Work Text:
Byleth had just finished her monthly report with Rhea, she and her students were tasked with guarding the chapel with the help of her father, Jeralt. Jeralt was also heading off for a solo mission first before the end of the month and Byleth wanted to catch him before he left to tell him something important she had been holding in for a while. She hurried off to Jeralt’s office to talk to him before he left on his mission. As soon as Byleth arrived, she knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Jeralt’s voice came from the other side of the door, Byleth wasted no time opening the door. “Ah, hello it's good to see you before I head off on my mission. How are your classes getting along?” Jeralt asked as he was packing up a bag of supplies.
“The students are great, but I actually came because I wanted to talk to you about something before you leave.”
“Sure, Go on, what did you want to talk about?”
“Okay, here it goes. Dad, I’m bisexual.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Jeralt asked, dropping his bag and standing up straighter to look at Byleth.
“It means that I love men,” Byleth paused, “and women.”
“Oh, well that’s fine, you still love men, that means you can still get married and have a family.”
“I can do that with a man or a woman.”
“But it will be a man.” Jeralt demanded as he went back to hastily packing his bag.
“But Fath-,” Byleth began before getting cut off by Jeralt.
“I will have no more of the nonsense, Byleth. We will talk again when I return from my mission.” He said angrily as he threw his bag over his shoulder and stomped out of the room.
Byleth’s head dropped as she was left alone in Jeralt’s empty office. Things didn’t go the way that Byleth had hoped for, but maybe her dad just needed some time to think and open up. For now, she would focus on her students and hope that Jeralt’s opinion might be different once he returned.
Byleth’s talk with Jeralt weighed heavy on her mind, but she tried to focus all her attention on her students. This month was full of many events such as the White Heron Cup and the Garreg Mach Ball. The White Heron Cup had already flown by with Dorothea representing their class and claiming the victory.
Now, the classes were working together to prepare for the ball. They had been working all day on setting up the event and now Byleth and her students were taking a break together. Her students spoke to each other about their excitement of the ball, before Edelgard grabbed everyone's attention. “I have a proposition. Let’s all agree to meet back at the monastery exactly five years from today.” She announced.
“Like a class reunion? That’s a great idea!” Caspar exclaimed.
“Five years from today will be the millennium festival for Garreg Mach Monastery. I’ve heard the magnitude of the festivities will exceed all prior years.” Hubert added, causing Byleth’s mind to wonder. Where would she be five years from now? Would she still be stuck here at Garreg Mach, teaching a new class of students? No she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life stuck here doing Rhea’s work. This would be the one and only class that she intended to teach, though she wouldn’t mind continuing to watch over Edelgard even after she would leave Garreg Mach. Byleth’s attention came back as Edelgard posed a question towards her.
“Even if that’s the case, you will come, won’t you? Whether or not you’re still teaching here…” Edelgard trailed off waiting for a response.
“I will try.” Byleth replied, receiving a smile in response from Edelgard.
“Don’t forget, my teacher. Even if the Millennium Festival should be cancelled, I promise to return here…” Edelgard vowed before returning to preparations for the ball.
Later that night, the ball was in full bloom and all the students were dancing and having a wonderful time. Claude had even asked Byleth to dance, followed by Edelgard. But the hall was getting too stuffy for Byleth’s liking so she decided to step outside and get some fresh air.
“Running away? I understand. You hardly had the time to breathe in there. It must be hard to be the favourite teacher at the ball! Poor, poor Professor!” Sothis’ voice rang out in Byleth’s head as she had made it out of the hall.
“It is difficult.” Byleth boasted.
“So you do think you're the favourite! I might have known. But where is there to run? This place is filled with joyful students looking for a dance.” Sothis added and Byleth paused to think for a moment, before deciding on a place. “Ah... I see. The Goddess Tower waits for you...”
Upon arriving at the goddess tower, Byleth stood in the dark tower taking a deep breath, it was peaceful until someone else’s footsteps could be heard entering the tower. Byleth turned around to see Edelgard looking around as she entered the tower. Byleth and Edelgard shared a heartfelt talk about first loves. Though Byleth had never experienced a first love, she could imagine how wonderful such a thing might be. She was also happy to listen to the stories of Edelgard’s parents, as well as hearing a bit about Edelgard’s first love.
“Let's leave it there for today and return to the ball. There must be plenty of students hoping to talk with you… and to dance with you. I would not wish to prevent you from mingling. I cannot keep you all to myself, after all.” Edelgard said before taking her leave. Byleth took another moment in the tower before heading back as well.
Besides Byleth’s talk with her dad, the rest of the month has gone great, the ball was a success and she had even found Rhea wandering the grounds on the night of the ball singing a beautiful song. Everyone at the monastery seemed happier than ever and nothing had thus far come of her classes guarding the chapel this month. As Byleth was walking around the monastery, she noticed that Alois seemed to be looking for someone.
“Captain? Captain! Where are you?” Alois yelled, as he frantically looked in all directions, as soon as he saw Byleth he asked, “Have you seen your old man?” Byleth paused, the last time she had seen her father was when he left and when he rejected Byleth’s feelings. Byleth just shook her head slumped head, no, at Alois. “Uh, too bad. I guess it will have to be you, then…” but just as Alois was about to explain the situation Jeralt finally had returned, cutting Alois off.
“I’m back. Sorry for the delay, my last mission took longer than expected.” Jeralt apologized, looking quickly to Byleth with a frown, before giving Alois a smile in apology for his late return.
Even with Jeralt’s apology, Alois seemed to be frantic, “Captain! Thank goodness you’re here. There are reports of Demonic Beasts near the chapel!”
“Nonsense. I haven’t heard anything about the monastery’s walls being breached.” Jeralt responded with a confused look.
“That’s why I’m heading there now, to see what’s really going on. You’ll join as well, won’t you?”
“Of course. We’re both sworn to protect this place.”
“Where did they come from?” Byleth asked, worried since no one had seen Demonic Beast entering the grounds, there should be no way for Demonic Beast to enter the chapel.
“It’s odd. Just before they appeared, someone saw a number of students heading toward the chapel. They were apparently acting strange, as though they weren’t in their right minds. Shortly after, Demonic Beasts started to appear, one after the other.”
Byleth decided to ask the question on everyone’s mind, “Are the students safe?”
“Hmm… The students… There’s no way those Demonic Beasts got in from the outside… But none of that matters right now. We need to act. Go summon your students.” Jeralt said curtly to Byleth, to which she replied with a nod, but then Jeralt’s expression softened “Damn it… I wanted to talk to you about something important, but there’s no time. There’s never any damn time. But this is much more urgent, so it can hold for now. I’ll meet you there.” Jeralt said as he headed off to the chapel with Alois in tow. What was it that Jeralt wanted to talk about? She wanted to know, but she didn’t have time to think about that right now. She needed to help save the students in the chapel.
After gathering the Black Eagle students, Byleth and her students rushed to the Chapel to meet Jeralt and Alois who were waiting outside and fending off any demonic beast leaving the chapel.
“There really are Demonic Beasts here… They’re emerging from the chapel!” Jeralt yelled to Byleth as she arrived at the chapel. “I’ll head towards the chapel. The rest of you, protect the students who weren’t able to get away.” Byleth nodded in agreement and charged to save the students.
“Run along now” Jeralt said to the student named Monica, he had just finished talking to, she had been found lying near the ruined chapel.
“Thanks for all your help, sir.” Monica said as she hummed and skipped happily around Jeralt, but her humming and skipping stopped within an instance as she reached the back of Jeralt, before anyone could react she pulled a dagger out and quickly stabs him. Byleth gasp as Jeralt collapses on the floor.
“You’re just a pathetic old man. How dare you get in the way of my brilliant plan… you dog.” Monica lets out a laugh as she gloats about her achievement in taking Jeralt down.
Byleth does the other thing she can, using Sothis’ ability to turn back time, if only for a short period. The scene replays in front of Byleth, Jeralt tells Monica to run along and she begins her skipping. Quickly, before Monica is about to stab Jeralt, Byleth pulls out her sword and goes to attack Monica from afar.
Despite, her attempt to protect her father, Byleth has just watched Jeralt be stabbed, not once, but twice due to her failure. A mysterious pale mage had appeared and blocked Byleth’s attempt to attack Monica before he teleported the two of them away. Byleth dropped the sword of the creator and ran towards her dying father, as he collapses to the ground. She used all her strength to pull her father into her lap. No. This couldn’t be happening, not now.
“Sorry. It looks like… I’m going to have to leave you now.”
Byleth has never cried before, but this, this broke Byleth. Her tears fell onto Jeralt’s face.
“To think that the first time I saw you cry… your tears would be for me. It’s sad, and yet… I’m happy for it. Thank you… kid.”
Jeralt’s breath stops. Those were his final word to Byleth before the rain begins to stain Byleth and the field around them but the volume of the rain was nothing compared to Byleth’s tears.
Byleth was in Jeralt’s room for the first time without him, she missed him, but more than all she regretted the way things ended between them when he left for his mission. Now, she would never know if her father would truly accept her for who she was.
“So this is where our father lived… Hmm? Are you still crying? If turning back the hands of time was not enough to save his life, you must accept what came to pass was fate.” Sothis’ voice echoed in her head as she paced around the room.
“Our enemies will pay.” Byleth replied in a stern voice. She wasn’t going to let the people that took her father away keep living. They didn’t deserve to live. It was now going to be their fate to die.
“Agreed. We cannot let the wicked ones run free.” Sothis paused, if only for a moment like she was trying to remember something. “Oh! Your father said to look for something here. He must be referring to whatever is behind that bookcase there…”
Behind the bookcase? What was Sothis talking about? Byleth went to inspect the bookcase and after a few moments she pulled out what seemed to be a diary. Byleth opened it and took a moment to look at the inside cover. Property of Jeralt Eisner, was printed inside the cover. Byleth began flipping through the pages, skimming through each entry her father had written.
“Your father’s diary… Huh, his handwriting is prettier than his face would suggest. Well, well! These entries here are from before your birth. He seems to have been writing this for quite some time.” Sothis taking a moment to admired Jeralt’s writing for noticing something of interest. “Hmm? Ah… Read that part there. Horsebow Moon, Year 1159…”
Byleth and Sothis read about the passing of Byleth’s mother, the birth of Byleth, and Jeralt faking Byleth’s death to escape with her as a child.
“Well now! That baby must be you! That means…” Sothis was cut off, by a note falling out of the diary. It was a very small note addressed to Byleth. “Well open it.” Sothis said as Byleth held the note in her hand. Byleth slowly opened the note and began to read.
Byleth,
I have been thinking a lot about what you said. I just want you to know that no matter who you love you will always be my daughter. I am so proud of you.
Love,
Dad
Byleth takes a deep breath and sets the letter back down onto the desk goes to take a seat in Jeralt’s office chair. Her father… her dad… he loved her. He loved her for who she was. Was this what her father wanted to tell her before this mission? She wasn’t sure, but even in this moment of overwhelming sadness with the loss of her father, she was filled with a spark of hope. A spark of hope that she could carry into the future so that she could continue to fight with and for whoever she ended up loving.