Chapter Text
There’s much to be done, to be discussed, arranged and settled. Byleth and her two former students spend several more hours in the prison cell, alternating between discussing the details of Edelgard’s (and her own, after several rounds of convincing Claude) exile and simply chatting the time away, talking about memories Byleth thought they had long forgotten.
In the end they manage to come to an arrangement all of them do not feel too compromised in.
First of all, Edelgard is not to leave the village, under any circumstances. Should something happen to the village, like it becoming abandoned, for whatever reason, she is to be located to a similar village. She is to change her name, her manner of speaking and her hairstyle. Byleth (and yes, Byleth gets to join her, after some more persistent words from the former mercenary) is not restricted to such conditions, but even she has to take precautions.
The first thing that has to be done is the process of removing her Crest. Edelgard pales at the mere mention of it but doesn’t object, causing Byleth to admire her braveness, yet it doesn’t outweigh her newfound need to protect Edelgard from harm and fiercely she wishes there was another way of getting her old hair color back. But there simply isn’t.
Three days after Byleth's breakdown in the cell Professor Hanneman and Lindhardt are ready to start their procedure. In the meantime Edelgard was moved to a slightly more comfortable chamber, her very own. Less chains but still magical locks on the door. Byleth had begrudgingly agreed to it.
She had visited Edelgard every day in her small chambers, wanting to be by her side as much as possible, and now she’s sitting just outside the room where the procedure is being done.
Byleth bursts through the door first time she hears Edelgard scream. She gets ushered out by a very annoyed and tense Lindhardt there is just enough time to see Edelgard smile at her reassuringly. This is a familiar process for her, Byleth realizes.
It only makes her feel worse.
So she opts to sit in silent agony just outside the surgery room, wincing at every noise of pain she hears but thinking then at least in spirit she’s with Edelgard.
Much to her surprise, Dimitri joins not long after, sitting down on the bench beside her. Byleth wonders why at first and almost asks, but as he visibly pales alongside her she simply lets him.
It takes another five long days for the procedure to be finished.
Each day Byleth and Dimitri sit there in quiet support. Each evening she gets to visit Edelgard while she’s recuperating from the ordeal of the with whatever small amount time she has. Usually she falls asleep within the hour, her body and mind too exhausted to go on.
When Hanneman and Lindhardt come to tell that the procedure was a success and is done, telling her she’s asleep for now and a special nurse will keep an eye on her, before saying their goodbye taking their leave, Dimitri finally speaks up.
“I wanted to see for myself…,” he begins before hesitating. “To make sure there was some kind of adequate punishment for her.”
Byleth feels anger rise in herself at the words. How dare he taint everything Edelgard just went through like that.
“But I was wrong, I feel sick,” the king continues and Byleth notices he’s visibly pale, A deeply emotional expression etched on his face. “It’s not punishment for her that will make me forgive her. It is me who has to do so. I’m not sure I can ever fully forgive her, she simply hurt me too much for that, but I see her as more human now than I did before.” He sighs and Byleth notices how drained he look. “I have made peace with your decision, Professor. Thank you, and I’m sorry,” he adds, “for having been selfish like this.”
Byleth’s anger subsides, if only a little and opts to nod at him, acknowledging his words but not soothing his guilt in any way. He awkwardly leaves her alone with her thoughts after that.
Some part of her understands Dimitri’s inability to forgive her. He was obsessed with revenge, of taking her down, after feeling so utterly betrayed by his childhood friend. Byleth had managed to save him from the brink of self-destruction, as he was on some suicidal rampage to get back at her, sacrificing everything he had. It must be hard to let that goal, which he pursued for so long with so much emotion, go.
It’s selfish of him, Byleth thinks, but it’s also very human. In the state he is in now she feels she can safely leave rebuilding the world to him, Claude and their fellow allies. A part of Byleth feels guilty for it but she’s relieved she no longer has to take part in that. She was born and raised a mercenary, she never thought she’d be involved –with an important role even- in the shaping of nations.
It isn’t long until she hears Edelgard’s quiet voice call for her, as if knowing she’d be there. Hurried, Byleth enters. The first thing she notices is that her hair is still white, she doesn’t know what she expected, really. It has to change gradually of course.
But Edelgard, she looks tired and pale and so weak, except for her eyes. Her eyes are shining and full of life. Byleth rushes to her side and grabs one of her hands. Immediately Edelgard tightens her grip around Byleth’s fingers and with some effort she gently squeezes them, making Byleth feel something in her heart leap.
“Hey,” she says and smiles, her lilac eyes finding cobalt ones. There are no title to address Byleth with anymore. No teacher, no professor. Just her.
“Hey,” she replies sheepishly and smiles back.
“They’re finished,” Edelgard follows up with a soft sigh.
Byleth can only nod.
“That means I’m free.” She turns her head to stare wistfully at the ceiling after that. “It’s funny, I will be imprisoned in that village for life yet that feels more free than I’ve ever been. I’m no longer heir to the throne, an Emperor, nor the bearer of two Crests. I’m just me now.” With a small smile she looks at Byleth. “I’m looking forward to being a villager. It’s a whole new experience for me.” She laughs quietly after that, mirth in her tired eyes.
It’s a relief to hear. Byleth had been afraid Edelgard was dreading the prospect, seeing it as some forced and pitiful extension of her imprisoned life, but she seems to be feeling none of that. Perhaps Byleth had underestimated her. At least she fully understands now that when she said she never wanted to be the Emperor, she meant it.
“I will be there to accompany you,” Byleth reminds her, and perhaps herself as well. This is real.
“Yes, indeed,” the former Emperor laughs happily, “you have never really experienced living in a village yourself have you? Then it will be a new experience for the both of us.”
“I hope it’s a nice village,” Byleth murmurs. “With a few shops and a tavern and lots of nature to surround ourselves with. And I hope we can add something to it, with our skills and experience.”
She nods. “That would be nice.”
The two of them spend the next few moments talking about the possibilities of their future homes and lives. What they’re expecting and hoping for, what fears and doubts they have and what makes them uncertain, but most of all it’s the excitement of the future shining through the conversation. It’s clear Edelgard feels uncertain she is capable of adjusting to a new life, but having Byleth at her side gives her the confidence she needs to let that go. Together they can do this, of that Byleth has no doubt either.
“I’m going to teach you how to fish,” she exclaims excitedly.
Edelgard pales a little, a frown adorning her features.
“Professor, I’ve… I’ve never been the most patient of people,” she admits awkwardly “At least not when I have nothing to occupy myself with. I’m used to being overwhelmed with sensations. With sights and sounds and endless streams of people who needed something from me.”
Byleth tightens her grip on her hand and squeezes again.
“Then this would be a great opportunity to learn how to relax a little.”
Edelgard smiles at her, still slightly uncomfortable, before nodding.
“…Alright then, I suppose I could give it a try if you have come to enjoy it so much.”
Byleth laughs inwardly at Edelgard’s hint of discomfort regarding the prospect of fishing and she’s pretty sure she’s smirking.
The next weeks creep by at an antagonizing slow pace. Both of them have to wait for her hair to change properly. Her white hair isn’t cut off, everyone agrees that would be unnecessarily inhuman, but they’ll have to wait until the new color is shining through enough that no one will bat an eye at a slightly lighter streak still here or there.
Byleth decides she’s like the new color. It’s a light sort of brown which she doesn’t see that often. It doesn’t take long for it to start showing through the white, first just at the roots but in weeks’ time it’s long enough that it reaches to her shoulders. Apparently now that her second Crest is going her hair is eager to go back to its original state.
She’s been moved to a more comfortable chamber to regain her strength and wait for her hair to fully turn. Byleth makes sure to visit every day and each of those days she talks with her about what is new in the world. Edelgard listens intently, asking questions and sometimes offers her thoughts on how she’d solve certain problems.
Only some of her former classmates are let in on her exile, and none of those know where she’ll be going exactly. They were not allowed to visit her and were told they’d never see her again and act as if both Byleth and Edelgard were death, Edelgard was dead to the world after all.
But one day Dorothea storms in regardless.
And immediately begins to cry when she sees Edelgard.
Byleth stands up in a weak attempt to get her to leave, fearing the consequences now that Dorothea knows, but the flighty woman moves right past her and props herself on the bed Edelgard was sitting on.
“Oh, Edie…” she begins as tears take over her and she needs a moment to cry. It’s an endearing sight, seeing the old friends like this, Byleth thinks
“I thought… When I heard you weren’t… Oh, Edie I just had to see you,” come Dorothea’s words in between sobs.
Edelgard seems happy to see her, smiling despite saying that the other woman really shouldn’t be here.
“Claude let me,” Dorothea explains. Byleth wonders, as it’s been almost three weeks since the plan to exile her was created, how long Dorothea has been harassing Claude before he caved in.
“Well I suppose it can’t be helped then,” Edelgard sighs almost playfully.
The three of them talk amicably for some time, careful to avoid the more sensitive topics. Byleth is once again surprised how well versed Dorothea is in the art of casual conversation while still managing to convey all her emotions and drawing out those of others in a pleasant manner as well.
“And you,” she suddenly starts, staring a perplexed Byleth right in the eyes. “How dare you leave us to… to go play house with her in the middle of nowhere!” she says in faux exasperation.
Immediately, Byleth blushes and sees Edelgard stiffen as well.
“Ah,” Dorothea says in quick succession, smirking. “So it is like that.” She points with her finger ominously. “I knew it.” The pleased expression on her face is enough for Byleth to know that Dorothea drew a conclusion she will not back down from.
Neither know how to respond, and Byleth is not sure if she should deny or not.
Luckily Dorothea saves the both of them once again.
“It’s alright,” she says much calmer now, “I just wanted to make sure, you know, that she’s well taken care of.” A grin appears on her face. “I see now that I have nothing to worry about.” She playfully taps Byleth’s shoulder and winks
In one movement she suddenly closes the distance between her and Edelgard, and for a moment Byleth thought she was about to kiss the other woman. Instead she moves her head to the side of Edelgard and whispers something Byleth can’t make out, she get an idea what the subject contains though, when Edelgard flushes red.
“Dorothea!” she exclaims and moves to put her hands to cover her face. Before she can do so Dorothea grabs them out of the air and pulls her in for a tight hug. Edelgard holds her hands in the air awkwardly before putting them around the other’s shoulders, returning the hug.
When Dorothea is lets go of Edelgard she turns to Byleth and hugs her tightly as well.
Then, she’s at the door, tears are threatening to spill from her eyes again.
“Good bye, dearies,” she says and blows a kiss.
And with that she’s gone.
“Well,” Edelgard says after a long silence, wiping a tear from her cheek herself. “That was something.”
“Indeed it was,” Byleth agrees with a soft hum.
She pauses for a moment before speaking up again.
“Were you happy to see her?”
Edelgard smiles, it’s a sad smile. For the first time Byleth understands just how much she is saying farewell to. “Yeah,” she sighs quietly.
Recognizing that the turmoil Edelgard is feeling, Byleth moves in to wrap her arms around her from the side. The other woman immediately leans against her chest and breathes out another sigh, placing her hands on Byleth’s own.
“I’m going to miss her, all of them,” she says softly after a while.
Byleth swallow hard. “Yes, me too.”
“Do you still want to go with me?” Edelgard asks, now sounding fragile and insecure, afraid even.
“Yes,” she replies without hesitation.
She gets a smile from Edelgard.
Nothing more needs to be said, the both of them determined to make this work. Byleth opts to simply hold her for a while, enjoying the feeling of Edelgard breathing against her skin.
“So,” Byleth begins after a long silence, “What exactly did she say to you?”
The girl stiffens against Byleth’s hold, who has to hold back a laugh.
“Oh, lord. I shall not repeat those words out loud.”
Both of them laugh after that, finding comfort in each other’s presence.
The next day Byleth gets notified that Lady Dorothea has “left the capital on urgent business. For at least a month or two.”
She’s feels sad at this newfound knowledge but understands Dorothea’s decision well. It would have been hard on her knowing her two dear friends were leaving and she’d never see either of them ever again. She simply took her distance earlier in order to cope.
There’s not much room left to be sad about it but instead, Byleth finds her mind dwell to Dorothea ever so often, for her strength, her purity and her bravery. She’s an admirable woman and possesses admirable skills that will always be lost to the mercenary.
It takes another six long weeks for Edelgard’s hair to be deemed long enough. And each day Byleth takes some time from her schedule to visit the girl she cares for so deeply. She does this because firstly, she genuinely does want to see her and be with her, but also because she want to prove her determination to her. That her mind is made up, that she’s determined to be a proper partner for Edelgard once the two of them will settle in the new village.
And yet, when it’s almost time for the last week to begin, Claude and Dimitri come to visit Byleth in her chambers. She knows why they’re here, and so do they.
“I am not to visit Edelgard anymore. Is that what you came here to tell me?” Byleth asks, her voice and expression stoic but with feelings coiling underneath.
“It’s just for this last week” Claude attempts to explain gently.
‘The people are getting suspicious, Professor. They think Edelgard has died weeks ago, after all.
“Can I see her one last time to say goodbye and explain?” Byleth tries already knowing the answer.
“No,” Claude says and there is a hint of sadness in his voice. “No, I’ll do that myself, if you don’t mind.”
Byleth makes a soft sound -one of a given up protest- and nods in acceptance.
After some more small talk the two of them make their leave, Leaving Byleth alone with her thoughts. All kinds of fears go through her mind. What if Edelgard plans to escape after all? What if the girl doesn’t believe Claude’s words? And… oh lord what if she doesn’t believe in Byleth, that she’ really coming with Edelgard to the village, that at the last minute her former teacher will to abandon her or something.
It feels as if her thoughts are going haywire. This is unnecessary and only counterproductive, Byleth tells herself sternly.
She stands up from the desk and decides to take a walk through the castle, making sure to avoid everyone and anyone, trying to clear her head and calm herself. She wanders through the corridors and passages. Her former palace. How beautiful it would have been to see her reign during the days, Byleth thinks, pictures it briefly. In the evenings, the two of them would have time alone, hours of peace and comfort flash through Byleth’s mind. Hubert isn’t in this world anymore, which Edelgard still has to mourn for. She’s so hard on herself, Byleth thinks. There is so much inside Edelgard that she has not given a place, that swirls inside her, hurts her, wounds her, angers her and keeps her up at night.
And Rhea… Well Rhea is still in this world, but only barely. Thanks to the combined efforts of Byleth working alongside Claude they found out the truth behind Those who slither in the Dark. Their advanced weaponry and technology, things of which the science behind it can only baffle Byleth. They will be a problem in the future.
As for Rhea, she was stripped of her power, no longer was she the Archbishop but instead she, Seteth and Flayn can wander the world and no longer be burdened with the task to guide it to a better future. They kept their immortality. That was decided –and argued for most fiercely by Byleth- after the three of them started begging one by one. Living a mortal life was simply too terrifying for them.
Byleth was seated in the hall with over fifty people in the room, many of them her former students, as well as Dimitri and Claude. There were some officials and war survivors Byleth knew less well, too. They were the most unpredictable.
“What if I fall down the stairs?” Flayn said in a tiny voice to the people looking down at her in the large hall where their punishment was read to them.
Byleth had chosen to sit in a corner up high, listening on intently.
“Yes, or what if I fall of a wyvern? That has happened before, you see” he says it curtly but even his tone is one of begging.
The people in the hall all murmur something incoherently. Byleth strains to listen but she cannot make out one voice over the other.
Rhea scrapes her throat, and the murmuring dies down almost immediately. A stark reminder that while all of her political and religious authority is gone, she still held some form of power over people. Her true power, which could never be taken from her.
“I see where you are coming from, and I have accepted that it is time for humans to try and fend for themselves as well. Too long have I been trying, and look where my meddling brought you.” She days and closes her eyes for a moment, as if trying to find the words.
When she opens her eyes again there is an ethereal shine in them. Something powerful and unrelenting, something immortal. For a split second Byleth is afraid she’s going to try something. She can still fight, though Byleth is are fairly certain she can take Rhea on in in this state.
When she speaks up, however, all Byleth’s fears ease away as quickly as they came.
Her voice is soft and melodious as she speaks.
“If you are to strip us of our immortality you might as well kill us now. In fact, we prefer that.” The other behind her two nod in agreement. “All of our long lives we’ve spend centuries doing the same thing, we were creators, watchers, guides. We were eternal. We never thought about the consequences of death for us. If we’d become mortal as you we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves. There isn’t enough time to build up a new life. We have no roots. As the eldest I will probably die the earliest and eventually Flayn will die somewhere alone. We aren’t strong enough to suddenly live with the thought that we could die at any moment. All of us would die fearing what is to come, half destroyed and paranoid.”
There isn’t a single sound as Rhea speaks.
“I hope to have explained enough as to why a mortal life is not cut out for us. Were you to let us keep our immortality, we’d spend our wandering and helping those in need. Not in the name of the Church, But as ourselves. And if a king from either kingdom needs our help or assistance we’d be more than happy to help.”
She takes a deep breath before continuing “The war has hurt us deeply. No just me, Flayn and Seteth. No all of us. And I genuinely think that I can help rebuild and recreate for something I’m partially guilty of as well.”
With that she moves back to the chair she was sitting in and sits down.
“Thank you for giving me the chance to speak, everyone.” She finishes quietly.
Everyone is silent for a long time. Unsure what they’re thinking, deciding. What the others are thinking, no one knows.
The silence goes on.
Someone has to take the first step.
Byleth thinks that, after all this time, she’s still the teacher to a lot of the people gathered here.
So without further hesitation, she stand up, making sure the chair scrapes over the floor loudly.
Everyone in the hall turns to look in the direction of the sound and then when they see who it is, several expressions turn from uncertainty to relief.
The professor will know what the best solution is, is what they’re probably thinking.
“I have made a decision,” Byleth begins, her voice steady. “I wish to let Rhea, Seteth and Flayn live on in the way they always have, where time is of irrelevance to them.”
She sees several people nodding in agreement. There’s no expression on the three green haired people’s faces. They’re cautious.
“I wield little official authority,” Byleth continues. “But I have proven my worth in battle, in s tactics, in regards to the divine and even a bit in politics. I want to ask you all now to be lenient and understand, just like me, that any form of punishment for Rhea, Seteth and Flayn is a punishment too much. Just like many people they’ve been through enough. Too much even. They, just like any of us, deserve to move forward. There has been enough violence, cruelty and death all over Fodlan, wouldn’t you agree?”
It’s probably the longest Byleth has ever spoken to a crowd but if it comes to war, repercussions, violence and death a mercenary knows her words.
The crowd is silent for a while until several people raise their hand in favor, followed by even more and when some of the most important people in the room raise their hand, Claude and Dimitri chief among those, it’s a clear, nearly unanimous agreement.
The Nabateans will not face any punishment, is the verdict sometime later.
Several people cheer and even a few, like Marianne and Mercedes, rush ahead to Rhea to express their happiness. Eventually more of Byleth’s former students swarm the three former Saints and they all talk amicably, happily. Flayn is surrounded by Lysethia, Lindhardt and Bernadetta. Rhea adds Seteth to her group and several teachers and knights join them.
For the first time they’re all talking like equals. Not as a student to a teacher or a knight to their spiritual leader, but as friends and acquaintances.
Byleth watches quietly from the corner of her eye wishing to take them all in while she can.
After enjoying the sight of everyone talking to each other for just a bit longer, and at the same time making sure Byleth won’t run into people she does not wish to speak to beyond those doors, she quietly makes her leave.
Four more days, then Byleth gets to see Edelgard again and then the two of them will be off to a new life
Finally, nearly too late, Byleth realizes has have preparations to do, she needs to get ready.
She spends the remaining four days in a frenzy, cashing in all kinds of old favors. People to help her take the safest roads. People to accompany to the village in case it gets ambushed. She arranges the rations, the carriage with things like clothes the both of them might need. (All of which are new clothes they’ve never worn, they aren’t allowed to bring anything from their former lives with them.)
After Byleth has definitely found the safest route to take she’s done. It’s late and Byleth is so tired she all but falls into her bed. As she begins to drift off it occurs to her that tomorrow…. Tomorrow is the big day. Byleth suddenly feels excited and laughs into the pillow. For a moment all her worries leave her body and she feels like a child so excited.
With such excitement coursing through her veins it’s hard to sleep, she tosses and turns and the hour grows late before Byleth finally manages to fall asleep.
She dreams of flower fields surrounded by trees on a hill and in the distance, below her, is a village. She finds herself walking away from the village and in when she gets far enough from it, into a clearing with nature surrounding it, she sees Edelgard sitting against a tree, hair a mess of browns and whites. Her clothes resemble that of the academy yet she looks far too mature to still be that seventeen year old girl. She’s surrounded by flowers and made herself a flower crown as she’s sitting there, eyes closed.
Byleth thought she might be sleeping but when she gets close her eyes open and she grins at when she recognizes who is with her.
“I was waiting for you, Byleth.” Hearing her own name on her lips awes Byleth. It’s not the first time. But the first time it was said it in agony, desperation and pain. Now it’s playful and gentle. Byleth can’t help but smile at the young woman.
“I’m sorry I’m late” the former teacher says. Edelgard gets up from her sitting position and grabs one of Byleth’s hands and tugs her along playfully. “Come on let’s run until we can’t anymore,” she says excitedly and begins to run, pulling her teacher along. Byleth would have thought she was too serious of a person for these kind of games but perhaps that was the her of a long time ago. Instead she begin to run alongside Edelgard, still holding her hand tightly. The both of them careful not to trample the flowers and stick to the grass.
Together they run through the entire flower field, laughing all the way. Edelgard aims for the direction of the village, saying she knows a shortcut through the forest. Byleth follows her without hesitation. She thinks that she’d follow the other girl everywhere so as long as they’re together.
The forest is a bit harder to navigate, but that just makes it more fun to do so. Fallen trees and weirdly grown branches and bushes are only some of the obstacles the two of them have to traverse. It becomes a bit of a race, but still one will pause to help the other over or under a particularly difficult fallen tree.
Finally they reach a small stream, too small for fish but just big enough to be able to jump over.
Edelgard jumps over without hesitation and Byleth hears her laugh as she lands, one foot on dry land, the other just in barely in the water. Byleth attempts to do the same, both her feet hit the land but one of them slips and she threaten to fall backwards. Before that happens, however, Edelgard grabs both her teacher’s arms and pulls her up and against her with all her strength.
Too much strength, apparently.
Because the couple topples over in her direction, falling towards the ground.
After a loud thud of two people falling and a yelp from Edelgard, Byleth finds herself on top of her. She’s smiling playfully this time. Without any fear or hesitation Byleth closes the distance between them and kisses her. Instead of being surprised by it Edelgard kisses back with equal vigor.
She wraps one arm around Byleth and with her other hand she begins to draw circles on her back. Byleth fails to repress a moan at the sensation and suddenly Edelgard laughs. “Not yet, my dear. I first want to show you the village.”
Byleth nods sheepishly, sure to be red-faced.
After getting up herself, Byleth helps the younger woman up, who grabs her teacher’s hand and together they begin to walk through the last stretch of the forest. Barely any words are spoken, and instead both simply enjoy the surroundings, each other’s presence and the feeling of the other’s hand in theirs.
Byleth becomes aware of vague sounds in the distance. The sound of a village. It doesn’t take much longer before they reach the edge of the forest and there Byleth run a few paces ahead into the grass, excited to see the village she’s to be living in.
Except, much to her surprise and confusion the village is blurry. As if she’s looking at it through moving water. She can vaguely make out shapes of houses but they seem to be moving in gentle swirls.
Confused she looks around, wondering if Edelgard knows more about this.
She’s still at the forest’s edge, smiling, making Byleth realize just how far she had ran ahead.
Slowly everything around her begins to go white and both Byleth and Edelgard begin to fade as well. Panicking, Byleth tries to rush to the one she loves but Edelgard shakes her head. “Byleth, it’s alright,” she yells and there’s still that happiness in her voice.
“My dearest,” she continues. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With that she disappears in the whiteness.
Tomorrow?
What is tomorrow?
Oh, it’s the day I’ve been waiting for!
With that Byleth bolts up from her blankets.
She’s awake. That was a dream. Byleth needs several moments to regain her senses. It felt so real.
Trying to shake off the sleep, Byleth looks outside. It’s dawn, probably slightly too early to get up but she just can’t resist waiting any longer. Byleth rushes to put on her clothes on. A pair of the new clothes appropriate for the village, they had been hanging here waiting for Byleth for weeks now. Finally she can put them on. After she’s finished preparing and freshened up she hurries to Edelgard’s room. Or cell. The line is blurry these days.
When Byleth enters her room one this last day, shes completely forget to knock. Once she’s inside her eyes immediately search for those familiar ones belonging to the woman Byleth has come to love. She finds them where Edelgard is standing in the corner, for a split second Byleth is confused. The eyes are definitely hers, but they’re a muted green instead of the usual shade of lilac. Then there is everything else, all of which looks so subtly different as well.
The brown color is at about shoulder length now and the remaining whites have been carefully cut off. When Byleth takes her in fully, she’s almost like a different person. With her simple garments she’s wearing and new haircut she hardly looks like a former emperor and much more like a village girl. Byleth likes it, a lot. It looks natural on her.
She smiles at Byleth happily when the former mercenary tells her so.
“So, did you sleep well?” Edelgard asks her innocuously yet there is a smirk in her features, a glint in her eyes.
Byleth wonders if she knows about the dream she had the previous night. It’s unlikely but not impossible with several magic users around here. And if they are innocent there’s always Sothis who, even when supposedly dormant, can still do her magic from time to time.
“Yes, you were right.”
“Right in what?” the now fully brown haired girl asks cheekily.
Before Byleth can decide if she wants to grace that with a response someone else in the room makes a soft coughing noise. It’s Dimitri, oh and Claude is there too. And Manuela, Hanneman and Lindhardt.
“If you’re ready, then we can start getting ready.”
Byleth looks at them apologetically and nods. She’s been long since ready, her mind is made up and she’s solid set in her ways.
Manuela takes some time to explain the spell she used to change Edelgard’s eye colors. It’s permanent and fairly simple to undo, even by Byleth should the occasion arise. Only the person it is cast on can’t undo it themselves. Byleth wonders what Edelgard thinks of that, but if anything she simply looks happy.
There isn’t much left to discuss. Everything has been arranged, all that’s left is to actually do it.
Everyone gets a serious look in their face as they get ready for action. They first need to get Edelgard out the castle without being noticed.
It’s the dawn of the last day of their old lives and also the dawn of the first day of their new lives, Byleth muses.
A new feeling overcomes her, she’s feeling magnificently giddy.