Work Text:
Dimitri let out a slow exhale. "Yes, they will."
The two of them returned to the village, and a worried Amiya tightly embraced him.
"It's okay..." Dimitri said, trying to reassure her. "It's okay. I'm here."
After a few moments, she started to calm down. "C'mon. Let's get you home. I think you deserve to rest."
Dimitri started to feel his fatigue catching up to him. "I think I agree."
They headed home, and Dimitri took a much-needed nap before dinnertime arrived.
The weeks went by, as Dimitri settled into his new role as part of Amiya's family. Every so often, the patrol soldiers would come by with rations, though over time the food supply slowly began to increase until Remire Village was finally out of its famine.
Despite enjoying living at the village, the memory he recovered during the skirmish with the beast still emerged into his conscious from time to time.
"Edelgard... Who is she?" he said to himself.
Amiya approached. "Is something amiss?"
He turned to face her. "I guess you could say that. During the fight a while back, I...remembered something."
"You did?" she asked. "What was it?"
"I was...fighting someone. A woman. Her name was Edelgard. She said something about how my vengeance against her had left me as a shell of who I once was. That I had let myself fall to madness."
"I don't see any of that madness in you. All I see is a man willing to do whatever it takes to protect those he cherishes."
Dimitri's brow furrowed. "And yet what happened in that memory is the truth. That was...at least part of who I was. Maybe I should find out who I was before I fell to insanity."
"What's going on?" Nikolai asked, approaching.
"Go play, Nikolai. Dimitri and I are having a grown-up talk." Amiya said, and Nikolai left.
When he was gone, Amiya exhaled slowly. "If you truly wish to seek out these memories, I won't stop you. But know that we will always accept you with open arms."
She gently embraced him, and he returned it. As he hugged her, he started to have second thoughts about seeking out his past. Should he search for his lost memories, and uncover who he really is? Or should he let his past self rest, and continue to live with Amiya and her children?
As he was about to make his choice, someone started shouting.
"The Kingdom and Imperial armies are approaching!" they heard.
They ran outside, and lo and behold, the Empire and Kingdom were about to clash a short while away.
"They won't come here, will they?" a worried Amiya asked.
"They won't. Not if I can help it." Dimitri said before going inside and coming out donned in his armor and cape, Areadbhar in hand.
He hugged her, and she returned it.
"Be safe." she said.
"I will." he said, nodding. He then headed for the battlefield, where the armies met. He was fully prepared to ensure this battle would stay away from Remire Village, no matter what the cost was.
He saw a blonde-haired knight flying atop a pegasus coming straight towards him, and he braced himself for a fight.
The knight landed and hopped off her steed, coming up to him.
"Your Majesty!" the knight said, overjoyed. "We thought you were dead!"
"I...think you might have the wrong person..." Dimitri said.
The knight shook her head. "I know I don't. I'd recognize you anywhere, Dimitri."
Dimitri's eyebrows raised. "How did you know my name...?"
"Dimitri... Don't you remember me?" the knight asked. "It's me. Ingrid."
"I'm sorry... I do not recognize that name." Dimitri admitted.
Ingrid was left speechless. "You really don't remember..."
"I don't." Dimitri said. "So I ask again--how did you know my name?"
She looked him in the eye. "Because you are the King of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. I served you as a knight prior to your disappearance. We've been fighting the Adrestian Empire for five years now."
He looked confused. "Fighting the Empire? But they've provided well for the people of Remire Village. I've been living with them for a few weeks after one of the villagers found me."
"Remire Village...?" Ingrid said. "But I thought it was destroyed!"
"When was it destroyed?"
"Before the war started. Dark magic was used on the inhabitants, and the village largely ceased to be after the survivors sought refuge at Garreg Mach Monastery."
"You said the war was going for a few years now. I suspect it was rebuilt in that time. The Empire has provided food and supplies for the people, and the village recently got out of a famine."
"It's possible that they're only doing this to stay in Remire's good graces and keep their reputation as a benevolent Empire afloat."
"Why would you suspect such a thing?" Dimitri asked.
Ingrid shook her head in disbelief. "Are you really asking that? That's how they operate. They crave power. They'll claim they're doing this for the people, but the truth is that they really don't care for the lives caught in the crossfire."
"I think you're looking at this wrong. Maybe if the Kingdom and the Empire were to talk it out, they could potentially work together to accomplish their goals." Dimitri suggested.
"And what are the odds that the Emperor will listen?" Ingrid asked. "She would probably either take you as ransom or have you executed. Either one would force the Kingdom to surrender or be destroyed. And I can't let that happen."
Dimitri exhaled. "And you would rather everyone continue to kill each other, just to avoid my capture? I won't have it. This war you spoke of is not the right thing to do. You've had five years of fighting, you said? I can barely tolerate five days of it."
"You really believe those words..." Ingrid said, raising her eyebrows. "Whether you remember your past or not, that's the king in you speaking. I don't think that will ever go away."
Dimitri nodded. "Perhaps not..."
Ingrid sighed. "While this goes against my personal judgement, I'm going to trust that you are doing the right thing. If you wish, I'd like for you to accompany me, so that we can convince the Kingdom army not to fight." Ingrid said. "I think seeing their king once more would convince them."
Dimitri hesitated. Sure, he was king, but he had grown bonds not just with Amiya and her children, but with everyone in the village. He thought for a little while, weighing his two options. The people he lived with and cherished, after he had awakened with no memories? Or the throne upon which he ruled an entire kingdom, before then?