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“Constance?” Edelgard’s voice echoed through the night skies as Constance noticed the silver tresses emerge.
They stood atop of the monastery rooftops, akin to when they were students. An air of nostalgia returned as she recalled the days when she would sneak away onto the rooftop with the then Imperial princess – then, quickly they make haste to return indoors as the wintry breeze proved to be too much up by the Oghma Mountains for the two to handle with how scarcely they dressed for the occasion; at least, Constance was dressed inadequately. In retrospect, Edelgard seemed fine – perhaps it was the mechanisms of her second crest. Regardless of the reasoning, it was much warmer underneath the night sky of the Blue Sea Moon.
“Edelgard! You came, ahaha!” Constance laughed upon the arrival of her emperor.
“You said it was for a pressing matter, Constance?” Clad in red, Edelgard waved a piece of paper folded up nicely in the air.
“It is! Behold, the sky is clear and the stars are dancing! We must see it up close!” Constance gesticulated as she twirled on her heel. “Come! I even brought my steed!”
“Constance can we not see it from here – we are above ground,” Edelgard shook her head and frowned.
“What you say is true but your majesty, this sight must be beholden up close! Come, it shan’t take more than an hour or two. The night is young!” Constance chuckled before she leapt on her Pegasus, casting a gaze over at Edelgard. “If your majesty has a heightened awareness then I will allow you to hold onto me.”
The emperor sighed and shook her head before conceding. With one hand extended, Constance awaited for the arrival of her liege prior to reaching for her fingers to pull her onto her steed. When Edelgard tentatively settled behind her, she only looked back as she watched the Adrestian emperor lean her head against her back with her arms wrapped around the blonde woman’s waist.
Edelgard von Hresvelg was the silver maiden underneath that heavy armour that she wore on the battlefield. There was an etch of tenderness written across her features when she allowed herself to smile amidst the duties that befell upon her shoulders. With Byleth missing, it has been hard on her and Constance could only wonder what she could do for her to assist with the grief.
She remembered when Edelgard told her she enjoyed the night breeze when sleep evaded her and she knew that the emperor seldom slept in the face of war as the declaration of war from other territories, the retaliation of the Alliance and the Kingdom was wearing her down. There was no moment for respite, no room for languorous indulgences, instead the emperor had to endure all the hardships on her own without a confidant.
But not when Constance is around. Even if Edelgard was intent on building inpenetable castle walls around herself, she will find a way to break them down. Even if Edelgard felt as if her words were a burden to her, she will gladly halve it. As they soared through the skies, she felt Edelgard hold onto her tighter.
The feeling was exhilarating. The sensation of the night breeze against her skin as the moonlight illuminated their forms felt akin to a chapter from a romance novel. When she stopped her steed, she turned her eyes to regard the emperor who ever so slightly relinquished her vice grip around her waist.
“Behold! They are beautiful, yes?” Constance grinned from ear to ear as she shifted her position to sit with her legs dangling off one side of her steed’s form. “Surely this view would not be so readily available on monastery grounds – we are floating higher than the Goddess Tower itself!”
“Perhaps…” Edelgard, breathless from the experience prior began to shift her position to match Constance’s. Her gloved fingers clutched tight around her lover’s hand as she rotated to regard the moon.
They sat in silence, silently remarking the moon’s beauty. To see the land so peaceful in a time of strife was a rarity. Perhaps, this was a way to escape the duties that lie beneath their soles. Perhaps this would be deemed irresponsible for people like Hubert – luckily, he was terrified of flying otherwise, he surely would appear by their side!
Constance could hear Edelgard inhale sharply as she rested her head against her own shoulders. This was a moment she wanted to hold onto for how fleeting it was for them to have moments of respite in the face of war. Even if it was an ephemeral moment between them, the ephemerality of peace was enough to quell any doubts she might have lingering within herself.
“They pale in comparison,” Edelgard spoke in a cool, esoteric tone as Constance raised her brow to only regard her lover curiously.
“I do not comprehend…? Compared to what?” Constance inquired with a frown forming.
“You. They pale in comparison to you,” Edelgard spoke with a grin on her lips and at that Constance only flushed into a deep shade of scarlet. “Constance, you can take me to the most beautiful exhibit across Fodlan and my eyes would only be fixated on you. The stars pale in comparison to your radiance.”
“E-Edelgard! Ah, you – you’re making me blush—” The blonde maiden turned away from the emperor and Edelgard only chuckled as she nuzzled herself closer against Constance’s body.
“How unlike you to deny a compliment. You are quite vexing, Constance,” Edelgard hummed.
“Oh you – I, ahaha…” Constance laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of her head sheepishly in response. “You got my heart all aflutter – I suppose I must return the favour!”
“You really do – there is no need, really! Hm, has it been an hour yet? I think we should retire to our chambers,” Edelgard laughed nervously as a coy grin surfaced Constance’s lips.
“You wish to retire? Alright. Sally away! I shall offer your majesty an earful as we soar through the night skies!”
“You really don’t need to, Constance…”
“Oh but I do insist!”