sends in the reserve troops and signals Arundel (Thales). (He comes in with more Demonic Beasts and also attacks Byleth and Rhea with dark magic... in his real form lmao, wonder if anyone noticed how their commander changed out for another dude somewhere along the line.)

I saw this before, but why does Claude fight with a sword in cutscenes? Sword here and sword in the Fort Mercius scene against Nader too. Also, funny that he and Dimitri are hanging out together for some reason.

Note that Byleth swings and extends the Sword of the Creator with enough force to shatter a Demonic Beast's mask and bodily throw it off the Immaculate One. Like, dang... those things are big and heavy??

[hresvelged]

"Looking a little more rough than I remember."

Though the words may be cheeky as he tends to usually be, it is only in the content, and not in the tone of voice. Indeed, should she turn to face him, she will fail to find the casual smile that many have come to know him for, the one he uses to conceal many things. Indeed, his expression is more serious than he tends to be.

"So you guys ran into trouble on the way back, too?" Interesting.

Not that Claude suspected her of anything beyond her ambition to be a powerful Emperor someday. He has no doubt that she has much to hide, but so does he, so he's not one to talk.

Rather, it's interesting because...

"I thought at first that only Garreg Mach was attacked, but if you too were targeted, and yet it doesn't look like any cities or villages were... Whoever it was was going for those related to the monastery specifically, by the looks of things. Those who were there, and those who were headed there. That's what it looks like right now."

He eyes her carefully. His gaze is calm, betraying no emotion.

"Can you think of anything? And - by the way, have you seen Dimitri?"

These attack-ravaged lands take a toll on anyone— Sunken eyes to her left and words of despair to her right. The scars hidden under her gloves and the thoughts encompassing the budding emperor's mind. For Claude, it was the way he spoke his sentences as the two came into one another's view. She could certainly notice it, even if she did not utter as much. There was no need to; not when there were bigger matters to attend to.

"I could say the same for you," she says in greeting. Plain, even if a bad attempt at keeping a mood. "But yes. We did. I don't know how much you've heard, but our peril began within the mountain pass. And now, we find ourselves here with everyone else. That separation in itself feels purposeful, as you say." With the positioning of the monastery, it was no surprise that there were faces who would have their eyes on it. She knew this already. It was a key element in this game of scuffed chess. What she didn't hold was the current why's.

Words and thoughts of agreement poured through her mind and left her with more to say. "I have a number of conjectures, but I lack the proper concrete proof to fully point a finger at the moment. One thing is certain— That book over there. Have you had the time to glance at it?" While she has not, she had no doubts that it was left there on purpose. Edelgard uses her right hand to point towards it, swiveling in its direction. "Odd, is it not? It was placed there in the hopes of us looking at it. Or, rather.. I should say, it was so we would not miss its presence."

As she lowers her hand, she lets out a sigh and shakes her head. "I haven't seen Dimitri. I'd assume he's fine, even if I don't know where exactly that may be. As the next king of Faerghus, he wouldn't act carelessly."

[rozyrne]

He supposed even in this time of supposed relaxation, there was no rest to be had. He had tried the first night in earnest, but with the noise that had erupted it seemed that it was not meant to be - Dimitri's hands couldn't stand to be so idle, even in paradise.

What he had not expected was for another to share in his nocturnal proclivities.

"Oh! Excuse me, I had not expected for another to be awake at this hour." It was really quite late, wasn't it? The exclamation came at normal volume, but when he recalled himself he lowered pitch to something softer, more suitable the hour.

"Apologies, I hope it wasn't I that had disturbed you." He hadn't been doing aught but a quick inventory of the cabin, this time, though he had been preparing to leave the house for a run along the beach. "I know that there has been some commotion at night lately. I hope that you weren't bothered."

His head canted a moment, before he remembered; "Oh, excuse me! We have not yet been introduced. I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, I am leader of the Blue Lions house at the academy. I...hope that we can work together in the coming trials."

OH NO! HE HOPES HE HASN'T BEEN CAUGHT sneaking a midnight snack!! and by an emblem!! whipping around from where he'd been searching the shelves, rosado stuffs both hands behind his back innocently.

and discreetly swallows the chocolate in his mouth.

"oh, no, of course not. why would you be bothering me in here?" it's not like people slept in the storage, right? ...well, maybe some people did ; he couldn't judge. was emblem dimitri the type to sleep in the storage?

posture relaxes when it's clear he really just didn't expect to find him here——phew, in the clear. "rosado," returns the usual friendly smile, sprinkled with a bat of long lashes, "usually, i'm with the golden deer, but i guess that doesn't really matter. for now, we're all stuck together like snakes in a basket."

dimitri alexandre... what was the last part? he doesn't think he'd ever learned the emblems' whole names, just that they were some seriously impressive bigshots back in their home worlds. emblem-in-the-flesh or house leader, he should be on his best behavior ; wouldn't want to bring shame to hortensia's name all the way across the pond and all that royal stuff. "i gotta admit, it's a huge relief to hear we have tw... ... " they're usually confused by ' emblem ', they're usually confused by ' emblem '. he gives a little bounce with balled fists to distract from the slip: "——i mean, a house leader on our side. victory's gotta be in the bag already!"

wait, wasn't edelgard here too? he doesn't remember if he's seen claude.

oh well!

[stalwaria]

"Ah, hello Etie. How have you been faring?" Edelgard greets with a wave of the hand as she makes her way closer. "It's good to see you. But, more than that.." A gesture towards the similarly colored item in her white locks. "Our alliance-ship makes its way even here. How excellent." There is an airiness to her words; remembrance of Etie's strength and perseverance. The further their paths cross like this, the more Adrestia's heir draws an inkling of wonder on her as a person. Familiarity stretches ever-closer towards reliance as specks of knowledge seep through her words.

She takes in a breath of fresh air and inches another step forward. "Do you have a moment? Last we spoke, the circumstances allowed only for battle prowess. Seeing you again, I'd like to know you better as a person. Would you mind telling me a thing or two?"

"Oh, Princess! Hello."

Edelgard is... casual. Kind of. Would it be rude not to bow? Curtsy? Since Etie's lieges were also her childhood friends, the standards of formality tended to muddle with Alfred and Celine. But this was THE Imperial Princess of Adrestia, and the last thing Etie wanted to do was cast a poor image of Alfred, Celine, or Firene through her actions.

So, maybe not a bow... but a wave? That was okay. Right?

Play it cool, Etie.

"It's good—um, great! I mean, GREAT to see you, too!" She waves. A little too late. Gah. Things were much more awkward when she didn't have the adrenaline of battle to focus on. "But, thanks. I feel the same. I know our team has excellent chances with a lady of your skill on our side."

Edelgard's next question comes as something of a surprise. Etie guessed it made sense, to want to get to know a teammate better. Still, she didn't expect the interest. "Oh... sure. It's a bit of a broad request, but I'm happy to talk about whatever you want! My hometown, the things I like..."

She smiles, "But you have to promise to tell me more about yourself, too. Over tea, of course. It wouldn't be fair for me to dominate the conversation! I only plan to do that with the competition."