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This was it. Everything she worked for led up to this very moment. Was this right? Rhea told her this had to be done to save Fodlan, so it must be right. Although Byleth’s expression remained stone cold, her stomach churned as she stared at the emperor below her.
This woman--this monster--killed so many in order to achieve her goals. There was no excuse for her actions, and Byleth’s grip on her sword tightened as she remembered her father died at the hands of those Edelgard called allies, even if she regretted it. But, as her teal eyes bore into the emperor she could still see the face of a woman she once called her student.
Edelgard’s gaze shifted, her head weakly tilting up to make eye contact with Byleth. Byleth’s composure faltered as she realized, for the first time, Edelgard looked utterly defeated. In the blink of an eye, she regained her stone cold atmosphere and squared her shoulders. No hesitation.
The throne room was silent, silent for far too long.
Edelgard let out a hoarse chuckle. Byleth tensed.
“My teacher. I knew it would come to this.” Her eyes trailed down to the ground, the light shining through the palace windows highlighting her face. “If you don’t kill me now, this war will never end.”
Byleth knew this, of course, so why did her heartbeat quicken when she took those small steps toward Edelgard? Teal eyes narrowing, she stared down the emperor once more. Her normally soft features were rugged, worn down by not only this battle but by those before as well. Those lavender eyes no longer held the twinkle Byleth remembered. Then again, did Edelgard show that twinkle to anyone else?
Edelgard didn’t look back up to Byleth, wordlessly accepting her fate. The air around them seemed to become even more constricting. Struggling to breathe, Edelgard gripped her axe. “If I must fall…” was she forcing back tears? “...let it be by your hand.”
This was supposed to be easy. This war Edelgard started caused the death of so many of Byleth’s former students! She was aware Edelgard dealt with nightmares, but did Edelgard know Byleth struggled with them every night as well? Because of her? Forced awake by images of her students, her friends, screaming in pain.
But, sometimes, she was forced awake knowing this day would come. It was the same every time, Byleth forced to strike down Edelgard in the heat of battle, and jolting awake the moment her sword made impact. It wasn’t fair. She was doing this to save the country, so why was it so difficult?
Byleth slowly raised her sword, her mouth forming a tight line. It had to be done. She noticed the corner of Edelgard’s mouth twitch, even though it was slight. Often, Edelgard did that when she was trying to hide a smile. Something Byleth picked up on at their days in the monastery, only because she loved to see her smile.
“You know, professor I…” Edelgard’s breaths slowed, the ability to breathe becoming more and more difficult. Whatever it was she was going to say, Byleth didn’t want to hear it. She couldn’t hear it. This entire situation was already causing a tightness in her chest.
As Byleth prepared to bring her sword down and end it all, Edelgard finally looked back up to her teacher. Byleth’s breath nearly caught in her throat as she saw that twinkle for the first time in five years. “I loved you, Byleth.”
The sound of metal rang through the throne room.
The next sound was that of Byleth’s soft sobs, her hands tightly gripping that damned sword.
“I loved you too.”