Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

No. No, that wasn’t it.
Dimitri dropped (rather, he let it fall from loose fingers) the current volume in his hands and rubbed his hands over his eyes. He was getting tired and reading all of this was not helping. Where was Byleth?
He leaned his head back against the bookshelf, focused on the ceiling. Dimitri let out a sigh of agony, squeezing his eyes shut. “Byleth,” He moaned. “Where have you gone?” Dimitri felt his eyes get hot. He opened them and stared at the lantern above him, the flame in it dancing aimlessly and slowly, which he could relate to at this moment.
Two years. Two years too many. That was how long it had been since Byleth had disappeared in Garreg Mach’s final stand, how long it had been since he had escaped and Dedue had died. Two years since seeing Byleth, but he had thought of her every day. The thought of his professor in battle made Dimitri’s tattered heart twist and a lump solidified in his throat.
There wasn’t much the prince could do. He helped try and put down skirmishes and rebellions on the outskirts of Faerghus. He could offer advice to advisors but was mostly kept out of meetings, he suspected, because of the one standing in office for him. So, he wandered the halls aimlessly, trained with every weapon he could get his hands on, rode whatever horses he could sneak out with, cleaned his armor (which was spic-and-span due to lack of action) and searched. Since he had escaped to Garreg Mach, he had ventured out hoping to catch a clue of Byleth, of even an old classmate who was attempting the same. Never before had the prince read so many books. His papercuts outnumbered his battle scars vastly at this point, which was not what he would have expected when he started at Garreg Mach.
Where could she be? What was on Byleth’s mind? Was she scared, hurt, dead?
He couldn’t bear the thought his mind had painted up. His professor shrouded in darkness, hugging herself, hoping or praying for someone to retrieve her from whatever dark damp cavern she was rotting in? Was she trapped in an eternal battle with some ghastly beast? Was she laying at the bottom of a pit or valley, nothing but ash or bone or dust now?
Dimitri stood shakily, pressing a hand to the shelves for support. No, the thoughts couldn't be… they were not true.
Was this not why he trained? Dimitri massaged his temples with his free hand as he walked towards the armchair by the fireplace, surrounded by books of obscure maps of caves or caverns or even lore on how the world was made, hoping it would give him some hint of where Byleth could be. He had found nothing so far. None of this was helping. Because of him, Byleth could be dead or scared-
Who was he kidding? Dimitri slumped into the chair, his thin shirt loose and half-open down his chest. It just felt less constraining on his body, on his strained heart. "Nothing is working," he mumbled. Dimitri tilted his head back again, feeling the tips of his growing hair brushing the back of his neck. The tickling reminded him of how his professor would lean down behind him in class, talking softly and pointing out corrections on his tactics map. At the time he thought it was the most wonderful thing in the world, having Byleth right behind him with her voice low and arm over him to reach the desk. Even now, he could smell her presence, the soil and flowers from the garden she'd been working in. He could hear her lilting songs from choir practice or concerts.
Dimitri's eyes opened again, not realizing he had squeezed them shut. Was he… was he actually getting sleepy? This whole time, this whole war, he had constantly been wide awake, using sleeping tears or herbs to get the minimal amount of rest possible.
Behind his back at Firdhiad, Dimitri knew there had been whispers of conspiracy. He believed it must have started when those pigs- Cornelia, the war council, and some of his own citizens- declared loyalty of the empire. They wanted him dead. So Dimitri fled, costing Dedue, his faithful friend and companion, his life. Just as Dedue had always wanted it to be.
It had become obvious to Dimitri that Dedue’s life was not worth his escape. It should have been Dimitri.
Dimitri's eyes felt heavy, here by the smoldering embers of the dying fire and the warmth of the night. He didn't think anyone would dare venture out here, not after the last group of rouge soldiers he had fought off. Dimitri allowed himself to slump against the soft back of the chair, feeling his eyes get heavy again. The candles in the library were running low, the fire was warm, and the breeze whistled a lullaby in the distant trees and battered walls of Garreg Mach. Slowly and reluctantly, Dimitri felt sleep wrap its comforting tendrils around him and pull him into a sea of dreams.

___

The first dream was always the hardest one.
Dimitri pulled his way from the waters he had been in, gasping for air. He stood, finding the water was only waist deep, an unnatural glow emitting from the depths of the deep waters ahead of him.
A sense of urgency pulsed in him, in rhythm to the soft pulse of the light. He moved forward, feeling the cold of the water rise to his chest within a few cautious steps. He had been here before. He knew this dream, this landscape, because he knew it from dreams before. Dimitri was no foreigner to nightmares.
The prince inhaled. “Professor?” He asked, voice soft but still echoing on the hollowed walls of the cavern.
In response, the light ahead pulsed, as eagerly as a light source could pulse. It was almost calling to him.
No wait. It was calling to him.
"Di...mi...tri?"
All of a sudden, his heart was lodged in his throat. That voice was hers. Byleth. It had to be, it just had to be. “Professor!” He frantically waded forward, feeling a little silly trying to run in the water. “Professor, can you hear me?” Dimitri glanced around, blond hair slapping his forehead and falling over his eyes. He smoothed it back, hoping the wet strands would stay back. “Professor!” Desperation clawed at him. His throat felt tight.
The light dwindled, starting to flicker out. Hopelessness tingled in Dimitri’s fingertips and he swam forward, the water too deep to walk now. “No, no, no!” Dimitri muttered. He inhaled a deep breath and dove down, arms pushing him forward.
The only guide he had was a clear shot to the light below, still pulsating beneath him steadily. Now that he was underwater, it was easier to see how far away it was.
Dimitri was not one for giving up.
He swam harder, kicking his legs vigorously and yanking himself down. He felt thankful that Rodrigue had taught him how to swim, even though dream Dimitri could probably figure it out on his own. But this felt too real to be a dream, and Dimitri pushed that thought aside. Maybe this time, if he could get to that light-
His lungs felt tight. His strokes became shorter, and his vision began darkening. Even when he was asleep, Dimitri needed air.
He turned and swam back to the surface, crashing upwards and tossing his head back with a gasp. No, he was closer, he had to be. Closer to her than before. Dimitri panted in the damp air and ran his hands over his face. He had to get down there, even if he had to swim and try and dive for every slumber for the rest of his life. But until he reached the light, he would not stop.
Byleth had to be down there.
Dimitri inhaled deeply and dove again, driving hard with his shoulders and moving in the water. He felt his ears popping from the deep waters that he swam down. He grabbed the closest rock jutting from the wall and pulled himself down, using the momentum.
The light was closer than before. Even though Dimitri's vision was blurring again and the light was bright and his heart was racing, Dimitri pulled himself closer to the light.
He gripped the tightening wall and pulled himself down with his arms, feetfirst. He was surprised when his feet hit a solid but invisible floor.
Dimitri looked down at the barrier. It was clear and he wouldn't have known that it was there from just looking. He'd never made it this far before, not in this dream before.
The light pounded, and Dimitri leaned down to examine it. Gravity seemed to pull towards the barrier now that he was this close. But not close enough… The prince crawled along the barrier until he saw more of the light. He squinted beyond its brightness to get a better look…
Byleth. It had to be.
Her small frame was laid to rest in the light, arms crossed peacefully, sword resting in her folded hands. She was nestled in the light and she looked peaceful.
Dimitri hated it.
He pounded on the barrier. If only he'd grabbed a rock or something, he cursed in his head. He hit it with his fists, feeling the pain echo up through his knuckles and arms, but he kept hitting. He could break it. He could get her, he could save the professor-
His vision began bubbling again. No, no, he was so close, he was almost there-
The barrier shattered, and Dimitri fell though into darkness.

___

Dimitri found himself standing in a dark room. As far as he could tell, which wasn't much, he was alone. The prince slowly turned, examining the area. It was easier to breathe, despite it feeling claustrophobic. He glanced up to see how tall the room was, but it simply ascended into darkness beyond his view.
For not the first time in his life, Dimitri felt a little scared. This wasn't in his previous dreams. He stepped forward and-
"Omph!" Dimitri caught himself on the stair. Stairs? Well, at least he had context to how large this place was, exactly. Large enough to need stairs. Not that it was a good measurement, but it gave him an idea.
Dimitri pushed himself up and began climbing the stairs, feeling weight pull at his legs. He was tired, all of a sudden. Did these stairs have no end? His wet clothes were cold and clinging to him, his hair was plastered to his head, and he was lost on an endless range of stairs. Long story short, Dimitri was miserable. He glanced up, and his eyes widened. The light was at the top.
His energy skyrocketed and he hurried up the stairs. The pattering of his bare feet hitting the cold combined with his rising heartbeat as he got closer. Finally, finally, he was at the top of the stairs. They flattened into a long platform.
A stone throne rested against a wall on the platform. The light filled the throne and the area, a sacred glow being the only source of light in the room. For a moment Dimitri was blinded, and he raised a hand to cover his eyes. He blinked away the sting of the light and fought to open his eyes.
In the throne, a woman rested, curled up with her head leaning against the border of the backing. She had her head propped against her fingers, and she blinked her eyes open. Her green hair moved with her as she stirred awake, flowing as if she was in water. "Well, well, well." She blinked. "What do we have here?" Her head perked up, and she gave a quirk of her lips that translated to Dimitri in a curious smile.
Dimitri gawked. It was rude to stare, he knew that, but he couldn't help it. Again, his throat tightened, and his voice cracked as he spoke aloud, just to make what was in front of him real. So the ghost in front of him could be alive.
"... Professor?"

Chapter Text

The professor cocked her head to the side, eyeing Dimitri curiously. “And you are…?”

“Do you not remember?” Dimitri choked around a tongue that suddenly felt too big for his mouth. “Dimitri. Your student.” He felt his eyes widen and he started forward. His arms opened as he hurried. He would take her in his arms and never let her go. She was his, finally, and they could be together. “Oh, professor, I-”

The woman stood from her throne, brows furrowing. “Dimitri, was it?”

“Yes! We have so much to discuss!” Words began eagerly falling out of him, pent up, eager to be shared with someone. “The whole country is split and at war, we need you-” He paused for a moment, recognizing her face as one of sorrow, pity almost. “You… you don’t remember.” Just his luck. Of course, she didn’t remember. He finally found her, Byleth, she who haunted him the most, and she didn’t recall any thought of him.

"I don't remember because I never gained those memories, Dimitri." She walked from the throne to Dimitri, only a foot away from him. Her eyes were the eyes of someone else. Not Byleth.

Throat coating with something that made his voice hoarse, Dimitri uttered, "You're not her."

"I am not. I believe we just went over that-"

Dimitri looked down, then pinched his forehead. "Then who are you?" Or… "What…" Dimitri looked up at her. Suspicion tugged at his voice, and his heart twisted. “What have you done with her?” He hissed. He felt his voice rising and his face heating up. “If you have hurt her-” He felt his body move, rushing in a lunge at her. “I’ll kill you if you hurt-!”

The imposter moved swiftly, leaping gracefully from the man who was now growling like an animal. “Dimitri!”

“I’ll kill you!” Dimitri whipped around and growled, no weapon, but grabbing with his hands. He would grab her, he would grab whatever was in Byleth and rip it out, he would get her back, he would get his professor back. “I’ll tear you to shreds!”

She ducked again, grabbing his grasping arm and tugging it to her. She grabbed his other arm and gripped it as well, pulling him close with a steel grip so he couldn’t move. “Dimitri.” Her voice was lightning in a storm, thunder in the clouds, a quake in a desert thirsty for rain. It was not a word, but a command. “Be still.” Her fingers tightened, leaving Dimitri to realize he was unable to move his arms. “Byleth is safe. I am not Byleth, but I am.”

“What are you talking about?!” Dimitri panted. He strained his arms and tried to wiggle them from the woman’s hold. He did not tear his eyes from hers, challenging her. The woman's back was straight, her eyes gleaming in the mostly dark. "I saw her," Dimitri panted. "I saw her, she was dead-"

"Not dead." The woman soothed. "Slumbering." She saw Dimitri deflate and gently let go of his arms. "I am your friend, Dimitri. Your professor and I… well, perhaps this would be easier." She began walking down the stairs, taking his hand to make him follow her.

Her hands were cold.

She lead him down the stairs and deep into the darkness. He took this moment to observe her. She was one form, but there were whispers, shadows, of a million others. It was as though she never still, as if her form was constantly swaying in the wind. "You may call me Sothis."

It took a minute. That name sounded familiar- oh. Wow. This was a turn Dimitri had not expected. "You- you're-" He had almost punched the Almighty One. He let go of her hand, forgetting it was dark, and bowed deeply. "My apologies!"

"Emotions run high, I understand." She managed to find his hand in the dark again. "You've been on the run, yes?"

"I have."

"And you've been looking restlessly for her?"

"Yes."

Sothis gave a little giggle. "Ah. Well, distance makes the heart grow fonder." She lowered her voice, but Dimitri could hear her mumble something along the lines of "I'll never understand mortals."

Something inside of Dimitri churned. "I lost my heart long ago." He felt his voice running over gravel in his throat. "I am lost without Dedue, Gustave, my father…" he swallowed hard. "The professor."

"It's hard losing what we love." Sothis said softly. She gestured ahead, her frame now illuminated in light. "But Byleth isn't lost. See for yourself."

Dimitri cast her a hesitant glance, but she encouraged him with a wave of her hand. "Go on."

The prince walked forward, cautiously glancing over the ledge. Far below, there was a shallow pool, and in it was the figure. Byleth.

"She's here." Dimitri looked back at the goddess. "What have you-"

"Now, before you get angry, allow me to explain." Sothis held up her hands, brows creasing. "Byleth and I are one. I believe she has said that to you."

Dimitri furrowed his brow and squeezed his eyes shut. "I… yes, I believe after we fought Thomas. She told me you had blessed her with your powers."

Sothis giggled and walked to the ledge, peering down, rocking on her toes. "Well, it was a little more than that. Byleth and I, as I said, are the same but different. This is not my true form. But Byleth is my… my… hm." Sothis tapped on her chin, thinking. "Not vessel. Um, well, we're just the same and not the same."

Dimitri blinked. "That's more confusing than before."

Sothis groaned. "Um, okay." She paced along the ledge. "So, after Byleth told you what had happened, did you notice any changes in her?"

"Well, she was a lot more tired," Dimitri recalled fondly, remembering how he had carried her off the battlefield, and how she had nestled into him and sighed and gripped his cloak he had draped over her-

His reminiscing was interrupted by laughter. "Ooh, that's me, alright." Sothis crossed her arms and grinned, and it suddenly struck Dimitri how unlike the professor this grin looked. He took a slight step backward. "And her hair and eyes, obviously." She scratched her hand on her head. "But she showed traits of me, and she didn't lose any of her old self. I have been with her since the beginning and I shall be one with her until she dies."

"She's going to die?" Dimitri glanced up at her.

"All mortals do. Some just take… longer than others." Sothis shrugged. "She's down there, by the way." Sothis gestured at the waters below. "Do not move her from the water. You can touch her or whatever, but she has to stay underwater." When she turned to look at him, she saw Dimitri shucked his shirt, ignoring the goddess's strained noise of shock and her suddenly red face. "Wait, what are you-"

The prince sprinted to the edge and jumped, falling for eternity, hitting the water loudly. He came up again, for the second time in his dream in the water. Dimitri swam over to Byleth, reaching down into the water and smoothing his hand on her face. "Professor, is it you?' His voice was soft and deep.

"How rude!" Sothis scolded. Dimitri didn't react, now lowering to kneeling and resting Byleth on his knee. Sothis watched and was quiet for a moment, but resumed in a quieter tone. "Please stay clothed in my realm."

"Where is she? In my world?" Dimitri muttered. "She isn't dead, right?"

"No." Sothis walked on the water, feet only brushing on the surface. "She's sleeping, as I said. But she's safe. No harm will come to her."

Dimitri sunk lower into the water to cradle Byleth against him. "I'll never let you go. When I find you, I will never let you out of my sight." He mumbled quietly to the water.

Sothis stood to the side, awkwardly. "You can't stay too long. When you're ready, there are stairs to the left." She grimaced. "Jumping off the ledge- ugh. Mortals. So dramatic." Sothis climbed out of the water and up the stairs, footsteps only splashing lightly on the stone steps.

Dimitri sighed and leaned Byleth against him gently. “I miss you, professor.” He said softly. “Everything feels so dark.”

Byleth said nothing. She didn’t stir or move or open her eyes, like he was half-expecting her to. Dimitri found himself shaking her a little. “Professor, wake up.” His beg came out shakily. “I feel as though I am nothing without you. Since you’ve disappeared, I don’t know what to do.” He glanced up at the ledge, where he caught a glimpse of Sothis lingering. He realized his time left in this place- this dream, he remembered- was short. Dimitri leaned down, closing his eyes, and felt the cool water touch his face and her stone-cold forehead on his lips. He gently laid her down and stood, watching and she fell back into place.
He could have held her forever. He could have stayed here and held her forever. Sleep was only a temporary thing, as was this peace. When he woke up he would go back to turmoil and killing. Dimitri waded back to the stairs, not daring to look back at his slumbering professor.

Sothis was waiting for him at the top with her arms crossed, and seeing her in the form of his beloved professor scratched at his heart. “You’re done?”

“I…” Dimitri leaned his head back, staring at the vast expanse of nothing above them. “I will never stop looking for her.”

“I know. That’s why you’re here.” Sothis gestured at the river below them. “She’s safe, I wanted to let you know.”

His head tilted back down to look at the goddess. “Why me?” His voice was hoarse. Was it from the cold or the fact he was questioning the almighty one?
It was probably both.

Sothis giggled. “Wow, you’re pretty dense. No offense. But you should know why you’re here.” When she got no reaction from Dimitri, Sothis stopped giggling. “Oh, you seriously don’t- well, I’ll say!” She arched her brows. “You care deeply for her, and she cares for you.” The goddess pressed her curled fist against her cheek in thought. "I don't know how the two of you could be so blind to one another's affections. Here I was, thinking about how smart Byleth is, and she cannot even see what is in front of her."

The words hit Dimitri in the gut. Byleth and him…? “She cared for me?” The goddess let out a hearty laugh. “Far more than that, I fear.” Sothis teased. She suddenly stopped and looked up. “It is morning.”

Dimitri felt himself get dizzy. Was he waking? The prince stumbled and let out a moan of protest.“No, I need to stay with her-”

Sothis rushed forward and supported his arm. “Shh, shh. I’ll keep her safe.”

“Will I see her again?” Dimitri felt his body being guided to the cold, stone, damp floor. “Goddess, please, tell me. I will never stop searching-” He protested and grasped at her arms.

Sothis leaned over Dimitri, the face of Byleth smiling tenderly down at him. She will find you when she’s ready.”

Dimitri didn’t want that answer. It wasn’t good enough. Even so, he couldn’t fight his body collapsing into the floor and sitting up abruptly back at Garreg Mach.

Chapter Text

Try as it might, sleep never could quite reach Dimitri. Byleth became his sole pursuit in living, in surviving day by day.

Every day tended to blend together after his first encounter with Sothis and his professor. Dimitri just felt like he was waiting for her to come through the door and smile and reach out for him. She would say something like "Dimitri, how you've grown!" Or "Dimitri, let me stand by your side, let's win this war." She would lean on the doorway and laugh like she did in the academy days.

He imagined how he would greet her. Would they stand, her in the doorway and him across the room, staring at one another while the moment suspended in time, before charging towards one another for a deep embrace? Would he have the courage to hold her face and stare her lovingly in the eyes? Would he sweep her off her feet and hold her tight? The lonely days that passed by him were usually used to fantasize about their long-withheld meeting. It kept him going. It gave him a purpose, it kept him from allowing himself to wither away.

Dimitri continued training. He didn't have access to horses, so Dimitri took time learning how to dodge and maneuver by himself. His body was sore day in and day out, but he knew that meant growth. He took advantage of the greenhouse, harvesting vegetables and fruits. He perused the library, reading and memorizing tactics and strategies. Dimitri did the best he could do to teach himself with no instructor. In the times where he wasn’t working he was working at trying to keep the old academy together. He tended to the ancient cracked windows. He scrubbed at dirty floors. He did his best to mend the creaky door in the stables (to no avail). Byleth was his motivation, the reason he was taking each day at a time.

Dimitri lingered at her doorway. Sometimes he expected to hear her softly humming as she tidied her room. She sometimes would nap through her day off, her soft exhales pushing her hair from her face. To see her at peace-

It struck him. Something about his interaction with the goddess had been eating away at him and gnawing at the bones of his thoughts. Byleth, in her goddess-induced slumber, looked so much like a corpse. Cold. Stiff. Still.

Dimitri wandered to Byleth’s cot and sunk onto the mattress, giving a soft inhale. “Oh, professor,” His head sunk into his palms. “What am I to do?” His voice broke between his lips.

The void crashed against his chest, his heart heavy all of a sudden. Hope ebbed away, his vision blurring and his lungs suddenly tightening and begging for air. So, this was what it felt like. What did he have left?

Dimitri felt his body lay back against the bed, something weighing against his ribs. Byleth was gone, his kingdom may as well be nonexistent, he didn’t have a single friend in the world, and his sword was heavy with the lives of guards- his own guards- that he had taken to escape into his own exile. He was not worth the weight of those souls, nor half of that. Was he even worth one?

Was he worth his own?

The hours grew cold. The moments stretched onwards.

The prince lay on the bed for what felt like forever. Was it? A daze took him over. He was static, still. How long had it been since he had seen Sothis? A year? A day? Did it even matter, really? "Sothis," he mumbled. His eyes grew heavy. "Provide me answers."

The prince closed his eyes softly and drifted into a quiet, long sleep.
__________

Sothis watched Dimitri as she slept. She stirred on her throne, sitting up. The goddess crossed her arms. "Oh dear."

Sothis waved a hand and blinked her eyes open. The poor boy, so young to have lost everything. He had a glare for the dramatic, Sothis had thought at first, but she ultimately saw that he was a lost child, looking for his sturdy, never changing solid ground. She had shown him Byleth so he specifically would NOT fall into this. It worried her.

She had seen what could become of this. Dimitri had every potential to be a monster, a strong and capable and cruel and cold. Not only that, but he had every right to be so.

There was a sudden splash. Sothis' head popped up. Byleth? She sprinted to the ledge and looked down, gripping her skirts. "... Byleth?" The voice of the goddess and creator was suddenly so soft. "Dearest friend, answer me." She sat down, her feet dangling over the ledge and over the vast expanse of nothing. No reply came.

Sothis exhaled and slumped her shoulders. "No, I was afraid that was so." She tapped her fingers against the cool stone, long nails making a clicking sound, filling the suffocating darkness. "I wish I could awaken you. It's so lonely. But you cannot hear me, and you cannot respond." Sothis's words tripped in her throat. Her eyes felt hot. Her face and ears, too. Was this normal?

Sothis felt something against her cheek: cool, wet, droplets. She reached up and delicately touched her cheek, pulling it away. A tear. "Am I… crying-" Her voice strangled in her throat. The one part she had missed about Byleth was feeling the same emotions mortals felt. Joy, pride, sorrow even, were all foriegn. Was it possible to miss saddness?

The goddess leaned her head back and inhaled the wet air, welcoming another tear dribbling down from her opposite eye. She let out a wail, hands moving up to her heaving chest, and for the first time in a long time, the goddess sobbed.

____________

Dimitri stirred awake to a noise outside in the courtyard. He nestled into Byleth's blankets, trying to catch her remaining scent. Perhaps it was a mouse, or a cat, or-

"Shh!"

"Oh, pipe down, no one is here. This place has been abandoned for years."

Dimitri's eyes opened. People. That was odd.

He sat up and threw back the blankets, bare feet landing on the soft fur rug Byleth had kept by her bed. He stealthily moved to the wall, back pressing against the chilly stones and listened. Dimitri had learned to assume the worst by now. These people were one of two things.

One: friends looking for a safe haven.

Two: not friends.

It was probably the latter, but he hoped for the first. Dimitri knelt down and picked up the lance he had laid by the bed, moving back to the wall. He held his breath.

The wooden stairs outside creaked. They were coming up to the walkway. His grip tightened on the lance. Oh, no, to kill again- it bubbled up in him, giddy, like a brook looking for an escape.

Dimitri peered through the cracked door, moonlight lighting everything for him. He saw the trespassers. Two men, moving to Dedue's old room. "What do ya think will be in there?"

"Donno. Something valuable."

"Why this room?" The other man glanced around anxiously. "Why not a different one?"

"The first one's door is open. Someone's already raised there." The figure lurking over Dedue's locks hissed. "So we'll start from here and work our way down."

Rage whistled in Dimitri's veins. They were going to break into Dedue's room. They were going to trespass and walk across where a dead man once lay his head. His fingers squeezed the lance, and Dimitri pushed the door softly to open it. He didn't expect to speak, but his lips moved. "He's dead."

The bandits whipped around, their eyes flicking between Dimitri and the lance. Confusion flared when they saw him, but they saw his lance and stepped backwards. The prince saw now, that the one picking the lock was older, with wrinkes where he used to smile and a greying beard. DImitri's heart twisted, but his blood boiled.

Dimitri moved forward, the men keeping their distance as they fumbled for their weapons. "He is dead. Everyone once here is dead." Dimitri moved his lance behind him, ready to swoop it in a low blow. "I killed them all." There was truth in his words. Dedue died because of him, the church and its members were rotting because he had not protected them, Faerghus was crumbling because he was not a worthy ruler. "My hands are stained with blood that the likes of you cannot even begin to fathom."

Dimitri roared once, moving the lance in one swift motion. The unfortunate bandit who had caught it let out a gasp before his legs went slack. "N.. Naman," he inhaled shakily. "Run."

The still living man hesitated, not sure what to do. "You… you killed-"

Dimitri whipped around, lance tearing from the first man's flesh. "You should listen to him." Dimitri paced forward, the rage rising. Euphoria sung in his fingertips. He felt his heart sprinting, beating against his ribs. "How sad you didn't."

The bandit, Naman, pushed himself back, realizing only when he began to fall that he had reached the edge of the walkway. He fell onto his back and let out a cry, sitting up, cradling his wrist. He looked up at Dimitri, who was lingering on the edge. The bandit's eyes widened, and it struck Dimitri how much he looked like a child. "No, no, please, we just wanted to find-"

Dimitri sprung down, lancefirst, planting the spearhead solidly into the bandit's abdomen. His eyes widened and his mouth drew back, staring up at Dimitri.

"Sh.. shelter. We wanted… shelt.."

Dimitri yanked the lance away, shoving the corpse away with his foot. "May you find what you claim to seek in the eternal flames."

The prince stood for a moment, staring down at the body, hand rigid with the lance. Naman looked young. Incredibly young. About the age that Ashe was when he joined the monastery. The other thief… who was that? A father, a brother, someone looking out for a loved one in a time of pain and loss? A burning joy coursed through him, but the scene was grim. Dimitri dropped his lance, fingers loose, and he pressed his hands to his face. Though he wasn't injured from the altercation, Dimitri staggered to his knees and heaved a heavy sob, leaning forward onto one hand. The euphoria ebbed away. Reality sunk in. Guilt screamed in his brain, it pounded at his skull as Dimitri looked over the two corpses. "Oh, Sothis, what have I-" He shuddered with his tears. "What have I done?"

__________

Whispers began in the surrounding villages. Naman and Eric, son and father, had left to search the crumbling monastery for food, shelter, maybe a place to hide from Imperial raiders that would plunder and pillage. They had not returned yet. It had been, what, a month?

Since then, a few good-meaning mercenaries had left to search for the unfortunate duo. Maybe they had found something and were trapped by Imperial means and needed help. None had returned since then.

A ghost dwelled within the dead walls of Garreg Mach, claiming the lives of all who entered. He became a thing of legend. Mothers whispered the stories of him to their children in hopes of keeping them close, and encouraging them to stay inside after the sun went down. The small villages murmured rumors of the ghost, the beast, coming into their homes and stealing them away. It was a fate worse than one that the Empire could bring on the humble people.

_______

More years went by. The monster had become a myth, but the village was grateful to it, oddly enough. It kept away soldiers and brigands and mercenaries who dared pillage the towns on their way to the monastery, not at all turned away by the rumors of a bloodthirsty beast. They never came back.

The villagers kept their distance from the walls of the academy. The closest they would dare go was to the river that ran from the Garreg Mach monastery. The snow melted on the mountains it perched on and ran downhill, into a small creek, where on occasion hikers and dead soldiers would wash down. No one asked questions and assumed the same answer every time: The Monster’s lair was full and he needed more room. It was morbid, but sometimes someone could find something of value and sell it. The times were hard, and people’s hearts had only grown harder.