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Chapter Text

Imperial Year 1180

The ball is a lovely sight. Commoners and nobles alike mingle in the dazzling halls that make up Garreg Mach Monastery, the seat of the Church of Serios. Lady Rhea serves as its archbishop and leads the Monastery along with Sir Jeralt and his daughter, Lady Byleth. People from around Fódlan come at the chance to catch a glimpse of the Eisner line’s beautiful daughter. Fine food and wine are served as the orchestra produces deep symphonies.

“Now tell me, Jeralt, why are you so opposed to the idea of Byleth becoming my successor?”

“Rhea. You should keep in mind that I have been training Byleth since she was a girl to become a warrior, a knight. She would be better suited to become the next captain of the Knights of Serios, and much happier.”

“Byleth is of age so let us give her a choice in the matter. She is not your little girl anymore so you cannot be so protective of her, Jeralt. This a ball, after all, now is a perfect opportunity for her to find her soulmate,” Rhea countered as she left to seek Byleth. The woman in question was seen sitting far from the crowds, near the entrance to the training grounds. To the surprise of Rhea, some trainees were still practicing into the night. Upon seeing Rhea, Byleth gives a small smile and walks towards her.

“Byleth you should be inside, dancing. There are plenty of people who wish to have a dance with you.”

“I know, I’m sorry, but I never was very good with people. I just came here for some air and to clear my mind.”

“I wished to speak with you about the future, your future and that of the Church, but if you are tired then I suppose I can wait a little longer. How about we sing instead, hmm?”

 Training Grounds

“Dimitri, I’m not saying that I’d rather be at the ball than training with you but--actually, scratch that, that’s totally what I’m saying.”

“Sylvain, we are here to become knights and if you ever want to become part of the royal guard then we must train diligently.”

“Okay, sure, but you’re forgetting why I want to be in the royal guard in the first place! Tonight’s the ball so Byleth must be there too! Do you think she’s as pretty as we heard?”

“Perhaps...but never mind that. Do you hear something?”

“~In time’s flow...see the glow of flames ever burning bright…~”

“Singing, by the sound of it. It sounds like Lady Rhe-”

“Shhh Dimitri! I hear someone else too!”

"~On the swift river’s drift, broken memories alight…~"

Upon hearing the new voice, both Dimitri and Sylvain peek their heads towards the melody. Rhea and Byleth, with their backs facing the training grounds, gaze at the moon and continue singing their song. Sylvain is the first to retreat into the training grounds, wanting to talk to Dimitri yet Dimitri remains in place, as if frozen in time.

“What beauties, right Dimitri? ...Uh Dimitri? Hey, Dimitri, come on!” Sylvain whispered as he half-dragged, half-yanked, Dimitri into the training grounds with him but not before Byleth turned towards them. Byleth and Dimitri make eye contact for a second before reality takes hold of them; Byleth turns back to face the starry sky while Dimitri blinks and follows Sylvain into the training grounds. “Heh. I never thought I would see the day where our roles would be reversed.”

“Oh please, Sylvain, I was just distracted by the singing. I felt some sort of strange familiarity when I heard it.”

“Well that makes sense. The tune they were singing in is one that is commonly used in Faerghus. But anyway, I never saw that girl before. That must be Byleth, right? Those rumors we heard don't do her justice.”

“Lady Byleth, you mean. Sylvain you really should-”

Training Grounds, Outside

“Lady Rhea, there you are! Oh good, Lady Byleth, you are here too! Lord Arundel has arrived and things seem tense. You should find Sir Jeralt, he was confronted by him after all.”

“Thank you, Gatekeeper. Please return to your station,” Rhea informed the soldier before looking down at the ground, beginning to walk away, “Lord Arundel...he must be here for me.”

“Come Sylvain, we must go to the reception hall!”

“Thought you would never ask, Dimitri.”

 Reception Hall

“Ah if it isn’t Sir Jeralt Eisner! Hmm, but where is Lady Rhea? It is most rude to host a grand ball and not invite the guest of honor.”

“Lord Arundel! What business do you have here?”

“Now, Lady Rhea, is that how you welcome your guests? All shall be forgiven for I have brought a gift for you. I am most generous so it may be shared with your family.” Darkness begins to enter the grand hall, thick as fog, as Arundel continues, “I, Lord Volkhard von Arundel, place a curse upon the Eisner line! I decree that within a moon, the Eisner bloodline will be destroyed. I will devote the rest of my life, with all my will and with all my strength, to see it be carried out, even if it costs me my own life.” With a swift movement from his arm, lightning strikes the middle of the room and in the same instance Arundel vanishes. The crowds begin to panic as everyone rushes to the front gates in an effort to return to the relative safety of their homes. Sir Jeralt begins to mobilize the Knights of Serios while Lady Rhea rushes to Byleth’s side and holds her tight, unsure of what to do. Eventually, Lady Rhea takes Byleth away to the side and presses a dagger into her hand.

“Byleth. No matter what the future holds, please promise me that you will carve a path that is your own. Take this dagger. We will make it through this, the goddess is on our side.”

Garreg Mach Monastery - Two Weeks Later

The Imperial Army surrounds the Monastery and the nearby villages. Soldiers marching across the vast fields can be seen from miles away. Civilians flee in terror while the Knights of Serios prepare for battle. Jeralt begins to mount his horse when arms wrap around him.

“Father, let me join you! Please, you know that I am skilled. We can overcome anything when we are together, you taught me that.”

Upon seeing his daughter, Jeralt gives her a strong hug before sending her a sad smile. He mounts his horse and addresses Byleth, “That is true but I also taught you not to be imprudent. Byleth, I just want the best for you and, more importantly, I want you safe. Join with Rhea and the royal guard.”

“But father-”

“This is not up for discussion. Now go! But know that I love you, Byleth, never forget that.”

Jeralt rides off with the Knights, leaving Byleth behind within the chaos that has overtaken Garreg Mach. Rhea finds her staring at the stable’s entrance, knowing what was on Byleth’s mind. She grabbed her hand, shaking her own head, and began pulling Byleth away towards the back exit. As Rhea and Byleth raced through the halls, Byleth abruptly stopped.

“Oh no, my dagger! I must have dropped it in the stables, I have to go get it!”

“Byleth, no! Come back here!”

“Your Grace! We found you, please come this way! We have secured an escape route!” The royal guard informed, escorting Rhea away.

Byleth sprints back towards the stables and finds the dagger near the Knight’s Hall. However, upon hearing a deep rich voice, she dropped it in surprise.

“Lady Byleth, please you must escape! This way, use the secret passage that the royal guard utilizes.”

“You’re that boy from the other night. Are you a part of the royal guard? Wait, never mind that, my dagger!”

“We can talk another time if you would like, what matters now is that you flee. Go, I’ll hold them off.”

Dimitri pushes Byleth through the wall passage in the Knight’s Hall and closes the door behind her, concealing her escape route perfectly. He picks up the dagger, hides it within the protection of his sleeve, and equips his lance. Several Imperial troops enter the hall and though Dimitri does manage to knock out a few, he is soon overpowered and hit unconscious.

Rhea and Byleth are reunited and together they run towards the exterior gates of the Monastery. Before they can leave, however, Lord Arundel ambushes them. The royal guard engages with the Imperial troops that came with Arundel. Byleth unsheathed her sword, striking Arundel in the blink of an eye. In a matter of seconds Arundel is knocked out, easily mistaken for dead and overlooked by Byleth as she takes the opportunity to flee with Rhea. The royal guard, now mounted on wyverns, catch up with Rhea and Byleth. Byleth pushes Rhea forward first, allowing Rhea to be caught by the waiting guard’s grasp. Rhea, in turn, reaches out her hand for Byleth to take. The galloping of horses and shounting of Imperial troops cause the wyverns to become unsteady and fly at a faster rate than before. Byleth’s hand slips out of Rhea’s, resulting in Byleth losing her momentum and falling hard on the ground. The last thing she hears is the anguish scream that Rhea lets out as the world around her goes black.

Chapter Text

Imperial Year 1185

To think it was five years since the fall of Garreg Mach Monastery and yet life has seem to return to normal, well at least for the common folk. The villages surrounding the monastery appear as lively as ever, with the villagers going about their business and planting seeds in the hopes that they will reap a huge bounty during the harvest season. One man, however, who can best be described as a schemer mingles with the people for a few moments at a time in order to better hear the rumors leaving their mouths. Everyone knows that Jeralt Eisner has lost his life against the invasion but there are whispers suggesting that Byleth is alive and that Lady Rhea is willing to pay an exorbitant amount of money to be reunited with her. Once he deemed that he has gained enough information, Claude goes in search of his partner. Claude was never one for sitting idly when there was something to be gained and the fall of Garreg Mach was one such opportunity. When he arrived at the monastery five years ago, the Imperial troops had withdrawn and only the bodies of the fallen had remained. He took this time to take valuables but as he searched the empty halls, Claude came across a young man that was unconscious rather than dead. Thinking better of it, he helps the blond in the hopes that the former member of the royal guard, given the outfit the blond was wearing, would have promising information. Instead of being greeted with an expression of gratitude or surprise, Claude was pinned against the wall while the blond held a dagger to his throat. Once Claude hastily explained the situation, the knight, Dimitri he introduced himself as, apologized briefly before his visage becoming clouded in darkness, a strong wave of helplessness. The face that greeted him five years later, however, was one more similar to his own: calculating. Dimitri approaches Claude and the both of them walked towards the abandoned Garreg Mach Monastery, their base. 

“Claude! Did you find a place to hold the auditions?”

“Of course I did, do you really think so lowly of me? I am the one who taught you the clever way of scheming, haven’t I? Tactically thinking, my friend, is the way to survive, not wallowing in self-pity. Luckily, you grasped that pretty quickly.”

“Must you really speak of old times? I am a different man now, a smarter one. Let’s stop wasting time and go to this place you found for us. The quicker we find someone to play Byleth, the quicker we can go to Faerghus and reclaim that sweet reward money.”

“Now you’re thinking like a schemer! Come, we have a lot of auditions to go through.”    

Remire Village

“Hey By, are you ready? We have a mission to prepare for.” At the sound of her fellow mercenaries’ inquiry, By stops playing with the brooch at the front of her armor and meets up with the group. 

“Yes, I’ll be ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Listen By, we’ve all been thinking and we think it’s better for you to go out into the world and find some answers to your foggy past. It would do you some good. You’re a strong gal, we wouldn’t be worried about you getting harmed.” 

At the prospect of learning about her past, By really starts to pay attention. She can’t remember much of her life before she ended up in the mercenary guild five years ago. Her group informed her of the fall of Garreg Mach Monastery around the same time she arrived and assumed she may have come from the surrounding villages. She would be lying if she said that the mention of Garreg Mach didn’t stir earthed emotions from deep within her. 

“But are you sure? You all have been nothing but kind to me, a girl who has only this brooch as a key to her past. I feel as if I am indebted.” The mercenaries were having none of her excuses, saying that she had really brought up the renown of the guild. Having gained their full blessing, By ran upstairs to gather her scarce belongings and check herself in the small mirror in her room for the last time. Her teal hair has become rather unruly and living with men had caused her to care very little of her appearance. Grabbing her hair, By quickly pulls it up into a messy bun. One group hug and a few happy tears later, By was on the road towards Garreg Mach.

Garreg Mach (Exterior/Surrounding Villages)

Upon arriving, By looked for a sign of sorts to guide her on what to do next. As she was walking past some vendors, a certain one in particular caught her eye. A red haired woman was selling all sorts of weapons but what really interested By were the daggers. Just staring at a blue-handled dagger gave her a headache so she kept walking aimlessly. A good distance later By let out a gasp as she remembered something. Though it be a small and blurry memory, she remembered someone dear to her giving her a dagger. What became of that dagger is beyond her but maybe she could go somewhere with that newly found clue. 

“Hmm if I remember correctly, daggers are important to the people of Faerghus. In that case...to Faerghus I must go.” By thought to herself as she made her way to the traveler center. As she approached the area she saw a group of pegasi getting ready for takeoff while a man announced a trip to Faerghus. By ran to the man and asked to go but was rejected upon not having any money to pay him for the service. An older woman, seeing By sulking, gave her some advice.

“Seek Dimitri and Claude, they can help you find what you are looking for.”

“Oh? Where can I find them?”

“At the abandoned monastery, but you didn’t hear this from me.” With that, the older woman left. By, having a new objective, went in search for the men in question.

Meanwhile elsewhere in town, Claude and Dimitri sat at a table considering the talent in front of them. To the utter disappointment of both of them, it seemed there was a lack of it rather than an abundance. With each passing performance, Claude felt his charming yet insincere smile fall ever so slightly. Wanting to end the torture, Dimitri called in the last actor. A red haired young man stepped on stage, dressed in a fur coat. He winked at their general direction before he spoke.

“Grandmother it is I, Byleth! I missed you-haha I’m sorry I can’t continue, your reactions are priceless! I just came to mess with you.” And to see if you’re the Dimitri I once knew , he thought to himself. Claude was clearly unimpressed by the redhead’s antics and decided to voice his opinion.

“Well thanks for stopping by, I’m flattered. Let’s see here,” Claude paused to look at the list of names before him, “Sylvain was it? We’ll have to ask you to leave now.” At the sound of that name Dimitri looked up and closely inspected the man on the stage. “Uh Dimitri, this would be a good time for you to join in and back me up.”

“Hold Claude. Sylvain you’re still up to no good I see.”

“Ha! Right back at you Dimitri, a con artist. I didn’t believe you had it in you.”

“Wait hold on. You guys know each other? That’s touching, really, but Dimitri we still need someone to play Byleth.”

“I have a proposition for both of you,” Sylvain began. “I can be pretty sharp when I want to be and for a couple of schemers like yourself, that’s an admirable trait. You’re after that reward money and I want in. Let’s work together; we can split it between the three of us. I like to think of myself as a lady’s man so I can find an actress. Do we have a deal?” Claude remains hesitant while Dimitri is unsure. With enough persuading on Sylvain’s part, however, the pair agrees. The trio, now with a plan, start to head back to the monastery. 

Garreg Mach Monastery

By, having finally arrived at the monastery, looks around for a suitable entrance. One of the side entrances was blocked off by rubble but with a few swings of her blade the entryway is clear and By sneaks in. The contact between the steel and the rubble made some noise, which was picked up by Dimitri’s sharp ears a few floors up. 

“Did you hear something?” Dimitri asked his companions. Claude and Sylvain were both in deep discussion so they merely shrugged and continued sharing stories of their past exploits. Unsatisfied by their joint response, Dimitri decided to investigate.

By wandered around the empty monastery, calling out a greeting but heard nothing in return. She eventually found herself in the Reception Hall. There were a few things on the table, silverware, covered in dust. She walked around the great hall, looking around, feeling a strong sense of familiarity. She begins to hum to the beat of a song that someone sang to her long ago. Soon By finds herself dancing to her distant, faraway memories. Her reverie is shattered when a voice calls out to her.

“Hey! What are you doing here?” Dimitri yells out. By, caught off guard, first decides to run away. Dimitri quickly chases after her and corners her. By’s mercenary reflexes kicked in and she draws her blade and attempts to strike him. Dimitri swiftly counters, putting his knight skills to the test, and the two are at a stalemate. Claude and Sylvain catch up and both whistle but for different reasons. Claude has never seen Dimitri in action so he finds the situation entertaining. Sylvain, on the other hand, is pleased to see a beautiful woman. Claude, being the more successful charmer between the two, attempts to ease the tension in the room.

“Alright capable stranger, we meant no harm. We were just curious about how you got in and why. So let’s put away those swords, sounds good?” Upon hearing Claude, both Dimitri and By unequipped their weapons. Claude leads them towards the chairs beneath the old family portrait of the Eisner line and it is there that the trio of schemers realize that this stranger looks very similar to Lady Byleth. There are some notable differences, to be sure, the most notably being the stranger’s eccentric fashion sense but the resemblance is striking. “Strategy in motion,” Claude whispers to his companions before he turns back towards the strange woman. 

“I came here in search of Dimitri and Claude. I need to go to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus but I am short of funds. I was told to seek them, I can’t tell you who told me but-”

This piped Sylvain’s interest. He asked her, “Why Faerghus? Do you have unfinished business there, perhaps some family?”

“I can’t say for sure, I can’t remember anything from my past but I do know that someone important to me gave me a dagger. What I do remember is that in Faerghus daggers hold a lot of significance. So I have to go to the Kingdom.”

Dimitri decided to join in. “We don’t even know your name. Is there anything that you might remember about what happened five years ago?”   

“My name is By. I would tell you my last name but I can’t remember. I have been working for a mercenary guild for five years, that’s all I can remember. Before that I was apparently wandering the streets, or so I’ve been told.”   

Dimitri continues, “Listen By, we just so happen to have enough gold for four people to take a flight to the Kingdom but we were saving the last spot for Lady Byleth Eisner.” Dimitri points to the large painting behind them. “You do look a lot like her, you know.”

“Are you trying to tell me that I am this Lady Byleth? Oh please!”

Claude attempts to deliver the finishing blow, “You say you don’t remember your past so it is possible. Even if you’re not Byleth, you would still end up in Faerghus. And if you are Byleth, then you are reunited with your family. You would win either way.” With that statement, the three began to walk away slowly. Not wanting the opportunity to slip through her fingers, By ran up to them and asked to join them. The schemers celebrated and Dimitri took the chance to practice presenting By to Lady Rhea. 

“May I present Her Grace, Lady Byleth.” The four of them laughed as they walked towards the exit and to the traveler center. In the shadows, a group of people slither in the dark. One man, their leader, speaks up.

“To think that the Eisner line continues, I must report this to Lady Edelgard.” With a swift movement from his arm, Hubert and his minions teleport back to the Enbarr, the Imperial capital. “Lady Edelgard, I bring news.” Upon hearing the voice of her retainer, Edelgard looked up from her work and greeted the man. “I have learned that Byleth is still alive and she is on her way to the Kingdom.”

“Well done Hubert. I was considering giving up on my uncle’s desire but this changes things.” Edelgard looked at the portrait of her uncle, Lord Arundel, and is reminded of his dying wish a few years ago. Although Lord Arundel survived the invasion five years ago, he was left in poor health ever since and so he perished from illness. On his deathbed, he charged Edelgard with his mission to destroy the Eisner line and Edelgard took his desire as her own. Hubert, being the ever loyal servant, took it upon himself as well. Turning her attention back towards Hubert and those who slither in the dark, she gave orders. “Kronya and Solon, go to the traveler center and create chaos on that wyvern caravan. End the Eisner line.”