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"If you see the Great Fish in the sky, it's fishing time, kid. That means there will never be a shortage of fish nearby as long as you can find a lake or a river." Jeralt paused, chuckling before he took another swig from his flask. "The Great Fish will never do you wrong."
~
Her father's words echoed through her mind as she stared up at the stars shaped like a fish in the large expanse of the cosmos. Since she was young, her father taught her how to read the stars for navigation if she got lost. The stars were more than helpful for times like when she'd snuck off into the forest or gotten separated from her father during missions. Mercenary life wasn't exactly the safest for a child, after all. But she always had the stars to rely at night on thanks to her father. The constellations and the stories he'd repeated throughout her life made up a big part of her childhood.
Now, the familiar sights had brought her comfort with less familiar people and uncomfortable situations. The constant travel of war was similar to her past mercenary life, but the pressure… The reliance on her. The eyes that were always watching her every move for instructions and guidance. As if she had all the answers. That was a lot.
These lights, these stories, and those memories of her father's voice grounded her just a little bit. They reminded her where she was and from where she came.
She missed the feeling of him standing next to her with a flask in hand, telling her stories while the other mercs sang the night away.
"The boar is looking for you." A familiar voice came from beside her, cutting through her reminiscent thoughts.
"Oh," Byleth winced, looking up at the source. Felix stared down at her for a moment with a hand on his hip, waiting for her to get up. The longer she looked, the more he realized she wasn't coming.
With a small sigh, the dark-haired swordsman took a seat next to her on the grassy hill. His presence added warmth to the cold atmosphere, not intruding or interrupting as they both remained silent. Felix didn't bother her to move, and she didn't ask for more details. Neither pried about any duties or responsibilities they had to get done in the coming days. It was welcome solace from the rest of the chaos.
Because she knew, if Felix didn't want to be there, he wouldn't.
And if he had something to say about it, he would've already.
Taking a glance at him, she saw his chin resting on his arm, which rested on his knee. He was looking up at the stars as intently as she had been several minutes beforehand, with the same insightful gaze. Curiously, she wondered if he had any stories of his own.
"That was my father's favourite constellation," Byleth murmured, pointing at the pinpricks of white light that formed a triangle with a tail in the sky.
"Cassiopeia?" Felix asked, amber eyes lifting to follow her direction. "What's so special about her?"
"Who's Cassiopeia?" She whispered under her breath. Shaking her head, she shifted closer to him until their shoulders touched to point out the shape more clearly. "No. You're looking in the wrong spot; it's the triangle there, with the tail, right there. The Great Fish."
"The Great Fish," Felix tried out, and Byleth could hear the hint of a smile in his voice. What the hell was so funny about the Great Fish?
"It shows up in the summer? A good omen. If the horizon is clear and the Great Fish is in the sky, your bait will prove bountiful, and your plates will be full?"
The swordsman's amber eyes shone in the distant glow of the camps, the corners of his mouth threatening to twitch upwards as he held her stern gaze.
"Sure."
"Felix," she frowned, and he gave a small shrug. "Did no one teach you about the constellations for navigation?"
"Of course, but no one ever taught me about the Great Fish. Please, enlighten me."
"It's one of the brightest next to the Mercenary's Feast," Byleth huffed, narrowing her eyes at him.
"And what does that look like?"
"You of all people should know, Felix. It's shaped like a steak. You can't miss it."
Now his hand came up over his mouth, stifling a laugh that threatened to escape.
"Could you show me where that is?"
Abruptly standing from her place on the ground, she spun to scan the skies. If they were facing the Great Fish, which was high north, the Fisherman's Pole was nearby, and the Mercenary's Feast would be northeast and lower in the horizon this time of night. Sure enough, there it was, in all of its glory.
As Felix stood up, she stepped into him, back pressed against his chest. Byleth grabbed his right hand with her own and using her finger as a guide; she pointed out each star that made up the constellation. He placed a hand on her hip to steady himself, his chin knocking against the back of her head while he oriented himself with where she was leading his eyes through the expanse of the sky.
"There, shaped like a steak," she said matter of factly. "You see it?" Byleth asked, turning her head back to him slightly.
His breath fanned her face as he huffed out another small laugh. "Ursa Major, yes."
"And what is that supposed to be?" She asked, leaning into him.
Felix took her hand and began to trace the various stars in his so-called constellations, which consisted of many more pieces than her own. "Your' steak' is the body, that's the head… the tail… the legs… It's a bear. The Great Bear."
They didn't even make sense.
"How is that a bear?"
"I don't know, Byleth, I didn't come up with them, but it sounds like your father did."
Dropping his hand, Byleth turned to face Felix now, her brows knit together in confusion. What in the world did he mean her father came up with all of them? He'd told her these stories for years. Surely, he couldn't have come up with all of these fables off the top of his head. It was as if they were ingrained in his memory every time she asked about them or when he offered up a story. There was no way.
Jeralt wasn't a liar.
"What are you talking about?"
"Byleth, everyone in Fodlan knows of the same constellations." His expression was sincere and amused if anything.
"That can't be right."
"You don't believe me?"
"You're telling me my father made all of these up?" she asked, throwing her hands up in disbelief. Felix wouldn't lie to her, but she didn't believe her father would either.
Would he?
He nodded with a faint smile. "It's honestly quite impressive. You have such a long list of stories; it's hard to believe he was able to keep them straight for so long."
Byleth narrowed her eyes at Felix some more, and he gave a small shrug.
"I wouldn't lie to you."
Perhaps it did make sense. Jeralt had tried to keep her away from the church, and she had to assume the constellations Felix told her of came from them. Now all she wanted to do was learn more about his stars. What ridiculous crap did the church come up with that she did not know?
She also wanted to punch the older man in the shoulder for this.
And then maybe take him out for a drink and a laugh about it.
Jeralt was with her for twenty-one years, and he had the guts to tell her made up shit with such confidence that she'd been parading around spouting it like gospel her entire life.
Well, it was right for them, at least.
"That bastard." A small sigh escaped her lips as she began to laugh lightly.
"Bastard, indeed," Felix agreed, shaking his head at the ground. "From what you've told me of him, I'm guessing it's because of the church."
"Yeah, that would do it." Byleth nodded, running a hand through her bangs.
"Makes sense. I never understood why so many of the stories had to do with the Goddess, it seemed repetitive and boring," the swordsman complained, looking back up to the dark expanse of the sky. "Like that one," he said, pointing back up and just left of the Great Fish.
Byleth stepped closer to him again as he began tracing out another shape in the sky. Of course, this one was completely different from her own, again, but she was curious what his story was.
Hers was of a beautiful barmaid who showed up for the most successful merc—
"That's Sothis."
"That is Sothis?" Eyes meeting his once again, Byleth laughed in disbelief. She wondered what Sothis would say if she were around. To have her father compare the Goddess to a barmaid… "Please, explain."
"It's shaped like a person, I suppose," Felix shrugged. "That's why I never understood it. Why do those stars, in that shape, form the Goddess everyone talks so highly of."
"I think she'd be somewhat underwhelmed if I'm honest. She would've preferred something more grandiose, I imagine…"
"Well, to make it even better for you, people use some constellations as symbols of their birth. Some people say the alignment of the stars and the planets can shape your personality or some nonsense," Felix rolled his eyes, but Byleth was intrigued. The personality thing seemed vague, but symbols? That was interesting.
"What's yours?"
"A fish."
With a sharp intake of breath, Byleth grasped his arm and spun into him again, lifting his hand to the sky. "Show me."
"Byleth."
"I want to see your fish," she insisted, tugging at his arm again. "I showed you mine."
Felix knocked his forehead on the back of her head several times with a small sigh before he guided her in the right direction in the sky. This one made sense to Byleth, forming two fish jumping from the water, unlike the others that were vague descriptions of what they could have been. This one, she could get on board.
"I like this one."
"So glad you like at least one," he mumbled with an eye roll she could hear.
"I can't believe you're a fish and didn't tell me," she said quieter as she furrowed her brows. "I love fish."
Felix suddenly stiffened behind her, his hand gripping hers tighter while she continued to look up. What did she say? What was wrong with her love of fish? Still, it took him a minute to relax before he said anything else.
"I know you do."
Shifting her attention from Felix's fish constellation, Byleth turned them in a different direction to show him one of her other favourites. One she knew he'd probably enjoy too because of the subject matter.
"How about this one? We called it the Poisoned Dagger." With a proud smile, Byleth traced the straight row of lights. It was always one of her favourites because of how bizarre it seemed—a straight line in all of these random dots. "The poisoned dagger was always a warning to watch your back, but I always thought it was a good guide. Winters meant people would loot more often for food, so a warning for safety was needed; I suppose."
"Ha. I like that better. It's Orion, an archer," Felix explained, pointing out the entirety of the composition. "The stars that are lined up are his belt, and that's boring compared to a dagger."
"I agree; what's so interesting about a belt." With a small shake of her head, Byleth smiled softly.
"The entirety of the constellation isn't so bad, I suppose. Orion's a hunter, has two dogs. They're chasing a hare. But a warning to keep vigilant is much more useful."
"What do you call that star?" Byleth asked, turning them towards a bright, flashing blue-red light.
"Polaris."
"Hm."
"Why?"
"My father always called it Sitri."
"Sitri," Felix repeated like he was trying to put pieces together.
"He said 'she'll always bring you home,' and I never quite understood what he meant by that because we didn't have a home. It's always in the sky," Byleth explained, leaning her head back onto his shoulder. "I think it might have been my mother's name."
"Oh," he mumbled quietly into her ear as they both looked up at the pulsing light. "You never asked him what your mother's name was?"
"He never spoke of her, I never asked. Every other constellation around us has a story with a generic figure or food or weaponry… But that star has a name. So, I always wondered."
For some reason, that answer felt right in her bones. She had regrets of never being more forward with her father about questions pertaining to her mother, especially given the nature of her new relationship with the church. All she knew was she'd been there. She was a nun. They left without her. And her father was fond enough to want to remember her with a star so bright and so constant, they were never without it unless it was overcast.
~
"If you look just east and slightly north from Ursa Major, you'll find the bright star Polaris, do you see it?"
"Yeah, right there!" Glenn pointed animatedly, Felix's eyes following his brother's direction as his chin dug into his shoulder to get a better view.
"Well, that star is attached to the constellation called Ursa Minor. The Little Bear," Rodrigue explained, pointing out the rest of the stars. "So, we have the Great Bear and the Little Bear."
"Hey, that's us!" Glenn beamed.
"I'm the Great Bear!"
"No, you aren't, you shrimp."
Felix furrowed his brows at the statement, not appreciating the insult. Glenn was twelve, and he was seven; that wasn't fair at all! Of course, he was bigger right now, but he'd catch up soon enough.
Tightening the grip of his arms around Glenn's neck, Felix wrapped his legs tighter around his waist and fought back.
"I might be smaller than you right now, but I'm gonna be bigger someday!"
"Yeah, right, you wish." The older brother shot back with a strangled voice through laughter, grabbing at Felix's arms.
"Watch me!"
"Boys," Rodrigue scolded with that fatherly tone in his voice but a slight hint of amusement. It was never a dull moment with those two.
~
The memory played in Felix's mind vividly, though the conditions of this night were much more favourable. Instead of the snow, the relief from the summer sun was welcome. What was missed were the people involved in the memory, now far away faces that seemed to grow further nearly every day.
But what was also welcome was the presence of the green-haired woman who had somehow wiggled herself into his arms. She couldn't feel his heart speed up when she grabbed his hand and pointed at the stars, and for that, he was grateful. His surprised expressions and usually hidden smiles felt okay around her, even if she couldn't see them.
So, perhaps he'd share a story of his own.
"If you look at Sitri," he started using her terminology and pointing in the direction of the star named after her mother. "That's the nose of another bear. There's the body, the legs, and the tail. This one is the Little Bear."
"Two bears?"
"Glenn decided the bears were us. So I insisted I was the Great Bear." A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he recalled the memory again. "Glenn always said it was impossible because I was smaller, but he was older than I was, so it wasn't fair. I called him Little Bear anyway."
Byleth snickered at that, shaking her head. "Why am I not surprised?"
He shrugged.
"Did you ever end up beating him in height?"
"No," he said quietly, and she squeezed his hand tighter. "Not while he was alive, at least."
"Oh?"
"I may or may not have snuck into Seteth's records room when I got to Garreg Mach…"
"You sneaky, bastard," Byleth half-heartedly chastised him. "And what did they say?"
"I won by eleven centimeters," he stated proudly. Every piece of him wished that Glenn was around so that he could see his face as he stared down at him. Felix knew he'd be staring up at him with angry blue eyes, and they would more than likely fight about it for the rest of their lives.
"Of course you did."
As they fell back into a comfortable silence, the two stayed wrapped up in each other. Felix rested his cheek on top of her green hair, their fingers still intertwined. Only the distant sound of fire, chatting from the army, and the forest's crickets hummed around them as they spent this quiet moment together.
It was comfortable. Almost too comfortable.
Just as Felix was about to pry himself away, a fast silver streak of light crossed the sky in front of them, and just like that, it was gone.
"Make a wish," Byleth said, with a smile in her voice.
"You don't seriously believe in that, do you?"
"Make a wish," she said now, more insistent.
He grunted and they both went quiet as they presumably thought of their wish. Felix wondered what Byleth would wish for. Would she be more realistic? Fantastical? Maybe she took it as more of a joke. He honestly didn't know what would come out of her mouth at some points for someone who was always so stoic and reasonable around others. This night was proof of that.
His wish was the same as always.
"What did you wish for?"
"Did your father not teach you how to wish properly, either?" Felix asked, earning an elbow to the ribs and a chuckle from Byleth.
"I know how to wish, you ass. I thought you didn't believe in it."
"I don't."
"So, tell me what you wished for."
"You first." Felix insisted.
"I wished for good food when we're finished with this next battle."
"Fair." He nodded. "I wished I would win in a spar once we get back to the monastery."
"Felix." She stepped away and turned to face him, an amused smile gracing her lips.
"What?"
"You're ridiculous."
"I'm ridiculous?" he asks. "Byleth, you just told me your father made up all of your constellations, and you're calling me ridiculous."
Byleth laughed, her whole face lighting up for those few seconds he swore he'd commit to memory. An overwhelming warmth washed over him as he watched her, feeling his smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It truly was unbelievable how grounded she could make him feel just with her presence alone. Her strange, unusual, completely unbelievable, mildly infuriating presence.
"You are something else, Byleth Eisner."
"So I've heard." With a small sigh, she turned towards the camp. "I suppose duty calls."
Felix noticed her shoulders sag ever so slightly as she looked out at the illuminated tents, obviously still not ready to deal with the onslaught of questions and decisions that awaited her in the makeshift war council space.
"Not yet," he said, boldly grabbing her arm and pulling her closer again.
"What?"
"You owe me for sabotaging my wish. Show me more of your father's ridiculous creations."
Byleth opened her mouth to protest, but she soon caught on to his suggestion. Turning herself around to stare at the sky once more, she stepped back into him. The soft scent of fresh apples filled his senses again as she tangled her cold fingers in his.
"You're terrible," she mumbled.
"Dimitri can wait ten minutes."
Inhaling deeply, Byleth turned them around to face the bears they'd looked at before, beginning to point out another shape. This time, the figure was distinctly familiar and not at all different from the same one he knew. Jeralt slacked off a bit on this one, did he?
"This is the Fisherman's Pole," she explained as she began tracing out the different parts. Felix had to bite his lip to keep himself from laughing. "There's the shoulder, the hand, the pole, and the catch or the bait. Up to you to decide how lucky it is… Felix?"
The laughter that threatened to escape him bubbled up far faster than he could suppress as he hid his face in her shoulder to try to save himself some embarrassment.
"What in the world is so funny about a fishing pole?"
"Nothing," he managed, willing himself back into a composed state. "Byleth, I see it."
"Why, what is it for you?"
"A huge wyvern."
"A wyvern?!" Byleth shouted, turning her head as they both started to laugh again. "Where are it's wings?"
"I didn't come up with these!"
~
Ashe made his way around the outskirts of the tents, searching diligently for the elusive commander of the army, when he heard bouts of scattered laughter coming from a nearby hill.
There, Felix had Byleth in his arms as she guided his hand across what seemed to be the sky? Ashe couldn't quite understand why they were looking so intently at the stars. It seemed like such a strange thing for the two to do, considering they were usually making eyes at each other training or something of the sort. But here they were, soft smiles on their faces as they debated who knew what.
Ashe didn't want to interrupt such a moment for the pair. It was already so rare.
But, duty called.
"Hey, Professor! Felix!" He gave them a big wave with a broad smile on his face.
The two jumped apart like they'd been caught doing something far worse than laughing together. Oh, it was just so difficult to get them to let loose, wasn't it?
"His Highness is looking for you," Ashe continued with a cheeky grin.
From his spot, Ashe could see Felix's eyes narrowing at him as Byleth jogged over, stopping in front of him with a slight flush of pink on her face.
"Sorry, Ashe. I'll head over to him right away," she promised, with Felix trailing not far behind her.
"Both of you," the silver-haired archer nodded.
"Why does he want both of us?" Felix asked with a grunt.
Ashe watched as the pair walked back into the camp, keeping their distance from each other now, though the tension in their shoulders seemed less than earlier. Whatever was happening between the two sword wielders, Ashe felt himself feeling thankful for it.