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Castle Askr was, as usual, abuzz with activity in preparation of a new summoning.
Edelgard was, as usual, making herself scarce at exactly the same time.
Trying to, at least. The Hegemon Husk had little interest in the tedium of ‘greeting’ new ‘heroes,’ and was fortunate enough to not be counted amongst the Order of Heroes’ more notable members, meaning her attendance was not required. In spite of this, her teammates (Camilla, mostly) insisted she show her face, if only for a few brief moments.
And so the Husk Emperor found herself slumped against the back wall of the summoning grounds, doing her best impression of a shadow in a vain attempt to make herself as inconspicuous and unremarkable as possible. She lamented not getting more stealth lessons from Hubert while she had the chance, especially as she caught sight of a younger version of her retainer alongside his own Adrestian princess. Evidently they saw fit to grace the summoning grounds with their presence, which only served to make Edelgard even more uncomfortable.
The younger Edelgard had, luckily, kept her distance from the twisted visage of the Hegemon, but her servant was another matter entirely. In the past four months Edelgard had spent within Castle Askr’s walls, Hubert had made a number of appearances, each time very clearly attempting to investigate the Husk’s unusual state. He approached her directly once or twice, probing the Emperor as politely as he could, all while attempting to covertly discern the origin of her ‘affliction.’ After Edelgard made it clear that she wasn’t sick (and that she really didn’t want to talk about it), Hubert began doing as Hubert did, watching and investigating from the shadows. Sadly, the Husk caught him every time, as she had experience with a Hubert five years older and five years more skilled at subterfuge.
Regardless, it seemed as though her old friend’s young counterpart wasn’t here to spy on her for once, though she did catch his eye wandering over her. Hubert, of course, tried his best to hide his glances, but Edelgard knew all his tells by now. Her younger self, on the other hand, paid her no mind. Clearly the princess was as determined as the Emperor remembered being, and had no interest in ‘possible’ futures when she clearly intended to carve her own. Edelgard would readily admit that she missed the days when her idealism was not bogged down with the harsh reality of war, but she found no envy to afford the young Adrestian.
A few other Black Eagles students filtered in behind their class leader, and the Husk had to force herself to look away. Her doubts still plagued her, even if their voices had been dulled. No amount of reconciliation with her other selves could erase the images of her friend’s broken bodies from her mind, but seeing them alive and well and young stirred up strange feelings. Feelings best left ignored, if Edelgard was to be asked about them, and so she turned her gaze to the other on-lookers.
Her teammates chattered to one another some distance away. As their de-facto leader, it was somewhat rude to leave them to their own devices, but Edelgard really did not have it in her to converse with Dimitri or Camilla on this day. The last few battles had taken their toll, and while the laws of summoning ensured all Heroes suffered no lasting damage, having spent so much time on the frontlines had left the Hegemon exhausted. Even with all her titanic strength, there was a limit to how much carnage she could weather. Much as one lacked the energy or inclination to stomp every ant in their path, Edelgard just didn’t have it in her to decimate an entire enemy squadron and be expected to socialize in the same day. Líf, at least, always respected her silence, though it was hard to tell if he also desired it or simply had nothing to say.
She sighed quietly to herself, letting her eyes close as she took in the cool air in the shade of the building she leaned against. A moment or two later, the telltale sound of platemail gently settling against stone emanated from her right. Edelgard opened one eye to see none other than her doppelganger standing beside her, fully dressed in her Emperor’s armor though notably absent from her wife’s side.
They said nothing to one another, merely exchanging a glance before turning their attention elsewhere. Edelgard had to admit that it was nice to have someone who understood her so intimately, without the fear that said someone was a person other than herself.
So much had changed within Edelgard these past months. Change she had thought impossible, before being ripped away from the moment of her death and thrust into a world where none of that mattered. She was still getting used to it all, to feeling human again, even as fleeting as that mortality felt.
But all that was irrelevant in the now. Edelgard didn’t drag herself out to the summoning grounds to contemplate and philosophize, she had come to see the new Heroes and leave as quickly as possible. As the Summoner took her place and readied her artifact, Edelgard could hear the speculative murmurs of her fellow spectators.
“I wonder who it could be this time.” Anna–not the commander–asked.
“It would certainly be nice to see a familiar face.” Marth, the hero king mused.
“Hopefully not too familiar.” A third voice chimed in. Camilla–rather, a different Camilla from the one on Edelgard’s squad–sauntered forth to get a better look. “As much as I enjoy my own company, I don’t think we have enough Corrins between us. Though, if it is Corrin, then…”
Edelgard tuned the woman out, half because she wasn’t interested in listening and half because her own thoughts began churning. What if it was another person from Fodlan? She’d overheard Kiran and Alphonse discussing how the connection to Fodlan had been rather strong as of late, which explained the sudden influx of individuals from her home.
Home.
Again the Husk’s mind wandered and ruminated on her place. It was strange to think of Fodlan as ‘home.’ Homes were supposed to be warm, someplace where you felt safe and could be happy. Fodlan hadn’t felt safe or happy in years. In all honesty, Askr was more of a home to the Hegemon than anything.
Again Edelgard shook her head, dispelling her thoughts. Sometimes she really hated how active her mind was. Drawing her attention. the light of the grounds began to dim as the Summoner’s relic sprang to life. Edelgard sighed quietly in relief. Soon all the irate questions about ‘who’s next’ would be answered. Soon Edelgard could leave and get back to brooding. Soon–
“Woah!” Kiran exclaimed as the relic in her hand crackled violently.
All the attending heroes were instantly on alert, weapons drawn. This, of course, included Edelgard, though her state of readiness was limited to ‘prepared to transform at any moment.’ A blinding portal ripped itself open in the air before the Summoner, who was still struggling to contain the power of her armament.
Everyone else was prepared for the worst. Really that was the other reason why anyone bothered to attend summonings; in case some unruly visitor came knocking (like Loki) or the summoned ‘hero’ wasn’t amicable enough to he inducted properly (Kronya tried stabbing Kiran the moment she was summoned, though to little avail since it was literally impossible to harm the summoner). In rare cases, the summoned individual would be sent home immediately, either because such a person already existed within the Order, or because their presence caused too many issues. Surtr was one such case; within moments of him setting foot on Askr soil, the Summoner had slapped the would-be conqueror and sent him home, after which she went running to Laegjarn and Gunnthrá to apologize even though none could have predicted the mad Múspell king’s appearance.
In anticipation of another such event, every hero present stood at the ready. Kiran, meanwhile, was doing her best to wrangle Breidablik. The relic seemed ready to jump out of her hands at any moment, wreathed in red lightning not unlike the bolts arcing off from the portal. Just as it seemed like the Summoner might have lost her grip, the portal opened in its entirety.
A figure leapt out as smoke filled the area and the portal dissipated. Kiran waved at the smoke in front of her while she tried to get her bearings. The heroes at her side watched the obscured silhouette stand and waited to see how they would act. Edelgard let her own guard lower, content that any issue from here on out could be solved without the Hegemon.
“Uh, hello?” Kiran coughed out, still trying to clear away the smoke.
“...” The new hero said nothing until they came into view, upon which moment Edelgard chose to look away with disinterest.
“Hello.”
The instant she heard the hero speak, however, her eyes wandered back to find the face of her teacher.
“My name is Byleth. I fight to bring an end to the chaos that has enveloped Fódlan."
Edelgard felt her heart flutter at her old professor’s voice mere seconds before her stomach churned at the sight of her professor’s hair.
Divine.
This new Byleth wore her Enlightened One garb. Her hair was colored with the mark of divinity, of one chosen by the false Goddess Edelgard swore to destroy. The savior-professor looked identical to the one who had stormed the Hegemon’s throne room, a fact not lost on the Husk Emperor.
Edelgard could feel her doppelganger gripping her arm tightly, trying to get her attention to calm her down. She couldn’t hear the woman over her own heart pounding in her ears, nor could she hear what the Summoner was saying to the new Byleth. She could feel her beast flaring beneath her skin, recoiling in the presence of the Enlightened One. She had to flee, and so she did.
The other Edelgard said something as she wrenched her way out of her grip, but the Hegemon didn’t notice or care. The only thing Edelgard did notice as she retreated from the summoning grounds was Byleth’s eyes staring into her own, right before the Husk Emperor turned the corner and sped off to her room.
…
…
A faint, gentle knocking resonated through Edelgard’s room.
“Edelgard?” Camilla’s voice came through, muffled and full of concern. “Dear, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. The others– they said you ran off, and…”
The Hegemon didn’t respond.
Camilla waited for a while, then spoke. “Well, if you want to talk, or just need the company, or… my door’s open, dear.” The Nhorian Queen’s footsteps retreated.
Edelgard buried her head further into her arms. She sat with her back against the wall on her bed, her knees curled up to her chest. Her breathing was steady now, at least, but her mind was still racing from earlier. Nothing helped; not the solitude, nor the silence. Her head was just so loud, her thoughts so muddled.
And so she wallowed in silence, in hopes that it would resolve itself.
…
She sighed loudly.
It’s stupid. She thought to herself. It’s not even the same Byleth. I was never afraid of her, was I? So why am I trembling now? Why can’t I bear the sight of her like… THAT?
Sure it had irritated Edelgard, seeing Byleth blue-haired and fawning over another version of herself, but at least that Byleth was different enough from the one who tried to kill her. This new Byleth was from a time where the war was still happening, looking exactly as she did when she assaulted the imperial throne room. Why was it she could handle Dimitri but not Byleth? Even Rhea, even Seiros, even the Goddess herself did not incite such emotions in the Husk.
Had she just gotten too comfortable? Maybe these emotions always existed, and in opening up she simply allowed them the chance to spill forth. The Emperor silently cursed the nature of human emotion, almost wishing that Thales and his scalpels were more effective in turning her into an unfeeling weapon.
Edelgard grumbled to herself, the only noise to disturb her room’s silence. The blackened tendrils of her beast writhed and wriggled in time with her racing thoughts, and she would not leave until they both settled down.
There came another knock, though exactly how long it had been since the last was not clear to Edelgard. This hand was firmer than the last, and only sounded once. Afterwards, a cold and tired voice crept through her door.
“You can’t avoid her forever, you know.” Líf stated, all too familiar with the feelings swirling within the Emperor’s chest. “Not unless you go home. And we both know you’re too stubborn for that.”
“...” Again Edelgard didn’t respond, but her brow furrowed at his words. She did know that. But she didn’t want to acknowledge it.
Líf left soon after, having said all he needed to. It was likely he went to go brood himself, though exactly where remained a mystery to all but Kiran herself. Edelgard didn’t care, so long as it wasn’t bothering her at that precise moment. Silence settled again, though the Hegemon was certain she had at least one other visitor to expect, if the trend was to be trusted.
Sure enough, a third knock came not too long after the last. This one was gentle like the first, though of a conscious sort, like the person on the other side was wary of their own strength and too paranoid of breaking things around them. Quite obviously, there was only one person to whom this knock belonged, and Edelgard braced herself for his words.
“El…” Dimitri started, then stopped.
She could hear her brother lean against her door and slide onto the floor. He said nothing else for the entire time he remained in that spot, something that did not go unappreciated by Edelgard. Eventually she could hear him shifting and standing back up, armor clinking against itself.
“I’ll stop by with dinner later. Good night, El.” With that, he left, once more leaving Edelgard to her lonesome.
Time seemed to pass more quickly, now that Edelgard had something to look forward to. The mention of food had reminded her mind and body that she hadn’t eaten in quite some time. Her stomach growled quietly as she waited, relieved that the thoughts of Byleth seemed to be fading from her mind (except that one thought there).
She was so relieved, in fact, that when the next knock came, she didn’t notice how it most decidedly wasn’t Dimitri’s knocking. Instead, the Hegemon got up and opened the door, only to instantly regret that decision.
Green hair and emerald eyes stared back.
Her eyes widened comically and she nearly slammed the door shut on Byleth, only for the woman in question to instinctually block the door with her foot.
“Ow.” Byleth said.
“I–Why–” Edelgard stammered, barely processing the situation.
“I came to check on you.” The professor stated rather nonchalantly. “And now my foot hurts.”
“Wuh–” Edelgard looked down to see the professor’s boot still firmly lodged in the opening. “Um, sorry–” She shook her head. “Wait, no–if I move the door, are you going to move your foot?”
“That depends.” Byleth replied. “Are you going to close the door if I do?”
“Yes.” Edelgard answered curtly and honestly.
“Then I’m not moving.”
The Hegemon had to bite back a growl. “Why are you even here?”
“Because I was worried about you.”
Edelgard frowned. “Why?”
Byleth frowned, too, but hers was sad. “Because I thought you were hurt.”
The Hegemon was taken aback. “Huh?”
“I was really confused when I saw more than one Edelgard.” Byleth scratched the back of her head. “But they were all fine. You weren’t. You looked sad, and afraid. Then I saw that stuff on your shoulder and I got scared…”
Edelgard had to resist recoiling at the sight of the professor’s puppy-dog eyes. “Thats–I’m not hurt, I just…” Her hand drifted to her shoulder, grasping at the Hegemon’s tendrils. “I did this to myself. To see my dreams fulfilled. In the end, it was worthless…”
The Emperor looked back to the professor-turned-Goddess, only to find anger behind the woman’s eyes. “Who did this?” Byleth asked.
“I–” Edelgard stammered. “I just said–”
Byleth shook her head. “No. You wouldn’t do this to yourself. Was it Arundel?”
Edelgard took a step back.
Her professor’s gaze sharpened. “Knew it. Damn him. I had a bad feeling the first time I met him, but now I know I should have cut him down the instant I laid eyes on him. Though, I guess that wouldn’t have mattered for you, given how this summoning thing works. Different worlds, timelines… it’s all a bit much.” Byleth’s face turned pensive.
Edelgard blinked, unsure about how to feel. She quickly recovered, however. “I’m sure that the Edelgard from your world already has plans to deal with him in time, however fruitless they may seem in the threat of your advance. If nothing else, I’m certain you’ll have to deal with him yourself, once you’re finished with the Empire.”
It was Byleth’s turn to blink. She looked at the Hegemon Husk and tilted her head to one side. “Pardon?”
“Th–” Again Edelgard was left stuttering. “The war? The war you yourself mentioned when you came here? The war against the Empire?”
“Why would I be against the Empire?”
“Becau–” Edelgard stopped herself, realizing she had been projecting the Byleth she knew onto the one in front of her.
Evidently the pieces snapped into place for Byleth as well, for the professor’s expression shifted to one of faint horror. “Oh. I–I’m sorry. I forgot what they said. Everyone–or lots of people here, they’re from different times, and–the people from Fódlan, some of them come from places where I didn’t…” She trailed off, seemingly ashamed of the implications.
“You mean to say–That is, are you implying that, in your world–”
“I taught the Black Eagles.” Byleth explained. “A-and I stood against Rhea. In the tomb. She told me to kill you–to kill Edelgard, and I said no.”
Edelgard’s shoulders shank, her tension dissolving.
“I heard from another you that it wasn’t like that everywhere. That for you– you specifically –I taught a different class. Sided with the church.”
The Emperor nodded vacantly. “The Blue Lions.” She said, her voice quiet. “You taught Dimitri and his class, then came for me to end the war. I was prepared to die in my own throne room when I was called here. The last thing I remember is you charging at me in that same outfit, blade drawn, and emerald irises trained on my heart.”
The Byleth before her adopted a wholly different expression. “I–I didn’t know, I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Edelgard said. “It’s not as if you chose to be summoned in that.”
“I was still wearing it, though…”
The Hegemon huffed. “Speaking of which… you said you fight for the Empire in your world, yes?”
“That’s correct.” Byleth nodded.
“Then why in the name of all that is good are you wearing that damnable outfit?” Edelgard hissed. “Is your Edelgard right in the head!? Or is Rhea somehow removed from the church in your timeline?”
“Oh, well,” Byleth looked down at her clothes. “My Edelgard mentioned the ‘dramatic irony’ of it all was a good way to stick it to Rhea, should I feel so inclined. And I did. Plus, the certification is pretty handy. You know how useful it is to be able to swap between spells and swords on the fly?”
Edelgard opened her mouth to speak, but closed it instead. She wanted to decry her other self’s pettiness before realizing that, given the same position, she absolutely would have done the same thing. Besides, Byleth’s words rang true; versatility was a life-saver on the battlefield, and few certifications gave the same flexibility as the Enlightened One.
Then… all that moping was for nothing. Great. Edelgard sighed inwardly. Idiot. You let your paranoia get the better of you, AGAIN. Pushing people away because of assumptions, even though nothing is like it was back in your world.
As the Hegemon continued to berate herself in her head, Byleth shifted in place uncomfortably. “So, um… is everything fine now?”
“Hm?” Edelgard looked at the professor.
“You ran because you thought I would hurt you. I won’t, so are you okay now? I mean, for the moment?”
Edelgard had to wet her throat before speaking. Why was her mouth so dry? “Y-yes, I’m fine.”
Byleth’s lips curled into a lopsided smile that sent flutters through Edelgard’s chest. “Then do you wanna go get dinner? I heard it’s being served soon, so I figured I’d ask. Well, I also heard you haven’t left since I arrived, and that was nearly six hours ago.”
“Oh.” The Husk kneaded her hands behind the door. “I, uh–” As if on cue, her stomach growled again, and Edelgard winced as Byleth looked down at the source of the noise.
“I’ll take that as a yes. C’mon–oh, right. Can I move my foot now?”
“Huh?” Edelgard looked down to see that, yes, Byleth’s boot was still firmly lodged between her door and the frame. “Ah, sorry.”
Edelgard opened the door fully, and the professor withdrew her boot. The Emperor tried to ignore the fond look on Byleth’s face as she stepped out of her room.
“Right.” Byleth looked down the hallway. “So, where’s the dining hall again?”
Edelgard sighed and shook her head, turning away to hide the faint grin on her lips.
…
As the pair withdrew, Dimitri let out a sigh of his own. He smiled for his sister, then turned back around the corner from whence he came. Then he frowned slightly, as now he had a tray of food with no recipient.
“I wonder where Claude is this hour…” The king mused aloud. Perhaps the duke would be willing to take the meal off his hands.