Chapter Text
Byleth was quiet, Seteth thought. that much hadn't changed. There had been many moments in that five year absence where he had been able to imagine her next to him, even for a moment. In the cool evening he could close his eyes and deeply breath in the scent of woodsmoke in the campfires and just for a second, imagine her just behind him, imagine her eyes and gentle presence. And then it would be gone and there would only be smoke left. Those had been bitter days for him, he had ached deep within his heart. Someone so young, brilliant and painfully shy as herself deserved to live long enough to see a time that no longer required her to shed blood. He had never been able to reconcile himself to a world where he could not turn his ear to hear her quiet, but steady breath. She noticed him shiver against the cold, and softly stepped to be near. He looked slightly down to meet her eyes.
"Are you cold?." He took her hand in his, and pressed in to his lips, his face and then rested it over his heart. "No my love, not now at least."