#byleth voice: such power dwells within? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

xofoldedpages · 5 years

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Time { dimitri x byleth }

A sequel to my other title, Save Me Pairing: Byleth x Dimitri Rated: Explicit Genre: Smut w/ some wholesome fluff sprinkled in there Warnings: spoilers (literally the first line so), forced (again, kinda) Ao3 Post He wasted no time crushing his parted lips on Byleth's own. This kiss was different from the last one the two shared, but that was before everything changed. Dimitri grasped the nape of Byleth's neck in a needy manner, drinking up her taste like he had been starved of water his whole life.

Jeralt was dead, and for the first time, Byleth wept.

And the heavens wept as well, their tears bathing Fodlan in sorrow as Byleth held his lifeless body.

Time had betrayed her.

The day after his burial, Byleth walked a tedious and mournful path to the Captain's Quarters. She stopped short of his door, her hand trembling at the latch. Closing her eyes and breathing in deeply, she opened the door and stepped inside.

A heavy must scent greeted her; evidence of Jeralt's frequent tavern trips. Byleth did not mind, though. She welcomed the smell, memories of a more simple life invaded her mind. With tentative steps, she wandered towards the massive oak desk in the middle of the room. Her fingers grazed the valleys of the wood, and she took a seat in his chair.

She placed her cheek on the cold furniture, closing her eyes.

"Professor?"

Her eyes fluttered open, and she regained her posture. The young prince stood before her, a distant sorrow wavering in those beautiful cerulean eyes of his. The air between the two grew quite palpable as thoughts of their night at the Goddess Tower consumed them. For Dimitri, guilt crept up his spine for what he did to his professor. Byleth shared his guilt, knowing a professor and student relationship could never blossom.

Byleth remained silent, but the swelling of her eyelids and the redness that devoured her pale skin around them narrated enough for Dimitri.

"Professor," The blonde prince repeated, straining to find the right words to use. "I-I apologize for my behavior the other night," Dimitri paused. "I know this is not the proper time to apologize, but I wanted to give my condolences."

"Thank you, Dimitri," Byleth's speech was distant as she examined her student. He had always been her favorite, much so that she did not realize just how much of him she wanted. Her fondness had grown into something substantial, and their feelings intertwined.

Every time she spoke his name, Dimitri swore to the Goddess he heard a symphony. This time, however, the cords were distraught, and all evidence of her harmony had vanished. He closed the door to the Captain's Quarters behind him and marched to Byleth. With her penetrating gaze, she watched as he stopped beside her chair and pulled it out and turned it towards him.

"How in the blazes was he so strong," Byleth pondered, eyeing him.

And then, he embraced her; a touch that caused Byleth's breath to hitch in her throat. He was so gentle, a stark contrast to the animal she had seen the other night.

Dimitri wondered how a woman could tame and unhinge him all at the same time.

The two remained like that until Byleth was ready.

The following months, Dimitri consoled his professor the best he could, and their secret relationship began to blossom in the shadows of Garreg Mach. Despite his actions at the Goddess Tower, Dimitri was surprisingly gentle with Byleth and no longer pushed her to lengths she was not ready for after the death of her father.

One evening, Dimitri bolded knocked on Byleth's quarters. She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Hello, Professor. May I come in?"

Byleth glanced around, but no one was in sight. "You do realize what this might look like if someone catches us, right?"

"You truly think I would not be so cautious?" He feigned disappointment. "There is a feast in the dining hall."

Sighing, Byleth stepped to the side and allowed Dimitri entry.

Under the flicker of candlelight, Byleth nestled into the crook of Dimitri's chest as he read aloud to her. These were the moments Byleth cherished with Dimitri. As he spoke, she glanced up and studied his face. The workings of his jawline, the curves of his lips, and even the darkness that dwelled in his eyes, these were things Byleth wished to engrave in her memory.

He suddenly stopped reading aloud and glanced down at her. "Is there something on my face?"

Byleth shook her head, and suddenly Dimitri's lips ghosted lightly on her own in a kiss. Even within the chaos of the monastery, Dimitri's kisses left Byleth with a strange sense of peace.

They kiss again, and this one steals Byleth's reason and logic, and she nearly forgets to breathe.

The next kiss breathes life back into Byleth, and by the end of the night, she contemplates using her powers to relive the moments they shared.

But time is a fickle bastard.

And five years have passed since Edelgard's march on the monastery. Five years Dimitri survived without Byleth, but time changed him.

When Byleth finally awoke in the riverbank, her clothes were saturated and dirtied. The chilled breeze of the Ethereal Moon painfully nipped at her skin as she marched towards Garreg Mach, but nothing would slow her down. After all, her students needed her.

Footsteps eerily echoed off the abandoned Goddess Tower as Byleth stepped around the bloodied bodies of Imperial soldiers, remnants of water dripping to the ground. When she finally ascended the stairwell, darkness encompassed a lone figure.

Byleth stepped inside as the dawn of a new day approached. As he lifted his head, arrows of sunlight bathed Byleth in warmth, revealing a fluorescent haired vision to Dimitri. She was still the masterpiece Dimitri had painted her as in his youth.

But time was not as kind to Dimitri.

Byleth could see the years of war coated on Dimitri, an awful inky color plaguing the area around his remaining eye. She wondered when the last time he slept was. The sight of her former student twisted her intestines, and she suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

Silently, she walked to his crouching figure and extended her hand to him. Through tattered strands of hair, Dimitri glanced up at her beautiful image, groaning deep in his throat.

He did not take her hand.

"I should've known that one day you would be haunting me as well."

Byleth retracted her hand and shook her head.

"You," He spat. "What must I do to be rid of you?" His words were pleading, and Byleth could only stare as Dimitri stood, his body quivering with deadly revenge.

He continued. "I will kill that woman I swear it. Don't look upon me with scorn in your eyes."

"Dimitri," Byleth finally spoke his name, and Dimitri's eyes widened.

"You're alive," He breathed, a hint of faith laced between his words. That faith soon vanished, however. "If that is the case that can only mean you are another Imperial spy. Did you come here to kill me?"

"Of course not, Dimitri," Byleth answered, and her mind wandered to what the past five years had done to Dimitri. Guilt washed over her, drowning her beneath the surface. She had not been there for him, and she could not stomach the thought. After Jeralt's death, Dimitri had promised to console her, and he did. But when Dimitri needed his professor the most, her body betrayed her, asleep at the bottom of a canyon.

Byleth balled her fist, crescent-shaped indents marking her skin. She could fix this; she had to. Her body pulsated, and a familiar feeling tingled in her nerves. She would turn back time to five years ago, and she would change things.

But, time betrayed her once again. When she turned back the hands of time, she would stop suddenly at the bottom of the canyon, unable to trespass further in the past.

She tried again and again, but could never go further than the canyon.

Frustration built within her as she and Dimitri stood in front of each other, time unchanged. His massive stature loomed over Byleth's, his one eye seeping into her core.

"I'm sorry, Dimitri. I'm sorry I couldn't sa-"

"Silence," he demanded, and in one swift motion, his hand was around her neck. He was acutely aware of how easy it would be to snap it. As dark thoughts mangled his mind, he pressed his thumb and pointer into the crook of her throat, cutting off the supply of oxygen to her head. Just when he was sure she would lose consciousness, he would loosen his grip. Byleth did not react with judgment, but rather with understanding.

Five years ago, Byleth seized most of his thoughts, extinguishing the voices in Dimitri's head. In her absence, those voices grew louder, tormenting him. They chipped slowly at his humanity, and all that was left was a beast.

"Do you remember the last time we were here?" He pondered, his hand still firm against Byleth's throat. She had not made the connection at first, but then realized they were in the Goddess Tower, the place Dimitri first claimed the professor for himself.

"Of course," Byleth replied, and the response satisfied Dimitri. He tilted forward, his target seeming to be her lips before he suddenly flicked his tongue at her ear, ravaging the sensitive body part. "Good," he breathed against her ear, the warmth a stark contrast to her chilled lobe. "Because what I am about to do to you is much worse, Professor."

How could she disappear for five years, and not expect to be punished upon her return? He wasted no time crushing his parted lips on Byleth's own. This kiss was different from the last one the two shared, but that was before everything changed. Dimitri grasped the nape of Byleth's neck in a needing manner, drinking up her taste like he had been starved of water his whole life. He was not gentle in any sense of the word, but Byleth did not mind. She returned his feverish kiss, parting her lips so their tongues could intermingle as she gripped his shoulders through his long cloak.

Maybe this is what Dimitri needed? A distraction and a way to quell his rising corruption. If it were the only way to subdue the darkness that lurked behind his eyes, Byleth would oblige. As they exchanged saliva, their tongues flickering along with each other, Dimitri's throat produced a low grunt.

Byleth felt weak in the knees again, gripping harder at Dimitri's shoulders. It was the only leverage keeping her upright in this dizzying tower. When they finally parted, their chests were heaving laboriously. Byleth surveyed Dimitri's face for assurance, but his face was void of any real emotion. "On your knees," he demanded.

She nodded and floated effortlessly onto the ground. Dimitri wasted no time, unfastening his buckle and his midnight colored armor. The pieces of clothing fell to the floor with a clash that shattered through the entire room. Dimitri's lower half was left in nothing but his undergarments, a noticeable bulge between his legs.

Byleth swallows thickly as Dimitri reaches for his erection and presents it to his old Professor. He was much larger than Byleth remembered. Time was cruel, but it had endowed Dimitri well. He held his swollen member in one hand and with the other, caressed at Byleth's lips. Taking the hint, she parted her mouth, taking in his fingers. Her tongue swirled around the digits, as she sucked at them. When Dimitri felt them wet enough, he removed them from her mouth and used her saliva to slicken his cock. Then, at the same time, he gripped her hair and his cock. His hand moved masterfully down his member, and Byleth watched helplessly as he touched himself. Something hot was building in her stomach, and she wanted him.

"Open your mouth."

Another demand, but Byleth listened. Dimitri rested his cock on her lips, and Byleth could taste the sweet-and-salty mixture of pre-cum seeping from his tip. Without any prompting, Byleth wrapped her lips around him, and Dimitri's cock twitched in response. Straining against his size, she settled on swirling her tongue around his swelled gland, her hand instinctively reaching up to grasp his length. Her cheeks burrowed inward as she began to work her mouth at his tip, her hands moving in a circular motion along his length.

Dimitri let a rumbling groan escape his throat as he watched his Professor's mouth work his cock. Of course, he only wanted her to feel like she was in control. In reality, he was. The hand with a fistful of hair gripped tighter, yanking her back to his tip. His other gripped at the other side of her hair, holding her head firmly in place. Then, he began to fuck Byleth's face with unrelenting compulsion.

Byleth could feel Dimitri's tip at the back of her throat, his pre-cum dripping down her pipe. Her mouth was beginning to fill with saliva, causing the Goddess Tower to be filled with hollow bubbling sounds. Dimitri continued to pump in and out of her mouth, and Byleth clasped her eyes shut. Her hands clutched the side of his thighs, a sign she was beginning to lose too much air.

Dimitri did not stop. In fact, he began to fuck her face harder. Suddenly, the tip of her nose tickling his flaxen pubic hair as he held her head in place, his grip tightening on her sensitive scalp. She felt his cock twitch in her mouth, and Dimitri's body fell limp. A warm liquid trickled down Byleth's throat and Dimtri was sure to let every last drop reach her mouth before he finally pulled away.

Byleth gasped, planting her hands on the ground to steady herself. Dimitri took a calculated step back, examining Byleth. Her lips were puffy, and her cheeks flushed. To him, it was a beautiful sight.

"Stand up."

Byleth, still attempting to catch her breath, glanced up at Dimitri. To her surprise, his cock was still firm. She nodded and weakly obeyed.

"Dimitri, I-"

"Silence. I have no use for words right now."

Dimitri pressed his body to Byleth's and began to guide her body backward until it was flush with a familiar pillar. Byleth wanted to speak up, to talk to him, but she knew it would be useless. Capturing her chin in his fingers, Dimitri turned Byleth's head to one side and pressed his pelvis into her lower half. She gasped, his cock working against the fabric of her shorts as he planted his lips firmly on her neck. He was anything but gentle, sucking hard at the tender spot. He paused only to nibble at the same place. The animal in him was marking his territory.

He continued this from all angles of her neck, ensuring that no one could mistake she was his from wherever they stood.

His hands began to roam over her damped clothing, snaking underneath her cloak to unfasten her armor. He quickly discarded her top garments, exposing her ample breasts and abdomen. Stepping back, Dimitri admired the work of art his professor was. Even after all these years, his fantasies paled in comparison.

He nuzzled his nose against her collarbone, nipping at the surface. "Goddess, you're perfect," he muttered against her skin, but Byleth did not hear his stifled words. Though more patient, his touch was anything but tender. There was an underlying possession as his lips fluttered against Byleth's skin. He moved from her collarbone to the top of her breasts, expertly massaging one while his lips ravished the other. Dimitri took the hardened nipple between his teeth, his tongue licking at the summit. With his other hand, he twisted her other nipple with gentle force and Byleth whimpered against his touch.

Something in her whimper pushed Dimitri over the edge. He broke away from Byleth's skin to liberate her from her shorts, tossing them aside in a hasty manner.

Hooking his arms behind her thighs, Dimitri hoisted Byleth up with ease. The chilled pillar connected with her back and projected shivers across her entire body. The only thing between Dimitri's cock and her entrance was Byleth's stockings. Instead of removing them, Dimitri hooked a finger in one of the openings. He could not help but smirk, feeling just how drenched the garment was.

His touch was teasing, and Byleth moaned as his finger brushed against her sensitive cunt. Byleth half-expected him to enter her with his finger, but instead, he ripped a hole in her stockings.

"I'll have you know those are my favorite pair," Byleth protested. Dimitri huffed. After all this, that was what she said to him? Before she could speak anymore, Dimitri silenced her with his cock. He used his hips to run the length along her slit. Her head tilted back in response, and Dimitri continued his slow and calculated thrusts. He could feel her become more and more wet from his touch.

"Please," She begged.

"Please, what?" Dimitri coaxed, his eye fixated on where his cock and his professor connected.

"Please fuck me," She whispered against his neck and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Say please fuck me, Dimitri." His pace picked up slightly, the base of his cock hitting her clit with each pump.

"Please fuck me, Dimitri."

With a cocky simper, Dimitri did as he was told. He lifted her up higher, his tip at Byleth's entrance.

"I haven't done this-"

But before she could continue, Dimitri plunged his cock deep inside her cunt. What came out of her mouth next was a blend of a scream and moan. And, to Dimitri's bewilderment, the voices inside his subconscious silenced and he found himself once more, if only for a moment. He faltered, his cock deep inside Byleth and guilt began to wash over him. What was he doing?

But, just as soon as they disappeared, the voices returned, and Dimitri's face contorted in agony.

"Dimitri? Are you alright?" Byleth breathed, her walls beginning to adjust to his size.

Any guilt he felt disintegrated, and his jaw tightened.

"Why."

Dimitri drew his cock back to Byleth's entrance and plunged himself back in.

"Won't."

He continued to nearly draw himself out of Byleth before ramming his cock inside once more.

"They leave me alone," He hissed through clenched teeth, his forehead resting on the nook of Byleth's shoulder. She smoothed her hands through his unkempt hair in an attempt to embrace him, but overwhelming desire consumed her. She hastily began to untie his cloak, letting it pool around Dimitri's feet. Understanding what she wanted, he paused his movements to help shed the armor he was wearing.

When he was finally bared in front of her, Byleth's smooth hands caressed his chest.

Her hands, so soft and fragile. Dimitri knew he did not deserve her touch. Her eyes roamed over his body. Scars new and old littered his skin. She pressed a gentle kiss to each one her mouth could reach, and Dimitri began to fuck her again. This time was more urgent, and the force of his trusts caused Byleth to tear at his back.

"Who do you belong to?" Dimitri muttered, his breath jagged.

"You," Byleth responded.

"Say my name, Professor."

He had a fixation on the way his name rolled off of Byleth's tongue. He would never tire of hearing it.

"You, Dimitri."

"That's right," He murmured between grunts. "Now, open your mouth."

Confused at his request, Byleth's brows furrowed, but she did as she was told. He gripped her chin and hovered his mouth just above hers, spitting in it. Before she could close her lips, Dimitri's interlocked with them. His tongue forced her mouth to stay parted, and the two exchanged a wet kiss. Byleth moaned desperately against his lips, and Dimitri quickened his pace.

Byleth bounced on his cock with each thrust, her breasts bobbing with the movement. A warmth swelled in her stomach, and she urgently gripped Dimitri's hair. He responded by claiming her throat with his hand, severing her oxygen supply again.

His lips found their way to her collarbone again, and her briny skin reminded Dimitri of the seaside. Her breathing became more erratic, and her wails grew louder.

"Come for me, Professor." He urged, and his cock continued claimed every inch of her wet cunt in eager thrusts. His coaxing sent Byleth titering over the edge, her walls convulsing against his cock as her cum filled around him. Knowing he was the first to bless Byleth with an orgasm was enough for Dimitri to reach his own climax. With one last thrust, he steadied himself inside her, releasing his seed. Dimitri's body reacted with shivers running the length of his nerves, his body tremoring slightly.

As he came, he called out her name; her real name for the first time and the sound stole Byleth's breath from her. It took a while for their bodies to calm, and their breathing to return to a steady pace. All the while, Dimitri refused to withdraw his cock from Byleth.

As they settled, Byleth scanned Dimitri's face for something - anything - but fell short. For a fleeting moment, she could have sworn his face flickered with regret, but the expression was gone too soon. Finally, he slowly pulled his cock from her cunt, and Byleth could not help but whimper one last moan.

Dimitri began to dress, tossing her shorts to Byleth.

"Get dressed. There is much we have to do." ---

As always, I am taking requests! Just click on the request / comment / love link in the right-hand corner of my page! All Dimitri x Byleth fanfiction can be found searching just that; Dimitri x Byleth

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yukiwrites · 4 years

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Byleth, Focusing

Thanks for the support as always, @xpegasusuniverse! I was emotional while writing this, I hope you like it! ;o;)

Summary: The enemy had come unnanounced, taking everything Byleth ever had in his life -- his father, Jeralt. Shaken by grief, Byleth’s resolve in hunting down his and Sothis’ sworn enemies keeps him going as he reads through his father’s diary and discovers the truth about the Stone within his heart...

Commission info HERE and HERE!

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Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14 - Part 15

Byleth himself carried Jeralt's body back to the monastery.

No stretchers. No help from his fellow mercenaries. No.

He would carry his Father.

One last time.

... For the first time.

Long had Jeralt carried Byleth -- the burdens of a lifetime; secrets buried deep within the mind, away from any prying eyes, protected at the cost of a nomad life... And the only thing Byleth could do in return was make sure to bury his father beside his Mother.

The raindrops fell heavily on the Professor's shoulders, the water seeping into his very bones, chilling the soul. Sothis' apologies had died down with the passing of the hours, her voice sounding farther and farther away as it did.

Was he shutting her out or was she giving him space? Byleth couldn't say for certain.

He could barely feel a thing under his cold fingertips, the memories of loss spiralling in and out of his mind, mingling with Sothis'.

Byleth squeezed his eyes shut as he knelt by the muddy grave, uncaring of any spectators who'd come to give their farewells to Jeralt.

His tears were warm -- a painful reminder of his status as a living being, as opposed to the frozen feeling of his limbs. "That darkness... It was familiar." He clenched his fist, his hoarse voice deafened by the heavy rain around him.

Sothis flinched inside his mind, materializing beside him. "You don't mean-"

Byleth nodded minimally, anger so deeply carved into his expression one would never be able to call him 'Ashen Demon' again for his eyes shone in a fierce blue. "You told me not to take on a millennia-old fight, but the fight came to me instead."

Sothis opened and closed her mouth. She couldn't even tell him that the path of vengeance was wrong -- as she was aware that many would -- because she, too, fell victim of those who abandoned the light from aboveground. So had her children. History had to be rewritten to push the villains into oblivion, yet there they were again, intent on making everyone's lives a living hell.

"I'll fight." Byleth could feel Sothis' conflict, but he himself was resolute. "They'll pay." He clutched his chest, almost as though he could dig his hand into it and touch Sothis' core directly.

The goddess simply lowered her head somberly, placing one ethereal hand on Byleth's shoulder. "Let us both fight together." Her voice echoed as the rain fell through her.

I may not be much with these limited powers, she thought melancholy, however, I may have an idea to enhance them in you instead...

Byleth let out a bitter smile, knitting his brow together so as to keep himself from sobbing. "You weren't at fault... I'm sorry I said all of that," he said in a small voice, barely over a whisper. Rain thundered about, muffling his words to all but the one who dwelled in his mind. "But... thank you, my friend."

Honestly, Byleth didn't remember how or when he went back to his room that night. The next few days blended together as though the simple passing of time was enough to make him dizzy, his mind struggling to process the loss.

The only interaction he had -- and needed -- was Sothis' voice and comforting embrace in their shared mindscape. As a mother, her grief was fundamentally different from Byleth's, who had lost a parent, but they both could find solace in one another's pains and coping mechanisms.

Once Byleth felt well enough to stand, he headed straight to Jeralt's room, not caring to seek out anyone in his path -- actively or inadvertently ignoring anyone who got remotely close to his chosen route.

Opening the door to Jeralt's study all at once was a mistake -- Byleth was slapped in the face with his father's scent, making him clench his jaw and hesitate more than a few moments to take the first step inside. One would think that with the little amount of time Jeralt spent in his room wouldn't be enough to left such significant impression, but that clearly wasn't the case.

Jeralt was in every nook and cranny of that battered room. He was a neat man, so the furniture was kept clean and tidy, as were his personal objects.

Byleth's chin trembled as he stepped inside, forcing him to take a moment to recompose himself by leaning on a nearby bookshelf.

Sothis patted his head mentally, taking it upon herself to look around in Byleth's stead. "Over there- are you well enough to move? That book way over there, hidden at the highest corner of the shelf- can you see it? Mayhap it contains something?"

"I see it." Byleth blinked slowly, looking up to the book Sothis was pointing to. He unceremoniously stepped on an expensive-looking chair to reach it, not bothering to look for a stool.

The moment he touched the old-looking book, something threatened to fall out of it, triggering Byleth's reflex of catching it before it did.

It was a ring.

His Mother's ring.

"Oh..." Byleth croaked out, gripping at the delicate ornament before stuffing it into his pocket. Sothis simply waited in silence for Byleth to compose himself, leaning her ethereal head on his shoulder.

Sniffling, the Professor managed to push down the lump in his throat enough to speak. "This- looks to be Dad's diary. I saw him writing on it from time to time when I was a kid."

"His handwriting is prettier than his face would suggest," Sothis blurted out as Byleth opened the book. "Why, those entries right at the beginning- they’re well before your birth! The courting of your mother, his love for her..." She said fondly, reaching out to the yellowed pages as though she could touch them. "What a beautiful love it must've been."

Byleth couldn't even nod, the rush of emotions he felt as he read the loving way his father talked about his mother taking everything he had. He slid down to sit on the floor, crossing his legs so he could read it and take it all in.

"This part here... Horsebow Moon, year 1159... It's the year of your birth!" Sothis urged Byleth to turn the pages faster. "There must be some clue here-"

Byleth frowned as he quickly read the passages, Sothis' voice echoing the words inside his mind. "Rhea..."

"Your father had been wary of her from day one, that much is true. So his suspicions hailed from an even farther past..."

For all that was written in the diary, apart from Rhea's odd behavior, it simply looked as though she placed the Crest Stone into Byleth's heart to save him from a certain death -- something Sothis knew her daughter would do, at least back in the day.

Was that truly the only reason? Would that Rhea, the child who was the most attached to Herself, give away Sothis' own heart to a random child from one of the Knights?

... Sothis wanted to say, without hesitation, that she would. She desperately wanted to say that the selfless duckling that always followed her around would simply be just as nice as that.

But she hesitated. She didn't have the confidence to say it, not after reading the diary and remembering how Rhea behaved while she was donning the alias of Seiros.

Byleth, on the other hand, seemed convinced, if not pleased, with the simple conclusion -- at least for the time being. As he got up from the floor, Sothis' mouth moved before she could control it.

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to read the rest?"

"Mhm," Byleth nodded, stuffing the book into the inner pocket of his coat. "I'll keep this for the time being, but I figured Hanneman and Manuela should know of this development... I did say I'd keep them posted on my conversation with Dad, after all."

"You foolish child. You know there's no need to honor that promise right now. Let yourself grieve."

Byleth shook his head as he looked around his father's study one last time before stepping out of it. "This IS my way to grieve." He closed the door with a soft click, leaning his head on the hard wood for a good moment. "Besides, if I go back to my room right now, I'll probably just head straight to Rhea and ask her all about this. I need Hanneman and Manuela to hold me back." He barked a bitter laugh, stealing a stifled giggle from Sothis, as well as a good-natured slap on his back.

She looked down as Byleth started walking. "For the record, I do not think you should talk to her, either."

"I know." Byleth nodded. He had felt his mindmate's hesitation back then, which also spurred his urge in going to talk with Rhea. But he wouldn't. He would listen to his friend's pleas this time around -- he had caused her enough grief already.

Sothis pressed her lips into a thin line, torn between smiling fondly and frowning deeply. Moved by her friend's attentiveness and selflessness in the situation he was in at the moment, she couldn't help but feel rather selfish. Was she protecting her child from an uncertain future? There was no way to know Rhea's true intentions without talking to her directly, but if the answer was too much for Byleth to handle...

Maybe Sothis was trying to protect the both of them -- the friend she could only make after she died and the child that outlived her. The goddess curled back into the corners of Byleth's mind as he reached Hanneman's office.

The door was open, so there was no need to announce oneself. Hanneman got up from his seat so fast he winced. "Byleth!" He gasped loudly. "Should you be up and about? I wouldn't want you to fall sick at such grievous time..."

Hurried steps sounded from the corridor before they reached the door. Manuela appeared from out of it, quickly running to hold Byleth's shoulders. "So it really was you I caught a glimpse of...!" She pressed her lips into a thin line, never knowing what to say in these kinds of situations. "I am so, so very sorry for your loss, dear Professor."

"Likewise." Hanneman nodded beside his fellow professor, stealing a smile from Byleth's tired lips.

"Thanks, you two. I actually came here to talk about what I found out regarding the Crest Stone-"

"Oh, my!" Manuela slapped Hanneman's shoulder. "Quick, old man, close that door!"

"Right!" Slightly offended from being ordered around, but still complying, Hanneman ran to the entrance to seal it shut. "You shouldn't force yourself, Professor-"

"It was Rhea." He said as he pulled the diary from his pocket. "She put the Stone within my heart."

The temperature in the room dropped rapidly.

"As we theorized, then..." Hanneman frowned, uncharacteristically calm about such a breakthrough. "To think the Children of the Goddess held such immense and frightening power..."

Manuela tilted her head from Hanneman to the book in Byleth's hand, ultimately taking it. "Did your father...?"

"Know about it? No. Write it down? Kind of." Byleth bobbed his head to the sides. "From what he wrote, Rhea had a direct hand in my survival after apparently being born dead. Since we know what lies inside my chest, we can only conclude..."

"... that it was her, yes. But for what purpose?" Hanneman peeked at the diary from over Manuela's shoulder. "Surely not out of the goodness of her heart? Hah!" He sneered, and Byleth felt a pang of pain in his heart -- surely hailing from Sothis herself.

"... Sothis doesn't want me to confront Rhea about this, so I won't go. Although I do think that would be the fastest-"

"Absolutely not!" Manuela and Hanneman said at the same time. "If she has the power to put that thing inside of you, surely she can just as easily take it out should you go against her! Don't let your grief fuel your recklessness, Byleth." Manuela placed the book back in Byleth's hand, purposely not handing it to Hanneman's prying eyes.

The older man hesitated, but decided against asking to read the diary for himself. He wasn't entirely tactless, after all. "I agree with Manuela. Let us first sit down and put all the facts before us..."

#byleth #sothis #hanneman #manuela fire emblem #fire emblem three houses #fe3h #my writings #yuki's commissions #spoilers

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