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Byleth woke with the dawn on the morning of the 25th day of the Ethereal Moon. Like clockwork, she exited her dormitory and proceeded to complete her errands with the sun barely peeking over the horizon. She usually completed her errands on Sundays by exploring the monastery, but today was different. Today was the night of the ball. Rhea told her it was a very special occasion, since it was only held once a year. Classes were canceled for the day, so Byleth decided to take advantage and treat it like she would with most of her free days. She visited the marketplace, chatted with the friendly Gatekeeper, watered her plants, and finished off the morning with a little bit of fishing.
The major difference about today, however, was the massive amount of people wandering the grounds of Garreg Mach. The academy was teeming with students and staff all hustling around preparing for the night’s events. The greenhouse was being harvested of its fruits and vegetables, fish were being collected from the dock, and the dining hall was filled with cooks preparing food for the night’s feast. Byleth didn’t think she had ever seen Garreg Mach so lively before.
“Such ruckus!” exclaimed Sothis, suddenly awakening within Byleth’s mind. “It’s hard for me to rest with all this noise surrounding you! I’ve never seen this place so hectic before.”
Byleth softly giggled to herself. “Yes, it seems everyone is quite excited for the ball.”
“Are you?” Sothis asked.
Before Byleth could answer, a familiar high-pitched voice called out to her.
“Professor!”
The teal haired girl turned around, her gaze falling upon two of her students.
“Annette, Mercedes, good morning.” Byleth greeted, carefully eyeing the bags in their hands. “What are you girls up to?”
“We were just on our way to go visit Ingrid and help her get ready for the ball!” Annette replied with a toothy grin.
Mercedes nodded. “Yes, we’re hoping she finally lets us use some of our makeup on her.”
“Oh, that’s right. I do recall you saying that last night.”
Byleth thought back to the previous night, when she and all her students gathered to meet after class. Most students had expressed their excitement for the ball and some not so much. But it was also last night when a promise had been made. A promise for everyone to meet back at the monastery five years from now for the millennium festival. A promise Byleth sincerely hoped to keep, as it was requested of her from the young lord himself.
“I'd love for you to be there as well, Professor. After all, you're the heart of the Blue Lion House.”
Byleth smiled, thinking back at his kind words.
“Hey, why don’t you join us professor?” Annette promptly suggested, holding a mischievous look in her eyes. “We can even give you a makeover too!”
“Oh yes, what a wonderful idea Annie!” Mercedes turned to Annette with a matching smile. “It’ll give us Blue Lion girls some time to bond.”
Byleth blinked, feeling surprised by the unexpected invitation. “Me? I don’t know -”
“Pretty please!” Annette clasped her hands together, giving Byleth the best puppy eyes she could muster.
“We’ll only use a tiny bit of makeup, just a smidge!” Mercedes added with a wink.
Byleth looked between both girls and sighed. They showed such genuine enthusiasm and Byleth did not like letting her students down, no matter the task. A small amount of makeup couldn’t hurt, right?
“Alright.”
The two best friends squealed with excitement as they grabbed the professor by the arm. The three girls then made their way up the stairs to the second floor of the dormitories. The second floor was just as busy as the first, with students rushing all over and preparing themselves for the evening’s activities. Once in front of Ingrid’s assigned room, Annette eagerly knocked on her door. It took less than a minute for Ingrid to answer, her expression apprehensive at the sight of her classmates and professor.
“I see they dragged you into this as well, Professor.” Ingrid half-laughed, shaking her head.
“Indeed they did. I hope you don’t mind the intrusion.”
Ingrid further widened her door, allowing everyone inside. “Not at all.”
Byleth sat down on Ingrid’s bed while Annette and Mercedes laid out the products within their bags on the nearest desk. As Annette and Mercedes shuffled around, Byleth and Ingrid gave each other a questioning stare, neither quite sure what they’ve gotten themselves into.
Once fully prepped, Annette turned around with a smirk. “So who wants to go first?”
“I’ll do it.” Ingrid groaned, raising her hand. “I just want to get this over with already.”
The two best friends once again squealed with excitement as they urged Ingrid to take a seat in her chair. Ingrid sat down quietly while Annette and Mercedes hovered over her like busy bees. A conversation soon broke out between the three of them regarding expectations for tonight’s ball.
Byleth shifted awkwardly on the bed, not knowing how to contribute to their conversation. Being around girls her own age so casually was never something Byleth was used to while growing up. She was always the youngest mercenary in the group, so she had no experience when it came to socially interacting with her generation. Thankfully though, after the many months at Garreg Mach she was now starting to get used to it. She had her students to thank for slowly melting away her old aloof nature. Even her own father noticed a change as she began to express more emotions.
“Will this be your first time at a ball Professor?”
Mercedes’ question broke Byleth out of her train of thoughts. “Yes, it is.”
“How exciting! I’m sure you’ll have a great time.” she smiled.
Byleth nodded and asked her own question, wanting to continue the conversation. “What about you three?”
Ingrid peaked out from underneath the two girls to meet Byleth’s gaze. “The Kingdom has held many balls in the past, so this isn’t something we’re unfamiliar with.”
“Ingrid, don’t move your head so much!” Annette scolded.
“Sorry!”
“Say Professor,” Mercedes looked at her once again with a soft smile, “have you heard about the legend of the Goddess Tower?”
Byleth tilted her head with curiosity. “Legend?”
“It’s said that if a man and a woman go to the Goddess Tower together and make a wish, it’s sure to come true!”
A memory surfaced into Byleth’s mind as she instantly remembered the conversation she had with the Gatekeeper a few days ago. He had mentioned to her the story during one of their weekly report discussions.
“Professor, do you have anyone you’d like to meet in the Goddess Tower?” This time it was Annette who asked.
Is there someone I feel that way about? …a certain blonde prince came to mind.
“Yes!” Sothis’ voice erupted in her mind.
Byleth stiffened, a blush creeping upon her cheeks. Sothis always had the worst timing.
“No.” Byleth answered sheepishly, while inwardly shushing the green haired girl within her.
The three girls looked at each other quietly with a knowing smile, but no one said a word. After a few seconds of silence, a new conversation soon started and Byleth joined in herself, feeling more relaxed with the trio. She had to admit, this felt nice. It was almost as if she were just a regular girl and not a trained mercenary with a mysterious mystical being stuck inside of her.
“All done!”
Annette and Mercedes moved away, revealing the final product of their work. Byleth was shocked. Ingrid looked marvelous, the makeup on her face only further enhancing her natural beauty. For a moment, Byleth felt excited for what was to come. Perhaps this was a good idea after all.
“You’re up Professor!”
~*~*~*~
The sun had finally set over the mountains of Garreg Mach, signaling the start of the ball. The reception hall was crowded with students chatting and sipping on drinks. Elegant candlelight and tables adored with bouquets of red roses decorated the room. The sound of music from the orchestra filled the air as couples danced near the center of the hall.
Byleth stood by the side of a table near the dance floor, quietly observing over the students. She had come dressed in her own student uniform as suggested by Annette, Mercedes, and Ingrid earlier that day. They said it complimented her well. Byleth held no objections as she too enjoyed wearing her school uniform. She remembered the stunned expression the prince gave her when he first saw her wearing it. She wasn’t sure if it had made him feel uncomfortable at first, but he quickly denied it and requested she wear it more often if it made her feel more included.
While she continued to watch silently, Byleth caught her reflection in a nearby mirror. Her skin was smooth, there was a rosy glow to her cheeks, her lashes were dark and thick, and her lips held a small amount of shine. She had to admit, she was rather happy with how Annette and Mercedes made her look.
As the night trifled on, Byleth started to feel a little out of place. She was not used to attending such an elegant event. The battlefield was much more her speed. However, she decided to grin and bear it while watching her students happily mingle with each other. Ashe and Dedue stood by the many tables supplied with food, both admiring the grand feast laid out before them. Ingrid and Mercedes chatted happily together in a corner while Annette pestered Felix to dance. Sylvain, as expected, was surrounded by a group of girls, a coy smile plastered on his face.
Byleth’s eyes scanned the room in search of her last remaining student. All of a sudden, a flash of blue caught her vision. Byleth glanced toward the dance floor and caught sight of the house leader that had been recently occupying her thoughts. Dimitri danced gracefully across the dance floor with another student in his arms. A swift tinge of jealousy, so small she almost missed it, bubbled up inside of her. Jealousy was an emotion she was unfamiliar with, and so she stuffed it down as deep as it could go. She had no right to feel that way. She wasn’t a fellow student, but his professor after all. She had to make sure to remain professional and unbiased.
The moment Byleth turned away, her eyes caught sight of another young lord. Claude stood a few feet across from her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He gave her a quick smile and strolled over to her. He winked playfully and before she knew it, he had grabbed her hand and led her straight onto the dance floor.
Thankfully, Byleth could follow his lead as she had learned to dance while working as a mercenary. Jeralt had even taught her a few moves or two during her childhood. It was not a skill she was particularly great at, but she felt comfortable enough to train Flayn in order to compete in (and win) the White Heron Cup.
As she danced with Claude, she felt her nerves slowly easing away. However, she was swiftly whisked away by another student. Her student. The red headed philanderer shot her a smirk as he guided her further into the center of the room. Byleth mentally prepared herself for the flirtatious comment coming her way. It came just as she predicted, but this time she grinned. Although Sylvain was a womanizer, she still liked him as her student. After having several conversations with him, she knew there was more depth to him than what he let on.
Her dance with Sylvain came to an abrupt halt when she felt him shove her into the arms of another.
The sudden act caught Byleth by surprise. “Sylvain!”
“Sorry Professor, but I gotta give all these lovely ladies a turn as well.” Sylvain shouted with a wink. “But don’t worry, I left you in good hands!”
Confused at his statement, Byleth’s eyes trailed up the strong chest she landed on until she found herself staring into a pair familiar blue eyes. Her breath hitched in her throat.
“Dimitri,”
The crown prince of Faerghus stood in front of her, face flushed, but still wearing his usual kind smile. His arms securely wrapped around her.
“G-Good evening Professor,” he stuttered with eyebrows raised. “…you look different tonight.”
Byleth instantly felt her nervousness returning. Why was she suddenly feeling so self-conscious? “Oh, I agreed to allow Annette and Mercedes to use some of their makeup on me. I’m sure I must look rather strange.”
“You look positively radiant.”
His words caused a sudden wave of warmth to overcome her. It was a familiar feeling. She had first noticed this feeling the night they all rescued Flayn from the Death Night; he had called her smile mesmerizing. The second time was after their victory in the Battle of the Eagle and Lion; he commented on how he loved seeing her happy. Besides his charm, it was the sincerity beneath those words that Byleth believed affected her the most.
She tried her best to keep her stoic expression, which was surprisingly getting harder to achieve. “Thank you.”
“Oh pardon my manners,” he bowed, extending his hand. “may I have this dance?”
Byleth nodded, the corners of her lips slightly turning upward. “Of course.”
Dimitri took her hand in his and slipped his arm around her waist. She placed her other hand on his shoulder and waited to follow his lead as they danced across the room. It wasn’t until now that Byleth had realized just how much he towered over her or how small her hand was within his grasp. For being slightly younger than her, he was built rather big. Her startling awareness of their proximity caused her to feel a bit rattled.
She tried to distract herself with a recent and funny memory.
“You know, for someone who begged me not to choose them as the house representative for the White Heron Cup, you’re very light on your feet.” she teased.
“Please, I don’t deserve such praise.” Dimitri shook his head, eyebrows scrunched. “Dancing has never been my forte and I did not want to let the Blue Lions house down.”
“Well I think you make an excellent dance partner.”
“Thank you.” Byleth wasn’t sure, but she swore she saw a hint of pink bloom across his face.
They swayed in a comfortable silence, until a concerning thought crossed her mind.
“How have you been feeling lately? I know the events of Remire Village weighed heavily on you.”
A full month had yet to pass since their last mission at Remire Village. What they saw when they arrived was devastating; a village engulfed in flames, children crying, and citizens attacking their own home. It was also discovered during last month’s mission that they had been tricked by a man called Solomon, posing as Tomas.
But amongst all that chaos, Byleth had noticed a dark change within Dimitri. It seemed as though being surrounded by such havoc triggered him, causing him to act unlike himself…more malicious. It wasn’t until returning back to the monastery that he revealed his struggle with his inner darkness and quest for vengeance. Since then, Byleth had kept a watchful eye on him, hoping to ease his pain as much as possible.
“I am doing better.” His reply was short.
She tilted her head, not quite believing him. “How about your headaches? Have they decreased at all?”
He nodded. “Yes, the herbs you gifted me for my birthday were quite soothing.”
Byleth still wasn’t sure if he was being entirely truthful, but she didn’t want to push him further. Besides, this was supposed to be a joyful night. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, but please know that my door is always open if you need someone to talk to.”
The next few words left her lips without even giving it a second thought. “I care about you Dimitri.”
Dimitri stumbled, suddenly tripping over his own two feet. He mumbled a quick “sorry” while he readjusted himself into a dancing position.
“I um -” he coughed nervously, “I very much appreciate your offer, Professor.”
His flustered behavior went right over Byleth’s head as she beamed at him. “Perhaps after tomorrow’s mission, you’d like to join me for tea?”
He returned her smile, tenfold. “Yes, I’d like that very much.”
Their dancing was soon interrupted by Ferdinand, who requested to have the next dance. Dimitri, chivalrous as always, bowed and wished Byleth a goodnight before disappearing within the crowd.
~*~*~*~
The night air felt cool against her skin as Byleth stepped onto the courtyard.
“Running away? I understand. You hardly had the time to breathe in there. It must be hard to be the favorite teacher at the ball!” Sothis joked, “Poor, poor Professor!”
It was true, Byleth certainly didn’t expect all the attention she had received. She also wasn’t expecting to be asked to dance by so many students. It was a little bit overwhelming.
“I am not everyone's favorite…”
Sothis made a small ‘hmph’ sound. If Byleth were to guess, she would say that Sothis was crossing her arms right about now. “Was that a joke? I find it hard to tell with you. Oh well, at least I am positive that you are the favorite teacher of a certain blonde lord. It makes sense, he is after all your favorite student as well.”
“It’s not like that.” Byleth retorted defensively.
“Oh really? Do you not praise him the most during your lectures? Are you not the most mindful of him when on the battlefield? Do you not invite him to tea the most out of all the other students?” she countered. “You cannot fool me girl!”
Before Byleth could retaliate, the sound of footsteps caught her attention.
“Ah, speak of the devil!” The smirk in Sothis’ voice unmissable.
Byleth turned to her right and saw as Dimitri came into view, stretching his arms out. He quickly took notice of her presence.
“Professor? What are you doing here?”
The question soon started a conversation revolving around Dimitri’s past with Edelgard. Byleth dismissed Sothis’ comments in her head and paid attention as he divulged his story. This was not the first time they had spoken about his childhood. He had mentioned to her before that he and Edelgard were siblings by marriage. It made Byleth happy knowing that he felt comfortable enough to share his secrets with her.
As the conversation neared its end, Byleth half-expected Dimitri to call it a night. However, she was pleasantly surprised when their discussion continued.
“Professor… Will you join me for a bit? You must be getting a bit tired of the ball by now.”
Byleth silently nodded and followed him without question. She was curious as to where he wanted to take her; the commotion of the night’s festivities slowly fading out of range. She did not realize where they were going until they had walked passed the cathedral. The Goddess Tower was the only building that remained ahead of them and Byleth’s curiosity only got stronger. There were no guards in sight as they climbed up the stairs of the Goddess Tower. Once at the top, Dimitri took a moment to appreciate the view. Byleth followed his gaze and watched as the lights of Garreg Mach twinkled below them.
“It’s quiet here, isn't it, Professor?” Dimitri was the first one to break the silence. “That reminds me. Do you know the legend associated with the Goddess Tower?”
She faced him and nodded, recalling the conversation she had earlier that day with her students. Is that why he brought her here? To make a wish? She didn’t want to admit it, but the thought itself excited her.
“I've heard it.”
“Is that right?” Dimitri crossed his arms and gave her a rather shocked expression. “You don't strike me as the sort to enjoy stories like that. They say that wishes made in this tower will come true. I wonder who came up with such a silly notion.”
“You don't believe it?”
“Legends are legends, nothing more. I doubt there are many who really believe that wishes can be granted. The goddess just watches over us from above... That is all. No matter how hard someone begs to be saved, she would never so much as offer her hand. And even if she did, we lack the means to reach out and grasp it. That's how I feel about her.”
Byleth listened quietly with a sorrowful expression. She knew of his past; of the tragedy he experienced first hand. She knew his words came from a place of misery and anguish. Hearing him sound so hopeless caused her chest to ache.
“In any case…” Dimitri continued, the tone in his voice becoming lighter. “I suppose there's no harm in passing the time with silly legends. What do you say, Professor? Care to make a wish? We are here on the night of the ball. Why don't you try wishing for something?”
A wish?
Looking at the young lord in front of her, she immediately knew what she wanted to wish for. She wanted to ease his suffering; to give him the strength to forgive himself. However, there was some part of her that desired another wish… to be selfish and indulge in a hidden fantasy she created after her many moments alone with him.
Not brave enough to say either aloud, Byleth just shook her head. “I can't think of anything, so go ahead.”
“A wish of my own…” Dimitri pondered for a moment, a hand resting under his chin. “I suppose my wish...is for a world in which no one would ever be unjustly taken from us. Or...something along those lines.”
“That’s a great wish.” Byleth smiled at the sincerity of his prayer. He was always so honorable and compassionate. She only wished he hadn’t gone through such hardships and loss in life.
“Thank you, Professor. Although, at a time like this…” he trailed off, “Perhaps it would make more sense for me to wish that we'll be together forever. What do you think?”
Byleth’s heart would’ve skipped a beat if it could; the air in her lungs sucked out from within. She could’ve sworn she even heard Sothis gasp. Byleth questioned if she heard him correctly. Was she possibly dreaming? She brought a hand up to her face as she racked her brain for an appropriate response, but the sound of laughter interrupted her.
“...Haha! Well now, Professor! You must admit I've improved in the art of joke telling.”
Suddenly, she could breathe again, but a feeling of disappointment hit her like a sudden blow on the battlefield.
She straightened up, trying her hardest to keep the hurt from showing. It didn’t sound like a joke… “That’s cruel.”
“I'm sorry... I guess that was rather thoughtless of me. Honestly... I do regret saying such a thing. Please think nothing of it.” Dimitri frowned, avoiding her gaze. “I've blurted out irresponsible things like that to my classmates. Promises that we'll see each other again and the like. I have no business making such promises for the future. There are certain things that I must accomplish, even if it means risking my life. I may not even have a future to promise to someone.”
That last sentence made the ache in her chest intensify. She thought back to the day he told her he sought revenge for those responsible for the tragedy. Harboring the regrets of the dead was a heavy burden. A burden she did not want for him to carry alone. A burden she one day hoped to release him from.
“We should head back soon. It's rude of me to keep you all to myself. Shall we, Professor?”
Assuming she would follow behind, Dimitri walked past Byleth and made his way toward the exit. As she watched him walk away, she felt something snap within her. This was not the way she wanted this night to end.
The ache in her chest suddenly became unbearable and the feelings she had stored deeply within herself began to unravel. She had always managed to stay in control of her impulses, but right now, control was the last thing she was focused on. Never in her life had she experienced such a rush of emotions. And she knew he was to blame.
“Dimitri, wait!”
Before she knew it, she had caught his wrist in her hand. The action surprising them both.
His body tensed at her sudden contact. He turned around, a familiar pink tint washing across his features. “P-Professor?”
The words spilled out of her lips faster than she could think. “What if I… What if I wanted to wish for the same thing?” her words barely above a whisper, “…for us to be together forever?”
Dimitri froze, a stillness quickly filling the space between them. She noticed his eyes widen and his face become a darker shade of red. Had she upset him? Perhaps he really was just joking earlier, but she could’ve sworn that maybe…just maybe he felt the same way too. She stared deep into his cobalt eyes, trying to search for an answer, but his gaze was too hard to read. As the silence continued between them, she started to feel the sting of rejection. The silence once so comforting was now so painful.
Byleth let go of his wrist, hand dropping back to her side. She should have never trusted these new feelings. Now she had ruined everything. It was too much, too soon. How could their relationship recover from this? There was no going back now…or was there? The power of the Divine Pulse thumped within her and she contemplated over whether this counted as an emergency. Perhaps she could use it to go back in time and -
“Don’t be a coward!” Sothis hissed.
Or maybe she could just apologize. She could blame it on having too many drinks at the ball. That seemed to always be the excuse for Manuela anyway, so maybe it could work for her too. Yes, that’s what she’d do.
“I’m -”
A pair of warm lips silenced her; her words now long forgotten as Dimitri’s mouth pressed softly against her own. His lips lingered for only a few moments before he drew away, leaving Byleth in complete bewilderment. Dimitri rested his forehead on hers, the concerned look in his eyes slowly asking if she was alright. Byleth relished at his thoughtfulness, quickly recovering from her shock. A new sensation ignited within her as she stood on her toes and recaptured his lips.
The kiss was slow and gentle. Warmth spread throughout her body as their mouths remained connected, moving in sync with one another. Dimitri tenderly stroked her face with his thumb while his other hand rested on her waist. Never in her life had Byleth been handled with such care. Her fingers clenched onto his uniform, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel the beating of his heart against her chest.
As they slowly pulled away to catch their breaths, Dimitri’s arms did not loosen around her. He kept her locked within his grasp, as if he were afraid she would run away if he were to let go. She accepted his embrace, her head comfortably settling under his chin and against his chest; his heartbeat comforting and soothing.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for the longest time.” he confessed breathlessly.
Byleth only replied with a tighter squeeze, reassuring him that she wanted this as well.
“…but what do we do now?”
The question shattered her newly acquired peace of mind. She had no idea what came next. This was a rather complicated situation. Although similar in age, she was still his professor. It could be seen as inappropriate if they started a relationship.
She shook her head, “I don’t know.”
…..
“Come back with me.”
She pulled away from his arms and looked up at him, confusion written all over her face. “What?”
“After the school year ends, come back to the Kingdom with me.” Dimitri’s expression was as serious as could be.
Byleth was taken aback by the sudden request. She was never one to plan ahead, especially as a mercenary living day by day. Could she really break away and make her own path? Leave Garreg Mach? Leave her father?
“Dimitri, I don’t -”
He cut her off with a loving smile. “You don’t have to give me an answer right now. Just please, tell me you’ll think about it? Nothing would make me happier than to have you by my side in Fhirdiad.”
His remark left a fluttering sensation in her stomach. She returned his loving stare with a smile.
She nodded, “Yes. I promise.”
“Good.” Dimitri held a pleased expression as he grabbed her hand, gently bringing it up to his lips. “Until then, Byleth.”
She gasped, surprised to hear the sound of her name slip past his lips for the first time. It felt right. Byleth quietly watched as Dimitri made his way down the steps of the Goddess Tower, his frame slowly disappearing from her sight.
Suddenly, five years felt like too long of a time to wait.