Chapter Text
Dimitri gave a thorough explanation of the Monastery's winding corridors, as he lead her to her new classroom.
Descendant of Blaidydd...
Sins of the father did not belong on the shoulders of the son. Intellectually, she knew this.
...Hopefully, Dimitri's gentle politeness would finally give that wicked twist to her heart the same message.
"...Ah, and this is the Blue Lions classroom." Dimitri explained, gesturing to the classroom with blue banners proudly hanging outside the door. "I took the liberty of assembling our class for you, so that proper introductions can occur. Is there... anything you wish to know about them before we go in?"
"...I'll allow this first impression to speak for itself." Rhea shook her head. "I still have some files to read, for more information on your current academic stage..."
"Ah, fair enough." Dimitri chuckled, "I suppose my perspective is somewhat biased... No more delays, then."
With that he gently pushed the door open. Was his line still plagued with their stolen strength...?
Good.
In an instant, the room froze.
An impressive feat, when the blonde girl was precariously balanced on a desk, in the process of scaling the black hair boy stood between her and the cowering redhead.
Immediately, the black haired boy stood to the side, scowling at the wall as though it had personally slighted him. The redhead scrambled to his feet, draping himself against a pillar and hastily wiping down his uniform. The blonde jumped from the desk, cheeks flushed as red as the boys hair, and awkwardly coughed into her hand.
Dimitri chuckled, covering his mouth to stifle a full blown laugh.
"Everyone, this is Rhea, our new professor." He gestured smiling politely. "Shall I handle introductions, or...?"
"I'm Ingrid." The blonde girl practically yelled, half cutting Dimitri off. "Ingrid Brandl Galatea. Please... discard that nonsense. Sylvain brings out the worst in me."
"Hey, you're breaking my heart over here, Ingrid!" the redhead- presumably Sylvain- chuckled, dramatically clutching his chest, "Sylvain Jose Gautier. A pleasure to make your acquaintance... Professor..."
Immediately, Ingrid slapped the back of his head.
"I am Dedue Molinaro, retainer of his highness." the Duscan man who'd joined Dimitri's side as soon as he entered said, "Please, allow me to cook you a meal as thanks for saving him, at some point."
"...I'm rather hard to please, on that front." Rhea admitted. "Don't take it to heart if I dislike it."
"...A challenge, then." Dedue agreed, the faintest hint of a smile on his stoic features.
"I'm Mercedes." said the blonde who'd been quietly observing her classmates with a small smile. "And this is Annie!"
The ginger girl with pigtails and a deep scar across her throat waved, gesturing towards the scars in leui of a personal introduction.
"I'm Ashe Ubert, adoptive son of Lord Lonato." the silver haired boy said, politely nodding.
"Felix." The black haired boy finally muttered. "You look strong. Spar with me."
"C'mon, let her get in the door first Felix!" Sylvain chuckled, "Maybe settled down with some nice tea..."
"Oh for..." Ingrid rubbed her temples, "I'm sorry about him. I won't claim he stops, but you get desensitised after a while... About both of them..."
"What did I do?" Felix scoffed. "This is a combat academy. Sparring is part of the course."
"...As you can see, we're a bit of a rowdy bunch..." Dimitri chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Although... I can't say I disagree with the desire to test myself against you..."
"...Then let that be our first lesson." Rhea nodded. "Let us reconvene at the training grounds shortly- that will give me a better grasp of your abilities than anything that could take place in a classroom."
...As near-all her class beamed at the suggestion, Rhea couldn't help but feel a little more confident in her choice...
They quickly dispersed, some heading towards the dorms to get changed, others straight to the armoury for training weapons. Rhea... Didn't exactly have any preparations of her own to make. She'd already skimmed the folder, at least thoroughly enough to know where to start with testing her students.
Most had some level of training with a lance, with Ingrid, Sylvain and, of course, Dimitri being the standouts. She didn't see much need to deviate from that, this early in the year... Ingrid had some skill at leading small battalions, apparently, which would compliment her blazing talent for Pegasi handling, which could give her a birdseye view of the battlefield, and Sylvain could be persuaded to try anything with 'proper motivation', although she dreaded to think what that entailed...
Dedue would be easy to teach. He'd had little formal training, as a blacksmith's son, but that same upbringing had left him with an abundance of raw strength to work with- his muscles were obvious just at a glance, and he took hits well, from what his files said. War Master or Fortress Knight, seemed the most likely paths...
Felix favoured the sword, and was noted to grow prickly at the suggestion he try anything else. A possible problem for later in the year, but she would leave that lion to sleep for now- he seemed to have the dedication to back up his attitude, and it wasn't as though she lacked for lessons to give in the art of the blade.
Ashe's greatest skill was with a bow, but he was willing to turn his hand to anything. He could also pick locks, which was... an interesting skill to have somehow shown off in the mere months the academy had been active... It certainly had it's uses in a scout or messanger though, especially with the keen eyes of an archer...
And then, the final two. Both graduates of the School of Sorcery in Fhirdiad, one specialised in Faith and the other Reason. Mercedes reportedly far preferred healing to harming, which could prove challenging to overcome, but Annette was the far more concerning one.
The details were scarce, but some kind of accident had occured, in her final months at the Academy. The source of the scars on her throat, and as thorough a Silence as any magical one.
...There were two avenues, for teaching Annette, Rhea decided. Focus on the hard, gruelling task of mastering silent casting. Else focus on her talent for axes- she was slight, and weaker than most would need be, but she was young still, and had plenty of time to develop the necessary muscle.
Regardless, she would likely need to be benched, for the upcoming mock battle... A week was hardly time for any grand changes to a students skills...
She headed to the Training Grounds, idly pencilling notes in her copy of the students files. She would write a detailed lesson plan, once she'd had chance to evaluate their abilities with her own eyes...
Gradually, her class filed in- Ingrid and Felix, shortly followed by Sylvain, tucking a slip of paper into his shirt pocket with a smug grin, Dimitri and Dedue walking in silent companionship, Annie half dragging Mercedes as she skipped into the training grounds, Ashe sheepishly bolting into place not long after, visibly embarrassed to be the last one there...
All in all, no notable delays...
"To get it out of the way... Who would like to spar with me?" Rhea asked, after briefly clearing her throat. "Whoever wishes to... You shall all face me at once. We shall spar to first blood- land a single blow, and you will all be the victors. Those who do not wish to participate, sit to the side and take note- focus especially on how your classmates use their advantages, against a more experianced foe."
She could've safely gambled on how the class split. Mercedes quickly moved to the side, Ashe looked like a deer in the headlights for a moment, glancing between his bow and Rhea, before shuffling to join her. Dedue glanced at his classmates, sighed heavily, and pulled out a notebook and quill.
The rest of her class had readied their weapons before she finished the instruction.
Rhea smirked.
Good.
This might actually be fun...
Felix was the first to strike. Their training swords crossed, his impressive speed meeting her unwavering strength with a resounding thud of the leather-padded blades. He leapt away before she had chance to turn that lock into control, ducking low to avoid her riposte.
Ingrid and Sylvain moved in as one, Sylvain dropping at the last moment to sweep her legs from under her, while Ingrid leapt an impressive height into the air, plunging down.
Impressive. Rhea met Sylvain's strike with a kick to the face, carefully restrained to avoid serious harm and still sending him skidding across the ground. One out. Ingrid's aggressive distraction was easily sidestepped, but the quickfooted knight managed to redirect that energy to send her safely flying out of Rhea's reach, jamming her spear into the ground and flipping elagantly through the air.
And at that, Felix had recovered, launching himself at her once more. He fainted deftly, striking from the right but hitting left. The only tell he gave was the slightest glance at his true target. But he overcommited, not noticing how her eyes lingered on his...
Dimitri made his move, darting forwards as Felix retreated. Unlike the swordsman, his blow made even her arms waver, the shaft of his spear meeting her blade.
And, unlike Felix, he allowed their weapons to remain locked, tucking the shaft of his spear into place against the hilt of her sword.
A trap.
She dropped her sword, turning just in time to catch Ingrid's spear by the shaft, redirecting the point to the side. She wrenched it forwards, taking it for herself as Dimitri pressed his attack, carefully avoiding giving him another chance to control her new weapon as she defected and danced around his blows.
Ingrid seemed rather lost without her weapon- a weakness to work on. Sylvain tossed her his, from the sidelines. She'd allow it.
Now she was fending off an assault from two sides. Ingrid's blows were far weaker than Dimitri's- the weakest she'd faced, for that matter. But they were far harder to block, coming from the unusual angles expected of a Pegasus Knight...
Well. There were two birds she could kill with a single stone.
She dropped her spear, ducking low to the ground as Dimitri swung wildly. His eyes widened, hastily redirecting the blow before it could hit Ingrid, his stance faltering slightly with the unexpected change. That was all the opening she needed, to grasp her earlier-discarded sword, sweeping at his unprotected shins.
Ingrid had safely leapt out of the way, seeing her plan just a breath sooner than Dimitri. Rhea kicked Ingrid's initial spear back into her hand, throwing it at the unbalanced girl.
That just left Felix, who'd been standing back and glaring as the other fought he-
Wait.
No.
Where had Annette gone?
The answer came in the form of a hard blow to her back.
Sure enough, she turned and received a cheerful wave, the training axe still held against her back by the short, young girl.
Rhea couldn't fully stifle her laughter.
And at the look on Felix's face when she turned back around, she entirely surrendered to her mirth.
Nearly the entire Blue Lions dissolved into a mix of giggles and congratulations, everyone crowding around Annette and plying her with high fives and shoulder bumps.
...Yes. She looked forward to seeing how this year would unfold...