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The call of the sea was not something that Edelgard had ever heard.

Some people found the waters calming. The salty air and the ever rocking ships upon the waves was something that some people found they could never live without. They dedicated their entire lives to the ocean, becoming sailors and navigators, and never set foot on dry land again.

Personally, Edelgard didn’t get it.

She was only on this ship out of necessity, as a means to an end. Her dedication to her cause and ending this war as quickly as possibly required that she and her strike force take to the sea. Edelgard had readily pushed aside her fear of the ocean and was prepared to take on any obstacle that came between her and her journey to the capital of Faerghus.

Edelgard stood aboard her ship, the Scarlet Blaze, the largest in their fleet. She stood on the uppermost deck, watching the water crash against the wooden hull as the ship glided across the waves.

Edelgard took a deep breath to calm her nerves and tried to focus on Hubert’s report. Her closest advisor, and oldest friend, stood at her side as he relayed his most recent information to her.

“Your Majesty,” Hubert said. “We are on course and remain on schedule.”

Edelgard nodded. “It’s good that our run in with the Sirens did not slow our progress.”

“Indeed. It seems we have our own wits to thank for that,” Hubert said.

Edelgard allowed herself a small smile as she remembered how all of her friends looked with wax protruding from their ears, all to keep the deadly Siren's singing from plaguing their minds.

“Our troops on the western war fare well,” Hubert continued. “Count Bergliez has the Kingdom troops retreating north as we continue to gain ground. Our messengers report that they’ll reach the capital in due time. The Knights of Serios have taken refuge in the Kingdom capital, as predicted.”

“And what of our allies within the Kingdom?” Edelgard asked. Her grip tightened on the railing in front of her as she spat out the word allies as if it were a poison.

“Those who slither in the dark are in place,” Hubert said, also not bothering to hide the distaste in his voice. “They are providing assistance in Count Bergliez’s advance. I would imagine Cornelia will be in the capital to greet us when we arrive.”

Edelgard nodded once more. She had been expecting as much.

Hubert gave her a sly smile, a wicked glint appearing in his eye. “It would seem all of your pieces are falling perfectly into place, Your Majesty.”

It was just as she and Hubert had plotted. In just a matter of time, all of Edelgard’s forces would be arriving in Faerghus. If her and Hubert were to perfectly execute their plan, this final battle may be the equivalent of hitting three birds with one stone.

“Thank you, Hubert. You’ve done well.”

Hubert bowed to her. “It seems we both have.”

“If all goes well,” Hubert continued. “This trip across the sea will have all been worth it.”

“Yes, I’ll be relieved to finally see the other side of this war.”

Edelgard kept her eyes set firmly on the horizon. All of the pieces were falling into place but there was still a sense of unease that plagued her, a strange feeling that something big was soon to occur. She initially thought the feeling must stem from her nerves from being at sea, but they had been aboard the ship for some time now and the feeling was yet to fade.

The ocean was a demon in its own right that haunted her every waking moment. The threat of drowning was ever present in her mind more any other time in her life. At night she lay awake in her bunk and listened to the ocean, just barely separated from her by a few planks of wood.

There were only a few select people in her inner circle that knew about Edelgard’s fear of the ocean. When they had first drawn up proposals to take to the sea, Hubert had questioned if she would be able to overcome her phobia. Edelgard had scoffed at the idea and reassured him that she would be more than willing to sail across the seas if it meant putting an end to this war and achieving her goals. Hubert had apologised for doubting her and dropped the subject.

Still, it did not stop him from hiding various flotation devices in multiple locations aboard their ship.

“Lady Edelgard!” Petra called, suddenly appearing behind them. Her long hair blew against the sea breeze and each of her steps were assured. Unlike Edelgard, Petra looked more than at home aboard the ship. “The war council will be starting soon.”

Edelgard turned to face her, allowing herself a small smile. “Thank you, Petra. Shall we, Hubert?”

Hubert gave her a curt nod as they all made their way below deck to the captain’s quarters. For the first time in a while, Edelgard let her worries and fears lift free from her mind. She tried to share in Petra's confidence.

It was only a matter of time before this war, her war, came to its end.

This final strike, at the heart of the Faerghus capital from two sides, would be just what they needed to force a surrender and secure victory.

Only then could her revolution truly begin.

And so, Edelgard took a deep breath and braced herself. With her allies and friends with her, she would be able to conquer her fears. The ocean would not drown her.

And no goddess could stop her.

The meeting was held in the captain’s quarters around the war council table.

They had been at sea for a while now and met often within this room. It almost reminded Edelgard of their old classroom back at Garreg Mach, homeroom to the Black Eagles.

As Edelgard entered the room, with Hubert and Petra in tow, she looked around to look at the occupants of the room. She spotted Caspar sitting at the table, challenging the ship’s captain to an arm wrestling contest. Linhardt flitted around, either looking for a new book to read or trying to find the coziest looking nook for a nap. In the corner, Dorothea and Bernadetta seemed to be chatting aimlessly.

Ferdinand looked up from his position at the head of the war table where he had been pouring over the various maps.

“Ah, Edelgard,” Ferdinand said. “I have already briefed everyone on the current trajectory of our plans and mission status. I hope you do not mind.”

“Not at all, Ferdinand,” Edelgard responded. “I would not have chosen you as the next potential Prime Minister if I did not believe you capable of leading the others while I am unavailable.”

Ferdinand’s chest puffed up at that comment, his back somehow took on an even more proper posture than before.

“Of course,” she continued. “The meeting was not scheduled to start for another two minutes. Patience is a good quality to have in a Prime Minister.”

Ferdinand flushed at that. He was about to protest when Hubert cut in. He placed a hand on Ferdinand’s shoulder and steered him into a chair at the table. “Do not bother Her Majesty with any more of your frivolity. Brief the rest of us so that we may move on.”

Ferdinand grumbled a bit before he composed himself. He said, "As you already know, Adrestia is in good hands. Her borders remain secure as our troops keep the Kingdom retreating north. The citizens will remain content so long as we keep supplying them with their necessities."

"And what of our plans to provide the people with the skills needed to provide for themselves?" Edelgard prompted.

"I am glad you asked," Ferdinand said, pride returning to his voice. "Our joint efforts have quelled the restlessness in captured villages. The citizens are kept busy and bring in profit for themselves all while keeping food on the table. Hunters and farmers are thriving thanks to our plans, Edelgard."

"I am happy to hear that the newly introduced crops and education programs have taken hold. Well done, Ferdinand."

"Indeed. This bodes well for our future endeavours in providing public education."

"And what is the status of our journey?” Petra asked as her nimble fingers traced the path of their voyage on the map in front of her, through the seas surrounding Fódlan.

The captain of the Scarlet Blaze spoke up, his arm still locked with Caspar’s as they battled for strength. “Aye, we remain on course and are making good time. I could run this route in my sleep.”

His voice remained steady, as if he could hold his deadlock with Caspar all day. The captain was a true man of the sea, with sun kissed skin and a gruff looking beard, but Edelgard had never seen the man not laughing with his crew.

"And what about…your supplies?" Caspar huffed through gritted teeth. "You need to take a rest- I mean, make any rest stops?"

"The fleet remains well stocked, more than enough for the rest of our journey. You just mind your own troops, lad."

Linhardt chose that moment to wander over. He spared Caspar and the captain's locked arms a glance before he started to critique Caspar's form and the angle of his arm.

"Speaking of our troops," Ferdinand said, ignoring the now bickering Caspar and Linhardt. "Edelgard, we should really discuss our battle plans and preparations."

"Lady Edelgard has already written up everything. If you were not so intent on wasting Her Majesty's time you would have read her report by now,” Hubert told him.

Dorothea and Bernadetta, who had been chatting in the corner of the room, spared them a glance and laughed as they overheard.

Edelgard saw her opening to take a step back from the table and look over the room full of her friends. Her former classmates turned trusted friends had chosen to fight at her side. Edelgard could feel a burning feeling threatening to spill out of her chest, a feeling that she had to protect these people.

Five long years at war should have hardened her and, in certain ways, it had. But her friends had been there every step of the way to ground her. When push came to shove, they had chosen to stay with her. Her friends had chosen her and pledged their loyalty to their shared cause and Edelgard had pledged the same to them.

They had all proven their worth time and time again, Edelgard could only hope that she had done the same for them. With the hopeful end of this war approaching soon, Edelgard was hopeful that they would all be able to see the rise of a new dawn together.

“Edie!” Dorothea’s voice called to her from across the room. She beckoned Edelgard over with a wave of her hand.

Edelgard walked toward them, greeting them both. “Hello, Dorothea. Bernadetta.”

“H-hello, Lady Edelgard,” Bernadetta managed to squeak.

Edelgard gave her a small smile. “It is nice to see you outside of your quarters. I’m happy to see you warming up to the crew and life on the ship.”

It was a rare sight to see Bernadetta outside of her room. Edelgard had initially thought that Bernadetta would not want to travel to Faerghus with them. She had felt a little guilty for having to force her from her home in the palace but Bernadetta had surprised her. She had insisted on joining the rest of the Black Eagles when they took to the sea. Bernadetta had grown a lot over the years and Edelgard was happy to see her slowly becoming more confident and comfortable with the others.

“I’m sure Bern here will be relieved to get this final fight out of the way and head back to Enbarr,” Dorothea said. “I myself will be glad to see the end of this war.”

“It wasn’t all bad!” Bernadetta insisted. “It was nice travelling with the rest of you and sharing a room with you was…nice.”

“It would seem the rest of the crew has warmed up to you as well,” Edelgard said. It was true. She had seen Bernadetta around the meal preparations area, swapping recipes with the rather gruff looking sailor behind the counter. Edelgard could have sworn she’d never seen the sailor smile like that. She always did have an act for bringing out the softer sides of even the roughest looking people.

Bernadetta hid her face in her hands, the tips of her ears going pink.

“And what about you, Edie?” Dorothea asked, turning to face Edelgard. “I seem to recall that you skipped breakfast this morning. And Hubert tells me that you’ve been retiring to your quarters later and later each evening.”

Now it was Edelgard’s turn to fight the blush that threatened to spread onto her face. “I have a lot of work to do, Dorothea. There is always new work to be done.”

“Edelgard,” she said, as if she were a mother about to scold a child. “Honestly, when was the last time you rested? Even Hubert is starting to worry.”

The last comment stung a bit but Edelgard brushed it to the side.

“I will have time to rest when we finish this war,” Edelgard replied. “I’ll be fine.”

Bernadetta’s tentative voice cut in. “You should get some rest, Lady Edelgard! There is no green house here like there was at Garreg Mach but maybe we could-”

Whatever Bernadetta had been about to offer was cut off as the first mate of the ship burst through the door.

“Captain! Your Majesty!” they shouted, clearly frightened. “Come quickly! You must see this at once!”

Edelgard locked eyes with Hubert from across the room who nodded to her curtly. He rose from his seat and quickly followed the first mate out the door, his long coat flowing behind him.

Dorothea met her eyes next. “Duty calls, Edie. Just promise me you’ll take a break later.”

All Edelgard could offer her was a wry smile as she followed Hubert out the door, the captain on her heels.

Edelgard stormed onto the upper deck with her axe already in hand. She scanned the horizon, searching for whatever it was that had managed to frighten the ship’s first mate that much.

The once blue and clear sky had turned dark and stormy gray. Through the rain, Edelgard could see a giant shadow racing toward the ship. The giant mass swam through the water at a brisk pace, kicking up large waves as it made a direct beeline for their fleet.

Edelgard gripped Amyr in her hand. The false relic glowed faintly as it twitched for battle.

“Hubert, gather the crew on deck!” Edelgard commanded. “Everyone, prepare for battle. Whatever this is will bow to the might of the Adrestian Empire!”

Hubert nodded before dashing below deck once more to gather everyone. The captain barked orders as crewmates quickly ran onto the deck and fell into place as they prepared the Scarlet Blaze for battle. The sails were hoisted into place and ammunition was hauled above deck as the crew flagged down the rest of the fleet to warn them.

Edelgard dragged cannons into place. What would have normally taken a group of men was quickly finished by the Adrestian Emperor herself.

Petra appeared at Edelagrd’s side. Her eyes were placed firmly on the horizon, keeping track of the movements of the large, dark mass that chased after them.

“Petra, what do you think that thing is?’ Edelgard asked her.

“I am unsure, Lady Edelgard.” Petra’s eyes narrowed. “But look at how it moves. This attack feels targeted.”

Edelgard hauled a group of barrels to the side and out of the way before she tied them down. She pursed her lips, face grim. “What exactly is it targeting?”

Edelgard took in the surrounding waters. The Adrestian fleet was moving into a battle ready formation. Anywhere the Scarlet Blaze moved to, the giant shadow readjusted its course to place itself directly in their path.

“Ah, of course,” Edelgard said. “Targeting us.”

“But how is the enemy knowing of our ship?” Petra called from across the deck, where she tied down supplies to the deck.

“And why does it seem to know which ship you’re on, Edie?” Dorothea asked, now also on the upper deck.

Edelgard held down a rope as Petra’s deft fingers tied it off to the mast. Both of their gazes travelled back to the waters around them.

The creature loomed under the waves and Edelgard could make out its shape now. It must have been the size of the ship, at least as wide as the Scarlet Blaze and twice as long in length. Its narrow head was swimming right for them.

A giant head broke the surface, sending up more water around them. Dorothea gasped in shock. The large beast snapped its maw, glowing red eyes glared in their direction. It let out an earthshaking roar, blending in with the howling winds which seemed to blow harder and harder with each passing moment.

“A demonic beast!” Petra shouted over the rain storm, her hair whipping around her.

It was unlike any demonic beast that Edelgard had ever encountered but she knew Petra was right. The beast’s body was covered from head to tail in black, rigid scales. The eyes glowed faintly in the rain as it seemed to make eye contact with Edelgard from its spot in the water.

Where normally clawed hands would be, instead were webbed feet that thrashed in the water to keep it afloat. The demonic beast had a long, rounded back with rigid scales scattered across. At its rear was a long, finned tail.

The demonic beast swept through the waves, clawing at the surrounding ships. It swam purposefully through the fleet, directly towards the middle where the Scarlet Blaze was located.

Petra drew her bow and notched an arrow. As the beast opened its mouth again, she let her arrows fly down into its throat.

The creature roared, but Petra’s arrows had only seemed to annoy it. It reared up its large, rounded head to spit some type of poison onto the deck, forcing Petra back.

The surrounding ships opened fire on the beast, firing off their cannons directly onto the monster’s backside. Fire cracked along Dorothea’s fingertips as she prepared to sling fireballs at the monster.

But she was never given the chance.

The demonic beast launched its upper body out of the water to grasp at the Scarlet Blaze with webbed hands, tail bursting above the ocean surface to bludgeon the side of the ship. Everyone above deck was flung across the wood as the ship was shaken by the beast.

Edelgard regained her balance quickly and moved to catch Dorothea before she could fall off the side.

“Thanks, Edie,” Dorothea called, before letting loose a thunder spell. Lightning bursted against the beast’s scaly hide but it wasn’t enough. The demonic beast’s hold on the hull seemed to tighten, causing the ship to groan in protest. The beast’s head hovered right over the side as its red eyes seemed to sweep over the deck, as if in search of something specific.

It opened its maw wide and spat poison all over the deck, forcing the crew to duck for cover. It swiped at anyone who dared to get too close with claws as sharp as a blade.

“The eyes!” Petra called, struggling to be heard over the rain and roaring winds. She notched another arrow. “Aim for the eyes!”

The rest of the Black Eagles were above deck now. They all nodded in affirmation before splitting off to attack the beast.

Linhardt knelt at the side of the injured, looking queasy at the sight of blood and venom mixing together on the deck. Edelgard led an injured crewmate over to him.

“Get the injured below deck,” she ordered. Linhardt nodded. He didn’t have to be told twice.

Edelgard dashed along the side of the ship, trying to reach the head of the beast. She beat back the creature’s arm as it tried to smack at Caspar. Together, the two of them managed to beat the giant limb back over the side of the ship and into the water.

The demonic beast locked its eyes onto Edelgard and she saw its eyes narrow. It bellowed in outrage.

The pointed claws on its webbed feet dragged along the wooden sides, trying to find purchase. The beast’s tail wrapped along the underside of the ship, coming up on the other side and splashing more water onto the deck.

The beast clung to the hull and pulled the ship violently to the side. In the distance, Edelgard could hear the other ships’ captains ordering their crew to hold their fire, lest they risk damaging the Scarlet Blaze and the people aboard her.

“The beast is intelligent. It’s trying to capsize us!” Hubert’s voice rang out against the wind. He blasted at the tail with his dark magic but to no avail. The demonic beast showed no signs of letting go.

Despite all of the Black Eagle’s efforts, the monster didn’t seem to be phased. Not even Ferdinand’s blessed lance could pierce its hide.

Edelgard threw a discarded tomahawk at the beast’s head, landing right between its glaring red eyes. It was just as Petra had predicted. The beast stumbled, briefly dazed and momentarily let go of the ship.

Edelgard watched the beast sink into the water before it rose up again to seize the ship, a low growl rumbling from its throat.

She scanned the deck looking for something else she could throw but there was nothing. She would have to get closer. Hubert would berate her for being reckless but that would have to be an issue for the later. If this beast capsized their ship, it would ruin her plans and Edelgard needed to protect her friends.

She started racing towards the highest portion of the deck, toward the rear of the ship. The beast tried to swipe at her but Edelgard brought her axe down hard on the creature’s limb, causing it to howl in pain.

“Bernadetta! Get ready!” Edelgard called through the storm. Her cape felt heavy, weighed down by the rain and ocean water but she kept pushing toward the rear of the ship.

Bernadetta nodded to her in understanding. She fired off a cannon, blasting the demonic beast in the back of the neck, immediately drawing its attention. The beast reared its head at her, spinning to meet her just as Edelgard reached her at the stern.

Before it could swipe for Bernadetta, Edelgard jumped high and into the air. She landed on its giant limb, slamming Aymr down as Bernadetta dove to the side.

The monster roared as Amyr cracked its scales and pulled its arm back from the ship’s hull. But it was too late. Edelgard was already lodged there and holding on for dear life.

The beast shook violently in an attempt to dislodge her but Edelgard held steady.

The demonic beast's eyes glowed red as it spit poison at her as she charged up toward its shoulder. Edelgard brought her arms up to keep it away from her face and the poison mixed with the rain and seeped into the long sleeves of her dress.

Edelgard gritted her teeth as she felt it sizzle against her skin but she still pushed forward.

When she reached the shoulder, Edelgard jumped high into the air, raising Amyr over her head. The demonic beast must have expected that and spit poison right in her path. Edelgard crashed through it as it hit her square in the chest. It wasn’t enough to stop her momentum but she could feel it burning against her skin, mixing with the rain and saltwater soaked into her dress.

Edelgard landed on the beast’s snout and brought her axe down hard, right between its red eyes.

One.

She could feel the poison seeping through her armoured dress, dripping down into her ribcage and forearms. Edelgard ripped Amyr from the broken scales and lifted it high once more.

Two.

Edelgard brought Amyr down again with all of her strength, crests flaring in the storm. Her arms screamed in protest and her very bones felt as if they had been set aflame. Still, she lifted Amyr again.

Three.

Her heart pounded in time with the strike. The poison was in her veins now, mixing with her blood and setting it to a boil. But the demonic beast roared one final time before it slumped and started to fall down into the waves, arms and tail slipping from the hull of the ship.

Edelgard yanked Amyr free from its hide and turned to jump back to the deck of the Scarlet Blaze.

She was halfway through the air when she felt it. A giant arm swatting at her as if she were a bug on a sticky summer’s day. It smacked her hard in the back.

The demonic beast’s final parting gift to her sent her flying even higher into the air and impossibly far from her ship.

Edelgard could hear her friends shouting for her and calling her name. Hubert screamed as magic flashed at his fingertips but it was no use. He was too far away to warp her to safety.

Edelgard went crashing into the water.

The only thing that kept Edelgard from completely passing out was the adrenaline.

As Edelgard went crashing into the waves, she felt her bones shake upon impact with the water. The Scarlet Blaze was nowhere in sight. All she could see was the wide, blue expanse of the sea around her.

She sank fast. Her heavy battle gown and armour weighed her down, sinking her faster.

Edelgard panicked and thrashed but it was useless. Her lungs began to burn from lack of oxygen, her arms felt like lead. She could feel her skin sizzling against the cool saltwater upon her flesh. Her fight with the demonic sea beast had left her terribly weak and injured.

The sunlight was beginning to fade the further Edelgard sank.

Her final breath of air slipped out between her lips with a gasp. Her body began to slow.

At least the others are safe, she thought to herself. If she died here, she trusted her friends enough to lead the army to victory and hoped that what she had done was enough to truly bring about change to the world.

All she could see was dark blue. Out of the corner of her eye, Edelgard thought she saw a shadow move towards her but whether or not it was from the lack of oxygen, she couldn’t tell. Her body felt weak as time seemed to slow around her.

The shadow approached her and suddenly Edelgard was face to face with a beautiful young woman, her eyes the same shade as the water around them.

It was the last thing she could remember before the ocean overtook her.

Edelgard drifted in and out of consciousness.

When awake, her lungs would burn as if they were still straining for air from the bottom of the sea. Her entire body ached, limbs heavy at her side. Edelgard barely registered the soft blanket thrown over her, keeping her warm, and the dimly lit cave she found herself in.

At her side, Edelgard saw the same young woman. She was feeding her some kind of nectar. Edelgard struggled to sit up, to speak to her, to do anything.

But her tongue was like lead in her mouth. Her veins felt as though they carried pure fire instead of blood.

The young woman gave her a look as if to say, It is not time yet.

And Edelgard had no other choice but to fall into a deep sleep.

When asleep, Edelgard’s mind wandered. She dreamt of her friends. She saw visions of them aboard the Scarlet Blaze. Hubert paced the deck, his long coat dragged onto the hardwood as he pondered the crew’s next steps.

Hubert looked grief stricken. He was paler than usual, the dark circles under his eyes more pronounced. Edelgard wondered when the last time he slept was.

“We should be continuing our way north,” Petra said, her voice echoing faintly in Edelgard’s ears. The dream felt strange, as if she was peering in on her friends from behind a distant window.

“We must find Lady Edelgard,” Hubert said, his voice strained.

“We will,” Ferdinand’s voice cut in. Edelgard watched as he moved to place a comforting hand on Hubert’s shoulder. “But we’ve spent all the time we can here, Hubert. Our arrival in Fhirdiad is imminent and we must keep making preparations. If we spend a moment longer, we will fall behind schedule. It’s what Edelgard would have wa-”

Hubert pulled away from him before he could finish. His face was steely as he snapped, “You think I do not already know that?! But Her Majesty is not dead!”

Hubert huffed as he straightened his coat, brushing off the invisible dust from his lapels. He took a deep breath before his expression softened, just a touch.

Ferdinand eyed him warily. He looked just as tired as the rest of the Black Eagles and crew.

“I can still sense her. Her magical trace is faint,” Hubert said. “If there is any chance we can locate her before the attack, it would be in our best interest to do so. Even so, I do realize that we have no other choice but to push forward.”

Hubert eyed the waves below as if he was willing for Edelgard to pop out at any moment.

Edelgard wanted to comfort him and her friends but she was just a phantom in the wind. She could only watch and listen.

“Perhaps we will find Lady Edelgard along the way,” Petra offered, but Edelgard could hear the doubt in her voice.

“We had better hope we find Edie soon,” Dorothea said, her voice ringing out. She held up an envelope with a familiar dark insignia stamped onto it. “Otherwise, what will we do with this summons?”

The Black Eagles all exchanged nervous glances. Before Edelgard could hear anyone’s reply, the dream shifted away.

Her other dreams were more familiar.

Edelgard felt cold metal against her wrists and ankles. Her body constricted as unknown forces held her down. In the distance, she could hear sounds of struggle and hollow screams.

She cried out for her mother, her father, and her siblings. Anyone that could hear her.

These were the dreams she was used to. She had been plagued by them night after night for years.

What she was not used to are the softly spoken words that broke through the nightmare’s walls. A woman’s voice danced around Edelgard’s ears to whisper words that told her she was safe, that no harm would come to her here. Ocean blue eyes regarded her with kindness. Edelgard felt gentle, warm hands that cut through the dream to reach out to her through the darkness.

Edelgard reached her own hand out to grab hold only for another dream to take her.

This time, Edelgard found herself in a large cathedral.

Moonlight slipped through the stained glass, painting the whole room in liquid light. Large pillars held up the ceiling which seemed to tower above the room’s only occupant.

A woman knelt at the altar. Her lips moved in silent prayer, her eyes shut tight.

Edelgard didn’t need to hear her words to know what she was saying. It was an old prayer that even the most rebellious of the Goddess’s children knew. May the blessings of the goddess follow you, always.

Lady Rhea, the Archbishop to the Church of Serios, finally looked up. Her bright green eyes seemed to glow in the dimly lit room and pierce right through Edelgard.

“Mother,” Rhea pleaded. “Please, I need more time.”

Edelgard awoke to the sound of waves in her ears.

She blinked the sleep away from her eyes, struggling to keep them open. Her eyes darted around frantically as she tried to place where she was.

She was in a cave, laying in a warm bed made up of blankets. The ceilings and walls were made up of multicoloured crystal formations, all of them glittered down on her as they caught any stray ray of light. Wherever she was, it wasn’t the Scarlet Blaze.

Her body felt impossibly heavy and her tongue like sandpaper. When Edelgard moved to rise from the warm bed, her body ached. Every muscle in her body strained in effort but Edelgard elected to push through it anyway. This pain was nothing to her, she had felt worse.

But still Edelgard’s body tensed, straining from the effort of just sitting upright.

The cave was furnished like any average room. At her bedside was a small night table and chair. The other side of the room had a desk and a floor length mirror. At the foot of the bed she spotted Amyr, propped up against the frame.

As she was taking in her surroundings, an unknown person entered the cave. Their footstops were swift and assured as they carried a tray of supplies with them.

They slowed their approach when they saw Edelgard sitting upright.

Edelgard immediately recognized the young woman before her. It was the same woman from the sea. The stranger that had rescued her.

Her rescuer couldn’t have been much older than Edelgard. She wore a simple white dress. Her blue hair cascaded down, just past her shoulders. When she got closer, Edelgard could see her eyes. They were just as blue as she remembered, the same colour as the sea on a calm day.

Edelgard blinked at her. Her head was pounding as she raced through all the possibilities of what was happening. She had already run through the calculations of how fast it would take her to grab hold of Amyr to defend herself.

“You’re awake,” the woman said, her eyes widening a bit in surprise. Her voice was a soft, gentle timbre with a warm tone. It was the kind of voice that made Edelgard’s ears perk up immediately.

“Yes,” Edelgard said but her voice came out as more of a croak than a proper response. It made Edelgard frown. It was a far cry from the stoic, powerful emperor she usually was.

She moved to swing her legs over the side of the bed, to rise and meet this newcomer, but her muscles felt as though they had been doused in oil and then tossed a burning match. She let out a groan of pain.

The woman noticed immediately and rushed to her bedside, setting her tray down. She gently coaxed a reluctant Edelgard to sit back. She said to her, “Careful. Your injuries haven’t healed all the way.”

“Who are you?” Edelgard managed to croak.

The woman gave her the subtlest smile. “My name is Byleth. I pulled you from the sea some time ago. I have been taking care of you ever since.”

Byleth. Edelgard turned the name over and over again in her mind.

She wanted to respond, to talk with Byleth more and figure out what happened and how long she had been unconscious, but her tongue felt like lead in her mouth. Her throat felt impossibly dry.

“You must be thirsty,” Byleth said. She retrieved a canteen from her tray but Edelgard tried to wave her off. She didn't know if she could trust her and wasn't about to accept anything from her.

Byleth frowned a bit but her voice came out as soft as a feather. "You are safe here. No harm will come to you on my island."

Her voice was so genuine that it shook Edelgard to her core. Edelgard looked at her skeptically and after a long silence, nodded. Byleth tipped the canteen gently into her lips, helping her drink.

Edelgard, while slightly embarrassed to be treated like an infant, couldn't help but feel a bit grateful. She downed the contents of the canteen greedily, feeling the cool water hit her parched tongue. It soothed her throat and calmed her nerves ever so slightly. At least now she knew she wasn’t in immediate danger but she still kept Amyr in the corner of her eye.

“Thank you,” Edelgard said when she had finished and Byleth had taken away the canteen.

“Of course,” Byleth replied. She moved to wipe at Edelgard’s mouth, to dab at the water that had dribbled down her chin, but Edelgard inched back. She wasn’t used to being treated so delicately, with such familiarity by a stranger.

A look of understanding came upon Byleth’s face and she took a full step back, away from the bed and Edelgard.

“My apologies,” Byleth said. “I’ve grown so used to caring for you, I wasn’t thinking how you would react while awake.”

Her sincerity and politeness surprised Edelgard the most. Who exactly was this woman?

Byleth stepped over to the small night table, where she had set her tray of supplies. She picked up a roll of cloth and turned to face Edelgard once more. “I was coming to change your bandages. Would you be comfortable with that?”

It was then that Edelgard realized that her clothes were not her own. She wore a loose white shirt and pants in place of her usual red dress. The top few buttons were left undone and the sleeves were rolled up to leave the bandages around her arms and torso easy to access.

While the wide expanse of her pale skin was covered by the bandages, it was a strange feeling for Edelgard to know that Byleth had seen under all of her clothes already. She had seen all of the terrible, twisting scars that streaked across her body. The thought made Edelgard a bit uncomfortable, even if it was for medical reasons. Even back at the palace, she still felt uncomfortable with Dr. Manuela Casagranda at times.

Edelgard’s mind was already running faster than a frightened horse. She pulled the covers up to shield herself, though it seemed a bit silly in retrospect.

“I- Thank you,” Edelgard said, perhaps a bit too quickly, her voice finally finding purchase in a tone she was used to. “But I think I can handle it myself.”

Byleth nodded solemnly. Edelgard hoped she had not offended her.

Still, she set the roll of bandages down on the table next to Edelgard.

“I’ll be outside. Take all the time you need.”

Byleth gave her one last look, an expression that Edelgard couldn’t quite read, before she turned on her heel and left the way she came.

It took her a few tries to get out of bed. Her body protested each time she moved but Edelgard managed to successfully haul herself up and swing her legs over the side.

She sat on the edge of the bed, but even that made her feel tired.

Still, Edelgard rose from the bed. Her feet hit the cool stone below. It almost made her wish she was still in bed, with all of the warm blankets and plush pillows.

But Edelgard didn’t have time for that.

She had to rise to meet the day and see just where she was. She had many questions that needed answers.

She trudged over to the mirror she had spotted earlier, grabbing the bandages from the nightstand as she went. What she saw almost made her drop them.

Her fight with the sea beast had taken a lot out of her. Much more than she had originally anticipated.

Her reflection looked much thinner and impossibly pale. Her once pristine hair was a rat’s nest, full of knots and tangles. Her eyes looked sunken, her cheeks gaunt. There were dark circles spread under her eyes, as if her long slumber had meant nothing. Edelgard’s clothes hung loosely off her frame. She hoped it was just the clothes making her look so thin.

Edelgard didn’t think she was a vain person. Her appearance hardly mattered to her; she felt she had much more important things to take care of. Even so, her reflection was a sight that dug up old memories. It made her stomach twist in an unpleasant way and her breaths come in short, shallow bursts. Her mind began to race as quickly as her heart.

Edelgard clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. She tried to calm herself, to focus on the sharp pain and ground herself to reality. She needed to remind herself that she was not with those people, she wasn’t under the palace nor in her old childhood bedroom. She was no longer that little girl seeing sunlight for the first time in ages.

She forced herself to close her eyes and take a few deep breaths. Manuela’s voice echoed faintly in her mind. Now, Edelgard, inhale for four seconds…exhale for eight…

She braced herself and opened her eyes again. Her reflection looked back at her.

This time, Edelgard tried to focus on the good things as few of them as there were. Her eyes were the same shade of lilac they’d always been. Her clothes looked well made. They were warm, even if they were a little big for her. The bandages on her torso and arms were wrapped properly and felt snug against her skin, not too tight and not too loose. Just right.

She gripped the roll of bandages tightly in her hand and tried to focus on the task of unravelling the bandages.

Slowly, she started to undo the wrappings on one of her arms. The memory of the demonic beast spitting venom at her was fresh in her mind, the feeling of it seeping into her dress and onto her skin burned like a hot iron.

As Edelgard pulled back the bandages, she revealed her own pale skin and the new lines that ran across her veins. Dark purple lines ran up and down her forearm and up into her shoulder. The dark, jagged streaks looked as if poison still ran in her veins.

Edelgard wouldn’t doubt it. Her blood still felt uncomfortably hot, as if it were more ash than liquid.

The purple lines faded in and out, along the path of her veins and turning her skin into an even more complex geography. The new scars combined with the old marks turned her into a map that was difficult to read, one that Edelgard would never want to. She assumed her other arm and torso would look similar.

Edelgard sighed. What were a few more scars to her skin?

She quickly undid the rest of the bandages and applied the fresh ones. It wasn’t as perfect as Byleth’s previous work but they would do. She then rolled down the sleeves and buttoned her shirt all the way to the top.

It was a force of habit for her to hide her skin and the many scars that littered it. But still, she did it. Perhaps it was silly but Edelgard did not want anyone else to know of the ugliness that lay upon her skin and the curse she bore as a result.

Edelgard turned to face the entrance to the cave, feeling a gentle breeze against her face. It calmed her immensely to know that the outside world was still there.

And she longed to see it.

Warm, golden sunlight hit her eyes as Edelgard left the cave.

The warm air was pleasant against her face as the sun gently kissed her face. It felt wonderful to finally be able to bask in the sunlight for the first time in who knows how long.

The island in front of her was a paradise, there was no doubt in Edelgard’s mind.

Blue skies ran overhead, not a cloud in the sky. Visibility across the surrounding seas was impossibly far. Sandy beaches wrapped around the circumference of the island. The land was spread out into small rolling hills where livestock freely roamed about and at the center, there was a small lake.

A dirt path led down from the cave and diverged into connecting areas. From where she stood, Edelgard could see a pavilion on a hill and a garden full of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

The air was sweet. Even from here, Edelgard could hear the ocean along with the sound of running water coming from an ornate fountain.

Edelgard followed the path down into the gardens. Her legs still felt weak and wobbly, as if she were still aboard the Scarlet Blaze without her sea legs. She was grateful that the walk was a short distance.

There, kneeling in the soil, was her rescuer.

Byleth’s hand gently cupped the soil as she planted what looked like a flower but Edelgard couldn’t identify what kind. Her hands moved assuredly as she handled the plant with care, as if she’d been doing it for a century.

Byleth looked up when she heard Edelgard approach. Her blue hair, though messy, perfectly framed her face. The ghost of a smile appeared on her face as she rose to greet her, wiping the dirt off her hands and onto the bottom half of her white dress.

“It is nice to see you awake and moving,” Byleth said. “I was almost afraid you wouldn’t make it.”

Edelgard wasn’t surprised to hear that. From what she had seen in the mirror, she must have been on death’s door when she first arrived on this island. This woman before her…

Edelgard recalled seeing her face in the waters. Byleth’s blue eyes and kind face were one of her last memories before she had lost consciousness. Somehow, in the daylight, she was even more beautiful.

Edelgard bowed deeply to her, or at least as deeply as her body would allow. She brought her arm up and along her chest with her hand over her heart.

“You saved my life,” Edelgard said. “Thank you.”

“You’re thanks isn’t necessary,” Byleth told her. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, clearly sheepish to be receiving such gratitude. “It was what anyone would have done.”

“Oh? Not many would jump into the depths of the sea for a complete stranger, let alone have the skill to nurse them back to health. I think you are well deserving of some gratitude and then some.”

Edelgard almost expected Byleth to blush at that but she merely shook her head. Byleth insisted, “It was my pleasure. I am just happy to see you safe and on the mend.”

“How long was I asleep?”

“A few days perhaps…” Byleth tapped her chin, as if she were doing the math in her head. “I’m sorry, it’s hard to say.”

“A few days?” Edelgard asked, alarmed. That shouldn’t have been possible. She was usually a fast healer because of her second crest. Loathe it as she might, it kept her alive. She’d never been asleep for more than a day after a battle, let alone a few.

“Time,” Byleth said. “Time moves differently on this island. You’ll see.”

Edelgard didn’t want to see. She wanted–no, needed–to get back to her friends. The Scarlet Blaze must have been only a stone’s throw away from Fhirdiad at this point.

Edelgard’s eyes swept over the nearby beaches, scanning for any sign of a ship or even a dingy. “Do you have a boat?”

Byleth’s head tilted to the side as she gazed at Edelgard. Her face remained neutral but Edelgard could tell she was slightly hurt by the statement.

“Please, don’t misunderstand,” Edelgard tried again. “I’m grateful for all you have done for me, truly. But-”

“I understand. You have people who are waiting for you? Responsibilities to attend to?”

“Something like that, yes…” she mumbled in response. When she thought about what awaited her in Fhirdiad, something akin to guilt felt heavy in her gut. It was all almost over, but the weight of her actions was still heavily on her.

Byleth nodded in understanding and Edelgard got the sense that she really did understand what she meant.

The wind blew gently on them, blowing loose strands of Edelgard’s hair into her face. She reached up to move it away, to card her fingers through her hair, briefly forgetting the messy state it was in. She cursed softly as her fingers caught on a knot.

Everything had happened so suddenly, Edelgard had forgotten to mourn the loss of her hair. It was hard work to maintain the brittle, white strands. Even harder to care for when one was unconscious.

Byleth lifted one of her hands up to reach out to loosen the knots in Edelgard’s hair but she hesitated. She took a tentative step towards Edelgard.

“May I?” she asked gently.

Edelgard hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding her head. Calloused fingers met her own as Edelgard allowed Byleth to gently pull her hand free from the tangle.

Edelgard could feel her heart hammering in her chest and yet, at the same time, a sense of calm washed over her. She couldn't remember the last time someone had been this gentle with her. It was almost comforting.

“I’m sorry,” Byleth mumbled, her hand still hovering close to Edelgard’s hair as if she wanted to smooth out the rest of the kinks. Instead, she took a step back. “I will get you a comb as soon as possible.”

Edelgard shoved her bare hands behind her, hoping Byleth hadn’t noticed the dozens of scars upon her pale skin.

“Yes, thank you. That would be much appreciated.”

A moment of silence fell between them and Edelgard took that brief pause to evaluate the woman before her.

Edelgard had grown used to reading people over the past few years. She was used to fanciful politics where each person had a motive hidden behind their eyes. In dealing with the creature that wore her uncle's skin, she had to be careful. Behind every word was a poisoned dagger, ready to strike her down should she ever say or do something out of line.

But Byleth had no such thing.

From the few exchanges of words they’d had, Edelgard could not detect anything false about her which was odd. Most people she spoke to did not give out kindness without expecting something in return. Edelgard wasn’t sure if she could completely trust Byleth yet, but so far she saw no reason not to.

It wasn’t like she had many options either. From what she could tell, there were no other people on the island. Besides, if Byleth had wanted to hurt her then she'd had many opportunities to do it while Edelgard was unconscious and yet here she was, still standing.

Byleth’s eyes were honest, her words felt genuine, and her actions were gentle. She had pulled her from the ocean because it was the right thing to do. She didn’t even know who Edelgard really was.

“I’ve just realized,” Edelgard said. “I never properly introduced myself.”

“It would be nice to know the name of the one who appeared in my waters,” Byleth agreed.

Edelgard smiled at that.

“My name is Edelgard.” She bowed to Byleth once more, her hand over her heart. “Though I wish the circumstances were different, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for your hospitality.”

She paused to think for a moment, to consider how much she should reveal about herself to this stranger. In the end, Edelgard decided there was no reason to hold anything back.

“I might as well tell you now. I am no mere stray that you pulled from the sea,” Edelgard said as she rose to her full height. “I am Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg of the Adrestian Empire, leader of the Black Eagle Strike Force.”

“It’s lovely to meet you. Just Edelgard, then?” Byleth asked. She had not reacted the way Edelgard was expecting her to. Byleth’s face gave nothing away at the mention of her title, as if she wasn't even familiar with her reputation in the first place.

Edelgard supposed that it wouldn’t matter on this island. She was far from Hubert, her friends, and anyone that her title may have held significant weight to. So far, she hadn’t even seen any other people on this island except for her and Byleth.

Titles did not matter on this island.

The corners of Edelgard’s lips turned up in a small smile to herself. “Yes, just Edelgard is fine.”

It had been a while since anyone had known her as simply Edelgard.

Edelgard didn't want to go back to sleep.

There was still much to talk about and many questions she still needed to ask. She needed to ask about the location of this island and see if she could possibly get a message out to her friends. She wanted to ask Byleth why she still felt so tired, to see if she could tell her anything about the beast that had attacked her ship.

Edelgard was following Byleth down a small path out of the garden when she stumbled. Byleth raced forward to steady her.

“Perhaps we should continue this another day,” Byleth told her, her voice soft and full of concern.

“I’m alright,” Edelgard insisted.

“It isn’t wise to push yourself. If you don’t decide to take a break, your body will decide for you.”

Edelgard grumbled at that. “You sound just like my friends.”

The thought made Edelgard ache a bit. She had only been conscious for a day and already missed her friends terribly.

“There is no need to rush,” Byleth told her. “I will be here when you wake.”

Edelgard tried to protest. She insisted she was fine, that she could stay awake longer and continue their conversation and see part of this mysterious island, but Byleth placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and her legs threatened to buckle under her.

Edelgard's steps were wobbly and her feet felt heavy as they dragged against the path back to the cave. Byleth kept a watchful eye over her, prepared to catch her should she stumble again.

“You’re a very attentive healer,” Edelgard grumbled as she allowed Byleth to help her lie back down.

Byleth chuckled at that.

She smoothed the blankets over Edelgard. Her touch was impossibly gentle.

Byleth bid Edelgard a few short words of departure but Edelgard could hardly hear them. The warmth of the bed was already lulling her back to sleep.

Byleth turned to leave but she turned around to look back at Edelgard. She gave her one last soft, meaningful look that Edelgard couldn’t quite decipher. There was a flash of something sad behind her eyes but it was quickly washed away like sand on the beach during high tide, leaving Edelgard to question if it had ever been there in the first place.

And like that, Edelgard fell into another deep slumber.

And into the dreams she fell.

She found herself back on the ship, the Scarlet Blaze. The rain fell heavily on the deck as the wind roared in her ears. Edelgard could feel the ship rocking back and forth in the waves and smell the saltwater from where she was.

At the ship’s wheel, Hubert stood shoulder to shoulder with the captain. The wind blew heavily against them both as they struggled to keep their footing.

Hubert’s black hair was wet and clung to his forehead. His long overcoat and all of his clothes underneath were soaked through to the bone. His soaked appearance reminded Edelgard of the stray black cat she used to feed during her school days, during the rainy season. The ship’s captain didn’t look much better.

Hubert shouted, “Lady Edelgard is near! Her magical trace is faint but it is close!”

The captain steered the ship with his iron grip, his knuckles white from the effort.

Lightning flashed in the distance. A giant wave crashed against the side of the ship, rocking it back and forth.

“I’ve never seen a storm like this,” the captain bellowed, fighting to be heard over the wind. “Faerghus waters are cold but this is almost like a-”

The captain was cut off as another giant wave threatened to overtake the ship. He jerked the wheel to the right to keep the Scarlet Blaze from capsizing.

“We must keep pushing forward,” Hubert insisted. “If we can collect Her Majesty while on the way to Fhirdiad-”

Hubert’s face suddenly fell as if he had just been punched with steel gauntlets.

The storm had broken as the captain led the Scarlet Blaze into calmer, more frosty waters.

“No,” Hubert said, desperation leaking into his voice, making Edelgard’s heart clench. “No, no! It’s impossible! She was just here-”

He started to claw desperately for the steering wheel, trying to rip it away from the captain and turn them around again. The captain called for his crew and Edelgard could only watch as they managed to subdue Hubert and drag him away from the scene.

Edelgard wanted to call out, to reach for her oldest friend, to tell him it would all be okay but her dream shifted her away before she could see what happened next.

Her next dream landed her in more familiar territory.

She found herself sitting upon the throne in the Adrestian palace, overlooking the empty throne room. In front of her stood the large imposing doors, painted in red and gold. The Crest of Serios embossed on the wood seemed to taunt her from above.

She was about to rise from her seat when the doors shifted and split into two separate doorways. The light in front of her shimmered and flashed, forcing Edelgard to avert her eyes. When she opened them again, her father stared back at her from the corner of his eye. Only, it wasn’t quite her father.

Emperor Ionius IX didn’t have two faces.

Ionius looked like a strange mirrored image of himself. Where the back of his head should have been was another face, where his back should have been was just another front torso.

He stood directly at the feet of the doorways, his body was sideways so that both of his faces were pointed to the left and right. Each face lay directly in front of a different doorway.

“Edelgard,” Ionius said, both faces speaking at once and causing his voice to echo throughout the chamber. “Choose.”

“What?” Edelgard asked, feeling bewildered.

“Choose,” he repeated, more forcefully. His arms gestured to the doors they stood in front of.

“Your war is coming to an end,” said the left face of her father. “And you will have to make a choice.”

“Your uncle grows suspicious of your whereabouts and your plans,” said the right face, looking stern like he used to whenever Edelgard got into trouble as a child. “What will you do about it?”

Edelgard rose to her feet from the throne but felt herself stumble. Even in her dreams, her legs still felt shaky and weak and her blood burned as it coursed through her body.

Ionius regarded her carefully, always analysing.

Her father pursed his lips. The right face said to her, “Perhaps not yet. You are still too weak to make the choice.”

Edelgard's eyes narrowed dangerously but she tried not to feel too offended by that statement. She wanted to ask what he meant. What big choice was she supposed to make? Was it about the war? About her uncle? But her voice wouldn’t work. Her lips moved but no sound came out.

Her father pressed forward, flattening any chance she had to respond.

"Just be warned, El," Ionius's left face says. His expression was warmer than the right face.

"Yes," the right face said. His voice was colder, his face more stern than the left. "A choice is coming. And you will have to choose."

And the dream shifted away again, blowing away into nothingness like dust in the wind.

When she awoke, morning light was pouring into the cave.

Edelgard couldn’t tell how long she had been asleep but she hoped that it wasn’t as long as her first slumber.

She reached up to brush away the hair that clung to her forehead. She felt clammy under all of the blankets. Slowly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

Edelgard rested her head in her hands, breathing deeply to try to calm her nerves. The dreams had shaken her up more than she was expecting. They were confusing and blurred the line between her nightmares and reality.

The dream with Hubert she could possibly believe was true. There was no doubt in her mind that man would stop at nothing to locate her. His loyalty to her was truly admirable, even if she did wish he would take better care of himself.

But the other dream was something else altogether. Her father didn’t normally have two faces. As far as Edelgard knew, he wasn’t even at the palace in Enbarr at the moment.

What did he mean about having to make a choice? A choice pertaining to what? Edelgard couldn’t make any sense of it.

Edelgard lightly shook her head as if to shake the thoughts away, but they still lingered in her mind. She tried not to give them too much weight. Most of her nightmares were pointless anyhow, what made these ones so different?

She rose from the bed, noting that the action felt easier than before, though her bones still felt as if they were made of heavy stone.

At the cave entrance, Edelgard spotted a bundle. When she retrieved and unwrapped it she found a handful of supplies. There was a fresh set of clothes, a new roll of bandages, a canteen full of cool water, even some fruit for breakfast. True to her word, Byleth had also provided her with a comb.

But what surprised Edelgard the most was the pair of white gloves.

Her hands had felt too bare, completely naked without her usual gauntlets. She normally wore gloves at all times, especially in the presence of others. It comforted her greatly to slip this new pair on, soft cotton covering her scarred hands.

They fit perfectly.

Whatever warm emotion she felt bubbling up in her chest, Edelgard pushed it aside. She had to focus on her next steps.

She combed out the tangles in her hair, freeing some debris from her white locks as she went. It was a relief to be able to care for her hair again. It made her feel like she had some control over her life, just as it had when she first emerged from the dungeons.

She changed out her bandages for clean ones and got dressed. The purple marks racing across her skin had not faded but Edelgard at least felt a little more steady on her feet.

She found Byleth in the garden again, exactly how she had found her the last time.

“Good morning, Byleth,” Edelgard greeted.

Byleth glanced up at her from where she was watering her garden. She gave her a nod and the barest trace of a smile.

“Thank you for the supplies,” Edelgard said, bowing to her. “For the gloves, as well. They fit nicely.”

“Of course, I want you to feel comfortable while you’re here,” Byleth said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

The statement made that warm feeling in Edelgar’s chest come to the surface again. It wasn't often that people outside of her inner circle, let alone a complete stranger, would aim to put her comforts as a top priority. Byleth felt like a breath of fresh air.

The smile on Edelgard’s face felt genuine as she told her, “I appreciate it, truly.”

Byleth smiled back, seemingly lost in the moment before she snapped back to reality. Her smile fell as she averted her gaze back to her gardening tools and coughed into her hand.

Edelgard raised an eyebrow, confused. Had she made Byleth uncomfortable?

She wasn’t given much time to ponder on it as Byleth started to press forward in the conversation, though still refusing to meet Edelgard’s eyes.

“You seem to be doing better and I'm glad,” she said. She paused and Edelgard feared that she was going to at last comment about the ugly scar tissue that littered her hands and body, but instead she simply asked, “Would you be interested in me showing you around?”

“I’d like that very much."

Byleth rose from her kneeling position to lead Edelgard around her island.

The island, Ogygia as Byleth had called it, was just small enough to walk around the entire perimeter in one session. Byleth gave her a brief tour to point out the various locations and different flora and fauna. Edelgard would occasionally ask a question, about a foreign flower or a unique herb, and Byleth would respond.

She was clearly knowledgeable and familiar with every aspect of her lands and what lived on it. Byleth must have lived here for a long time.

At one point, Edelgard observed that they still had not run into another person. They had seen the goats that roamed in the field, the wild birds chirping in the trees, and a small eating area with a table and chairs but there was no trace of other people living here sans Byleth herself.

“Do you live here alone?” Edelgard asked.

And Edelgard saw it again. That same flash of profound sadness, lying just behind Bylteh’s eyes, as if she had just forced her to relive an unpleasant memory. But when Byleth blinked, it vanished like the wind had blown it westward and out of mind. All she was left with was that same neutral expression on her face.

“Yes,” Byleth said. “I do.”

“Why is that? Do you not have family or friends? Not even visitors from time to time?”

“You are my visitor, Edelgard.”

Edelgard waited for Byleth to continue, to explain further, but that seemed to be the end of it.

It all just made her even more curious about Byleth. She was rather mysterious but also seemed…lonely. Truthfully, Edelgard saw some of herself in Byleth. Her sadness, her loneliness, it all felt familiar and made her chest ache in sympathy. She wondered why Byleth lived alone if she clearly didn’t want to be.

Edelgard decided to let the topic drop for now. She pointed to a pretty, white flower she had never seen before and changed the subject.

At one point in the tour, they stopped for a rest on the beach.

Edelgard immediately plopped herself down into the sand. She hadn’t realized how tired she was from just walking.

Byleth sat next to her and the two of them gazed out at the incoming tide.

The waves were small, crashing into the beach just a few arms lengths away from their feet. In the daylight, the ocean wasn’t as daunting but it was still enough to make her a little nervous. She glanced around and spotted a wooden dock on the beach but there was no boat anchored to it.

Edelgard ran through everything she knew so far about the island.

It was warm. There were palm trees, indicating that Ogygia was in the southern hemisphere. The fruit Byleth had given her was tropical but there were still numerous plants she had never seen before. This island was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

“Where am I?” Edelgard murmured to herself.

“You are on my island,” Byleth said simply, having overheard her.

Edelgard let out a small chuckle. So, Byleth had a sense of humour after all. “Yes, but where exactly is your island?”

“I’m not exactly sure myself.”

Edelgard balked at that. She looked to Byleth for some indication of another joke but all she found was the same neutral expression gazing back at her.

“How is that possible?” Edelgard asked. When Byleth didn’t respond, Edelgard dragged herself to her feet and beckoned for her to follow. “Here, come look.”

In the sand, Edelgard drew a rough map of Fódlan. She included the entire continent, Brigid to the southeast, Albinea to the north, and Almyra to the west. She even drew in Dagda and Morfis, just to ensure that she covered everything.

Byleth watched her curiously as she worked but she remained silent.

Edelgard pointed to her crudely drawn map. “Does any of this look familiar to you?”

Byleth looked at her sheepishly and shook her head.

“Are you certain?” Edelgard asked. “We must be in the southern hemisphere so then…” Her sentence trailed off as Byleth placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“I don’t hear much about the outside world.”

“Yes, that would make sense…” Edelgard deflated.

“I’m sorry.”

What Byleth was apologizing for exactly was unknown to Edelgard.

“Then you most likely don’t have any information about my friends or my ship, do you?”

“Your friends, Hubert and Ferdinand? Dorothea and Petra?” Byleth asked cautiously.

“You do know something then?”

But Byleth shook her head again, still looking at her apologetically. “No, I’m sorry. You talk in your sleep.”

“Ah… Yes, I’ve been told that before.” Edelgard fought the blush threatening to rise to her cheeks. She hoped she hadn’t said anything too embarrassing while she was half unconscious and thinking about how beautiful Byleth looked underwater.

Edelgard pursed her lips, deep in thought. She looked out at the tide, watching it wash away parts of Albinea, and wondered how her friends were faring. She thought about them sailing through the icy seas around Faerghus, and her troops marching northwards towards the capital, all as she sat here on a sandy beach.

And Byleth didn't even seem to be aware of the war that had taken the entire continent by storm for five years.

“Your friends,” Byleth began slowly, like she was searching for the right words. “They are searching for you?”

Edelgard nodded. That was the conclusion she had come to based on her dreams.

“You have good friends,” Byleth said. “Will you… Will you tell me about them?”

Edelgard studied her face, trying to gauge Byleth’s emotions. She was met with curious eyes that sparkled in the sunlight.

And so Edelgard did.

She spoke of how they met at Garreg Mach and how they had chosen to stay at her side time and time again. Edelgard had chosen to try to put her trust in them and they had proven her right. She told Byleth how she would get tea with Ferdinand, train with Caspar, study with Linhardt. Dorothea who dragged her into town often and Bernadetta who met with her in the garden. Petra had even taken her hunting a few times. And then there was Hubert, who was constantly at her side.

Her friends, who were everything good about the world and constantly reminded her of how good people could be. Edelgard had set out to build a new world and she desperately wanted to see it with them. It hurt to not be with them, to know that she wasn’t with them to help protect them from the threats at sea.

Byleth listened intently, her expression was soft. She asked about Garreg Mach and Adrestia and took in all the information and stories that Edelgard threw at her with rapt attention.

She wanted to know about the good parts and the bad. Edelgard was more than happy to answer.

They only stopped when a yawn slipped past Edelgard’s lips.

“Pardon me, I should let you rest,” Byleth said.

Edelgard was about to protest that she wasn’t tired when she yawned again. Her shoulders sagged.

“Rest,” Byleth said again. “I will meet you for dinner over there.”

She pointed to the eating pavilion on the hill with the singular dining table and multiple chairs. Edelgard watched as she turned to leave. Byleth paused to gaze out at the sea, her blue eyes stormy, like she wanted to see for herself what lay across the waters, before departing down the beach.

She didn’t look back.

Try as she might, Edelgard did not want to go back to sleep.

She had managed to rest her eyes for a few minutes but it didn’t last long. Her mind was too restless to nap. How Linhardt managed to fall asleep at any given moment was beyond her.

For a while, Edelgard wandered aimlessly around the island just to feel the sea breeze on her face.

It was strange to her to not have anything to do. If she were back at her palace or even aboard her ship, there would be a new stack of documents to overlook or another meeting to attend. Hubert would no doubt be at her heels asking her to review a battle plan or Ferdinand knocking at her door to discuss one of his proposals.

Edelgard could easily picture the work that would be piled up on her desk when she returned. Though the thought was not the most pleasant, her hands still itched to be put to work.

It was still too early for dinner but Edelgard’s feet carried her up the hill to the pavilion Byleth had pointed to. Perhaps she could help Byleth prepare the food or she could find a job for her. It only seemed fair that she helped out around the island while she was here.

But Byleth had no such tasks for her. She regarded Edelgard with eyes widened with surprise when Edelgard asked for something to do.

“Everything is already taken care of,” Byleth told her. “Besides, you should focus on resting.”

“Nonsense, I’ve already burdened you enough. There must be something that I can help you to repay you for all you’ve done for me,” Edelgard insisted. “I could chop wood for you. I could use the exercise anyhow.”

The corners of Byleth's lips turned up in amusement. She gestured to the comically large pile of wood already sitting beside the brazier. Edelgard felt embarrassed having missed something so obvious.

“Then, perhaps I could feed the animals in the field.”

“Thank you, but they’re already fed.”

“I could set the table?”

“It’s already set,” Byleth said, smiling at her. The table was, in fact, already prepared with plates and silverware laid out.

Edelgard frowned. “There must be something I can help you with.”

Byleth looked at her, her eyes seemed to glint in the slowly setting sunlight. She hummed before relenting, “Would you like to help me prepare dinner?”

She immediately accepted.

Edelgard wasn’t the best cook. In fact, Hubert had banned her from the kitchen in Enbarr when she tried to cook dinner using a fire spell. She had only been trying to speed up the process but the dining room had caught on fire and she hadn’t tried to cook since.

What Edelgard lacked in cooking skills, Byleth did not. She was a patient teacher too. She taught Edelgard the proper way to hold a knife and chop vegetables. Byleth laughed when Edelgard had suggested using an axe or a sword and the sound was better than any song she had ever heard, which made her embarrassment feel worth it.

Edelgard watched as Byleth cooked the food over an open flame. The smell and sound would have been enough to make a dog sit up and beg.

“This is nice,” Edelgard said as she watched Byleth’s skillful hands work. “I rarely have the chance to cook back home. This is…relaxing.”

“I’m glad,” Byleth said. “It’s good to relax from time to time. Healthy, even.”

“So I’ve been told,” she responded. Her mind drifted to Dorothea and her friends. She supposed she was making good on her promise to Dorothea to finally get some rest.

At one point, Edelgard looked up at the uncovered sky and then towards the sea where she could see storm clouds brewing. The pavilion, she noted, had no roof. In fact, the only place that seemed to be sheltered from the elements was the cave that she slept in.

“What will you do when it rains?” she asked Byleth. “It seems that a storm is coming our way.”

“It won’t rain here.”

“Another one of your jokes?” She gestured to the dark clouds over the rolling sea. “Come now, Byleth. Surely, I could help you herd your livestock into a shelter when rain approaches or-”

But Byleth cut her off, with a small smile still on her face. “Thank you, Edelgard, but it will not rain here.”

As they sat down for dinner at the table, Edegard found that she was right. She kept her eyes on the storm, sure that it would only be a matter of moments before it hit the island, but it never came. Just as Byleth had hinted at, the storm seemed to bend around the island.

Not a single drop touched the sand.

“Ogygia is truly amazing,” Edelgard said in wonder, looking over the cliffside as the rain hit the water but never the sand. She turned her gaze to the empty placemats and chairs at the table. “I’m surprised that you live here alone.”

When Byleth didn’t respond, Edelgard asked, “Do you always set out extra placemats?”

“Yes,” Byleth said, her voice quiet.

“May I ask why?”

“On a whim, I suppose,” Byleth told her after a brief pause. Her expression was unreadable except for the storm brewing behind her eyes. “I like to set the whole table just in case.”

Edelgard tried to imagine that. Setting a table for people that would never come. She couldn’t even bear to take meals alone at the palace dining room anymore, electing to take them in her room or in her office. Sitting at a table meant for over a dozen with just her at its head made her feel hollow.

She wasn’t sure how to respond but she didn’t have to. Byleth interrupted her spiraling thoughts with a question, “Tell me, what type of food do you enjoy?”

And dinner continued, full of simple small talk, as if Edelgard had never even brought up the subject.

Edelgard quickly found what Byleth had said about time on the island to be true. In fact, the whole island felt like a moment frozen in time. The days all bled together and it became hard to keep track of how long she’d been there.

But she never forgot her friends and her duty that she needed to attend to. The dreams made sure of it.

They came to her in the night, poking and prying at her mind to give her a glimpse into her friends’ lives as they sailed across the sea. Hubert worried sick and still searching for her as all of the Black Eagles made preparations for the battle in Faerghus. It made Edelgard’s chest feel heavy with emotion.

Edelgard wanted to get back to her friends and end the war as soon as possible.

But at the same time, she was still healing. Edelgard couldn't go more than a few hours without needing to rest. She could still feel the poison coursing through her body while her twin crests strained to combat it. The purple in her veins had yet to fade.

Her days were mostly spent wandering the island. She walked the beaches, breathed in the fresh air, and enjoyed the impossibly beautiful weather. It was fun for her to be able to freely walk around and discover new areas on the island.

At one point, Edelgard found herself back on the beach. She watched the tide come in and thought about her crudely drawn map in the sand. Her fingers itched at her side again, longing for something to do.

And so she rose from her seat and drew in the sand.

It started with simple things. A circle with lines, the way a child would draw the sun on paper. A simple flower. The movements gave her something to do and for that Edelgard was grateful.

She drew quickly, making deep grooves in the sand, only for the tide to wash them away just as quickly as she had put them down. It was almost comforting, knowing that the sea would wash away whatever she put down.

It grew into a habit.

Edelgard often found herself on the beach at different times of the day. Either after a short walk around the island in the morning, or late at night after a rousing nightmare.

Byleth was always around too, just as she said she would be. She popped in from time to time on the beach to watch Edelgard in comfortable silence. They were together often, eating meals with one another and watching the sun set over the horizon, but the quiet moments together on the beach were Edelgard’s favourite.

"You're a good artist," Byleth said, one day after observing Edelgard in silence. They watched as the waters washed away another of Edelgard's drawings–one of a flower with spreading petals.

The next morning Edelgard found a small, leather bound notebook at the cave's entrance.

She carried it with her whenever she explored the island and was rapidly filling up the pages. She had sketches of plants and animals, battle diagrams, and small lines for drafted documents she knew were waiting for her on her office desk. Even a few rough drawings of her friends’ smiling faces that she would never show anyone.

A portrait or two of Byleth may have also snuck their way onto the paper.

Admittedly, Edelgard found herself watching Byleth closely. Part of her was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Byleth to put a dagger to her throat and reveal her true colours. Her interactions with the being that stole her uncle’s skin had taught her to stay vigilant but the more time she spent with her, the more Edelgard doubted that Byleth would ever do anything along those lines.

The other part of her was captivated by her.

Edelgard couldn’t help but notice the gentle edge to her voice when she spoke, the deftness in her hands, and the way her hair fell perfectly into her face when she worked. She would get a scrunch in her brow when she was focused and her laugh was melodic.

Byleth was interesting. She hardly ever talked about herself but she would listen with rapt attention whenever Edelgard recounted her stories about the Black Eagles or sights around Enbarr. When she did speak, Byleth was blunt and genuine.

She was clearly intelligent and a skilled healer. Not only that, she was considerate and kind hearted.

Edelgard still saw those small flashes of sadness that came upon her face. Byleth’s eyes growing darker before being blinked away. It made Edelgard want to smooth out the worry lines in her face and promise to right whatever it was that troubled her.

It was still dark outside when Edelgard startled awake one night.

Her heart pounded in her chest. She could still feel her uncle’s wicked gaze upon her, as if trying to pierce her dreams and dig its way into her soul.

Edelgard shook her head, trying to shake the very vision and the unpleasant memories it brought. A warm breeze filtered into the cave and beckoned to her, the outdoors calling to her. A sudden feeling of longing overtook her as she rose from the bed.

Edelgard needed to feel that breeze on her face, breathe the fresh air into her lungs, and see the stars in the sky. Just so that she could be reminded that they were still there, that this was real life.

She padded outside.

The stars sparkled down on her. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, just silvery moonlight and the night sky stretching out for infinity in all directions. Edelgard couldn’t remember the last time she had seen a night this clear.

She walked along the narrow path, taking care to watch her step.

Edelgard wasn’t expecting to find Byleth tending to her garden at this hour. Like many times before, Byleth was crouched in the soil with her hands gently caressing the petals of her flowers.

Byleth looked up when she heard Edelgard approach, her blue eyes widened in surprise.

Edelgard quietly greeted her as she approached.

Edelgard had no doubt that she looked like a mess. Her nightmare had left her shaky and pale, sweat still gleaming on her skin. If Byleth noticed, she didn’t mention it, and for that Edelgard was grateful.

Edelgard rubbed at her hands, anxiously. In her rush to get outside, she had neglected to throw on her pair of gloves.

She elected to focus on the plants scattered around Byleth that she had never seen before. The flower Byleth tended to must have been planted a moment before Edelgard arrived. It seemed to glow silver in the moonlight, the petals spreading out and twinkling in the dark.

“What type of flower are you planting?” she asked her.

Byleth averted her gaze back to the silver flower at her feet. Her voice was level and her face was neutral as she said, “It’s called moonlace.”

Byleth beckoned her forward. She fished a spare pair of gardening gloves from her side and handed them to Edelgard. They were a little big but Edelgard put them on without question as she knelt at Byleth’s side, their shoulders just barely brushing.

“Moonlace can only be planted at night,” Byleth explained to her. She patted the dirt as if to make sure that the single flower had taken root.

At her side was a small collection of pots with green stems just beginning to sprout. Byleth dug out one of them with her bare hands, a look of concentration upon her face. Her crease in her brow appeared as she looked down, bangs falling into her face. Edelgard resisted the urge to reach out and tuck the stray hair behind her ear.

Byleth held out the small sprout to Edelgard and looked at her expectantly.

Edelgard accepted the plant into her open palms. She carefully dropped it into the small hole already dug out in front of her. As soon as Edelgard covered it with the rich soil, silvery petals began to bloom and glow faintly in the night.

Edelgard smiled. “I’ve never seen such a flower. They’re beautiful.”

“Truly?” Byleth asked. When Edelgard nodded in confirmation, a frown fell upon her face. “They once bloomed all over. It makes me sad to hear that they do not grow anymore outside of this island.”

They fell into a silence as they worked, transferring the small sprouts into the earth below and watching them bloom. It was relaxing work. Edelgard enjoyed it, especially when her fingers brushed against Byleth’s and she could feel her warmth through the gardener’s gloves.

Eventually, Byleth asked her about the obvious. “Why are you awake at this hour, Edelgard?”

She pursed her lips, trying to think of how to respond.

“My dreams,” Edelgard started. “They’re different on this island.”

Byleth nodded as if she had expected this answer.

“I’m normally prone to nightmares,” Edelgard continued. “Pointless dreams that wake me up in the night. They’re reminders of what I have been through but here… I see visions of my friends instead.”

“Visions of the Black Eagles?”

Edelgard nodded. “And of my family, as well. My uncle’s cold glare, my father’s commanding voice urging me to make a choice.”

“I see.”

“My friends are searching for me. Waiting for me to return to them.”

“And you wish to return to them as well?” Byleth asked softly. Her hands had stilled in the soil.

“Of course.”

For a moment, Edelgard thought she had offended her host. Byleth was silent, her face had returned to her normal stoic expression, but in her eyes Edelgard saw that familiar sadness flowing and sweeping everything else up in its tide.

Byleth offered her a smile that did not reach her eyes. “That’s what the others said as well.”

“Others?” she asked.

“Yes, my… friends.” Her face was solemn. The way Byleth said the word friends had made it seem like there was something more to the story there. Something that made Edelgard’s chest feel tighter. “They also spoke of dreams about their loved ones. They all returned to them.”

Byleth looked down at the moonlace they just planted. The breeze blew on them gently. Edelgard was almost afraid to ask her next question. “Do they ever visit you?”

“No.”

“Do they not write to you once in a while, at least?”

“I’m afraid not.”

The very thought made Edelgard feel angry on Byleth’s behalf. What kind of friends would leave her alone on this island and not even have the decency to write a letter once in a while?

She doesn’t know what she would have said next. Perhaps something about how Byleth deserved better friends or how cruel that was, but Byleth didn’t give her the chance

“They can’t,” Byleth explained, her face completely downcast. Her stoic expression had been shattered.

“Why not?”

“I’m cursed,” Byleth said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. She said it the same way one would say their favourite colour was blue, with no trace of malice or sadness on her tongue.

Edelgard blinked. “How do you mean?”

“When I was born, I was not what Lady Rhea wanted.” The very mention of Rhea sent Edelgard’s blood boiling. “She had high hopes for me and I… I was unable to meet them. She banished me to this island, as punishment. I was to live here alone. I can never leave.”

Byleth’s eyes flitted over the horizons as if she was remembering a bad memory. Perhaps a time when she tried to sail away only to land right back on this mysterious island.

Being born wrong and unable to meet high familial expectations was an all too common story to Edelgard. She huffed, still feeling angry.

So, Archbishop Rhea was not just an upholder of the flawed crest system, she was also an active participant.

“That isn’t right,” Edelgard argued. “There must be something I can do to help you, to break this curse.”

Byleth turned to face her again, no longer trying to hide the profound sadness written across her face. “This is my punishment and I must bear it myself.”

“Byleth, please,” Edelgard said, her voice full of conviction. “You must let me help you. When I return to my friends and ship, I will find a way to free you and come back.”

“You are kind, Edelgard. A true hero.” Byleth gave her one last smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes before she turned to leave. Even with her back turned and the wind against her, Edelgard could still hear her next words. “But no man finds this island twice.”

She bid her farewell, wishing Edelgard a good night’s rest. She watched Byleth’s retreating figure and all she could see was a lonely, young girl.

She couldn’t help but wonder where Byleth went when she wasn’t at Edelgard’s side.

It was well past daybreak with the moon having long set in exchange for the sun the next time they saw each other.

Edelgard sat by the ornate fountain with her journal in hand and a piece of charcoal in the other. She watched the shadows move with the land as they shifted with the day. It was relaxing to be able to sit and follow the sun as the day progressed.

She was so focused that she didn’t hear Byleth’s approaching footsteps until she was a few arms lengths away.

Byleth greeted her silently with a nod of her head. Her gaze flitted between Edelgard’s sketch and the landscape in front of them. A small smile tugged on her lips and Edelgard felt relieved to see it after witnessing her sorrowful face the night before.

“Ah, it’s you. I hope you slept well last night,” Edelgard said. She closed her journal and turned to give Byleth her full attention. “What brings you here?”

In Byleth’s hands, Edelgard noticed that she carried a fishing pole and a small tackle box. Byleth gestured with her head toward the small lake that sat in the middle of the island, beckoning for Edelgard to follow.

The two of them settled onto a small dock overlooking the lake.

“Have you ever fished before?” Byleth asked her as she prepared her line. Her long fingers worked quickly to straighten out any tangles and attach her bait. She worked so quickly and with such assuredness, it was almost mesmerizing to watch.

“I’m afraid not,” Edelgard admitted to her, her eyes still following Byleth’s every movement.

When she cast her line, it soared far out to the very center of the water. Edelgard watched as her broad shoulders shifted and flexed, the strength in her arms on full display.

Edelgard blushed when she realized she was staring. She cleared her throat. “Do you fish often, Byleth?”

Byleth nodded. Her gaze was focused on the water but she managed to spare Edelgard a glance out of the corner of her eye.

“My father taught me,” she said. “He would take me fishing a lot.”

“Before you were exiled to this island?”

“Yes.” Byleth paused and her voice became tight. “He used to visit me here, too. I have not seen him for a long time.”

They fell into silence as they both watched the lake. Edelgard wondered if she had pushed her too far but Byleth surprised her. She said, “He was once captain of the Knights of Seiros. His name is Jeralt.”

Edelgard felt her jaw drop. “Your father is the legendary Blade Breaker?”

Byleth nodded, a tiny but clearly proud grin fell upon her lips.

Edelgard had of course heard of the legendary warrior. Jeralt the Blade Breaker, said to have been blessed by the Goddess herself. He had a brief stint at Garreg Mach, a time well before Edelgard had ever attended, before he disappeared. Some say he still wandered Fódlan working as a mercenary.

“Jeralt taught me everything I know,” Byleth said. Her fingers tapped at the wood on her fishing pole. “My mother died when I was born. I never really knew her.”

“I’m sorry. I barely knew my mother, as well,” Edelgard offered. “She was exiled from the capital when I was young. I don’t remember much of her.”

Byleth nodded. “It seems we have some things in common.”

“It would seem so.”

It was then that the line went taut. Byleth’s muscles flexed as she pulled back on her line and reeled in her catch. It was hard for Edelgard to take her eyes away from her.

From the water, she reeled in a fish with silver scales. It thrashed about, causing its scales to glimmer against the daylight. Byleth narrowed her eyes at it, sizing it up. She quickly unhooked it and threw it back into the lake and they both watched as it swam away.

“Too scrawny,” Byleth mumbled to herself, making Edelgard chuckle.

She casted her line out again, far out into the deep blue waters of the lake. Byleth nudged Edelgard with her elbow. “Would you like to try?”

Hesitantly, Edelgard reached out and Byleth transferred the fishing rod to her. For a moment they stood on the dock in silence.

“Now what?” Edelgard asked.

“Now, we wait.” Byleth smiled.

The air felt still but Edelgard quickly grew restless. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, waiting for something to happen.

“I don’t think you’re very good at waiting,” Byleth commented. She placed a steady hand on her shoulder to ground her.

Edelgard huffed but she smiled nonetheless. “I’ve been told.”

“I’ve met other heroes like you, Edelgard. Restless and a bit impatient.”

Hero.

There was that word again. The word felt foreign to Edelgard. It felt strange to hear her own name spoken in the same sentence as it.

“Hero,” Edelgard repeated. The word was heavy as it hung in her throat. “I don’t think many people would use that word to describe me.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Byleth’s head tilt to the side. “Why is that?”

The question weighed like an anchor in Edelgard’s chest. Her fingers danced across the fishing pole as she pondered how to answer. “I've spoken about the good and bad parts of Fódlan to you but you have not heard about the long war currently being waged across her lands, have you?”

Byleth shook her head, confirming Edelgard’s suspicions. She took a deep breath to brace herself.

“All across Fódlan, people are killing each other. All on my command. I am the harbinger of war.” Her eyes went steely as she stared down the fishing pole and into the water. Edelgard felt her grip tighten. “I saw the injustice in the world and took it upon myself to fix what was broken. As Emperor of the Adrestian Empire, I declared war on the Church of Serios.”

She could feel Byleth’s unwavering eyes on her.

“And what was it that you set out to fix?”

“The broken crest and nobility system,” Edelgard said immediately. “For too long, society has allowed for people with status and privilege to impose their will on those they see as beneath them. The Church is complicit and even encourages it. But it isn’t right for anyone to be judged based on their birth.”

Byleth’s eyes seem to burn as the sun casts its glow on her. Edelgard thought about Rhea and why she would ever send a person like her to an isolated island and curse her for something she had no control over.

“I did it for people just like you,” Edelgard said. “Families torn apart because of crests, children tossed onto the streets for not being born the correct way. This horrible search for power that people would give anything to have… No price was too high for them.”

“When I ascended the throne,” Edelgard continued, a fire burning behind her own eyes. “I swore that I would strip Rhea and the Church of Serios of their political power and reshape the world. To create a better society where people could rise or fall by their own merits. Skilled and capable people will be able to lead, not just stuffy nobles who inherited the position.”

The line went taunt again, a fish below the surface pulling against her. Edelgard’s arms tensed and she pulled back with such force, the fish flew into the air before diving back below the surface.

Her face flushed as she felt strong arms wrap around her own from behind. Byleth’s hands guiding her through the movements to reel in their catch. Her breath was hot against her ear but she could still hear the teasing smile in her voice. Byleth said, “Are you yourself not a stuffy noble who inherited a position?”

Edelgard cracked her own smile at that, their fish finally reeled in and thrashing in front of them. “Yes, I get that a lot.”

Byleth detached herself from Edelgard and moved to inspect the fish. The large trout flopped about as Byleth measured it up. She removed it from the hook before placing it into a bucket full of water to be set aside for dinner.

“You haven’t set out for conquest or glory but for a noble cause, instead. Not many men can say that,” Byleth said as she turned to face her. “That makes you a hero.”

Edelgard still wanted to protest, to argue against her. She commanded armies, sent people to their deaths. If she lost this war, history would not remember her kindly and she was all too aware of that.

But then Byleth added, “At least, that makes you a hero to me.”

Her smile was golden like the sunlight. It warmed Edelgard straight down to her toes but it was far too short lived for her tastes, quickly replaced when Byleth’s face fell.

“Lady Rhea is something of a mother figure to me,” she admitted. “She was there when my own mother was not. She is family.”

Her hands ran along the fishing pole as she gently placed it to the side. She plopped down onto the deck, her legs hanging off and toes barely dipping into the water below. Her eyes were stormy again, her voice was just above a whisper. “Are you mad at me for being one of the children of the Goddess?”

Edelgard’s eyes widened in surprise.

“No,” she said immediately. She lowered herself onto the deck to sit beside her.

Byleth turned to face Edelgard, her brow lowered and gaze piercing. It would have been intimidating but she wasn't looking directly at Edelgard. Her gaze was directly at her chest.

Byleth's hand came up, hovering over Edelgard's chest as if to grasp at her heart. Edelgard's own hands came up to intercept but Byleth never directly made contact with her.

"From the moment you arrived, I have sensed great anger within you," Byleth said. She glared at Edelgard's rib cage as if she could see past her flesh to her heart and dispel all of the ugly emotions that lay within.

“And I've sensed none in you,” Edelgard responded, suddenly feeling defensive. “Do you not feel angry at Rhea? She locked you here, cursed you, and won’t permit you to leave.”

Byleth met her gaze, steady and blue. Her glare was replaced with something much softer.

“I am not treated unfairly. This island has everything I could need.”

“But you are clearly unhappy. A gilded cage is still a cage.”

“She’s my family,” Byleth whispered, a sad smile upon her face.

“You are allowed to be mad at your family.”

“Just as you are allowed to be mad at the gods.”

To be mad at me. She did not say the words but Edelgard heard them nonetheless. A feeling of understanding washed over her.

“You are not the gods,” Edelgard whispered to her. “We are not our parents. I am not mad at you for what you have been born as nor for who your family is.”

She took Byleth’s hand in her own. “My friends' parents have done horrible things to others, especially to my own family, but they are not responsible for their parents' mistakes.”

Edelgard’s thoughts drifted back to her friends and her numerous conversations with them. She hoped to convey a fraction of the wisdom they had shared with her. "I would not judge you based on your birth. I only judge you based on your actions and you have been nothing but kind to me."

“That makes sense,” Byleth said, after a long pause. “I think I am starting to understand you better, Edelgard.”

“And I, you.”

Byleth smiled over to her, her thumb brushing over Edelgard’s knuckles. She gestured down to the fishing pole, long forgotten on the deck. “Would you like to try again?”

And for the rest of the day, the two of them fished on the lake.

In the dead of the night, Edelgard’s nightmare drowned her mind.

This time, she found herself aboard the Scarlet Blaze in the men’s quarters. The room was dimly lit by candles, the sound of stormy rain pelting the deck above.

Hubert stood alone in the center, pouring over maps and documents clutched in his hands. The floorboards creaked under him as he shifted his weight and whispered the words on the pages to himself. It was clearly another sleepless night for him.

In a big flash of light behind him, a shadowy figure appeared. The temperature of the room seemed to drop multiple degrees.

The darkness in the room seemed to bend around him, as if to snuff out the light in the quarters. The figure’s stark white hair stood out among the still swirling dark magic around him. Edelgard couldn’t tell if he was physically aboard the ship or simply an apparition.

“Hubert,” Thales said, his voice as cold as ice. His eyes narrowed, clearly displeased to see her retainer.

Edelgard saw Hubert smirk at the wall before he slowly turned to face him. He had clearly been expecting this visit.

“Thales,” he greeted, not a hint of warmth in his voice.

“You have not responded to our most recent letter. I trust that you are prepared for this meeting nonetheless.”

“But of course,” Hubert said, false politeness slipping into his voice. “However, you still have not told us what the purpose of this meeting is. More orders for me to follow, perhaps?”

“Consider it words of warning.” Thales steps forward towards him. His voice was low and controlled as he paced the small quarters. “But I must first ask, praytell, where is the Emperor? She will want to hear this herself.”

“Her Majesty has more pressing matters to attend to. She sends her best regards and me in her stead.”

Thales sneered at him, just barely flashing his hidden fangs. His eyes were eerie in the dark and seemed to pierce right through Hubert’s words. “She should know by now that it is rude to not greet her guests.”

Hubert met his harsh words with some of his own. “Guests implies that you are welcome here.”

Thales slinked across the room with the deadly grace of a panther. His eyes never left Hubert as he approached him and plucked the old map from his grasp. The paper crackled in his fist, already torn and weakened from years of heavy use. He observed it for a moment before igniting it with purple flames. The ash slipped between his fingers slowly, dusting onto the floor below.

Hubert eyed him warily, keeping track of all of his movements. Behind his back, his own hand was clenched tightly but Edelgard knew that he could have a miasma spell ready with a snap of his fingers.

Hubert spit out, “Do you think you can rile me up with parlor tricks?”

“I will forgive this infraction just this once. Be sure that it does not happen again when you arrive in Fhirdiad,” Thales continued, breezing past him as if he had never spoken. He spread his hands and the flames from the candles seemed to respond and grow in height. “Now, for my warning.”

Thales spun on his heel to face Hubert, eyes burning with barely tempered anger as he peered down at him from the bridge of his nose. “I’ve heard reports of a rat amongst our ranks, plans to betray allies. I would advise you to remember who your true enemy is and which direction to bare your fangs.”

To his credit, Hubert’s face remained expressionless but Edelgard knew him too well. She saw the bend in his posture, the crook in his brow, and the bead of sweat that trickled down the back of his neck.

“See to it that you do not disappoint me, Hubert. And do give my best wishes to my niece. I heard she had a nasty run in with a sea beast.” He leaned in close, which Edelgard knew it must have disgusted him to be so close to a mere human. “Be careful of these waters. Who knows what else may be lurking beneath the surface…”

His eyes drifted away from Hubert’s and directly past his shoulder, to where Edelgard stood. She felt her heart seize as if a cold fist had it in its grasp.

With a huff and snap of his fingers, all of the candles in the room were extinguished. Thales warped away with a bang and Edelgard shot up in her bed, the blood in her veins feeling searingly hot.

“Up late again, I see,” Byleth said to her as Edelgard approached her.

It was still late at night with the moon perched in the sky.

“I could say the same to you,” Edelgard said. Her feet, though shaky, carried her up the hill where Byleth sat on a small bench.

Edelgard shuddered against the cool night air but her skin felt all too hot. Her clothes felt unbearably scratchy against her suddenly sensitive skin. She sat down, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

Byleth watched her in silence before she offered her hand out, palm face up, in a form of silent question. After a moment of hesitation, Edelgard allowed her to take it. She looked at her curiously, not sure of what Byleth was planning.

Byleth’s hands were calloused from working outside. Her hands were rough but soft, small nicks and scars covered her sun kissed skin. She placed her other hand directly atop Edelgard’s, shielding the deep purple veins that streaked across her skin from the moonlight.

Edelgard’s throat felt tight and her heart raced as Byleth brought their joint hands up to her lips.

She whispered a healing incantation in a language Edelgard couldn’t recognise. With each word, Bylteh’s lips would gently graze against her skin, leaving Edelgard to wonder when it was that she had chosen to stop wearing gloves around her.

As she finished, Byleth slowly released her hand. Edelgard stared in shock as the purple faded from her angry veins, like antidote had been directly injected into her blood.

“How did you do that?” she asked her, astonished.

Byleth shrugged as if she hadn’t just given Edelgard’s burning blood a much needed relief. “Old healing magic. I had been meaning to do it earlier but I hadn’t wanted to make you uncomfortable.”

Edelgard could feel the poison lifting from her body. She felt a lightness come over her.

“I-” Edelgard didn’t know where to begin. She finally settled on something simple. “Thank you. Truly.”

Byleth's smile, though subtle, was bright enough to rival the sun. Edelgard once more allowed her to take her bare hand in her's. From here, Edelgard could count all of the scars that laid across Byleth’s tanned skin.

"No," Byleth said. "Thank you for trusting me."

Her eyes drifted down to their clasped hands and though she didn’t say anything Edelgard could tell she was curious about the many lines that littered her skin.

“Would you like to know about them? My scars, I mean,” Edelgard asked tentatively. “I hardly ever speak of them. But with you, well…”

Byleth's eyes reflected the stars and seemed to capture the moonlight within the deep blue. Her gaze was not piercing, but non-judgemental and patient.

“Not many have seen all of me as you have,” Edelgard admitted.

And so she pointed to the jagged lines that littered her hands and trailed up her arms, under her sleeves. She gestured to her chest where the scarring was the worst. She spoke of her past in a way that she hadn’t said to another person in many years.

Byleth was silent throughout, but her gaze never left Edelgard’s face. She followed Edelgard’s hands as she rolled up her sleeves to show the angry lines that travelled up into her torso and spoke of the horrors that lie beneath the Enbarr palace.

When Edelgard finished, Byleth frowned. The only thing she could think to say was, “That’s awful…”

Edelgard allowed Byleth’s fingers to trail over her knuckles, to trace the lines that ran over her skin. She raised her hand to her lips again to let them brush against her skin, making Edelgard shiver.

“I’m afraid I don’t know any healing magic for this,” Byleth whispered. “But perhaps…”

She let their joint hands fall away from her face and gently let go of her hand. Edelgard immediately missed the warmth of her skin.

Byleth held up her own hand for Edelgard to see. She pointed to a particularly ragged looking mark. “I was young and trying to skin my first fish when the knife slipped.”

She pointed to a rough patch of skin. “My hands slipped while cooking at the hearth. The burn was not fun to treat.”

Behind her ear was a mark left by a stray fishing hook, her bare thigh was once struck with a spear during a training session with her father’s knights. With every mark, Edelgard felt a little less alone. The marks were old and had faded, but were still scattered across her skin all the same.

“I suppose no one makes it out of this life unmarked,” Edelgard said.

Byleth smiled before shifting her eyes back to the night sky. Edelgard found herself staring at her, masked in the silver moonlight. She felt like she could have stayed there all night before she started fighting off a yawn.

“You should go back to sleep,” Byleth told her gently.

Edelgard’s mouth felt dry, somehow. She nodded.

But a question had been digging at her for a long time. It seemed like now was the right time to ask.

“Where do you go? I’ve been here for a while now and I still do not know where you go when you sleep and are not at my side.”

Byleth looked at her, perhaps a bit surprised. Edelgard couldn't remember when she had slipped her hand into Byleth's again or when she had started rubbing her thumb over her knuckles absentmindedly.

“I’m always around,” Byleth said, looking down. “I used to sleep in the cave but…”

That made Edelgard feel impossibly guilty. She had stolen her bed? That wasn’t right. Edelgard would have to remedy this at once.

“Perhaps,” Edelgard said softly, wetting her lips. “We could share. I have trouble sleeping on my own, anyhow. Being with you is comforting. I may sleep better with you at my side.”

I would sleep better knowing you are sleeping well, too, Edelgard thought to herself, but she left that admission out. Her cheeks were already burning from embarrassment.

Byleth’s eyes met Edelgard’s once more, as if searching for any hint of dishonesty. But Edelgard doesn’t think she has ever been more honest in her life with another person. Byleth knew so much about her at this point. She felt so warm when she was around. It felt right to have her by her side.

For a second, Edelgard thought she was going to say no, to insist that Edelgard keep the cave to herself, and walk away from their intimate conversation like she usually tended to do. But Byleth’s face broke out into a smile.

“Yes, I’d like that.”

So, Edelgard kept hold of her hand and they made their way back to the cave.

It was strange, sharing a bed.

Edelgard couldn’t remember the last time she had done it. She was used to solitude, sleeping alone at night and at the mercy of her nightmares.

It took a while for them to arrange themselves into the bed as they tried to decide which side to take. At last, they settled just an arms length away from one another.

For a while they just chatted, talking of nothing and everything all at once. Edelgard could feel Byleth’s warmth from her side of the bed.

Edelgard's gaze shifted around Byleth's face. Her eyes traced all of its slopes and curves; the arch in her brow, the slope of her nose, and the strong line of her jaw. Edelgard felt like she was trying to memorize it for later on.

Byleth seemed to be doing the same to her. Her hand was outstretched as if it longed to caress over Edelgard's face.

"You know," Byleth said. "When I was tending to you, I would sleep in the chair beside this bed and wait for you to awaken."

Byleth looks away, sheepishness coming over her. She tentatively held open her arms, asking for a hug.

Edelgard nodded, ears suddenly feeling hot.

Byleth leaned in and pressed her ear against her chest, listening as she held her close. Edelgard feels herself flush all the way to the tips of her ears.

"It's comforting," Byleth whispered, voice slightly muffled by the fabric of Edelgard's shirt. But Edelgard could still hear the faint smile that melted into her words. "When I cared for you, I almost thought you wouldn't make it. Your heart beat was so faint."

Byleth's voice was impossibly soft, dripping with absolute affection for Edelgard. To think that a complete stranger would save her and care about her so deeply. Edelgard felt her heart clench, something soft and warm threatened to burst from her chest.

All Edelgard could think to do was kiss the top of Byleth's head as she tightened her hold on her ever so slightly.

Edelgard didn't know how she would have verbally responded. She wasn't given the chance before Byleth suddenly pulled free of her embrace.

Edelgard felt shellshocked as Byleth turned away from her, facing the other way. She was left staring at the back of her head.

"Goodnight," Byleth said, quickly, almost apologetically. She buried her face into the pillow, avoiding Edelgard's gaze. It wasn't long before she stilled, although Edelgard doubted she was truly asleep.

There Byleth went again, always pulling back just when Edelgard thought they were getting close. Even so, Edelgard wanted to grab hold of some of Byleth's warmth and never let go. She wanted to memorize how it felt to hold Byleth in her arms and kiss the top of her head.

Edelgard inched slightly towards her. Byleth didn't stir.

Edelgard gently pressed her forehead against Byleth's shoulder blades. Her fingertips just barely grazed the fabric of Byleth's nightgown.

"Goodnight," Edelgard's voice came out just barely a whisper. It was something so tender that Edelgard could hardly recognise her own voice. It was a far cry from the Emperor that stood before armies at her command.

It was simply Edelgard.

Edelgard gently pulled back before falling into a deep slumber herself.

When Edelgard awakened, she was alone.

Byleth's space in the bed was vacant. Instead of her warmth, all Edelgard found was a cool sea breeze blowing into the cave.

It's still dark outside, dawn just beginning to break over the horizon. Edelgard blinked the sleep from her eyes.

She sat up and swung her legs around off the bed. The move felt fluid, effortless. Her bandages had come undone sometime during the night and Edelgard found that the purple poison had faded from her skin. Her body had come a long way since the first time she awoke on the island.

Edelgard trudged out of the cave.

The stone path felt cool against her feet. The early morning air felt crisp against her face.

Edelgard sighed. This was nice. Living on this island was exactly how she had always pictured her retirement, if her revolution prevailed and she was ever able to abdicate the throne.

She didn't wander far. She didn't have to. Sitting near the cove, along the shore, Edelgard could see her.

A young woman in a white dress staring out at the sea. Her legs were pulled up to her chest as Byleth gazed out beyond the shore.

As Edelgard approached, she could see the scrunch in Byleth's brow and the outline of a frown on her face. A storm was brewing behind those blue eyes.

Edelgard silently walked up to her. She half expected Byleth to ask her to leave but Byleth didn't say a word as Edelgard sat down next to her.

Edelgard's shoulder just barely grazed Byleth's. Edelgard was debating on what to say. She felt like she had a million things to say to her but couldn't settle on what.

In the end, it was Byleth who broke the silence.

"I haven't been entirely honest with you," Byleth said. Her voice sounded hoarse, barely above a whisper, like she was afraid she would scare Edelgard away.

The words hit Edelgard like a splash of cold water. She processed the words slowly, turning them over in her mind. "What do you mean?"

"My curse," Byleth said, her voice sounding hollow. Byleth shuddered in the cold, Edelgard resisted the urge to put her arm around her. "My curse isn't just isolation. Rhea cursed me to fall in love with every hero who came to this island."

Edelgard felt confused. "Then, that would mean…"

Byleth nodded. "But there's a catch. Every person that comes to the island can never accept my offer."

Byleth sighed. She put her face in her hands as she let her legs drop to the sand. Edelgard still felt confused.

She was still trying to process her words. Her brain felt like it was moving both too slowly and too quickly at the same time. Edelgard reached for her. She touched Byleth's hands, urging her to lower them so she could look her in the eye.

"I don’t understand,” Edelgard said, softly. "Me?"

“I knew from the moment I heard you speak in your sleep,” Byleth said, wistfully. It seemed so long ago, now. “Yes, of course. You.”

Byleth continued, "I promised myself I would not ask you. I know you cannot accept."

Byleth touched Edelgard’s face so tenderly, it almost brought Edelgard to tears. Her calloused thumb caressed her cheek as if it was trying to map her face and commit it to memory.

“You could stay here,” Byleth said. “You could stay here with me and not have to worry about the outside world.”

It felt like the ground had shifted entirely beneath her feet.

She could stay here. There would be no more blood flowing at her feet, no more violence turned against her. She would no longer have to walk a tightrope between her goals and those who slither in the dark with an ever present knife pressed to her throat.

The thought of leaving here, leaving Byleth, made her hesitate.

But she missed her friends just as much. She was tantalisingly close to achieving her goals. The battle in Fhirdiad was all that remained before she could put an end to this war and enact the reforms she had been drafting for years. Edelgard needed to free the world from Rhea’s clutches and then free it from her uncle’s. There was still so much she had to do, so much she needed to accomplish before she could settle down the way she longed to.

What a horrible feeling. She could have her revolution, or she could have Byleth.

Edelgard rested her hand over the hand that cupped her cheek, pressing her forehead to Byleth’s. She closed her eyes, trying to absorb as much of the warmth as she could.

“I can’t.”

“I understand.” She felt Byleth nod her head against her. It was the answer she had always expected to hear. “When you leave, it will cut me like a knife. But you are worth bleeding for.”

Byleth pulled away from her, her head swivelling to look towards the dock. Her eyebrows scrunched up as if she were searching for something that still had not appeared.

After a moment, Byleth pulled her to her feet.

With their hands still intertwined, Byleth said, “Then, I have one last thing to show you.”

Byleth led her back to her garden, the place where they had their first real conversation.

She allowed Edelgard’s hand to fall away from her as she walked forward. Byleth put her hands to her lips before pushing outwards as if she were blowing a kiss to the wind.

Golden magic swirled with the ocean breeze and blew around the garden.

Edelgard felt her jaw go slack as the garden bloomed all at once. Flowers became brighter, sprouts sprung up from their pots, birds chirped and sung in harmony, and the scent wafting through the air became all the more sweeter.

The most eye-catching part to Edelgard was the dozens upon dozens of blooming red carnations, pink camellias, and hydrangeas all lying in the very center of the garden.

Byleth picked up a small pot and approached her. Her arms stretched out to offer it to her. The small moonlace bloomed and shimmered as Edelgard accepted it into her hands, watching the golden magic fade and the flower shrink back down into the soil.

“For you,” Byleth managed, her voice tight. Their fingers were still brushing as they held the pot between them.

She was standing so close to her, it was so easy for Edelgard to lean in and kiss her.

The kind, caring hands that had nursed Edelgard back to life came up to cup her face. Byleth’s lips were soft against her own, the kiss almost tentative. But she was so warm.

Edelgard couldn’t help but pull her closer to deepen the kiss, Byleth’s body strong and sturdy against her own. The kiss felt like a healing balm to her soul.

When they finally parted, Edelgard’s eyes were still closed as if to bask in their own private moment. She felt warmth blooming within her chest. This feeling, it must have been-

The thought remained unfinished when she heard Byleth gasp.

Edelgard’s eyes flew open to look at her. Byleth’s eyes were blown out and wide as she looked just over her shoulder at the beach. Edelgard traced her gaze to the ocean and gasped herself.

Sailing directly for the island was a ship with scratches along its hull. There was no mistaking her ship, the Scarlet Blaze, with her beautiful golden figurehead of a twin-headed eagle glittering in the sunlight as she raced towards the shore.

“That shouldn’t be possible,” Byleth said, her mouth gaped.

And yet her ship was in her waters and sailing right for them.

Byleth pulled back from her, her hand falling away from Edelgard’s face. She headed down for the beach with Edelgard following close behind.

As they reached the beach, Byleth took her hand and led her to the docks.

“Your ship is too large for these shallow waters. You will have to take the raft the rest of the way,” Byleth said to her.

Edelgard was about to ask what raft when she saw it: a small square made up of logs tied together. A small mast stood at the center with a white sheet to be used as a sail. Already on the raft were her original clothes, Amyr, and all of the gifts she received on the island.

She looked from the raft to the Scarlet Blaze to Byleth’s face.

“I will find you again,” Edelgard said to her, suddenly feeling desperate to keep Byleth in her sight and at her side. “I will sail back to this island, I-”

But Byleth just gave her that same smile that didn’t reach her eyes, with sadness behind her eyes, which had grown all too familiar. Only then did Edelgard realize that it would start to apply to her as well. An empty placemat at Byleth's dining table would be reserved for her.

Byleth brought her hand up to Edelgard’s face once more. Her caress was so tender, it made Edelgard want to weep.

“No man finds this island twice,” Byleth said.

“I am no man.”

Byleth chucked at that, kissing Edelgard’s palm. Edelgard pressed forward, feeling embolden.

“I am Edelgard von Hresvelg and I will find you again. I sail to defeat Rhea. The curse will be broken and then I can-”

But Byleth stopped her. “Please, don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“It’s not right,” Edelgard whispered, her voice soft. “It’s not fair to you.”

“It’s not,” Byleth agreed.

She guided Edelgard onto the raft. As soon as she stepped foot onto the wood, it began to bobble away from the island and take her away from her heart. Byleth’s fingers slipped away from her grasp.

She watched Byleth’s figure get smaller and smaller as she drifted away.

Her mind thought of the Scarlet Blaze and how it had sailed through the waters plagued by the Sirens. It was said that the Siren’s Song would reveal the deepest desires of those brave enough to listen to their song. Edelgard had wondered what she would have seen if they had taken the time to listen.

Now, she understood.

Her Siren’s Song would not be what one would expect from a conqueror. It would not be one of glory or fortune. Instead, Edelgard would see her family, her friends, and a young woman with blue hair all welcoming her home with open arms.

But her destiny could be put off no longer with another impossible task added to her list of goals. Another wrong that Edelgard had taken upon herself to right.

There was much work to be done.

It was then that the raft bumped against the hull of the ship and Edelgard spared one last glance at the island frozen in time. Her heart ached as it disappeared into the fog and she felt utterly alone.

The spell was broken when she heard shouting from the crew and her Black Eagles above, calling to her.

Her duty would need to wait a moment. For now, she needed to be surrounded by comfort and friends.