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In all her years of teaching at the Officer’s Academy, Manuela has had visits from various students and even staff. Some on errands, some for healing, and some were even duped into bringing her to her room because she was too drunk to walk on her own.
So, with that said, she wasn’t really expecting anything different when the Princess of Brigid paid a visit to her clinic.
“Ah, Petra, to what do I owe this visit?” She asked with a teasing tone to her voice.
“Um...greetings, Manuela. May I be speaking to you for a moment?” The Princess requested as she fiddled with her skirts.
“Of course. Are you in need of healing or something else entirely?” Manuela said with a seductive lilt in her voice.
“Um...I would like to be speaking to you about Dorothea.”
“Dorothea? Is she alright?” the former songstress asked, her teasing tone replaced by one of concern.
“Oh please, do not be worrying much. Dorothea is fine. She is currently playing with the orphaned children.” Petra reported with a chuckle.
“I see. Well, what is it about dear Dorothea that you would like to speak to me about? I’ve noticed the two of you have been spending time together more often than not.” she asked as she offered her a chair and a cup of tea. With a nod of gratitude, Petra took her offer and sat, nursing the cup in her hands.
“I am having a recollection of a tale that Dorothea has told me once. About how you were the one who was finding-I mean...found her in the streets of Enbarr as a child.”
Well, of all the discussions that Manuela expected to have with Petra, this was definitely not one of them. While she has no qualms about Dorothea telling her friends of her humble origins, she certainly didn’t think it was something she would openly share with Petra. Not because she was ashamed of where she came from, in fact, she was proud of having survived the streets long enough to be discovered by the opera company, but rather, it was because it was such a painful time of her life.
“Professor Manuela?”
Petra’s voice snapped her out of her reminiscence and she turned to her current companion, who was giving her a confused look.
“Ah, if you’re looking for confirmation, then yes. I was indeed the one who found her singing by the opera house’s alleyway.” Manuela responded with a sad and wistful smile. “Poor thing was hungry and freezing on the streets but there she was; singing her heart out. Sure, she was rough around the edges back then but I thought, with just a little bit of guidance, this girl could be one of the best songstresses that has ever graced the stage.”
“I am having much confusion. What do you mean ‘rough around the edges’? Dorothea is one of the smoothest women I am knowing of.” The Princess of Brigid said, tilting her head in confusion. Manuela could only chuckle; she almost forgot about Petra’s difficulties with the Fodlan language, especially when it came to idioms.
“It’s an expression, my dear. It means her talent needed to be developed further.” She responded with a smile as she took a sip of her tea. “But I digress. At the time I found her, little Dorothea had already been without her mother for a few years. Her father was most likely a noble who threw them out when Dorothea failed to manifest a crest. With nowhere else to go, I decided to take her in to be trained in the opera. And the rest, as they say, is history.”
At the mention of Dorothea’s father, Petra made the effort not to clench her fist around the teacup she was currently holding, lest she break it and make a mess in Manuela’s clinic. She recalled the story of Dorothea’s supposed father; a vain nobleman who discarded her and her mother due to her lack of a crest. Then, when he saw her at Mittlefrank a few years later, he didn’t even recognize her. He even tried to flirt with her. Once she heard the story, Petra resolved then and there to run her blade through him if he ever made his presence known to them.
“You know, I doubt a confirmation of Dorothea’s story is what you came for. So, why not tell me what’s going through that pretty little head of yours.” Manuela suggested as she stood and got back to rearranging the medical supplies for the army. Petra stood as well and her next words thoroughly knocked the wind out of Manuela’s sails.
“You are having correctness. It is not the only reason I came.” She said. “I would like to be asking your permission to be court...uh...to court Dorothea.”
Manuela’s eyes widened and she had to set her clipboard down to thoroughly process Petra’s words.
“Why?”
“Based on your story, you are the closest thing to a figure of parenting for Dorothea. I thought it would only be proper if I were requesting your permission to court her first.” She earnestly said. “Dorothea is thinking the world of you. I am thinking she would be appreciating it greatly if I first asked you.”
If she were to be honest, Manuela was actually flattered that Petra would ask her for permission in courting Dorothea. She never really appreciated the depths of Dorothea’s admiration for her; all she knew was that she was her inspiration for singing. It never once crossed her mind that Dorothea might see her as a mother figure. With a sigh, she spoke.
“Are you certain about this? We are in the middle of a war. You could lose Dorothea or she could lose you without a moment’s notice.”
Without any preamble, Petra nodded with a determined look on her face.
“I am having much certainty about courting Dorothea. The war is one of my reasons for wanting to be courting her.” She stated. “My grandfather has always been telling me that if I am loving someone, I should make it known to them, especially during war.”
Petra’s smile turned into a wistful one upon remembering her grandfather. He was wise and beloved by the people of Brigid and he dearly loved her father and grandmother. But she also recalled how broken he was by their deaths, even admitting that despite the love he showed them, he felt like it wasn’t enough. That’s when that pearl of wisdom left his lips to be imparted to his only grandchild; so she wouldn’t make the same mistakes he thought he made towards his loved ones.
“Then, so long as you love her and are true to her...then I suppose I must allow you to court Dorothea.” Manuela said with a smile.
“Thank you, Professor Manuela. You are having my gratitude. I shall be doing my best to ensure Dorothea feels much happiness with me.”
Before Petra can leave, however, Manuela spoke.
“Not so fast.” Petra turned to her with a confused look on her face. “I will allow you to court Dorothea...on the condition that you never tell her you asked for it in the first place.”
“Why would you be wanting that? Wouldn’t Dorothea be having gladness to know that you care?” Petra asked her in a confused tone.
“I just don’t want her to think I have any say in her life. I’m not her mother after all. So, that’s my condition. You may court Dorothea...but this conversation never took place.”
With everything said, Petra nodded and bounded out of the clinic with a spring in her step, leaving Manuela all by her lonesome.
“Ah...kids these days...I need a drink.”
After Petra’s conversation with Manuela in the clinic, she immediately headed to the greenhouses and spotted the vibrant red flowers that she was looking for. With great care, she removed the roses from where they were planted and tied them together with an equally vibrant red ribbon. The cuts at the stem were a bit messier than she would like but she had no time to seek out Bernadetta or anyone else for assistance. Once she was done, she went on her way toward the fishing pond, where she knew Dorothea would be at this time of day.
Upon her arrival, Petra was pleased to see her hunch was correct; by the pond that Professor Byleth used to frequent, Dorothea sat on the ground, holding a book in her hands as she read to the orphaned children that had been taken into the monastery to keep them safe from the war. She smiled at the sight. The children had always been enamoured with Dorothea and she with them. In fact, if she wasn’t on the front or helping plan their next attack, she could almost always be found with the children, playing with them, reading to them, or telling them stories and legends from eras gone by. To them, she was an angel who kept them company and comforted them through these hard times. To her, they were her rock; even more people to keep her grounded and sane through the bloodshed and death around her. Dorothea was by no means a weak woman but it was clear that sometimes, the war was taking its toll on her.
“What happened next, Miss Dot?” A little girl asked her. With a gentle smile, Dorothea closed the book and looked at the children.
“What happened next? Well, as far as I know, what happened next is that a pack of orphaned children needed to return inside for lunch.” She said teasingly. The children groaned in disappointment, too enamoured with the story Dorothea was telling them just now.
“Go on, children. We’ll continue this some other time.”
Despite their disappointment, the children didn’t fail to give her an embrace before they ran back inside for their meal. Once they were gone, Dorothea’s gaze finally landed on Petra, whose heart began to beat faster at the sight of the beautiful songstress before her.
“How long have you been standing there, my dear Petra?” she asked as she drew closer.
“I have been observing you for a while now.” Petra honestly answered with a shy smile. Before Dorothea can say anything else, she brought the roses from behind her and offered them.
“Oh! Oh my, they’re lovely Petra. Thank you.” Dorothea said, her voice filled with gratitude as she took the bouquet from her.
“I am having gladness that you are liking them. There is something I would like to be asking you, Dorothea.” The Princess of Brigid said as blood steadily rose to her cheeks and her blushing became apparent.
“What is it? Don’t be shy now. You can tell me anything.” She gently said, more than willing to give Petra the time she needs to compose her thoughts. Much to her shock, Petra took the flowers and gently set them on the ground next to her before she stood and took Dorothea’s hands in her own.
“Dorothea…” She began, uncharacteristically nervous. “I would like to be court-”
Petra took a pause, trying to find the right words for what she wanted to say.
“I would like to court you, Dorothea. If you’ll let me that is.”
What happened next was the longest 30 seconds of her life and when Dorothea finally spoke, it wasn’t what she was expecting.
“Are you certain? We’re in a war right now and both of us could die on the battlefield, Petra. Not to mention I have nothing to offer you; I’m not a noble. I have no lands or prestige apart from being a songstress. Surely, there are better suitors for you out there.”
Ah, so that was it. Chuckling, Petra merely shook her head.
“I am knowing that many men and women will be vying for my hand but you are the only one I am wanting, Dorothea. I will be courting you to prove it to you. I promise.”
Returning the bouquet to her, Petra kissed her cheek before she ran off, intending to prove to Dorothea in so many ways that she was the only one she wanted to be with.
While Dorothea knew that Petra meant her words, she didn’t exactly realize that she would be active in proving them. Since the day she made her intentions known, Petra had been sticking close to her as much as possible if neither had any obligations for the day. At times, Petra had to leave on the missions Edelgard would give her, as would Dorothea. But whenever they were both in the monastery at the same time, Petra would do things for her that she found endearing: leaving her flowers, accompanying her to dinner, escorting her to her room, and even playing with the children and teaching them new things. Dorothea had always known that Petra was a kind and caring woman, despite the circumstances that brought her to Fodlan, and she admired her for that.
But now, with all of Petra’s romantic gestures, how could Dorothea not fall for Brigid’s Princess?
From the moment Petra declared her intentions to court her, Dorothea knew that her affection was genuine. More so than the men and women she’d dated before. Petra was sweet and kind and she did it because she really did feel something for her. Unlike her previous suitors who only found her desirable for her beauty and voice, both of which would fade with time. She had every intention of telling her she felt the same but Edelgard had sent Petra out on an urgent mission, only being able to grant Petra enough time to gather her things and give her a quick farewell before she was out of the monastery yet again, with only Caspar and a few others to keep her company.
Thus, Dorothea’s waiting game began. The hours became a few days and those few days eventually turned into a week. And eventually, they did return. But not in the state that they expected them to…
“Dorothea, wake up!”
Startled, Dorothea bolted from her bed, only to see Ferdinand in her room with a distraught look on his face.
“Ferdie, what’s going on?” she asked, still half-asleep. When he didn’t answer immediately, she began to worry.
“It’s Petra…”
That was all he needed to say to get Dorothea out of bed. He led her to Manuela’s clinic where the former songstress was hard at work on healing someone laying on one of the beds.
“Ah, Dorothea, you’re here. I need your help. Please.”
With a nod, Dorothea grew closer and was distraught when she saw who Manuela was treating…
It was Petra, knocked out and lying on her side with a nasty sword wound on her back. It was fresh and still oozing blood, clearly it would scar once healed. Dorothea wanted to scream and cry but she decided that Petra needed her right now. Silently and steadily, she began to work with Manuela to heal her. They disinfected her wounds and used healing magic here and there but they would still need to keep an eye on her in case something else happened. Exhausted, Dorothea sunk down to Petra’s bedside and held the sleeping girl’s hand. Were it not for the gentle breaths leaving her, it would have been easy to mistake her for a dead person.
“What happened?” Dorothea asked, her eyes not leaving Petra.
“We were on our way back when we were ambushed. Kingdom soldiers, it looked like. There were so many of them for our party to take on. I got careless, wasn’t watching my back. So, when a soldier was about to run me through, Petra pushed me away and took the hit instead.” Caspar said in a depressed tone. It was clear the boy was blaming himself for Petra being in this position.
“It wasn’t your fault. And I’m sure Petra would say the same.”
Neither said a word after that. Instead, they sat there in Manuela’s little clinic, keeping vigil in case Petra needed them for anything.
xxx
Dorothea had no idea when she fell asleep but she did and she awoke to fingers gently running through her hair. Groggily, she opened her eyes until she eventually remembered where she was and the events of last night. She bolted up from her bed, only to spot Petra looking at her fondly. There was a small cut on her chin that she hadn’t noticed previously, but it only made her more beautiful. She came so close to losing her beloved Petra and it scared Dorothea so much that she almost died without knowing what she felt for her.
“Dorothea, good mo-”
She didn’t even get to finish her sentence as Dorothea swiftly pressed her lips against Petra’s.
It was only bliss from then on. Like before, Petra continued on with her affectionate gestures toward the songstress; she accompanied her to the dining hall, left her flowers, escorted her to her room, and continued to spend time with her and the orphans of Garreg Mach. In fact, the only thing that changed were their sleeping arrangements and they flaunted the love they felt for one another more publicly now compared to before. Sure, once she recovered, Petra set out to go on any missions that Edelgard assigned to her with the same fervor as before. But now she had another reason to come back alive. Dorothea, for her part, had another thing to keep her steady in this war. Not only that but the feeling of being able to genuinely love someone and be loved with the same level of affection was more euphoric than she expected. Thankfully, their hardships were coming to an end.
A few months after the day that Dorothea and Petra got together, Professor Byleth returned to serve the Empire with the Black Eagles Strike Force. It was only one victory after another from then on, eventually resulting in the Alliance falling into their hands with the fall of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus and the unfortunate death of King Dimitri. Claude, on the other hand, was allowed to return to Almyra with his life, and the last of the Golden Deer that hadn’t initially joined them were absorbed into the Strike Force. The same, however, could not be said for those in the Blue Lions who didn’t join their ranks; they chose to stand with their mad liege and they paid for their choice in blood. Unfortunate. But there was no other way.
With the fall of the Kingdom’s army, Rhea’s madness reached its peak and she ordered the Knights of Seiros to burn Fhiridiad down, an order they reluctantly complied with. Thus began the battle for the control and the very soul of Fodlan. It was a long and brutal battle; one where they were lucky to make it out alive mostly intact. Wounds were sustained, casualties on both sides, and the poor commonfolk were caught in the middle. Despite that, they were the lucky ones who made it out alive after Edelgard and the Professor finally felled Rhea. As dawn broke over the city, it was clear who the victors were and that a new age would soon be ushered into Fodlan. An age where everyone was equal and free from the shackles that kept them enslaved. An age where everyone could be who they wanted to be and love who they wanted to love.
And Petra planned to exploit this new age to be with the woman she loved the most.
So, with that in mind, her feet brought her back to Manuela’s clinic yet again, where the former songstress was still busy tending to the wounded soldiers and civilians that were caught in the crossfire of their battle.
“Petra, I see you’re here again. Are you injured?” she asked her with a worried look on her face. Petra shook her head and spoke.
“No. I would like to be speaking to you, Professor.”
“Again. What could it possibly be this time?” Manuela asked good-naturedly as she wrapped a bandage around a sleeping soldier’s arm. “Shouldn’t you be celebrating with everyone else?”
“There is something that I would like to be asking you, Professor.” The Princess of Brigid said, ignoring her previous question. Manuela, for her part, merely gestured for her to continue. With a deep breath, Petra spoke once more.
“I would like to be asking you for your permission again, Professor. I would like to ask Dorothea to marry me.”
Judging from her gasp and the shocked look on her face, Manuela clearly wasn’t expecting that.
“I am knowing that you are much surprised but I cannot be living without her anymore. I would like to be marrying her and take her to Brigid with me to be my queen. But I am wanting to ask if you would be allowing me to do so.”
Without another word, Manuela drew her into an embrace, one that Petra returned after a few seconds. Eventually, they separated and the former songstress spoke.
“Please, make her happy. She deserves it.”
After a few moments, it dawned on Petra what Manuela meant and with a smile, she nodded and ran out of the clinic.
xxx
Thanks to the five years that Fodlan had been at war, it was somewhat surprising to hear the monastery spring to life in celebration. However, there were still some quiet places in the Officer’s Academy, such as the gazebo where Professor Byleth would invite them to have tea every now and then. Petra was thankful that it was easy to find Dorothea there. Stealthily, she approached her beloved, seated in one of the chairs, humming a beautiful tune to herself in quiet contemplation. Without any preamble, Petra snaked her arms around her waist, feeling the mage tense in her arms before relaxing upon realizing who it was.
“Oh, Petra. You startled me!” Dorothea said with a hint of amusement in her voice.
“I am very sorry, Dorothea. That was not my intention.” she said, nuzzling her face in her hair as she eagerly breathed in the scent of roses. Dorothea, for her part, turned in her arms to press a quick and chaste kiss to her lips.
“I don’t mind. Where have you been? We missed you at the party.” the songstress asked her.
“Please do not be worrying. I was just doing something of importance.” Petra replied with a small smile. Dorothea accepted her answer and merely leaned against her once more, with the princess feeling her loved one’s exhaustion.
“Dorothea...would you still be liking to go to Brigid with me?” She asked, trying to prevent her nervousness from showing.
“Of course. I want to see the home you love so much, my darling Petra. You’ve spoken of it so much during our school days and even during the war. And now that the war is over, we can see your home together. Just like you’ve always wanted.”
Petra gave her a wide smile and a fond look before kissing her forehead and holding her close once more. Spirits, did she love this woman. This amazing, beautiful, and compassionate woman. She was everything she could ever hope for in a wife and queen.
“Unless, of course, you don’t want me to go with you.” Dorothea suddenly said in a sad tone.
“No, no, I want you to be coming with me to Brigid. I am wanting nothing more than to introduce you to my grandfather and show you our beaches.” Petra said immediately, shooting down the notion that she doesn’t want Dorothea by her side.
“Dorothea...you are the mate of my soul and so, I want to be asking you…” She dropped down on one knee and held out the most beautiful ring that Dorothea had ever seen, with its silver band and the emerald at its center.
“Dorothea, will you marry me?”
With tears in her eyes, Dorothea nodded and kneeled down to bring their lips together. When they separated, Petra slid the ring on her finger and drew her close.
“My beloved. My queen.” She gently whispered before leaving a kiss on her temple. Not long after, they stood and rushed inside, eager to announce their happy news to their family.
Many moons later, when the pair had finally settled in Brigid, each member of the Strike Force and a certain professor in Garreg Mach received a wedding invitation from Brigid’s new queen.
Years after the war had ended, Brigid was now an independent nation and an equal of the United Empire of Fodlan thanks to the efforts of their rulers, Emperor Edelgard and Queen Petra. With the understanding and friendship that the sovereigns of both nations shared, peace was easily forged and Brigid was able to reclaim her independence. Truly, it was an era of peace and prosperity and the people from both nations lived side by side as friends.
Petra stood at one of the numerous balconies of Brigid’s royal palace, savoring the cool night breeze. It was one of her most favorite activities; to enjoy the wind and watch the stars, recalling the legends that her father used to tell her before he passed. Usually, it would calm her down. Tonight, however, things were different and she couldn’t help but take a deep breath to calm herself and try to get rid of the anxiety she was feeling. However, from an outsider’s perspective, the anxiety she felt was normal.
After all, she was about to meet her firstborn and heir today.
It was an occasion that the entire nation had been looking forward to for the past nine months. Of course, no one was more excited than she and Dorothea, but Petra couldn’t help but feel nervous. She didn’t want to lose her child and she certainly did not want to lose Dorothea the same way her father lost her mother. Petra prided herself as a strong woman but she knew she wouldn’t be able to cope if she lost her queen in childbirth. It would be too much for her to bear.
“Petra.”
Immediately, she turned and was met by Manuela.
“Professor, is it the time already?” She asked, worry laced in her voice. Amused, Manuela chuckled and shook her head.
“Not yet but we’re getting close so worry not.” she responded as she stood beside Brigid’s queen.
“It is hard to not be worrying. I do not wish to be losing her or our child.” Petra admitted without hesitation as she turned to look at the city yet again.
“Every first-time parent’s worry, I’m afraid.” The former songstress sagely replied as she leaned on the balcony’s railing. “I’m proud of how far the two of you have come. It seems like it was only yesterday when you came to my clinic, asking for permission to court her.”
When Petra said nothing, she continued.
“Thank you...for making Dorothea happy like you promised.”
Before Petra could say anything else, a guard hastily approached them and spoke in the Brigidian language.
“Your Highness, Queen Dorothea says it’s time.”
Immediately, they rushed back to the royal chambers, where a few servants were aiding Dorothea into the bed.
“Petra, Professor.” She called out for them amidst the tears. The servants made way for Manuela, knowing that she was brought here for the express purpose of aiding their queen in giving birth to the country’s heir. Petra, for her part, rushed to Dorothea’s side immediately and held her hand.
“I am here, beloved.” She said before pressing a kiss to her forehead.
“Showtime. Dorothea, I’m going to need you to push as hard as you can. Scream if you must but you’ll need to push on my signal.” Manuela ordered her. Despite the pain, Dorothea nodded.
“Push, Dorothea!”
The next few minutes were the most brutal ones of their lives. If Petra had to admit, it was worse than the war. Her mounting anxiety, Manuela barking orders, Dorothea’s screaming as she worked so hard to bring their child to the world, the chaos of everything almost made her cry until they heard it.
The wails of a newborn.
For a moment, everything was silent and only the newborn’s cries were heard as Manuela and the servants cleaned it. Another set of servants, on the other hand, helped clean Dorothea and got her dressed in new clothing before she settled down on the freshly cleaned bed yet again.
“Thank you, my love.” Petra said with happy tears in her eyes as she drew her wife closer to her and let her rest her head against her chest.
“Petra, where’s our baby?” Dorothea asked, eager to hold their child in her arms. Almost immediately, Manuela approached them, beaming as she held a cloth-covered bundle in her arms. She sat beside Dorothea and handed the child to her.
“It’s a girl.” She declared. Everyone was overjoyed at the birth of the new princess as the servants rushed out to make the announcement. The two queens, meanwhile, marveled at the child in their arms; as all newborns, she had pale pink skin but already they could see the tufts of fuschia hair on her head and her eyes were already a dark shade of green.
“My little one. Know that I will protect you and your mother with everything that I am. Always.” Petra whispered to the girl in Brigidian before she pressed her lips to her forehead. While their attentions were on the child, Manuela moved to leave but…
“Manuela, please stay.” Dorothea called for her. Manuela turned in surprise and saw Dorothea patting the spot where she used to sit.
“Please be staying, Professor.” Petra eagerly requested as well. Unable to deny them, Manuela sat and gently ran a finger through the child’s chubby cheeks. They all cooed in delight when the child moved her head closer to the finger, as if she was searching for the gentle warmth that Manuela was giving her.
“I guess this makes you Grandmother Manuela now.” Dorothea absentmindedly said with a smile as she continued to look at her daughter. It didn’t take her long to realize her possible faux pas. “Unless of course, you’d prefer to be Aunt Manuela-”
“I’m honored. I would love to be this little one’s grandmother.” she responded as she pressed a kiss to Dorothea’s forehead and then the child’s. The fact that Dorothea wanted her to be her child’s grandmother...it only confirmed to her that Dorothea really did see her as her mother. And quite frankly, she had no qualms with that. For all intents and purposes, Dorothea was her child.
“What will you name her?” She asked. Dorothea and Petra shared a conspiratorial look.
“Morrigan. Her name shall be Morrigan.” Petra said with a proud smile on her face.
“Morrigan...a beautiful name.” Manuela said with an equally proud smile.
The next morning, the servants would find the small family curled up in bed, with the newborn princess in between them, gently sleeping as she was protected by the warmth of her parents and grandmother.